Seldom-seen cars that evoke the heyday of the legendary shifter draw crowds to this Pennsylvania car show.
Rarely do car enthusiasts get to see a Hurst-equipped muscle car, let alone several of them in one place. Hurst engineer, Don Glover, helped to bring them to the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Indoor Nationals in Oaks, Pennsylvania. In the video, YouTuber Pamela Hirschhorn captures the details of the awesome classic cars that made driving with a manual shifter cool again.
A Rare Sighting Of Special Hurst Models
When it comes to Hurst cars, the Hurst/Olds first comes to mind. While we’ll look at that model momentarily, keep in mind that all the major car manufacturers in Detroit used these shifters and a few also built specialty models around them. Two of the more hard-to-find Hurst models recently featured at this car show were the 1971 Jeep Jeepster Commando and the 1972 Pontiac Hurst SSJ Grand Prix.
Sporting Hurst mods, the Jeepster is one of the rarer Jeeps that AMC ever produced. Only 500 rolled off the assembly line in the model years 1971-1972. In addition to the Hurst branding, this automatic 4WD model has a console-mounted dual-gate Hurst shifter mated to a 160-hp V6 engine.
The 1972 Pontiac Hurst SSJ Grand Prix is an even rarer beast since recent production estimates show GM making fewer than 200 of these cars that year. This Pontiac has the classic Hurst colors of Fire Frost Gold and Cameo White. Other features that were ahead of their time are an electric sunroof, gold honeycomb wheels, and the Hurst 3-speed automatic transmission.
Six Classic Hurst/Olds All Sharing One Space
The remaining Hurst cars in Don Glover’s display are all rare Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds. Two are 442 Indy Pace cars: one from the 1972 model year and the other a vinyl-topped 1974 model with the W30 engine. Two more are from the 1984 model year, with one built on the Olds Cutlass Calais chassis and the other being a 442 with its signature Hurst black and gold paint. Another bold black and gold Hurst/Olds from 1973 has swivel front bucket seats and opera windows.
But the star attraction is the white and gold 1969 Hurst/Olds. Packed with a 455 cu. in. V8 which had 380 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, this muscle car clocked an impressive 0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds. With its fierce-looking twin raised snouts on the hood and a pronounced rear wing, it looked ready to dominate the competition. This very desirable car is only one of about 914 made, so getting to see one up close is truly exciting.
