Vehicle Description
In the dark days of the early '80s, it was Oldsmobile who carried
the torch best with cars like this 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass AKA the
"Hurst/Olds." Teaming up once again with the shifter folks at
Hurst, they delivered a great-looking twist on the familiar Cutlass
that delivered great looks and a surprisingly potent drivetrain,
and you'll simply never get tired of the questions and comments
about the unusual "lightning rod" shifter setup.
The Hurst/Olds was never about being subtle, and this '84 continues
the grand tradition with an awesome silver-over-black paint job
(the opposite of the 1983 models), blacked-out trim, red stripes,
and the usual spoilers and scoops. To be honest, the transformed
Cutlass looks fantastic in its war paint, and this one has held up
well over the last 30 years. I has been recently repainted, so it
shows very few signs of being driven and enjoyed, and the silver
paint has a great shine, the decals remain are affixed to the
sheetmetal, and all the parts unique to the Hurst cars are intact.
These were limited-edition pieces, so collectors snatched them up
and protected them from the rigors of daily use, so it really
should be no surprise that this one looks so good after all these
years. The formal GM G-body shape works remarkably well with the
aggressive Hurst upgrades and removing all the chrome does wonders
for the transformation from plush luxury cruiser to street
brawler.
The Hurst/Olds also got bucket seats and a proper console,
something few other Oldsmobiles of the era can claim. GM was into
maroon cloth upholstery back then, and it actually works pretty
well with the two-tone exterior, adding an appropriately upscale
look to the driver's compartment. And, of course, you just can't
miss the special Hurst shifter setup that gives full manual control
of the automatic transmission underneath. There's very minor wear
evident, mostly on the driver's seat which has some very minor
stretching but that's simply more proof that this car is a lot more
fun to drive than you'd think. Of course, it also came loaded with
A/C, power windows and locks, cruise control, a tilt wheel, and
even rear defroster, as well as T-tops for open-air cruising. The
instrument panel is a performance-oriented setup, now upgraded with
Dakota Digital instruments that look very cool, and an upgraded
AM/FM/CD stereo system in the dash, a big step up from the early
'80s cassette deck. The trunk is also neatly finished with black
carpets and a space-saver spare.
Oldsmobile performance amounted to their rugged and torquey 307
cubic inch V8, which it turns out is virtually indestructible.
Fortified with an upgraded camshaft, Holley 4-barrel carburetor,
Edelbrock intake manifold, long-tube headers, and a true dual
exhaust system, it earns its stripes the hard way and moves the
coupe with genuine vigor. Olds gave you a chrome air cleaner lid to
suggest you were getting something special, which is certainly the
case with this great-running V8. It was rebuilt about 10,000 miles
ago and the engine bay is very tidy, more proof that this car has
always been loved. The A/C system has been converted to R134a
refrigerant, and fresh belts and hoses ensure reliability. The
TH350 3-speed automatic transmission has been rebuilt with a shift
kit and the exhaust system features Flowmaster mufflers, so it has
that old school horsepower sound. Flashy Oldsmobile Rally wheels
wear fat 265/60/15 white-letter tires, completing the street-racer
look.
These cool Hurst/Olds coupes are the kinds of cars that will be
tomorrow's collectables, but you'll be having too much fun driving
it to worry about the next guy. Call today!
