Story/pics of a 1970 Vista Cruiser factory 455 big block 12 bolt posi/ac car!

Over a decade ago, my stepfather got a call about a few cars for sale out past Toledo, Ohio. The person was the son of a collector whose father had died, they lived in a few story house on a huge chunk of farm land. Inside of the house was straight out of 1960s filled with wrapped in plastic Barbie dolls and hot wheels (mother was paranoid and wouldn't let us in). The one son looked like a big farm boy and didn't say a word. The other son was a Lear Siegler engineer and went a mile a minute. Stepfather ended up getting a few corvairs, a jeep wagonner, a small home made camper trailer, a 72 vista cruiser wagon 350, green with wood grain, a parts car vista, a 67 vista he sold to a friend down south. Father had collected tons of older cars but we were never able to see them and guy fell off the face of the earth and a lot of the cars had been placed outside for no real common sense reason. But on this day in the summer of 2002? he picked up a 1970 Olds Vista Cruiser Station Wagon. Factory 455, 400 trans, 12 bolt posi rear and a/c. Wyoming car, #s matching, protecto plate, original sheetmetal car. We swapped mag wheels and tires, repainted the blue (white top and glass is all original), new woodgrain, and interior vinyl was re done, door pads were redone as well; most of the carpeting and most of interior and steering wheel, dash and power buttons are all original and have the patina to show as well. Protecto plate as well, and the shine underneath the car, surprisingly being from Wyoming is unreal, 0 rust. Just turned 60k miles today and with my brother in town we drove it 150 miles round trip on a family beach day to Presque Isle Pennsylvania. Lots of thumbs up and that 455 runs sweet. Im a diehard Buick guy but to me this is the king of all wagons. So heres a family picture today in the year 2013. How many others have bit the dust is a lot but the amount of people coming up to the old man and the smiles on people's faces made him feel like a celebrity. Funny he says 25 years ago he would have never driven a wagon but being a big block car and a Vista Cruiser, besides the Sport Wagon few other wagons from that era can compare. Also 43 years later, fixed glass skylight roofs are becoming very popular. Call this car a trend setter. Here is a pic of a car before the trip and with the family.

One guy came up while at the beach and said it best, "a dinosaur is among us." Before navigation, heated steering wheel, heated/cooled seats and 7-8 seats this was the car! Enjoy!

 

The wagon turned out beautiful - great job! That'll be a sweet cruiser.

 

Great story but what about all the hot wheels and toys?

 

Cool story, welcome!

 

You've got the Station Wagon Spirit, Trose!
Excellent intro. Welcome to the forum......

Marshall

 

Nice, I like the 70's the best.

The Hot Wheels and Barbies would of been worth more than the car if they were good ones.
I made a lot of money on both when I sold toys online in the gold rush of the early evilbay days.
I've heard of Cleveland, Ohio. Born and bred there.
Ever see my Nordic Blue '71 around at the shows and cruises when I had it?
Moved out of the suburbs to the sticks of Bainbridge Twp. many moons ago.
Spend a lot of time at the Pull-A-Part on the west side, otherwise I don't set foot across the Cuyahoga river, typical east sider.
Too many railroad crossings.

 

great story and beautiful wagon brother

to the place

 

Welcome Trose11! Great intro for an awesome wagon.

 

Thanks for the all compliments. Car sure gets a lot of thumb ups and people looking at it in amazement. Not your mother's minivan that is for sure!

Didnt get hot wheels or barbie dolls, the guy fell off the face of the earth and we sold all the other cars pretty quickly. Shame too he had a super cobra jet torino and supposedly a 442, but a lot of the cars for no reason were left outside and ohio weather was starting to get to them as well. made no sense since the family had a big barn to store everything in but who knows...

 

aboard. That is an amazing story. Awesome wagon!

 

Wowzers ... !

 

I'm jealous Trose11. Those Vista Cruisers and Sport Wagons were always so neat with the skylights. Never could convince my dad to get one, despite my annoying and frequent pleas. He was always a Ford Wagon guy.
Nice car.