Barn Find '83 Hurst Olds
September 8th, 2014, 11:22 PM
#1
Barn Find '83 Hurst Olds
This was a true find out of Coulterville/Greely Hill, CA. I was scrounging around on Craigslist and came across the listing for it. Call on a Tuesday and picked it up last Wednesday. Awesome 3 hour drive to go see the car but had some white knuckle moments going up the side of a mountain with a trailer and no shoulder. Original complete car. Interior is in MINT condition with only one 1/2" tear on the drivers seat. Owner said the car hadn't been moved since 2005. Car wouldn't start so I poured gas down the carb. Would run for about five seconds or so then die. Probably a bad fuel pump. All lighting and gauges worked. No rust in the trunk, fenders, doors, or quarters. Has a small 1" crack right behind the drivers side mirror. Spoiler tips are in the trunk. The gentleman wanted $3500. I got it for $3000. Plans is to get her daily driver ready. Do a complete suspension and brake rebuild, then change out the fuel pump and hopefully I'll be good to go!
September 9th, 2014, 12:34 AM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Grass Valley Ca
Posts: 973
Nice find looks like it will clean up.Barn find i don't know looks like it's been sitting outside for sometime as the tire dirt marks show.I liked those shifters if nothing else,as i remember doing pre delivery inspections at an Olds dealership back in the day.
September 10th, 2014, 08:27 PM
#8
It has a little over 72K miles. I changed out the fuel pump, filter, and sending unit today and she fired right up. Next is the suspension. All new bushings, springs, and shocks. Also found out that the car is #2097 originally purchased in Los Angeles.
September 15th, 2014, 07:09 AM
#17
1983 Hurst/Olds #2330
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 31
There is guy that you can email but I don't know the address. Maybe someone will chime in with it.
I registered my '83 on this site. The number and date showed up after a short time.
http://83-84hurstregistry.com/
I registered my '83 on this site. The number and date showed up after a short time.
http://83-84hurstregistry.com/
September 15th, 2014, 07:06 PM
#18
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3
1984 h/o with a 68to72 roller rocket
Thank you I did that. Do you have a good line for part there is some things missing from the interior and the center console is damaged and It no longer has the lighting rod shifter in it the guy I got it from tells me he has it in storage and needs to find it
September 15th, 2014, 08:47 PM
#19
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 325
Great score! I'm glad you brought it back to life so quickly. I just recently acquired a 1985 442 in similar condition/price range. It sure is fun putting them back on the street. Can't wait to see the "after-bath" pictures. For the love of Doc Watson, wash that thang!
September 16th, 2014, 06:36 AM
#20
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3
1984 h/o with a 68to72 roller rocket
Its going to be a long road to recovery for this old car had to pull the engine out this past weekend due to a very bad balance problem I am forced to throw a chevy in there for now tell I get the rotating assembly rebalanced 
February 2nd, 2015, 10:16 PM
#22
Update:
I ended up rebuilding the entire chassis and suspension. Everything got replaced. Steering, brakes, springs, the works. Took me a solid two months to tackle the job. I also had some MAW moments. Ended up sanding and painting as much of the frame and undercarriage that I could get to. Luckily I had a friend let me store it at his shop for $200 a month which included the use of a lift. Got her running, passed the dreaded SMOG test here in Cali, and took her home. Didn't get 100 miles on her before I spun a bearing. So now she sits waiting for me to put in this '71 350.
I ended up rebuilding the entire chassis and suspension. Everything got replaced. Steering, brakes, springs, the works. Took me a solid two months to tackle the job. I also had some MAW moments. Ended up sanding and painting as much of the frame and undercarriage that I could get to. Luckily I had a friend let me store it at his shop for $200 a month which included the use of a lift. Got her running, passed the dreaded SMOG test here in Cali, and took her home. Didn't get 100 miles on her before I spun a bearing. So now she sits waiting for me to put in this '71 350.
February 2nd, 2015, 10:28 PM
#25
The saying "the better the prep, the better the result" is definitely true. There were some spots on the frame where my laziness (along with back spasms) kicked in and you could tell after I painted it. Had to redo it. I don't plan on getting back underneath this car for a while.
February 2nd, 2015, 10:35 PM
#26
I consider myself to still be a novice and here is where it came out. Got the steering all bolted in, got in the car to turn the steering wheel to see if I felt any slack in it. Could turn all the way right but could only get about a half turn to the left. Took me about 30 minutes to realize I put it in backwards!
February 2nd, 2015, 10:48 PM
#28
Finally got her home and had my mobile detailer come by just to see what was hiding underneath all the dirt...Came out much better than I thought it would but me being me, it needs a repaint.
February 2nd, 2015, 10:55 PM
#29
So drove it about 5 times a spun a bearing. Found a running '71 350. Pulled it. Did a timing chain and gasket job on it. First one on an Olds so we will see how well I followed Mondello's technical guide. Will be prepping and painting the engine this week but torn between which color. Stay original to the car or engine?
February 2nd, 2015, 10:57 PM
#30
July 28th, 2015, 11:40 PM
#35
I've made a lot of progress on the car. Very pleased with my deepest build so far. It was intimidating at first and midway thru, I thought I was going to lose focus but I stayed the course. I don't know why my pics upload sideways. Sorry.
July 28th, 2015, 11:50 PM
#38
Found these slick wire looms on ebay. Right around this point is where I started to doubt if I had what it took to complete it. The original trans was out for a rebuild to handle the 455. Pulleys and brackets were off to get powdercoated.
July 28th, 2015, 11:56 PM
#40
Got everything back to the house and just took it one bolt at a time, trying not to look at how much work I had ahead of me. Before I knew it, I was ready to fire it up. Also took the time out to rebuild the shifters and rally gauges.
