After the Cutlass line was split between the front-wheel drive A-body Cutlass Ciera and the rear-wheel drive G-body Cutlass Supreme in 1982, GM again offered a limited-edition Hurst/Olds - it was the 15th anniversary of the first Hurst/Olds introduced in 1968. The Hurst Lightning Rod floor shifter was introduced in the '83 H/O. The '84 H/O came only insilver withblack rocker panels. Chrome 15" wheels fittedwhite lettertires, and a power bulge hood and rear spoiler gave the car a purposeful look. A modified version of Oldsmobile's 307 CID V8 was installed, along with 3.73 gears and Hurst's radical Lightning Rods shifter. Dual exhausts with rumbling mufflers meant there was no mistaking the H/O for a garden variety Cutlass. A new style "Hurst/Olds" emblem was introduced, and red and silver stripes separated the black and silver paint. Demand for the car was very strong. Originally, 2500 units were scheduled to be produced, but Olds had to up that number to 3001 because of high demand. That may have been a factor in bringing the H/O back for '84. The paint scheme was reversed, with silver being the main body color, and black on the rocker panels. In most respects, the '84 was mechanically identical to the '83. The '84 did get a stronger 8.5" rear end. 3500 units were produced in 1984. Performance-wise, every Hurst/Olds packed a four-barrel-fed, 307-cube engine with 180 horsepower, a Hydra-Matic 200-4R overdrive transmission, and a 3.73 rear axle. Along with its 180 horses was a solid 245 lb-ft of torque. It was a combination good for 16-second quarter-miles and 0-60 sprints of about nine seconds. The performance may not have set the dragstrip on fire, but the Hurst Lightning Rod shifter system gave the car a unique, signature feature that looked wild and worked quite well. Essentially a mechanical version of the electronically controlled, manual-shift automatics used in many cars today, the Lightning Rod shifter enabled the driver to use a separate shifter for each upshift. The shifter has proven very robust over the years. That said this vehicle has not been restored or re-painted and is in running and driving condition with working A/C and Heat! This is a prime example of the Hurst/olds for the Enthusiast who wants to start with an all working nearly original car and restore it to showroom condition.
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