Hey '70s Kids, Remember The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser? Yeah, You Do

Some cars perfectly define an era, and much in the way that Tri-Five Chevrolets define the 1950s, and how Jaguar's E-Type is oh-so '60s, the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is pure '70s nostalgia. It hails from an entirely different era, well before minivans and SUVs dominated the streets, so it acts as a perfect snapshot of '70s suburbia.

Many station wagons from days gone by have long been forgotten by all but the history books, although the Vista Cruiser survives in our memory alongside other examples of our favorite cars from the '70s. That's partially thanks to regular appearances in "That '70s Show," although the Vista Cruiser's significance is more so down to its incredible design, most notably, its awesome roof.

This Olds sported a raised rear section that was decorated with integrated skylights. Far more than just a styling flourish, the Vista Cruiser's epic roof design took the sometimes-bland station wagon configuration and transformed it into the most exciting thing on four wheels for the whole family to road trip in. Sure, Oldsmobile could have just chucked a sunroof in there, but where would the fun in that be?

The automobile industry during this era was decorated with striking concepts and bold ideas, so it wasn't a particularly unusual time for fun designs like this to actually hit the showroom floors. Think fake woodgrain paneling, vinyl-covered roofs, and pillowed, velour upholstery. However, not everything about '70s American motoring is quite so cool, and that's most visible underneath this Oldsmobile's hood.

The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser actually began its life back in 1964 and was based on General Motors' then-new mid-size A-body platform. As part of the package, Vista Cruisers could be ordered with an array of different GM V8 engines.

As standard, buyers would be presented with a 230-horsepower 330-cubic-inch V8, although upgrades during the 1960s included the base engine becoming a 250-horse Oldsmobile 350-cubic-inch V8, an upgraded 310-horsepower 350, and Oldsmobile's 325-horsepower 400-cubic-inch mill. When 1970 rolled around, the option to throw a 455-cubic-inch big-block under the hood also presented itself. That's pretty cool for a family-hauling '70s wagon, but the writing was on the wall for America's muscle mania at this point, so the performance of '70s models took a steep dive shortly thereafter.

For 1973, the Vista Cruiser entered its third and final generation, which would last until 1977. By the end of its run, the base 350-cubic-inch V8 mustered up only 170 horsepower, while the 455-cubic-inch upgrade gave a slight boost, to just 190 horsepower. The 455 was replaced by Oldsmobile's 403 in '77, which kicked out a largely similar 185 horses.

Of course, this would have been disappointing for buyers, but the damage was hardest dealt to the muscle car genre — at least station wagons like the Vista Cruiser still served a purpose outside of performance. Instead, brochures at the time boasted about user-friendly tailgate designs, luxurious upholstery, and, obviously, cool roof-mounted windows. New for the third-gen model was the Vista Vent — essentially a small sunroof which would pop up to help vent out the cabin.

One of the best things about the iconic Vista Cruiser is that it's relatively affordable. Okay, perhaps running a big-block-powered '70s Oldsmobile with today's fuel prices isn't exactly perfectly affordable, but compare the Vista Cruiser to some other iconic '70s American cars, and at least the purchase price is comparably low.

Really fine examples will command north of $35,000, a valuation backed up not only by expert estimates, but by real auction results, too. Prices soon drop for lesser but still usable examples, with many survivors trading hands for between $15,000 and $25,000, and from across the Vista Cruiser's 13-year production span as well.

That's affordable, sure, but not exactly bargain territory. Well, not unless you're Wilmer Valderrama who played Fez on "That '70s Show." Hot Rod tells us that, in an interview on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Valderrama inquired about buying the iconic Oldsmobile from the props department when the show had wrapped up. Their answer was just $500, and Valderrama quite rightly dubbed the car as "the best thing" he had ever acquired during his acting career.