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If ever there were a forgotten Hurst/Olds, the 1975 model would be it. As the last of the Colonnade-era Hurst/Olds models, it's notable for a few quirks--first GM vehicle to feature the Hurst/Hatch T-top!--but by and large, it's overshadowed by the earlier rip-snorters. Even the 1979 and 1983-'84 versions tend to get more ink, and if anybody goes looking for a Colonnade Hurst/Olds, they normally pick the 1973 version.
Yet what most people forget is that the 1975 Hurst/Olds was, up to that point, the most popular Hurst/Olds built, with a production total of 2,535. Until then, no other Hurst/Olds had broken the 2,000 mark.
While the general popularity of the Oldsmobile Cutlass at that time certainly accounts for some of that increase, it's also worth noting that the market for the muscle car didn't simply fizzle out with the muscle cars themselves in the early 1970s. Instead, the market grew up--those buyers couldn't remain hormonal lead-footed teenagers forever, after all. As young adults just starting out in their careers, looking to impress the boss now, instead of the girl, they shopped around for cars that still had a bit of the old hustle and good looks, but with a more mature presence in the company parking lot.
The 1975 Hurst/Olds provided just that. In the February 20, 1975, press release announcing the car, William Kay, then president of Hurst, said ''the Hurst/Olds is designed to provide a fine balance of luxury, styling, performance and lasting value for the individual who demands more than transportation from his automobile.''
Where the two previous iterations of the Hurst/Olds were available on the Cutlass or Cutlass S, with its sportier roofline, the 1975 version was available only on the Cutlass Supreme, with its more formal roofline. The Supreme two-door coupe that year started at $4,047; the Hurst/Olds conversion, which took place at Hurst's Specialty Vehicle Division facility in Brighton, Michigan, added $1,095 on top of that price before the cars were sold through Oldsmobile dealerships. (For comparison's sake, the 4-4-2 package cost just $128 in 1975.)
For that money, the customer not only got the Hurst/Hatch roof with smoked glass panels, designed to satisfy those still longing for an intermediate convertible, but also a choice of two V-8 engines, the customary Hurst Dual-Gate shifter, special wheels, a padded half-top, gold accent body striping, dual sport mirrors and Hurst/Olds badging.
Owner, Fred Mandrick
Despite the success of the 1975 Hurst/Olds, the two companies wouldn't partner again to create a special edition car until 1979. The Hurst/Olds Club of America has documented a few prototypes from those intervening years, and some 1976 Cutlass Supremes that were equipped with the Hurst/Hatch roof also came with Hurst/Olds badging, but those are merely curiosities and not considered actual Hurst/Olds conversions.
What screams Seventies more than an 8-track almost lost in a sea of woodgrain?
As Colonnade-era cars are considered worthy alternatives to traditional muscle cars, we expect more examples of the later Hurst/Olds to come on the market. When they do, here's what to look for.
ENGINE
For the second year in a row, Oldsmobile offered a choice of two engines in the Hurst/Olds: the 350 and the 455, with the former outselling the latter. As with the 1974 Hurst/Olds, Oldsmobile recycled the old W-25 code (which in 1970-'72 corresponded to the twin-scoop ram-air fiberglass hood) to designate the 350 and used the familiar W-30 code to designate the 455.
However, as opposed to years past, the W-codes didn't promise anything special in 1975. The four-barrel L34 Oldsmobile 350, indicated by a K as the fifth digit in the VIN, produced 170hp and 275-lbs.ft. of torque on an 8.5:1 compression ratio. The L74 Oldsmobile 455, indicated by a T in the VIN, produced 190hp and 350-lbs.ft. of torque, also on an 8.5:1 compression ratio. Both engines were widely available in the rest of the Cutlass lineup that year and were painted blue.
Oldsmobile Super Stock III wheels, painted gold to match the striping, adorned every 1975 Hurst/Olds.
The quickest way to identify an Oldsmobile V-8 engine from this period is to look for the casting number located behind the water pump and to the left of the oil fill tube. An oversized letter in front of the casting number indicates a big-block engine, while an oversized number indicates a small-block engine. For the casting number itself, look for a 395558 to indicate a 350 block and for a 39602 to indicate a 455 block.
Starting in 1968, Oldsmobile stamped the last six digits of the car's VIN on the left front side of the engine block, where the cylinder head meets the block. By comparing this number to the car's VIN, you can determine whether the car's original engine has been swapped out or replaced over the last 35 years.
As long as the engine still has its original sticker affixed to the oil-fill tube, the two-letter code will tell you a little more about the engine. If the two-letter code starts with a Q, R or T, it is a 350; if it starts with a U or V, it is a 455.
The across-the-board use of the catalytic converter at GM in 1975 meant that every Oldsmobile V-8 engine that year was equipped with a single exhaust system, rather than duals.
Oldsmobile engine blocks are generally known for having high nickel content and are considered extremely strong for their weight, as shown by GM's decision to use the Olds 350 as the basis for a diesel engine in 1977. Two-bolt main caps held cast-iron crankshafts in place.
Because both engines are generally similar to their respective earlier high-horsepower versions, both introduced in 1968, heads, camshafts, intake and exhaust manifolds--and even entire blocks--will easily interchange to help wake up the wheezy detuned versions.
TRANSMISSION
Oldsmobile did apparently make a three-speed manual transmission available behind the fuel-miser two-barrel 260 V-8, introduced that year and available in Cutlasses. However, all 1975 Cutlasses fitted with larger V-8s, thus including all Hurst/Olds models, received three-speed automatic transmissions.
Quite simply, all small-block Oldsmobiles fed into an M-38 Turbo Hydra-Matic 350, while all big-block Oldsmobiles used an M-40 Turbo Hydra-Matic 400. All THM-400s have their transmission codes stamped onto a metal tag attached to the right side of the transmission, while all THM-350s have their codes stamped either on the metal tag or directly on the servo cover.
Like the engine, the transmission will also have the last six digits of the car's VIN stamped into its case. Look on the left side of the transmission for that number.
DIFFERENTIAL
Seen as a quick fix to fuel mileage issues, ultra-high rear gears were the fashion of the day in the mid- to late 1970s. Thus, the Hurst/Olds rear axle came standard with 2.56 gears and could be optioned up only to 2.73 or 3.08 gears, with or without the Anti-Spin limited-slip differential.
Look on the front side of the right axle tube for a six-digit code; the first letter of that code will indicate whether it's an open (code A) or limited-slip (code C) differential, while the second will indicate the gear ratio (H for 2.56, C for 2.73, and D for 3.08).
For those looking for shorter gears, earlier Colonnade rear axles swap right in and were available with up to 3.42 gears. Conveniently, the 8.5-inch 10-bolt axle was used by GM in many applications starting from the early '70s and is still used in light trucks currently, so a vast array of ratios is readily available. For those looking to go taller, later Colonnade rear axles could be had with 2.41 gears.
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES
The same basic four-corner-coils suspension that went under every Colonnade-era A-body also underpinned the Hurst/Olds: unequal length upper and lower A-arms up front, and four-link rear with upper and lower trailing arms and anti-roll bars front and rear. The Hurst/Olds also automatically received the 4-4-2's FE2 Rallye Suspension Package, which included stiffer springs, heavy-duty shock absorbers and larger anti-roll bars, enhancing the special edition's handling. In addition to suspension upgrades, the Hurst/Olds got an upgrade from the unassisted disc brakes standard in the Cutlass to the otherwise-optional power disc brakes. The front discs measured 11 inches in diameter, while the rear drums measured 9.5 inches. Hiding those brakes were special gold-painted 15 x 7 inch Super Stock III stamped steel wheels, wrapped with HR70-15 radial tires.
BODY AND FRAME
As mentioned previously, all 1975 Hurst/Olds editions were built using only the Cutlass Supreme body, with the formal roofline. For that reason, every 1975 Hurst/Olds will have J57 for the second, third and fourth digits of its VIN. In addition, because every Cutlass Supreme to be converted into a Hurst/Olds was built at Oldsmobile's Lansing, Michigan, assembly plant, the seventh digit (the assembly plant code) in all 1975 Hurst/Olds VINs will be an M.
As with its two predecessors, Oldsmobile offered a choice of two paint schemes on the 1975 Hurst/Olds: Cameo White and Ebony Black, with the white very closely edging out the black in popularity. However, unlike the previous Hurst/Olds models, customers also had their choice of black or white padded half-roofs, which meant that a white car could come with a black padded roof, or vice versa.
Along with the 1974 Hurst/Olds and the Colonnade-era 4-4-2s, the 1975 iteration featured a row of five nonfunctional louvers along the center of the hood. The 1975 Hurst/Olds also borrowed the tight-spaced refrigerator-shelf grille from that year's Cutlass Salon.
Padded vinyl roofs are notorious rust-promoters, so you'll want to closely examine the roof for rust, especially around the perimeter of the padded section. Also inspect the backlite and the trunk space underneath it for signs of leaking. All Colonnade bodies, especially those in the rust belt, tend to rot first in the quarter panels and rocker panels, then in the door edges and floors. However, when looking for replacement body panels, not all Colonnades will be adequate donors: Door skins, quarter panels and fenders will only interchange with 1973-'75 Cutlasses. Later Oldsmobiles did away with the extreme body sculpting, and other GM A-bodies of that period exhibited different contours.
INTERIOR
The padded top that came as part of the Hurst/Olds conversion entirely blocked the rear quarter windows, making the interior a little more secluded and a little more cave-like. To brighten it up, Hurst poked a few more Hurst/Olds badges on the interior sail panels, just in case your backseat passengers forgot exactly what kind of car you owned while on the way to the disco. And you could save those disco moves for the dance floor with the swivel bucket seats (with reversible inserts!) that came standard in the 1975 Hurst/Olds. The sport console, of course, came standard as well, providing a place to mount the Hurst Dual-Gate shifter, though the Hurst/Olds-branded tachometer had to be ordered up as an option. Otherwise, the Hurst/Olds had little to differentiate its interior from a Cutlass Supreme's.
REPRODUCTION PARTS
As with many of the Colonnade cars, reproduction items not shared with non-Colonnade cars are few and far between. Reproduction sheetmetal is nearly nonexistent, limited to floorpans. Fortunately, Oldsmobile cranked out intermediates by the millions during the 1970s; more than 150,000 Cutlass Supremes were built in 1975 alone, more than twice that including all trim levels and body styles, so even four decades later, plenty should still be around to offer parts for your restoration or resurrection of this little-known Hurst/Olds.
Owner's View
I was looking for a 1975 Hurst/Olds for a few reasons. In 1975, I learned to drive, and in that same year, my parents bought a 1975 Toronado new. I saw a Hurst/Olds while we were at the dealership and just liked the way it looked with the T-tops. Oldsmobile really got the style right in 1975.
I found this particular car in February 2007 exactly like it is now, with very low miles and original everything--even the original tires. I love to drive it--the ride is spectacular, and the open-air T-tops make you feel like you're 16 again. I basically plan to enjoy this car as if I bought it new.
-- Fred Mandrick - Scottsdale, Arizona
CLUB SCENE
Oldsmobile Club of America
P.O. Box 80318
Lansing, Michigan 48908
www.oldsclub.org
Dues: $30/year • Membership: 7,000
Hurst/Olds Club of America
3098 S. Point Pleasant Road
Decatur, Illinois 62521
hurstolds.com
Dues: $25/year • Membership: 500
WHAT TO PAY
1975 Hurst/Olds
Low - $6,500
Average - $12,500
High - $19,500
Note: Add 10% for 455 engine.
PARTS PRICES
Body mount bushings (set) - $239
Disc brake pads (set) - $40
Front coil springs (pair) - $165
Ignition switch - $37
Large H/O emblem - $45
Power steering hoses (both) - $53
Rear axle control arm bushings (set) - $85
Rear brake drum (each) - $96
Rebuilt power window motors (each) - $149
Stripe kit - $199
Super Stock III center caps (each) - $55
Super Stock III wheel bezels (each) - $10
Upper radiator hose - $28
Water pump - $99
Recent
Photo: Provided By Author
I had been into cars since childhood, so this was a magical job. I was part of a crew of six or seven that worked for tips, and we wore orange coverall uniforms so that we were easily seen at night. We routinely parked and returned more than 400 cars on a busy Saturday, with parties in the afternoon and then again at night, together with public dining.
Jockeying cars for position in shrinking lanes during return rush times made me a better and more precise driver. Another benefit was that I developed a higher appreciation for well-designed dashboards, budding smart controls, and quality upholstery. I preferred gauges to warning lamps, and I intensely disliked the flashing green and yellow dashboard fuel economy indicators that seemed unwelcome in luxury cars. The only way to make the annoying indicator stay green was to coast.
As a crew, we elbowed each other to park the hot imports, such as BMW’s 2002, Datsun’s Z variants, the first Honda Accords, Toyota Celicas, and less frequently, Volkswagen Sciroccos. These were all well-equipped, light, quick, and easy to park. It was also possible to shift them into higher gears for test drives by taking the long way around to the lower back lot. As far as I knew, none of us ever got a Porsche 911 out of second. Our boss knew the joyride risk, so we had to keep numbered dashboard tickets in sequence for assigned spaces that discouraged long drives around the property.
Photo: Hemmings Archives
I have many fond memories of the job. To start, the things people left in their vehicles were nothing short of amazing. There were open bills with private information in plain view, and mail of every other conceivable variety, as well as checkbooks, laundry, arts, and crafts in all stages of non-completion, sticky food wrappers, and other trash. I also quickly learned that a tip amount didn’t always correspond to the expense or condition of the car after one guest left a caged guinea pig in his 1967 Pontiac Le Mans when he arrived late for a wedding reception. Aside from needing to be washed and vacuumed, that car was quite fragrant. It was a dry day, so I lowered the side windows, and we took turns checking the pet as we ran to and from other vehicles. Later, the guest told me he was glad the party was over and was eager to reunite the guinea pig with his young daughter. Having noticed us checking on the pet, the car owner gave me the biggest tip I ever got to fetch a car.
Another unusual thing happened while parking a 1975 Buick LeSabre sedan. Two people got out and went inside for dinner and as I got in immediately noticed the aroma of freshly baked bagels emanating from two gigantic bags that took most of the rear seat, nearly reaching the headliner. After parking the car, I was spooked by a low voice from the far-right of the back seat that asked, “Howee doin’?” I had not seen the slight fellow partially hidden by one of the tall bags, and all I could ask was if he intended to go inside. He said he didn’t want a fancy dinner, just a nap. He offered bagels to the entire crew, which were delicious, and stayed in the car and slept for two hours.
Rare cars would roll up on occasion, including one almost everyone guessed was a Maserati, though I recognized it as a Facel Vega. The exhaust growl of the Chrysler Hemi V-8 was positively rhapsodic, and the grand tourer had polished wood throughout its interior. We parked it in a special spot on an outer aisle near the front door and overheard customers speculate what it was while waiting for their own cars. When the tweedy owner eventually came out, my boss, Ray, was determined to sound smart and amuse himself. He conspicuously and formally signaled, “Christopher, the Facel Vega, please.” Seeing where we placed his pride and joy, the owner gleamed. He may have enjoyed that moment more than his dinner.
Another story involved a regular customer’s Cadillac Seville during lunch hour, when Ray often let me work alone so he could get a break. Two County Sheriff’s detectives stopped to tell me they were looking for two inmates who had escaped from the local penitentiary wearing–what else–orange coveralls. They were last seen running on the neighboring golf course. Of course, we always left keys in the ignition of parked cars. The detectives asked how many cars remained from lunch, and whether I could account for each. To my dismay, the Cadillac (one of only three cars left in my charge) was gone! The owner was very classy when the detectives needed his license plate number and unselfishly said he was glad I had not run into the thieves. Luckily for me, the car was recovered unscratched at a nearby shopping center, but we never heard if the thieves were caught.
I rarely drove a car onto the open road, but one exception was a permanent resident’s 1976 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. The luminous dark red sedan was overdue for its annual state inspection and the owner’s wife “volunteered” me to drive it to the inspection station in the next town. The engine was so quiet and vibration-free that I had to concentrate to hear it. The interior was beautifully appointed with the finest leather I had ever seen or touched. Intuitive controls were set in burled walnut. In my opinion the steering wheel was somewhat primitive and too hard for an ultra-luxury auto, but it was a minor nitpick since the car was a magic carpet. It literally floated when put in drive. As expected, there were no buzzes, squeaks, or rattles. It handled well and predictably with adequate road feel, despite its considerable weight. Power came immediately at the slightest touch, suggesting ample reserve, and the Rolls-Royce stopped on a dime.
Photo: Hemmings Archives
Admittedly, I was very nervous driving it, even when it seemed other drivers stayed out of the way once I reached a multi-lane avenue. The inspection station was in a not-so-nice area on a narrow, bumpy street, and being near closing time the station was busy. I had to get in a line that snaked around the block and all I could do was hope nobody hit the darn thing.
As I crawled to the entrance, the inspection staff was laughing and pointing at me, still wearing my orange coveralls: “Hey kid, how did you get out of jail and where did you get that car?” Fortunately, my uniform sported a company crest. Seeking mercy, I said it was the boss’ car. Then the Rolls failed its emissions test. Adding to the insult, the dented, oxidized Volkswagen Beetle behind me passed with flying colors. In those days, a sticker with a big red circle signifying failure was affixed to the windshield’s lower left corner. You couldn’t miss it.
I finally relaxed when I pulled the Silver Shadow into the familiar driveway without incident. To my surprise, the owner’s wife was happy to see that the car failed, because now she could get it tuned up without further debate. Apparently, her husband was always working and neglected his cars. We were reminded of that later when we had to jump the battery in his seldom-driven Jaguar XJ12. The next time I saw the Rolls it had a proper inspection sticker.
After parking cars for eighteen months, I transferred inside to become a bartender as my college days progressed. I missed handling the cars, but not enduring cold winter nights or donning those orange coveralls. Over the years I have almost always insisted on parking my own car, but when valet parking is unavoidable, particularly in a city, I tip in advance. It’s remarkable how a few dollars will often gain a spot close to the attendant’s booth, sometimes with a safety cone next to our car.
Photo by Matthew Litwin
Photo by Matthew Litwin
Race wins touted in national headlineswere not lost on manufacturers, so by the start of the 1956 season nearly every major domestic brandhad invested performance resources into NASCAR. Pontiac initially supported two teams: Jim Stephens (Stephens Pontiac), and A.L. Bumgarner (Brushy Mountain Motors). Each were armed with a new-for-1956 engine designed for racing: a 316.6-cu.in. V-8 fitted with dual Rochester four-barrel carburetors that, along with a high-performance camshaft, dual-point distributor, specialized valley cover, and 10:1 compression cylinder heads, conspired to produce 285 horsepower (in street trim, mind. It’s well-known that racers knew how to make more horsepower).
A Pontiac win looked favorable, beginning with the sixth race of the season at the Daytona Beach/Road race, where Stephens’ two-car effort - with Ed Kretz and Cotton Owens - qualified 3rd and 4th, while Junior Johnson, in Bumgarner’s Pontiac, qualified 26th in the 76-car field. None saw the checkered flag. Johnson crashed, and the Stephens effort was met with mechanical woes. It was a sign of things to come. Strong as Pontiac was, bad fortune and mechanical reliability were its Achilles’ heel. Pontiac attained just 17 top 10 finishes with a best of 3rd recorded by Pat Kirkwood in a Stephens’ Pontiac.
Going winless, coupled with poor street ability of the dual-quad 316.6 V-8, spurred Pontiac to develop Tri-Power and fuel-injected 347-cu.in. engines for 1957. They became instant hits on the track - the brand notched two wins prior to a June rule change that mandated a single four-barrel induction system - and on the street, leaving the dual-quad 316.6 a nearly forgotten footnote of Fifties factory performance.
Rare reminders, however, still exist, such as this bred-for-NASCAR 1956 Pontiac twin Rochester carburetor and intake manifold assembly spotted for sale at the 2023 AACA Eastern Fall Meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Also included as part of the $4,500 package price was the system’s specific air cleaner assembly, which looked similar that of Cadillac’s (the two reportedly would not interchange without modifications). Save for rebuilding the carburetors, it looked ready to install on a specific “HY” stamped block.
1956 Pontiac Dual four-barrel induction setup
ASKING PRICE:$4,500
FOUND AT: 2023 AACA EASTERN FALL MEET (HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA)
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