An interesting article on the Vista Cruiser on the Hagerty web site. Here is the link:

https://www.hagerty.com/media/magazi...02bffc96e1ca9d

 

Thank you, Byron, for posting that link.

It was a fun article and had some unusual facts.

It also had a lot of typical false information, mostly of the style,
* Chev had it, so Olds must have had it too.
* Olds had the same features and options every year.

 

That is an interesting article, thanks for sharing it. I really enjoyed reading it.

 

Cool article. They're definitely beautiful cars.

 

As usual, lots of misinformation. The dual acting tailgate wasn't available until the 1969 model year. Frankly, it was kind of worthless on the Vista, since the third seat faced forward. In fact, the whole point of the extended wheelbase, raised roof Vista and SportWagon was to package a forward-facing third row. Since that seat had to be located above the rear axle hump, the raised roof was necessary to provide headroom. The extra five inches of wheelbase was needed to provide a footwell for the third row. No one was ever going to climb out that "door-like" side-hinged tailgate. Of course, all A-body wagons shared the tailgates, and the Chevy and Pontiac version needed the dual action tailgate due to their rearward-facing third row. Also, the first gen Vista was available with the 320 HP 330 motor, eclipsing the 310 HP 350 that the article seems to think was a high point. The transmission selections were really more varied than the article suggests. The column shifted three speed manual was the base equipment for every year from 1964-72. In 1964-65 a floor shifted three speed manual was also available in addition to the four speed. In 68 the automatic with small block was a TH375. In 69 it was a TH375B. And contrary to the lead-in picture in the article, SuperStock wheels were never factory available on the 1972-earlier Vistas as they only came with HD steel wheels.

 

The dual gate is very useful, but not to get into/ out of the third seat like a Pontiac or Chevy. With the third seat, the vista & sport wagons also have a rear storage compartment in the floor that the Chevy and Pontiac did not get when ordered with a third seat. Swinging the gate open allows much easier access to the storage area than laying it down, not to mention much easier access to the spare tire compartment.

 

It always blows me away how many times these supposed experts don't get their facts right. Seriously who is in charge? They put themselves out there as the oh so knowledgeable. Then spout foolish information. For those not in the know look at them for correct information. Editor anyone?... Anyone?...

 

That would require people on the staff who were actually alive when these cars were new.

 

Even if you aren't. You should know better. It is your job.

Hell Hemmings has been spouting the wrong info from the early eighties easy. They still do.

 

This may not help. I cannot tell you how many times I have had someone come up to me and tell me that their parents had a vista cruiser just like mine but the rear seat faced backwards. I explain that the reason for the roof was so the seat could be faced forward above the axle and that if the wagon had roof windows it did not have a rear facing seat. Most of the time they do not beleive me and tell me that they were made that way because their parents had one. At this point I usually don't even try to explain why they could not have had a rear facing seat vista and just nod politely while they tell their story of riding around in the back. First hand accounts are not bullet proof, I have spoken to many GM plant workers who insist things were done because they were there and they remember. Things like factory installed 427's in 66 chevelles, or that a "138" at the start of the vin number has no bearing on how a chevelle started it's life. I was at an auction once years ago looking over a 66 chevelle convertible and a guy walked up and said it's probably a clone. I explained that the 138 at the start of the vin meant it started out life as an SS (at least its tags did). Well he worked at the GM plant making these cars and knew for a fact that the vin had no bearing on how the car was made.

 

Funny thing the other was owning a 73 Chevelle SS wagon. So many people said it was fake.

 

Yep, this is so true! I had a friends wife get really pissed as she explained how her folks had a Vista just like mine and the rear seat faced to the rear. It wasn't worth arguing about.

 

Yeah, I can't tell you how many times someone comes up and says "I (or my parents) had one JUST like that, but it was a different color, and a four door, and a Ford..."

 

My parents had a 73 vista cruiser and the rear seat did face backward. Didn’t have the roof glass at that point. I have 2 64 vista cruisers, one is a rust bucket parts car for the other one but it does have the third seat which mine doesn’t

 

Fun fact: the two row Vista has a different VIN than the three row Vista.

 

Which is why I explain to people if the wagon they remember had roof windows it did not have a rear facing seat.

 

It did have a 455 in it, it was a dealer owned car, my mom worked for GM. Fully loaded, dual exhaust, 4 bbl carb. It was almost a 442 wagon without the badging