I recently read a buyer’s guide article on mid-’80s Hurst Oldsmobiles and found it to be very interesting. I was aware of Hurst’s involvement with Oldsmobile back in the ‘80s but I had moved completely away from domestic iron and what was parading around like a muscle car back then so I really didn’t know a lot about the Hurst Oldsmobile’s particulars. When this 1984 Hurst equipped Oldsmobile surfaced, located in Tucson, Arizona and available here on craigslist for $21,000, I thought I should take a closer look. Thanks to my colleague Adam C. for this tip!
The original Hurst Oldsmobile program was deployed on the Cutlass 442 model. The story of the Oldsmobile 442, and what it really stands for, has been covered many times here on Barn Finds so there’s no reason to belabor that item any further. As for the Hurst association, “Hurst” references the company that is best known for Hurst gear shifters and back in ’68 they did a sort of affinity marketing program with Oldsmobile which pretty extensively modified a Cutlass 442 to unique mechanical and appearance standards. The program continued into ’69 and then progressed off-and-on in the years ’72 to ’75, ’79 and then ’83 and ’84 and ’84, like this example, was the end of the line. Notably, though the program started with the Cutlass 442, it became a Cutlass based modification and there was no association or reference to the 442 designation.
So, what was special about this Hurst Oldsmobile? Well for starters, it’s the overall appearance, silver exterior with black painted lower portions separated by a thin orange and red stripe. There is a spoiler attached to the trunk lid and a bolt-on nonfunctioning hood scoop. All ‘84’s were silver over black and this particular example shows as new. The seller calls this example a “barn find from Ontario”; it must have been a pretty nice barn (though the image doesn’t exactly convey that) because this 22K mile Olds really looks like new. The seller indicates that the hood has been repainted but the finish, overall, is really strong. There is no visible evidence of scrapes, dents, rust, etc. The stripes are tape, and from what can be seen, they don’t appear to be bubbling up and/or peeling off (a problem that I had with my ’77 Z28 when it was only two years old!). The paint, stripe and body modifications for these Hurst Oldsmobiles were facilitated by Cars and Concepts of Brighton, Michigan, which I understand is the actual owner of Hurst Performance.
Whereas the original ’68 version dictated a unique engine selection, that approach became harder to execute in the regulation-heavy ’80s. Even so, there was still some wiggle-room to bestow some level of mechanical prowess on the ’84 Hurst Olds. Under the hood, we find Oldsmobile’s 307 CI V8 engine, which in Hurst format generates 180 net HP as opposed to its usual, more languid, 140. There were modifications made to the cam, distributor, valve springs and Quadrajet carburetor which wake the Olds engine up a bit. Additionally, you’ll find a dual-snorkel (the second snorkel is on the back, passenger side) air-cleaner, which like the rest of the modifications, are Hurst-only upgrades. The seller makes absolutely no mention how all of this Hurst greatness operates but we’ll have to assume OK. Of special interest is the Turbo-Hydramatic 200-4R, four-speed, automatic transmission. It is equipped with Hurst “Lightning Rod” shifters which allows for more manual control of the gear shifting duties. More elaboration on that feature when we get to the interior.
OK, interior time, what do we have? Dark maple cloth fabric, the only option for ’84. It definitely looks like mid-’80s GM but it is in very good nick. The driver’s seat shows a little wear when compared to the passenger seat but that’s expected. There is an image of the slowly separating headliner which is this vintage GM car is like driving around with the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head, just waiting to let go while you’re motoring along. This is a common problem and easier to fix than the old-style headliner with fabric stretched over metal spanners.
Let’s talk about that crazy looking shifter. The lever on the left is a standard automatic transmission shifter and works as such. Suppose you want to hot foot it a bit, well that’s where the other two shifters come into play. Pull the main lever into “D” (drive) and then pull each of the other levers back as well. Stomp on the accelerator and this Olds will hold first gear until you bump the right lever forward. Now you’ll hold second gear until you bump the lever in the center forward. You’ll stay in third gear until you move the main shift lever from “D” to “OD” and then fourth or overdrive will be available. * It’s remarkable that the original instruction card is still present! This is pretty exotic stuff for the ’80s and it’s unfortunate that the owner doesn’t elaborate a bit about this rare and unusual performance feature.
There is no denying the condition and uniqueness of this mid-’80s GM performance car. Like many who predate this time, I have a tendency to dismiss the ‘80’s from a performance perspective and this review has helped change my thought about this era. This ’84 Hurst Oldsmobile is one of 3,500 produced that year so while it’s not exactly rare, it’s certainly not common either. When you consider all of these neat Hurst features combined with the stellar condition of this Olds, this is the one to pursue if you are in search of ‘80’s performance, don’t you think?
*Thanks to Matthew Litwin from Hemmings Muscle Machines for the explanation of how the Lightning Rod shifter mechanism works.
There is one of these parked at a house I drive past every day on my way to work. It hasn’t moved in at least 6 years, most likely more, and sinks into the ground a little more every year. It was in pretty good shape when I first saw it, but looks pretty ratty now. I asked if it was for sale once, but I got the “I’m going to work on it someday” story. Too bad, this was a nice car for the time.
The hood is off by more than a shade. Really screams at you. Maple is white, this interior is burgundy. I had an ’81 Monte with the same interior color. 21k?, good luck!
I remember thinking these were all show and no go back in the day because the HO 307 was a bit slower than the L69 305 in the Monte Carlo SS and Z28, much less the 5.0 Mustang. And that shifter is just bizarre. Still, good looking car and this is a great example of one.
If it’s originally an Ontario car it’s in remarkably good condition. Most G-Body cars from around here gave out in the frame dog legs by the mid-90’s. I guess being a special model probably helped keep it sheltered from the salt.
I’m torn on most of the “special” G-body cars (Turbo Buick’s being the exception). Hurst, 442’s, MCSS’s… They’re all neat in their own right, but pretty unremarkable from a performance perspective.. But would you want to do the simple upgrades to improve that since they are “special” and might lose their provenance?
Or are you better off finding a more popular trim model in good condition for considerably less money and doing the easy drive-line and suspension upgrades – improve performance, efficiency, and having a nicer all around car to drive (but without a unique nameplate)?
I guess the relatively low cost of G-Body’s put them in a unique spot in my opinion
Two little trees air fresheners hanging in the interior means something smells, possibly it had a rodent problem or mold and mildew.
Twenty one thousand is a lot of money for a car living on a reputation built in the late-60’s and early-70’s that’s only claim to fame by 1984 was its gimmicky shifter and silver over black paint scheme.
Steve R
Sorry Steve R, but you are way off. Your assumption of air fresheners mean a smell, a possible rodent problem, mold or mildew? Some people just like a different fragrance in their vehicle. Maybe in your car these are for masking the smell. The comment of “living on a reputation” as you say is also wrong. In ’84 if you were buying one of these you knew exactly what you were getting. Nobody was expecting 1970 442 W30 performance!
At 21 k it’s his.
All I could think of seeing where this has been parked for so long is where are all the mice at?
The asking price is too high. There’s nothing really significant about this rendition frankly and because the design of the car because of stupid energy bumpers is bizarre it’s sort of strange looking.
I always liked the look of these but it would be hard to pay 21k.
This frame was the best looking car in 84. If I remember
correctly the Cutlass Supreme was the most stolen that
year or only second to the vette. Three were stolen on my
street that year. Supremes not vettes. Two were from the
next door neighbor.
I love the 76 77 87 442 never been hurst man but now I love all of them I wish I had one there is a restored one on car show it had 455 olds in it I would love to do that
All 1965 and later Oldsmobile V8s have their bolt bosses for the motor mounts in the same location; that 455 would literally bolt right in place of that 307! There’s components out there to make that “weak” 200-4R transmission hold up behind it.
Actually, the Hurst name is now owned, and Hurst products produced by Holley Performance Products. I believe (but I’m not positive) that you can still buy the “Lightning Rods” shifter new but, it’s a generic version. The repainted hood doesn’t surprise me since GM and others had issues with silver and light blue paint flaking from the late 70s well into the 80s. I was in high school when these were new cars and remember them well. Even though none of them were particularly fast, they were cool, comfortable cruisers. I always liked the 1983 model better because I like Black vehicles. However, I wouldn’t kick this 1984 model out of my garage. I do think the price is high though. I still have the 1988 Cutlass Supreme Classic that I bought new in November 1987. Other than the updated header/grille/euro style headlights and the fact that it doesn’t have (or need) the non functional hood scoop or Lightning Rods shifter, and it’s burgundy inside and out with gold pinstripes, it’s basically the same car. The engine and trans are the same and it’s loaded with everything from the chrome rally wheels up to the t-tops. I still love taking it for drives in nice weather with the t-tops out and, believe it or not, when I wash it or get caught in the rain, those t-tops DON’T leak a drop!