The 1969 Vista Cruiser Is the Iconic Car From 'That '70s Show'
Hannah DeWitt
· 4 min read
That ‘70s Show was an iconic part of the late ‘90s and early 2000s and a big break for many of the young actors on the show. Some of the show’s stars, such as Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Topher Grace, and Wilmer Valderrama, got their start there and went on to become extremely famous.
But what people might not know is the classic car they featured—a 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser—was purchased by someone on the show, according to
Fox News
.
Who bought the Oldsmobile from ‘That ‘70s Show’?
The car was a focal point of the show for many reasons. It was featured in the opening sequence of every episode as the main characters drove it down the street. It was also part of one of the show’s iconic moments, when the character Eric Foreman’s father, Red, tried selling the Vista Cruiser, saying “you can literally…cruuuuise the vistas.”
As the show was nearing the end of its final season, Wilmer Valderrama, who played Fez, was interested in buying the car. He asked the show’s props department if they would be willing to sell it to him, and how much they would want for it.
They were willing to give it to him for just $500, so once the show ended, Valderrama took it home with him. He still enjoys the car today and plans on eventually handing it down to his kids.
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The 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
MORE: Iconic 90s TV Show Cars
According to
Curbside Classic
, the car itself was a unique model, GM’s version of a reduced station wagon. The car was introduced in 1964 and had a naturally aspirated 5.7-liter Rocket V8 front engine with 250 horsepower. Its front-facing third row made it a bit of a novelty.GM had created the car by elongating the wheelbase of an intermediate wagon by five inches. The new 121-inch wheelbase provided enough room in the back to have front-facing back seats.
The car’s elevated roof and seat placement in front of the rear axle gave the third row enough room to fit adults. It also allowed for a good amount of space in the trunk, which wasn’t common in station wagons with rear-facing third rows.
The Vista Cruiser was most famous, though, for its roof windows. Passengers in the third row could see out the generous side windows, as well as smaller windows that were integrated around the edge of the roof. The windows and seating features initially drew buyers to it, though the model was eventually discontinued in 1972.
Insuring your classic car
MORE: Classic Car Insurance: What Is It? Do I Need It?
Classic cars often need something beyond regular car insurance due to the way premiums are priced and how companies evaluate a car’s value. Traditional auto insurance may not be enough to cover the unique aspects of classic vehicles, as repairs for antique cars can be pricier than modern cars.
With a regular insurance policy, the vehicle's worth is usually based on factors like age, depreciation, and mileage. If your car has been restored or kept in excellent condition, the value of the car could be above what an insurance company would give you to make repairs. Classic car insurance is much more flexible and goes farther in compensating tricky repairs or expensive antique parts.
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