I have a chance to buy a 1969 Vista Cruiser that has been sitting for 3 years. The problem is that there are no keys. The coat hanger will work for the door lock but I need to get it out of gear and turn the wheels to get it on the trailer. I need a key.
My 67 & 68 Vistas use 1 key for all - ignition, doors and power rear window. Was '69 the change-over year? Are there 2 keys, 1 for ignition and another for locks?
George

 

Yes, there are two keys. You can pull the steering column, remove the ignition lock cylinder, and us a screwdriver to turn the linkage inside the column to unlock the column and shifter and even to start the car. This web site shows you how to remove the lock cylinder:

http://buickperformance.com/tiltstee...lumnwobble.htm

Once the lock cylinder is out, put the steering wheel back on. You can snap the lock cylinder back in easily once you get a key.

 

I got the car home last night. AMA (AAA) would have made a key for the car on the spot for $185 plus tax (-$100 for being a member) with a 2 hr wait. I took option #2 - towed home for free after a 1 hr wait.
The love of my life (wife) was rather upset that there is another car in the yard but I just had to take the car home.
"70's Show" brown, black interior, 3 seat, pwr windows and door locks, 8 track, tilt, new exhaust and new directional tires (but the car has been sitting for almost 3 years), deluxe wheel covers, child-proof rear door locks (took a few minutes to figure them out), 5 cans of house paint, a box full of clothes and other assorted junk plus 6 'toonies' ($2 coins) in the glove box.
I haven't checked the serial # yet and I can't get the hood open but I think I got a fairly good deal.
George

 

It has the roof rack and rear air deflector.
I got the hood open. It has a 350 2bbl with electronic ignition.
While I was under there I noticed the disc brakes. I went to the back and found a 12 bolt probably not a posi - no tag.
Didn't find any rust through on the floors but we've had some good dumps of rain and the carpet is wet - it smells bad.
I hope to take some pictures tomorrow.

 

Sounds cool!

We can't tell you whether we think you got a "fairly good deal," though, unless you tell us how much you paid .

- Eric

 

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe the ignition key also works the door locks (and possibly the power rear window if this car has one). The key code is stamped into the lock cylinders. If you pulled one of the door locks, and no one has messed with any of the locks or ignition, you should be able to get the key code and have a key made that fits the door locks and the ignition. The same goes for the glove box key - the lock cylinder for the glove box has a code on it as well that can be used to make a key for it. The ignition and door locks should have an "E" square head key, and the glove box should have an "H" round head key.

Randy C.

 

Yes, but the square and round keys do not interchange. They do not fit into the same cylinders. So you can not get the ignition key code from a door cylinder.

Just pull the ignition and one door cylinder, and then you can decide whether to buy all new cylinders, or to have a locksmith make new keys, or rekey the existing cylinders (you could rekey them yourself if you had the parts - I bought and rekeyed a cylinder for my Grand Cherokee a few months ago with no effort at all).

- Eric

 

So George, I suppose I should add a 1969 Vista Cruiser to the clubs list of cars?

 

Of course he got a good deal! He got five cans of house paint. How could that not be a good deal.

 

How could I have missed that?

- Eric

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the ignition and front door lock cylinders on a '69 were one in the same. The ignition (square "E") key on my '69 4-4-2 also locks/unlocks the front doors. The other (round "H") key opens the glove box, console door lid and the trunk lid. Are station wagons different with regard to the square "E" key and the ignition/front door locks?

Randy C.

 

Darn, you may be right.
My '70 has one key for doors, trunk, glovebox and one for ignition, but maybe '69 was different?

- Eric

 

For my '67 Delta, the octagonal key unlocks the door and fits the ignition while the round key fits the trunk lid and glove box lock.

On my '73 wagon, the square key fits the ignition, door locks, and rear tailgate while the round key fits only the glove box.

 

'69 was the first year for the column ignition switch, and the first for the square key in place of the octagonal one, for whatever it's worth.

I've owned '68's, '70's, a '71, '72, and '73, but never a '69 .

- Eric

 

In 1969 the door and ignition keys are the same. Both use a rectangular "E" blank. The trunk/glovebox is an oval "H" blank.

 

$250
Yes Ken, it's another one to add to the list.
I do, however, have the 67 Vista , 68 98 LS, Delta Custom and the 75 Cutlass 2 dr listed on Kijiji.

 

Here are the pictures I promised.

 

I think you did alright .

- Eric

 

Nice find George. Where was it? Zat your antique plate on it? Mine is M-16 (fluke but cool)
Looks like someone took an ugly stick to the right door/quarter and rear bumper. The interior looks surprisingly good. It even has a factory 8 track player and a full tank of gas. The glass looks really good and bright trim looks like it will be easy to polish up. Get that smelly carpet out though before it starts to create a health hazard, or worse - start some rust.

Hey, I just noticed it has PDL and PW!! Not that common on an AB car

 

QUOTE]Where was it?[[/QUOTE]
I found out it about it from a co-worker last year . It was in the Westmount area. The owner called him last week to tell me to pick it up ASAP.
I know where there's a 68 without a front clip but that one is "going to be restored someday" so he won't sell.
The smelly carpet has to wait little while. It's going to be a busy month.
How did you know about the full gas tank? Did you drop by and not visit?!

 

Westmount is my old stomping ground. Lived there from 61-63.

re: The full gas tank? If I dropped by you can be sure I'd ring the doorbell and chat for awhile. You could sit in the 69 and I'd sit in the 68 . Anyway, I assumed you got a full tank because the fuel gage in the picture shows the needle darn close to the F mark.

How bad is the damage on the right side rear?

 

The spare tire well is rusted away, the rear door is pushed in and I can't open it. The dogleg is also rusted and pushed in. There was an accident sticker laying on the dash but it was too faded to make any sense of it.