Oldsmobile was General Motors’ unofficial experimental division for the longest time. All the wacky new engineering was tried out on Oldsmobiles before it was proven good enough for Cadillac, and they eventually trickled down to the other GM brands. Olds has a series of firsts under its belt, but to highlight some important ones: the first automatic transmission, first automotive color touchscreen, first muscle car, and first turbocharged American car. Oldsmobile’s sporting history resulted in the decision to partner with shifter and performance parts company Hurst on several special edition performance models of their cars. Today, some of the most valuable collector Oldsmobiles are of the Hurst/Olds variety, and W-code Oldsmobiles more sought-after still. You can find this 1979 Hurst/Olds W-30 here on eBay, where the current bid at time of writing is $7,500.

The seller doesn’t give any information. The item description is just the model name, which can’t be argued with. This is indeed an Oldsmobile Cutlass. What the conditions of the frame, braking system, powertrain, gauges, electrical, et cetera, are…are all unknown. Having said that, the pictures make it look spectacular, so you’re probably gonna be buying a car ready to take to shows right away. Still, I’d contact the seller and get more detailed info before buying, it’s always a good idea to be informed. The eagle-eyed viewer will notice an exceptionally rare 1991 Olds Quad-442 W41 in the background of a couple of the pictures, leading me to believe that the seller knows and likes Oldsmobiles.

The interior is an exercise in the best of stereotypical 70s design. As far as the eye can see, acres of brown vinyl is accented by matching, patterned cloth seating surfaces. Manual windows mean the doors are lighter, and there’s no motor to go out on you leaving your window open and your totally copacetic interior exposed to the elements. In the center, you have the namesake of the car: the Hurst dual-gate shifter. Oldsmobile’s attempt at the now industry-standard “manumatic” NO-CLUTCH-NOT-A-MANUAL transmissions.

Honestly, I love the fact that the seller doesn’t give any detailed information, because I’m able to explain all the really super cool things about the Hurst/Olds W-30. Basically, it was a trim package, but you got a ton of interesting perks when you ticked that special box on the order form. Unique paint, the obvious shifter, and, importantly, an exclusive Oldsmobile 350 V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts. I have a special place in my heart for Oldsmobiles of all kinds, and that gold and white paint would look fantastic in anyone’s garage.