Hi, I am looking for a receiver hitch (preferably a bolt on class III) for a Vista Cruiser/ Buick Sportwagon. My car is a '69 and should interchange between all '68-'72 Vistas and '68-'69 Sportwagons. I am in Nor Cal and would prefer to find one in my area. (or if the shipping isn't too high?) Thanks, Wayne

 

I was looking a while ago and couldn't find anybody that makes them anymore or has them in stock. I was planning to have one fabricated at a welding shop if I can't find anything sooner.
You could try contacting Pete at his EINSTYN site. He repos parts for the Chevelle wagons which have a lot of parts in common with the Vista and had plans to make class III hitches. I don't know if they are available yet or when they will be so you woud have to contact him. He is also moderator of the Team Chevelle wagon and four door forum, could just ask there, other members might have one or know where to find one too.
He says it will fit all 68-72 A-body wagons, I'm pretty sure they are all the same in the rear cargo/frame area too.

Al


http://einstyn.com/einstyn-wagon-parts.htm

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=44

 

Just make sure you don't use a U-Haul hitch that they bolt into your floor/trunk pan. Someone did that to my 64 98 and the holes the bolts went through got elongated to about 2 inches long. The previous owner used it to haul brush.

 

I'll take some pics of mine this weekend and post.

 

I worked at a trailer place in high school and installed lots of those hitches, I may know that car.

Only job I ever had that had back-ups hiding with shotguns when customers came in along with a killer German Shepherd ready and waiting, good neighborhood.

Allan

 

Mounting a hitch on a floorpan is a pretty lousy idea (heavy loads and thin metal). The Chevelle hitch may work, except I'm not sure about the rear storage pan clearance. Do 2nd generation Chevelle wagons have a storage area under the floor? I was referred to a shop in Van Nuys that might be able to make me a welded hitch. It would be a stronger mounting, but how hard would it be to remove at a later time? Would it trap moisture around the frame area mounting, causing rust on the frame. Thanks, Wayne

 

Not a class 3 but here is how mine is attached in a -H configuration

 

Jamesbo,

Thanks for the pics! That is a sure interesting configuration. I may end up going down the welded route. I would like to be able to tow a car (once in a while) with my wagon, so I may need the extra strength. I just need to find a competant shop in the Nor Cal area that knows what they are doing (or just go down to So. Cal once I get the wagon's brakes able to stop. Wayne

 

The Vista Cruiser storage area is the same as the Chevelle. They do repo them and they fit all the A-body wagons in that generation. It is used as the floor for the rear facing third seat in the cheby or can be a storage area as well in the two seaters.
I found a couple of pics of my hitch from when I first looked at the car a couple of years ago in Wisconsin, excuse the spider webs.

It had a perimeter of heavy angle iron welded together and to the frame. As you can see the receiver was very thick walled square steel stock welded to the back and front angle pieces along with angled side bracing. That is a a pretty good bend in it to match the profile of the storage area. They cut off about half the rear crossmember crosswise with a cutting torch to fit the angle up in there. You can see why it weighed so much now.

I think you could pull about anything the car could handle with the beast. The original owner had a boat when the car was in Caleefornia.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/...989fb79caa.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/...4a522d3938.jpg

Allan

P.S. I want a cool hose reel like yours Jamesbo.
Where do you get them? If you paint it house color is it an SSIII?

Allan

 

Before the days or the web and nice Olds guys helping find parts, that SSII was my spare for my 69 442 convertible. Unfortunately it had caught a few curbs in it's day.It had enough tire balance lead on it to make a cannon ball so I retired it.

 

I have one I took off my 72. I live in Nor Cal, Hayward. $75 if interested.

 

Harv,

I sent you a PM. Wayne