Does anyone know or has proof if the 455 engines were installed on the line at GM , or were they installed by Hurst?

 

per doc watson Yes they were from olds. HOCA has ran some thunder and lightning editions that state the same thing. Jeff (1969 hurst olds) on here has
notes on his website from hurst and demmer talking about the scoop and paint and spoiler but nothing on motor swap.

 

Installed by Oldsmobile. A gennie 68 should have its VIN derivative stamped into the engine block same as all other 1968 Oldsmobiles.

There's a guy on another forum who makes a big deal out of how he was the guy who pinned Doc Watson's ears back and got him to admit the factory installed the 455s. I think that guy's an arrogant *****, personally, but Doc has authenticated the installations.

 

Yep. heard the same from Doc and Dale Smith that the 68's & 69's came off the line with 455's even though there was GM corporate poicy at the time against it.

 

Jack would just sick linda's twins on him and he would be in double trouble. I think Jack lets it out of the bag when he say's in the road test that he is the one who came up with it not hurst or at least Thats what I take from it . The bigger the storey the easyer it is to beleave , Hold on my trophy wife is calling me gotta go.

 

It wasnt too hard for tOlds to install the 455s at the factory even though there was the "ban" on them. What most people dont know is that Olds did have "authorization" to build "police interceptor" Cutlass' with 455s in them on the assy line. Even though our 68 HO wasnt built in the Demmer facility, it DID come from factory with the 455 already in it -- also had the "police certified" speedometer in it. That "police" speedometer is still in the car today! And yes -- thats correct about the vin derivitive being on the "real" HO car motors. Remember --- they DROVE the cars over to Demmer shop for the conversions. Anyone that worked or hung out at Demmers could verify that! It would have been nearly impossible for Olds or Doc W to deny the motors were installed on the line!!

 

Dont forget --- you also have the fact that Oldsmobile was successful in getting the 68 HO cars "certified" by NHRA for stock class racing. That would have never happened if the motors werent installed at factory with the vin derivitive on them. Olds had to verify to NHRA that at least 500 of the cars were built!! They also had to submit all the engine specs in order to get the 455/390 HP rating certified by NHRA. You all got Dale Smith to thank for all of that. RIP Dale!!!

 

RIP Mr. Smith. An Oldsgod if ever was one.

Chesrown, I did not know about the Police Interceptor Cutlass authorization. That's great information!

 

Doc admitted they were factory installed in the H/OCA's T&L, a couple of instances at the H/O meets at Indy, and also on the Hurst MuscleCars video tape, as well as the 69's are pretty much proven factory-installation via the assembly manual.

 

Hey Tweed--I wonder how many Police cars are out there? Kinda neat if you ask me. I always wanted one; of course it HAD to be a "f85 POST"!!!!! I'm going to look at a '70 455 Vista Cruiser tomarrow morning----can you say "Vista Bruiser"? Don't worry, one racer is enough! Until next time..... Dave.

 

yup --- ours was an F-85 Post! Heres a pic of it today - in process of being restored.

 

The latest Hemmings Muscle Machines has a nice picture of the Chesrown '68 in action from back in the day. I immediately thought of you and to let you know!

 

can you post a scan of that pic please? Or is it online somewhere?

 

I don't have a scanner. Might be easier just to buy the magazine.

 

April '11 Hemmings Muscle Machines, page 34. The Olds was the winner of E/Stock 12.78 @ 98.57 '68 Springnationals at Englishtown.

Henry

 

Here's the pic ..... it's the '68 "RAM-ROD" not the H/O

 

And that time was "backing off" to 98 MPH -- He covered Dianna at the 1000' mark or even before! Can you say - RT? Treed him bad because if you read the stories you will see that Dianna was also capable of running .10 under too!! If you read article other rounds were in 12.60s at 108 mph. National record that day(which was his dial-in) was 12.72 - and at that time you could run up to .10 under dial before breaking out - and one of his rounds was a dead-on .10 under at 12.62