The Family's Other Cars
Here's my old '71 Vista Cruiser. It now belongs to Eric, who I sold it to and is a member of the
Vista Cruiser list. I bought it as a daily driver to get me by while the H/O is down for the count. My '78 Cutlass (aka Rusty), was just plain worn out. I found the car on the Olympic Penninsula for $1500, had an Olds list member check it out for me, and drove over to buy it, having never seen it before. It has the original 350, retrofitted with HEI, A4 Aluminum intake, 4bbl, and dual exhaust. It made a great daily driver for just a hair under 2 years. I had planned to keep driving it, while doing some restoration work on it (mostly body work). And then, into my life wandered . . .
My next Vista Cruiser, a 1970! This was sold in 2002 to make room for the 9C1. It was a 1970 Vista Cruiser, equipped with a high compression 455, 4bbl, factory dual exhaust, A/C (still works!), 3rd seat, and courtesy lighting package. After trying out the smooth running 455 I was sold. I bought the car from the original owner, and after some basic maintenance items it served daily driver duties for over a year. I had intended to start a resto on this car when my '84 H/O restoration was done, but I found that I was just burnt out on restores for a while, I really didn't want to deal with the rust, and I needed something more modern for a daily driver. So out it went and in came the...
1995 Caprice. 9C1 LT1 option package. It's an ex-patrol car from Austin, TX, bought off of e-bay. The stock LT1 has 260HP, I figure I'm pushing close to 300 in this one now. Modifications include custom PCM programming, flowmaster dual exhaust, K&N FIPK Intake, home-plate delete, Impala SS wheels and tires, Bilstein shocks, and Bonneville SSE power leather seats.
Here's my significant other's '78 Chevy truck (actually my name's on the title for insurance purposes). It's a half-ton Chevy truck that started life as a diesel. We affectionately call it "Bessie", named by Deb since it brings up images of that old reliable milk cow. This truck has done more than it's share of hauling, towing, stump pulling, and romping through some unbelievable roads to take us camping. It's a great truck!
Now it's powered by an Olds 350, which drops right in place of the Olds Diesel block. The previous owner did the conversion, but it runs great. As a side benefit we get a TH-400 tranny (no vacuum to run the modulator on a TH-350 behind a diesel), and the hydroboost braking system, which is so strong it's used on some light trucks like UPS trucks. The wife now has a little Geo to zoom around town in, so Bessie sees little milage each year now, just called on when there's work to do!
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