Visions of Vista Cruisers are dancing in my head - and I can't knock 'em out!

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post279407

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Biggest issue I see is that my garage is 15" too short, so it will be hard to wrench on... I will need to expand my rear driveway a bit.

I have been talking offline with the guy and it seems like a pretty good car. Like Lady, it has a great body and paint (some small rust spots at bottom) but interior and engine needs refreshing (not rebuilding). AC is dead. It will need to follow in lady's footsteps before becoming my next daily driver.

Car is near Lansing so it would be another vacation trip to fly there, check it out, and drive it home if I like it.

 

Rob, all in all it is a very very clean car, IMHO, I just wonder what an interior makeover will look like on this bad girl .... I am buying stock in dynomat!!!

A man needs his toyz damn it!!

so I will not try to talk you out of it...... but in this economy I won't talk you into it either...Buttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt she IS a beauty!!

 

It is pretty and the price seems reasonable. One thing I noticed is what appears to be a wiper blade scratch on the drivers side. If anybody knows about redoing an interior it would be you Rob.

 

If that's your thing....

DoitBenStiller.gif....it looks pretty solid and clean.

 

What better excuse could you have for building a bigger garage

 

Hmm... I really like the car. I mean, Vista Cruisers have to be the best looking station wagons ever. Sounds like reasonably minor problems (heck, my AC doesn't work either and it's got more than a few small rust bubbles).

BUT...!
That's where my question is... How much is it going to cost and are you ready for the chore of changing around your driveway? If it is "big" work do you need to hire it out? Etc., etc., etc...

Just my 2 cents.

 

I have seen turn-key restored VCs selling from 10-15k, so this one is not too far out of line.
The gold color is extremely attractive. Chrome looks good. Some minor rust but nothting structural.

Yes, the windshield will need replacing (if the scratch won't buff out).
Tranny and PS leaks, so will need tending to immediately. No leaks allowed in the driveway...

An interior makeover for this thing will not be easy as ordering everything from legendary, since not much is repro'd for the wagons. They have carpet at least.
There WILL be a power window and lock addition, for sure.
The dynamat thing is something I wish not to repeat...

For the most part, it will stay as is until I am done with Lady. Then I can start the wagon's resto. And by the time the VC is done, the Caddy will probably start giving major problems so it will be gone.

The side of the driveway is flagstone but needs to be widened about 2' so the Ford can reside there during summer. Not too much work. I refuse to dump any major money into this house, so no garage expansion, unless I can get a good deal on it. However I do not wish to go through the headaches that Richard (gearhead78) did. I need a 3 bay, but absolutely no room for that.

I await for my retirement home which will come with bigger toyboxes...

 

Rob,

That is my favorite color on a VC

 

What the heck..... Go for it Rob! It looks nice! Maybe Blue will show back up and can give ya some tips.

 

I have been waiting for him to show up. Since you are nearby to him, maybe you can tell him to stop by the computer soon...

 

Yeah... one of these days Teepo and I are gonna have to make a drive out there, and see if he's still alive or what!

 

LOVE it!!

 

He mighta stepped over his wife's limit on buying car parts and is now living in the back of his wagon at the local campsite...
I think you better check on him...

 

Rob:
That is one gorgeous VC, and in my opinion, priced right! VC's are becoming hotter all the time, and not going any way but "up", once again, in my opinion! I say take a flight to Michigan, and drive home. Does that mean you will have to cars to display at the Zone Show!!! Get your Lady friend to drive the Lady 'vertible, and you can show off your newbie!!!
Aron

 

Then who will drive the '86?
Too many Olds...

 

Can you say "******* wagon" LOL.... J/K

 

That is a nice looking car would like to know the colour if possible as may finish mine in it. Any Vista has to be worth buying and saving surely

 

Rob never to many Olds just to little money

 

and too little time, too little storage areas.......

 

Rob, You should have bought mine The worst area for rust is around the skylight, I haven't seen a VC that (unless repaired) didn't need work there, the stainless holds the water, and the channel rusts out. Also, the interior plastics are usually brittle and finding good replacements is difficult. The side skylights can delaminate, and here again hard to find good ones..just my .02

 

I think I looked at yours before and you sold it before I got serious in buying one.
Yes, the roof windows are a big problem. The windows on this car seem fine, I had the owner send some pics from under the trim in a few places. However, I may try to do some preventive work to keep em from rusting in the future, as this WILL end up being a daily driver.

Except on a Vista, where you cannot just order everything new from a catalog...

Much agreed! But they are called cross overs now, right?

7k for the car and a minimum of 8k on restoration, option additions, and comfort mods.
However, i have seen fully restored turn-key VCs for 15k, so this is not too far out of line.

Original color was 58 burnished gold. This VC had a repaint of pretty much the same color. My top color choice is a sporty blood-red, but I think the gold is rather classy.

 

Great looking Vista! I like it.

And yes Rob, gold is a classy color

Walter

 

Much much better than the Griswald Wagon Queen Family Truckster.

 

This is a good looking wagon, are you going to get it ? or do you know yet?

 

Hrmm guess I could always take the 86 off your hands lol......never been a big wagon fan except for woody b body wagons but if this is your thing then go for it!

Any concerns about the drive home in it?

 

I cannot say I am a "wagon fan" so to say, BUT I told myself my next vehilce will need to be able to do some work. Like make it easy to bring home some furniture, or lawn and garden stuff. Or toss the bikes in to take to the park.

I was thinking maybe a pick-em-up truck or an suv thingie. Nea...
NO mini vans!
Conversion vans (think late 70s style!) are neat, but too big.
A wagon (crossover) fits the bill the best and the Vista cruiser is my favorite style.

I am running into a snag now. The closer I get to making the deal with this guy, the less he responds to my emails. He wont give his phone # yet either, despite my requests. Maybe he's busy, don't know.

Only big concerns if I buy it is will it make it. I had those concerns with Lady, but she did fine.
I will allocate a few extra days and I will get AAA before I leave to get it - I want it anyway.

Devil, I will keep you in mind about the '86. I hate to part with her, but for the right price, she can get a new home and more attention.
Of course the Vista will not even fit in the garage..........

 

Love it! Is it optioned out pretty nicely? What engine?

 

Take a die (single of dice ). Even numbers you buy it, odd numbers you do not buy it. Throw the die and you will find yourself wishing for either even or odd before it stops rolling - you will know what you have to do without looking at the die.

 

No, it is pretty plain. I want PW, PL and cruise, but the paint and body is more important! I can add the power stuff.
It has a 350, which is what I desire for a daily driver.

Now i must try to find a die so I can roll it. Maybe I will need to make my own - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10..............

 

I guess we know what you are going to do!
Pick up one of those temporary storage thingies; they look like quanset huts but are made of fabric over a steel frame; some towns make you get a permit.

 

Well, within a couple months I might have this as a new addition. I tried to talk myself out of it, but couldn't. The paint and body are its strong points.
We all know what our gut feelings mean right??
Time to repeat the "unknown" again!

 

I don't know which way this pushes you but see what you could have...this is my father's VC. It's a '70 with a '72 front clip. Very nice and clean. He did it all himself.

 

Wow- very nice! What color is that? Burnished gold?
Too bad he does not have it for sale.............

 

Rob, I can go look at this one for you. Only a few miles away.

http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/2591145763.html

 

Beautiful car!

 

Thanks for the offer! However I am stuck on the 69-72 style. Since I onlyy have room for one (actually I don't but say I do), I have to follow my gut desire. That color is a bit dark for hot sunny TX, too.

 

I may be a bad influence, but I hope you get it Rob

Although I'd have to go with ah64pilot's Dad and put on the OAI hood and add the 455! John

 

I wouldn't say you are a bad influence. I'm just not the Olds Pied Piper like some guys around here...
I am really leaning to getting it, despite all the mechanical work it needs.

If i do get it, I already have a list started for you of stuff it is missing (noted from the pictures).

 

I hope you do get it! Very nice looking car. I can offer help/tips on restoration & have some extra vista glass, & exterior & interior trim too. I put buckets & console in mine & had a local(very good) interior shop order extra material from the manufacturer of the bucket seat covers & they custom sewed the rear seat cover pattern to match the buckets. They also used the same vinyl to cover the wheel well side covers in the very back.
Good luck!

 

Believe it or not it is an Infinity color called Mojave Copper. It looks so good in person, the pictures don't do it justice. If I can convince my father to drive up to the next NTOC event we'll see you there. I'll be there either way, I wanna meet some of you guys. Good luck on the VC purchase!