Weekend Driver: 1979 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds W-30
As long as the analysis is based solely on performance standards from the late seventies, the 1979 Hurst/Olds was a pretty good outcome even though it was the first-ever model to not offer a 455 under the hood. Based on the newly downsized Cutlass, the Hurst/Olds scored fairly well in the appearance areas and was available in white or black with gold highlights, with this one for sale here on eBay wearing the latter color combination. The Olds has been cruising around the Bronx, New York area for nearly a decade, but it’s now looking to exchange hands with the seller’s buy-it-now price set at $9,500.
On the plus side, the Hurst/Olds was the only G-Body in the entire General Motors lineup for ’79 where a 350 could be found in the bay and it was making around 170 horsepower, not all that bad considering what a dismal period the auto industry was in regarding engine output. The seller tells us the Oldsmobile had previously belonged to his uncle for the past nine years but he rarely drove it, and while it could stand a tune up no smoking or leaks are coming from the motor, although the odometer cable is disconnected so the 61k miles showing isn’t accurate.
From a distance, the body itself is looking OK for the most part except for a repair that has been made on the passenger side resulting from the car colliding with a garage entrance. There’s a less obvious area on the other side that’s also in primer we get a close-up photo of, and a small amount of rust seems to be forming in the crevice under the window trim here and around the H/O emblem, but hopefully it’s isolated to this section and most of the sheet metal is still solid. The seller assures us no rot is present and the frame rails are in great condition.
The interior is probably decent enough for a driver but will require some attention if the next owner wants to go for something of a higher level. One anomaly is that the rear seat appears to be vinyl while the front buckets are cloth, with the driver’s seat showing a few small tears. A Grant GT component has replaced the factory steering wheel, nearly identical to the one I installed on a Nova back in the eighties but never could get the horn button to function correctly.
The seller states his Hurst/Olds has been well-maintained and is perfect for weekend drives, and one option is to just continue enjoying the car as-is. But this one also seems like with a bit of bodywork followed by a respray and getting that factory wheel in the trunk back on you’d have something to be really proud of without an extensive amount of effort or breaking the bank. What would you do here?
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Comments
I would at least put the ralley wheel back on the right rear. I also noticed the anti theft column device on the steering column.
I prefer the lightning rods as shifters. I do like the black gold color and shape here though. I had the 78 Cutlas back in college.
Oh yeah. A repaint and the original wheel, a little interior love and about 300 more horses under the hood. Upgrade the music and I would have my last daily driver.
Ya, this ones worthy of some lovin..
got all the goodies and those factory wheels are sweet.
Interior is nice, gotta give it to Olds.
Funny about the Grant steering wheel. I installed one on a Jeep 30 years ago and I never could get the horn button to stay on either.
My first car was a 1979 Cutlass Calais, the base upon which the 79 Hurst Olds was built. The Hurst had a 350, mine had the Chevy 305, but I did have T-Tops, which was a huge thing for a 16 year old. For many years I planned to get a 79 Hurst one day, but when the time came, I actually got another Calais with T-Tops and did a full drivetrain swap. The reason I decided against the Hurst was the low HP from the original 350. If I recall correctly, the advertised HP back then was 185, so a bit better than the 170 quoted in the article, but still anemic. I decided not to get a limited edition Hurst model and tinker with it. This one is a good candidate for someone who likes the 79 Hurst. It obviously needs some body and paint work, but one big positive is the black interior. My original Calais had the camel interior, and while it looked decent when new and clean, the velour seats and carpet stained easily, and the light tan plastics all faded to various different colors. Some looked gold, some looked greenish. The seatcovers and most interior components are readily available. The Hurst dual gate shifter is the centerpiece, and in my opinion, much more sensible than the gimmick lightning rods they used in 83-84. Shame they swapped the steering wheel. The 79 Olds Calais wheel was a nice one, two brushed aluminum arms and a Olds Rocket logo on the horn pad. Not sure if the Hurst used a Hurst logo there or not. the OEM steering wheels can be found, though, and aftermarket suppliers make some very similar and have the horn button logos as well. This Hurst could be restored to very good condition with a bit of cash.
Not original decals either…the W-30 decal is an incorrect, cheap vinyl graphic. This car is in need of a lot of love.
Seats are from a’79 ish Grand Prix.
Those are stock 1979 Olds Cutlass Calais seats. The stitch pattern, velour pattern, chrome trim around the plastic backs and on the hinges are identical to the seats in both Cutlass Calais that I ownd. Still have one.
I stand corrected
Nice car definitely worth some lovin