Don’t step up to one of these at a car show and call it a Cutlass, at least not in front of the owner. That’s like going to a Yes concert and referring to Rick Wakeman as the piano player, which will result in you quickly being corrected that he’s a keyboardist. The 1983 Hurst/Olds shared plenty of components with the Cutlass, just not the namesake, and fans got one final chance to enjoy the experience for a couple of more times in 1983 and ’84 before the Hurst association with Oldsmobile finally ended. This 1983 Hurst/Olds isn’t perfect, but it’s not all that bad either, and some good news is there’s no reserve and so far bidding is just up to $12,100. The car can be found here on eBay, and you’ll have to visit Fayetteville, Georgia if you want to check it out in person before deciding.
The last two models were similar in looks body-wise, but the 15th Anniversary featured a mostly black appearance with silver paint near the bottom for 1983, which was reversed for the last year when it was primarily silver with some black in the lower areas for ’84. Both got you red decals separating the two colors, with the car for sale here said to have had one respray at some point during its life. Although now in Georgia, the seller mentions it’s a one-owner rust-free California car, with the paint described as only a 6 on a 10 scale, although he suggests that wet sanding followed by a buff might get the finish to a 7.5.
The H/O is stated to have only been driven 83,000 miles, but time has not been particularly kind to the interior. It’s not awful, but to get the inside beyond driver quality several issues will have to be addressed, including a new dash as the current padding has two cracks. A couple of other things in there specifically pointed out are the carpeting and driver’s seat, but I’d probably have to source a better steering wheel too. The headliner actually looks pretty good, and those Lightning Rods are stated as performing flawlessly.
Under the hood is said to be the original engine, which would be a spruced-up version of Oldsmobile’s 307. Performance wasn’t exactly mindboggling at 180 horsepower, but I’m guessing the 3.73 gears helps it feel a bit faster, at least on the low end. A rebuild was performed on the motor back in ’94, and according to the owner, it’s running nice and strong plus doesn’t leak a drop. This Hurst/Olds is at that crossroads condition where I’d have a hard time deciding how far upward I’d want to take it. On the one hand, it’s a pretty decent ride like it is, and I’m thinking this one may be a good candidate to begin by enjoying and just making a few repairs here and there over time. What would you do?
I have always liked these. I was just a broke high school kid when this was new. This would sure look good parked next to my Buick Grand National. As is this is still a nice Olds.
As Elton John once said, don’t shoot me I’m just the piano player…lol
Loved the looks of these but never understood why so many had the red velour interiors. Ugh. Liked the looks of the 87 442 also, but after a test drive then test driving an 87 Turbo Regal, bought the Buick due to the tremendous performance difference. The Olds had a far better interior though and a good look outside too.
I’d like to have the 8 1/2 rear axle out of it.
I used the 8 1/2” out of a wrecked 84 H/O for my 79 H/O build. Perfect fit after many other attempts to fit older 12 bolts and others.
I had an 87 442 in dark blue for one week before it was stolen, never to be seen again. They’re beautiful to look at, but are underpowered and don’t handle well. Whenever I’ve been tempted to want one, I remember the 86 Monte Carlo SS that I had, and how cheaply made it was. This would be a money pit, and disappointing to drive. It would look nice at car shows, but that’s about it.