1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst/Olds

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. This is an extremely well documented and low mileage original car. Interested? Keep reading for more info on that incredible documentation.

The Hurst/Olds was never about being subtle, and this '83 continues the grand tradition with an awesome black-over-silver paint job, 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. With only 35,328 original miles, it shows very few signs of being driven and enjoyed, of course, and the black has a great shine, the decals remain firmly 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. 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 almost no 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, complete with a tachometer, and the original AM/FM/cassette stereo is still in the dash, a cutting-edge setup in the early '80s.

Oldsmobile performance amounted to their rugged and torquey 307 cubic inch V8, which it turns out is virtually indestructible. Fortified with a 4-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, it earns its stripes the hard way and moves the coupe with vigor. Olds gave you a chrome air cleaner lid to suggest you were getting something special, although the engine was not much different from that in lesser Cutlasses. This one has been properly maintained and has a very clean engine bay, 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. Underneath, it's quite clean, and the clever exhaust system offers two exhaust pipes with Flowmaster mufflers, so it has that old school horsepower sound. Flashy Oldsmobile Rally wheels wear 215/65/15 Firestone Firehawk tires, completing the street-racer look.

This 80's street beast comes well documented with the original window sticker, title documentation, and the original manuals including the original warranty card. 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!