When Oldsmobile retired the Hurst/Olds model at the end of 1979, many people felt it was gone for good. However, the company had other ideas and launched a reboot in 1983 to celebrate the badge’s 15th Anniversary. Pent-up demand was higher than anticipated, and a model that the company envisaged would make a return for a single year spilled into a second year of production. This 1983 Hurst/Olds is an original survivor that needs a new home. It isn’t perfect, but it is a solid classic that will leave its new owner with some choices to make. It is located in Beacon Falls, Connecticut, and is listed for sale here on eBay. Solid bidding has pushed the price to $7,900 in a No Reserve auction.

When Oldsmobile revived the Hurst/Olds badge for 1983, they intended to build 2,500 examples. Such was the demand that the figure eventually blew out to 3,001 cars. Buyers could order their new Hurst/Olds in any color combination they liked, as long as it was Black with Silver lower body extremities and contrasting Red stripes. It was a similar story for the following model year, although the colors were reversed to create another distinct and easily identifiable model. The seller says that this Olds’ front bumper and fenders have been the recipients of a repaint, but the panels themselves and the paint across the rest of the vehicle are original. It still holds a good shine, although there are enough imperfections that some enthusiasts might consider treating this gem to a light cosmetic refresh. The panels show no evidence of significant damage, but the best piece of news is that this classic is rust-free. That means that if the buyer contemplates a restoration, they won’t face the trauma of rust repairs. The plastic and glass are in good condition, as are the beautiful chrome steel wheels. When I look at the overall condition, retaining it where it can wear its survivor badge with pride is an attractive proposition.

The theme of originality continues when we open the doors and survey this classic’s interior. The owner has installed a new carpet set and headliner, but the rest of the interior is as it left the factory. The Burgundy velour seat upholstery shows some wear, but there are no rips or tears. It remains serviceable, although a perfectionist may opt to spend $700 on a set of replacement covers to achieve a factory-fresh appearance. The other major cosmetic fault is wear and cracks on the wheel. This could prove a real headache because I believe that Oldsmobile only fitted these “quarter-wrap” wheels to the ’83 Hurst/Olds. Finding a good genuine replacement could be challenging given the low production total. I have spotted one during an online search, but the owner quotes a BIN of $600. If I were to buy this Olds and sought a stock appearance, I might repair the cracks myself and hand the wheel to a leather specialist for a restitch in the correct leather. The other issue that the buyer will need to face is some wear in the interior’s defining component. The “Lightning Rod” shifter is not only distinctive, but it became a target for thieves. The one in this car is original, but the owner notes some fairly significant wear in the linkages. It does operate as intended with a bit of jiggling, but the owner says that he uses the shifter like a regular automatic. A transmission specialist may be able to recondition the system, and that’s the first option I would consider. Original secondhand units appear occasionally, but they generally sell for an eye-watering $1,500 or more. The rest of the interior is good, with no significant problems or crumbling plastic. There is no shortage of luxury appointments, with this Hurst/Olds featuring air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power seats, cruise control, intermittent wipers, and a factory AM/FM radio/cassette player.

The 1983 Hurst/Olds featured a “one size fits all” drivetrain configuration. Buyers received a 307ci V8 that produced 180hp, a four-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. That horsepower figure is about what most buyers expected from a car of this type in the 1980s and allowed this classic to cover the ¼ mile in 16.7 seconds. The seller indicates that this Olds is numbers-matching and that a previous owner treated the V8 to a rebuild. The odometer shows 148,000 miles, but if the car has been appropriately maintained, it should have many years of reliable service to offer its future owners. The seller says that the car runs and drives perfectly, so the winning bidder may be able to fly in and drive this Hurst/Olds home.

Hypothetically, say you walk out to your garage to find this 1983 Hurst/Olds lurking in the shadows. What do you do? Given its overall originality, would you retain the car as a survivor and enjoy it untouched? Or would the temptation of a light cosmetic refresh be impossible to resist? The seller is right about one fact with the 1983 Hurst/Old; Values have been climbing recently. Like many classics, they’ve ridden a rollercoaster over the past two years, but they are heading in the right direction once again. I would expect this one to top $10,000 before the hammer falls, but the final figure could be lower since this is a No Reserve auction, and the car isn’t perfect. If someone can score this classic for around that price, it could make it one of the better buys for 2022.