It’s too bad that all things must inevitably come to an end: Take Oldsmobile, for example. In its long life, it designed, assembled, and sold many memorable machines. Every once in a while, it would team up with Hurst to trot out a special-edition intermediate and make you remember that you missed it all over again. The first H/O came out in 1968, with its distinctive silver over black paint scheme and big 455. Then it came back in white over gold for ’69, took a break until ’72 but stuck around through ’75, popped back around in ’79, and finished up the series in ’83 and ’84. The black over silver 15th-anniversary car shown here was a limited edition (only 3,001 were made), and it’s currently for sale on Craigslist in Ontario.
Let’s get right to the party trick, the Hurst “Lightning Rods,” some of the wildest shifters to ever take a seat atop a console in all motordom. Why not? Who cares that it was mostly marketing; with 180 horsepower on tap and a 200-4R beneath the tunnel, those extra couple hundredths probably weren’t making that much of a difference on the boulevards, but they gave the owner something to brag about.
Yes, it’s hard to think of the Oldsmobile 307 small block as a performance engine, but it wasn’t that bad for 1983, which was after all a fairly dark year for acceleration. Zero-to-sixty times of under 10 seconds were probably in the 90th percentile, certainly among sedans. Even the new four-barrel 5.0 Mustang only had 175 horsepower, although its lighter body and five-speed manual would ensure it would walk any new Cutlass, Lightning Rods or no.
Regardless, the ’83/’84 Hurst/Olds has come alive in the marketplace, as many interesting ’80s cars have. Hagerty values a #3 condition ’83 model at $22,800, which is just under the $25,000 asking price for our example (but are they asking for Canadian or American dollars?). I’d say this one is at least a number 3; the interior looks very clean with a slight blemish on the seat, a steering wheel cover, and possibly a cracked dash pad as the noticeable flaws. The seller claims that 117,000 miles kilometers have passed beneath the tires (which look a little older in the close up of the Super Stock wheels).
Yes, this clean-looking “15th Anniversary” Hurst/Olds would have cut a dashing figure in 1983, and it was a little more special than an equivalent Monte Carlo SS or Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. The only reservation I have about this one involves the British Columbia plates on a car located in Ontario, but if that checks out, it might be a good buy. Thanks for Tony Primo for bringing this special Oldsmobile to our attention here at Barn Finds.
This car is listed for sale just across the border of Niagara Falls. The odometer should read kilometres, which makes it roughly 73,000 miles. Price is probably Canadian dollars as the seller doesn’t say otherwise, Note that the dashboard has been signed by Linda Vaughan (Miss Hurst) if that is important to anyone.
Thank you for bringing up the mileage, Pat. You’d think I’d remember that metric system by now – I’ve added a correction to the text.
Toth, I’ve told the story before, but here it is again. Walked by the 5.0s.. well not my 89 LX.
I had one of these pull up beside me at the light 🚥 one perfect summer evening. My windows were down and I thought i detected 👂 a bit more rumble. Anyways, other than that it appeared bone stock. Light goes green, i drop the clutch… im passed in no time by the Olds, and he has me by 2 cars.. I never pulled on him. Next lite, i say hey is that stock 🗣 no he says, its got a 350 😲
A W31-spec 350 (or so) would be perfect in one of these.
Aaron – Just because it’s now in Ontario, a few “klicks” from the US border, doesn’t mean it was built in Canada. I would take the mileage as stated (117,000 miles) unless the seller can be more specific.
As a kid who missed the muscle car era but poured over every old issue of Motor Trend and Car&Driver from my Dads 60s and early 70s library, i knew i had missed something special. As the 80s progressed i knew i was living in a cool resurgence as current car magazines started having ads for the new Monte Carlo SS, the 82 Mustang GT ad claiming The Boss Is Back, the new Z28, and ads for this Hurst Olds. Times were looking up! And i had them all taped on my bedroom wall
Should be a good deal for someone who enjoys Oldsmobile’s.
Steve 0
Needs a few items replaced or restored. I would take it for $20k. Always loved this body style Olds, the Hurst and the 442.
The original Hurst Olds was a stick, the lightning rods are just dumb I think. But agree this model Olds was a favorite of mine.
With few exceptions, the ’68 and ’69 H/O all came with automatic transmissions controlled by a Hurst Dual-Gate shifter. Technically you could order 4-speed in ’72 H/O but very few came that way. Yes, the Lightning Rod shifters are gimmicky (or even dumb) but are just an evolution of the Dual-Gate in that they let you upshift quickly without the risk of overshifting to neutral or reverse.