Hi All
I was talking with Allen (Bluevista) about the windshield wiper mist option. He has one in his 1971 Vista Cruiser. I had one in a 1971 Vista Cruiser that I dismantled due to terminal rust issues. Then I knew a fellow Olds guy about 20 years ago with one in a Cutlass. These are the only ones I've heard of. Does anybody else have one in their car? I'm trying not to use the word "rare" as I believe that's been waaaaaaaaay over used in classified ads of cars/parts for sale. But I am wondering how common this option was. And was it available for any other years than the 1971?

OK, on a less serious note... I have to tell a story on myself. I bought this Vista Cruiser from the Oregon Coast and suspected it would be a rust bucket. But it had a good running 455 and some really cool parts so I bought it anyway and used it as a daily driver until the rain leak through the roof got too bad. After I'd been driving it for about 6 months I'm sitting at a traffic light pondering why the column shift lever looked the way it did when I pushed in on the end of it. To my shock the wipers came on for just a moment! I had no idea that this option was around in 1971. I felt kinda silly at the time, but once I figured it out I found the mist option a nice thing to have. Attached are a couple photos of the shift lever. John

P1010634.jpg

P1010637-1.jpg

 

That is a pretty cool option for back then. I will be curious too to see how many came with it.

 

My 68 Delmont has a washer option. I have hide away windshield wipers, you push a button on the wiper switch and 3 blast of water shoots out from under the hood. Is that the same thing?

 

Hello Matt
This is more like the wiper delay on newer cars for when there's just a mist falling, but not enough rain to run the wipers. It just makes the wipers take a swipe without washer fluid when you press the button.

 

I think we got our wires crossed John, I don't have one.
I know you do.

The wiper washer demand control is in the assembly manual with intructions how to install it and hook it up. They provide the lever with the switch and wiring and maybe the jumper?
There's a jumper harness with the wiper switch connection and the wiper washer demand connection on it.
Do they all have that jumper or does the wiper connector go straight to the switch? Never had mine that far apart.
My Vista did have a jumper provided on the rear window relay to tie the power windows into.

That interior in the pics looks really clean, now that I see the **** for the remote mirror I just remembered I'm looking for one of those too.

 

Option code Y78, Windshield Washer & Wiper - Shaft Controlled

 

Shaft controlled??

"Who is the man who controls all the windshield wipers?.....Shaft!
Right on....
They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother....


Sorry...I couldn't resist.


The shift lever is different between the tilt and standard columns?
I only noticed when I switched mine. I seem to dismember a hole for the wire on the regular levers when I was messing with them?...off to the parts boxes.
I really should mark what's in them so I don't have to look through every one every time.

 

Direct from the GM literature........

 

Thanks My442 for the option code. Oops! my mistake Allen. So... at this point mine is the only know surviving example in the universe

 

I would consider this one rare - I have seen so few with it and I want one! Looks very convenient, Especially when you drive the car a lot.

 

Allan R. has to have one, at least.

I remember seeing a $100,000 pile of NOS options he's been procuring in a pic he posted once.

I think it would be cool to have John Shaft riding shotgun to turn on your wipers.

Who is the man that would turn on wipers
For his brother man?
SHAFT!
Can you dig it?

 

GM like giving strange names to parts... They also call a sway bar a shaft!

 

Must be for 1971 only?? Just checked the 1972 SPECS and Ordering guide and theres nuthing, nada, zilch for A Bodies or VCs listed for this option. On the other hand I did find "police equipment" listed for the 98, custom cruiser and Deltas!!

Nope, not this time my friend. ??? $100,000.00 pile o' parts? not quite. If it were my Mrs wouldn't be talking to me. Hmmmmm naw, it's better she does. I'm still collectin though and I'll take most anything in good shape cause the market for OEM and NOS can't last forever. Only limiting factor is storage!!

The only NOS and other stuff that I'm "hoarding" (not to be confoosed with *****'d ing) are specific for the 1972 Cutlass model year. Nice to know that you're keeping track though. When it gets all done, I'm coming down there an show ya! Redgoat can be there too, but he can't touch!

 

Rob, I'm still deciding what options to put on the flat top wagon project. If I go with bucket seats and a console this would be available and I'll keep you in mind. John

 

At the time for a daily driver this would have been a very cool feature.

At this time on my car,it's not needed,I have no plans on driving in the rain.

 

X2 on that. But you never know what mom nature has in mind when you set out for a show n shine a couple hundred miles away. I agree it would be a really cool option on a driver, but that means you can probably go to a boneyard and get the guts of a pulse/delay wiper system and install it if you really wanted to. Not in my plans though.

 

Please do! Thanks!!

 

Neither the commonly available reprint of the 1971 assembly manual nor the original 1971 Chassis Service Manual list Y78 as an available option in an A body (though this would have been a Fisher item, I would think that it should have been at least mentioned).

 

...hit "Post" too quick...Continued...

...But there are individual pages in the Assembly Manual reprint that do mention it, 9-108 (279) and 12-117 (367). Those refer to RPO CD3 "Windshield Washer & Wiper in Shift Lever". Both manuals list RPO CD3. The 1971 Chassis Manual calls it "Demand Wiper System".

 

Who is the man that would turn on wipers
For his brother man?
SHAFT!
Can you dig it?


You're gonna get the shaft one of these days.... down Redgoat, down!

 

I had a 70 Olds 98 convert that was so equipped.

Henry