tcolt

I'm trying to find new reproduction vent window seals for my 1972 Vista Cruiser and I've been searching all the manufacturers by looking for 4 door Cutlass sedans and Chevelle and Cutlass wagons, but all of them tell me that they won't fit the Vista Cruiser.

From pictures it looks like the Chevelle and definitely the Cutlass / Cutlass-Cruiser Wagons have the same front doors.

Does anyone know for sure whether they'd fit the Vista Cruiser too or does anyone have some good used ones they'd sell?

Thanks, Tom

joe_padavano

"All of them" would be wrong.

The VC uses the same front doors, vent windows and front door weatherstrip as any other same year Cutlass wagon or Cutlass four door. The BACK doors are unique to the VC, since they are 5" longer than on other Cutlass wagons, but the front doors are exactly the same.

tcolt

Haha! Awesome, Joe. You always have the definitive information... I thought they should be the same, although I'm just curious, what about the Chevelle wagon that looks like they have slightly different shaped doors, but might still have the same vent window? They're all a-bodies...

These guys were just one of the companies that I spent at least 15 minutes on the phone with and they said these would not fit my VC. Same thing for OPGI, MMR and a few others who don't know what cars the parts they sell will fit.

http://www.autometaldirect.com/1971-...56-p-7181.html

Thanks for your help Joe. I'm glad I can get them and even at a pretty decent price.

Tom

tcolt

I just realized that Auto Metal Directs description (above) doesn't specifically say "4-door sedan", but I'm guessing/ hoping there was no 2-door Cutlass wagon that I've missed in the two years since I've been learning about Olds'....

VC455

I got the wing window seals for my Vista Cruiser from Fusick and they fit OK. You need to stretch them a bit.

joe_padavano

Be careful, as the post coupes are sometimes called "two door sedans". I've always gone to Steel Rubber for weatherstrip parts, although I just checked and they don't show vent window rubber for VC, Cutlass, or Chevelle wagons. They don't even show them for Chevelle four doors. Go figure.

tcolt

Thanks guys. I'll try Fusick or Auto Metal Direct. They say theirs fits
"68-72 Chevelle Cutlass Sedan & Wagon Vent Window Weatherstrip, LH/RH Pair"

I think he did say this was for a 2-door "sedan" although that doesn't go together with the "wagon" unless there was a two door wagon Chevelle or Cutlass.

Funkwagon455

I sourced mine from Steele for my '70 Cutlass wagon, fit perfectly after some persuasive manipulation and patience.

tcolt

That's too weird. I have checked both of those companies too (Steele and Fusick) and they all have nothing listed for 4 door Cutlass sedan, cruiser, wagon, etc. I just called them with the same result. (Their customer service just does the same thing that I check online).

Do any of you remember what kind of application you bought your seals for and when? Maybe even a part number? Did you have to do some major stretching because the part was possibly for a 2-door sedan?

I went ahead and ordered the one from Auto Metal Direct (their pictures show that it's an OPGI part) that says it fits a Cutlass and Chevelle Wagon, but OPGI says they don't make a vent window seal for those cars. Am I somehow caught in some remote area of the inter webs and I won't be able to find my way back to my Vista Cruiser once I've received the wrong part?... ;-)

Oddly, they all seem to indicate for their vent window seals that they are "hand-crafted" or that they would take a while to make. I don't really know what to make of that either. Maybe the basic mold is the same for many of these cars and they might cut and splice the corners to fit the right length. That could explain why people here have made a 2-door sedan seal fit a 4-door. All this is just guesswork... Does anybody have pictures of the 2 and 4-door seals, maybe installed?...

joe_padavano

I was wondering this, actually. Correct parts shouldn't require any "manipulation" to fit.

I did verify in the factory parts book that all 1968-72 Cutlass more-door sedans (NOT four door hardtops), flattop wagons, and Vistas all use the same vent window frame P/N. Interestingly, the rubber seal P/N is different for 1968-70 and 71-72. Likely this is some redesign because the parts it fits to are exactly the same in all five years.

tcolt

Thanks for the research Joe. I have a feeling that we might have hit on the mystery. VC455 and Funk. is it possible that you used a part for another model and made it work? I've thought about doing that as well, but of course it would still be nice to know what part you used, so I can avoid making a mistake. Price differences for the vent window seals vary from $59 to over $200 and of course all of them claim to be the best reproductions out there. I'm a little surprised that there is so little interest in reproducing the 1968-1972 4 door sedan/ wagon (not hardtop :-) seals, since there are probably at least as many of those left as the previous model for which they do seem to offer that part...

Funkwagon455

Actually when I use "manipulation", I am referencing feeding the seal into the c channel.. They fit perfectly, with no modifications. You can see a pic in my '70 wagon restoration thread. However, I do not see them offered either in the Steele website.. I had bought mine about 1.5 years ago. Maybe they have stopped production.

tcolt

Wow. I just saw your very nice restoration. Looks like you are still working on it and recently installed those seals. I can't believe that Steele has no clue that they used to sell that vent window seal. You wouldn't be able to do me a big favor and get a part number off your invoice if you still have it?

Thanks, Tom

Funkwagon455

I'd be glad to share the info with you, but I just touched down tonight in Lima, Peru for 31 days for work. I'll send the info when I return.

tcolt

Thank you sir. If you're not busy one day and happen to come across a store there that sells these seals for a 1972 Vista Cruiser, can you please pick one up for me?...

Funkwagon455

I arrived home yesterday and was able to thumb through my receipts to source the part number from Steele. Here is a link to the vent seals I had used:

http://www.steelerubber.com/front-do...rip-82-0146-55

VC455

That link shows fitment to 2-door cars.

The ones I bought from Fusick definitely took a stretch to fit. They were probably 2-door seals as well. My factory seals were destroyed--the 2-dfoor seals were a big improvement.

If y'all figure this out, I'll buy the correct ones too.

Funkwagon455

I will not be sending any complaints about fitment on these seals...

tcolt

Welcome back! I just watched a program about a remote town in Peru where they mysteriously have blond-haired people among the Indians which they believe may be due to Celtic fishermen who traveled from Northern Spain 2000 years ago...

But back to weather stripping. I have been anxiously waiting to hear from you about this and maybe the cat whiskers too, since I've probably contacted every company in the country with no good result.

You've confirmed that Steele's seal, part number 82-0146-55, which they claim fits only 2-door Cutlass, Buick, Pontiac and Chevy Coupes, was a perfect fit on your Cutlass Wagon, which should make it a perfect fit for my VC. The interesting thing is that they don't offer anything for the 4 doors or 2 door hardtops. The other problem is, I just measured my seals (just the visual portion as installed on my VC) 18 5/8" x 10.25" x 14.25" and it seems quite a bit larger than the 18" x 10 3/4" x 11 7/8" that Steele gives us. If you could measure those dimensions on your Wagon, it might confirm that their dimensions are wrong and that they simply don't know what cars their products fit...

I'm having an equally hard time finding the belt-line fuzzies. In fact, I can't even find ANY of the companies Repops, PUI, OPGI, Fusick, Restoration Specialties, Cooper Standard, Year One, etc.... that has the correct cross section as the felts as on my Vista Cruiser. Can you or Joe or someone please take a look at my pictures and tell me if that matches other Oldsmobile cars from the early 70s or a Cutlass Wagon? Specifically, I can't find any outer felts that have the round (not flat) stainless bead along the upper edge AND a small rubber lip that goes right onto the painted upper edge of the doors. The inner felts also have the same stainless bead at the top, but no rubber lip and of course they seal against the glass with a flocked rubber flap instead of felt piling like in the front. (Interesting, that they use two completely different ways of sealing for the inside and outsides of the doors)

tcolt

Here's an update for people who are looking for the tailgate bumper steps:

"
Many of you have patiently been waiting for the 68-72 tailgate vertical window track top molded rubber pieces. Unfortunately those are not ready yet, but I am doing everything I can to get them to you ASAP. But, the 3 piece set rear step pieces are now ready. This new set is for the 68-72 dual action gate mid- size or A-body wagons. I wish you happy motoring from www.einstyn.com Ordering instructions are at the top of the parts pages. This set has brass cores molded in them and the set price is $425 plus $15 shipping. combine parts for savings on shipping."

Pete Lohr www.einstyn.com