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Hey all! This looks like a great forum for classic Olds cars. I just came across a 1979 Olds Cutlass with the "R" VIN and properly coded trim tag and believe this to be an original T-top Hurst Olds. Not sure how it ended up green and gold with low-rider wheels? I'll plan to start a restoration thread here and see if we can't get it back to as original as possible. Looking forward to learning a lot from this forum!
www.hurstolds.com They can help you find missing parts and verify it's a Hurst/Olds by the VIN. They have the records.
At least the original wheels came with it. Paint will be your big expense. Was this one originally white, or black? This one was black.
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Some people don't know what a Hurst/Olds really is and don't recognize or understand its significance. All they see is a GM G-body (still technically an A-body in 79) and their tribal instinct kicks in. Next thing you know it's donked out, on stilts, in a color no Hurst/Olds ever came in. Count yourself lucky the molestation is limited to flashy paint and wheels.
They covet this bodystyle so badly that FOUR were stolen from the 2009 Hurst/Olds Club National Meet in Indianapolis. I think only one, a black 79, was ever recovered and when it was located the stripping process had started.
Before I dig into this thing thought I'd get as many numbers as I could off the car. Somewhat to my dismay, I cleaned off the engine block number below the #1 spark plug and it didn't line up with the VIN. My VIN is 3K47R9M552077. The stamped engine code looks to be 37R104042, which would indicate a 1977 engine, and not from the Lansing plant. And the last six of the VIN obviously is nowhere near what I have for a VIN. The casting number above the water pump on the engine block is 554964 3A...a 350 from 1977-80. Transmission numbers lined up with the VIN OK, and the rear end code looks to be 2.73 gears with no posi. The cylinder heads, intake and exhaust manifolds match up as original, just not the engine block. Oh well, pretty close with the '77 350 rocket in there.
They covet this bodystyle so badly that FOUR were stolen from the 2009 Hurst/Olds Club National Meet in Indianapolis. I think only one, a black 79, was ever recovered and when it was located the stripping process had started.
Keep in mind VIN can be deciphered by anyone to verify it's a Hurst/Olds as long as there's an R for the engine code in the VIN.
That meet brought back some scary memories. I was there at that 2009 H/OCA meet in Indy and my 84 was parked next to an 84 that got stolen from the parking lot. It had T-tops, mine didn't. I'm thinking that's the only reason mine got saved. Who knows? I believe it was Trevor Badgley's 83 that was in a trailer and they got that, too. So it just wasn't 79s.
Keep in mind VIN can be deciphered by anyone to verify it's a Hurst/Olds as long as there's an R for the engine code in the VIN.
That meet brought back some scary memories. I was there at that 2009 H/OCA meet in Indy and my 84 was parked next to an 84 that got stolen from the parking lot. It had T-tops, mine didn't. I'm thinking that's the only reason mine got saved. Who knows? I believe it was Trevor Badgley's 83 that was in a trailer and they got that, too. So it just wasn't 79s.
I had a white '79 H/O at that meet but it was untouched. My friend's '84 H/O had the door pried open but had a club on the steering wheel so they moved on to the others. Badgley's didn't bother to contract security for the parking lot and didn't close off access to the cars, lesson learned.
Thanks BC79! Appreciate knowing your source for the wheel re-finishing when you get a chance.
To get this e-brake functioning again I need a new release handle, so that inspired me to tear into the dash a bit. Pretty rough in there but it's a start.
I think the after-market gauges and radio will have to go, I've got the original gauges but not sure if they work or not.
You're going to need new pinchweld weatherstripping for that trunk for sure.
GM p/n 20641957, or 25558394, or 20490800. You could buy the aftermarket stuff, but I have absolutely no idea about fit or quality. Nothing I've ever seen aftermarket fits better or seals better than the GM stuff, but it's getting harder to find now. Good luck on the project. Doable, but a long road.
My apologies FF, I failed to check this thread until now. The wheel restorer is Collision Wheel in Bath, PA., they may even have some of the 79 H/O Wheels in stock: www.wheelcollision.com.
In looking at your photos, I've got alot of parts you may want/need, especially interior & dash parts. I have anywhere from used to NOS, send me a P.M. if you are interested, as I can surely assist a fellow 79 H/O Owner.
I found if you have a space saver donut spare, a trunk board that looks like this fits better and was the exact duplicate of what I needed, most of the repro boards are for full size spare tires and are different. some trunk repro stuff is the same as for Monte Carlo and Malibu..
Thanks 69HO, I've got the weatherstripping bookmarked, thanks for the part numbers.
BC79....thanks for the link, PM sent.
FYI I bought some NOS weatherstripping but it was so old it just fell apart on me and I paid top dollar for it like 4 times the price of repro. BUT the repro stuff I tried from Metro wasn't that great did not seem soft enough but it did seal but ya gotta slam the doors to make em shut..
Looks like I'll be keeping and re-installing the after-market gauges. Too much has been altered with the wire harness to attempt to go back to the original dash.
This parking brake has been a challenge to say the least. Finally got the old front cable out. It was rusted beyond movability for quite some time now.
Got the new one in tonight, cables connected underneath, and we have a working e-brake!
Also got the dent hammered out of the trunk spare area, and started touching up the underbody with some red oxide primer.
It's looking like your rear frame rails are in decent shape, a huge plus for the car. Also, Waldron's exhaust is now reproducing a correct-style exhaust for the 79's. Their stuff is EXPENSIVE but its on the money. I have on my 79 H/O an Imposter one-in-two-out muffler from them. It's a great muffler, no cabin drone with just a hint of growl at highway speeds, really nice. I used a Walker Cat plus Walker intermediate & tail pipes but not sure if any of that is available anymore, I bought it long ago and stored it until it was installed about 5 years ago. .
Last edited by BlueCalais79; Jan 28, 2025 at 05:21 AM.
Not too much progress of late but did get the horn figured out.
A new relay (those require some acrobatics to install)...
And replaced the missing horn button, now we've got power to the two horns. FYI, the pin isn't long enough to ground the horn so I had to add a 1/4" or so of threaded rod to the horn cam cylinder.
This parking brake has been a challenge to say the least. Finally got the old front cable out. It was rusted beyond movability for quite some time now.
Got the new one in tonight, cables connected underneath, and we have a working e-brake!
Also got the dent hammered out of the trunk spare area, and started touching up the underbody with some red oxide primer.
like others have noticed, get rid of that muffler ASAP had a friend who had a one like it the way it dumps out.. , he damn near died because of carbon monoxide while ideling at a drive in....
Thanks for the tips on exhaust system...is that the original design?
got the backseat removed today and LH seat belts out. Have come up pretty empty on seat belt replacements, do you guys have any recommendations for that?
Rear floorboards look pretty good, a huge plus, that saves you alot of work. I had to deal with some rot in my blue Calais years ago in those spots. not fun, working with rust never is.
Rummaging around a box of parts that came with car, I found some original rally gauge components, including the connector plug for the dash instrument panel and oil pressure sender! Between that, and BC79's encouragement, I'm going to break this gauge set down and see if I can get it restored and working again. Wiring is a mess with the Dakota Digital unit behind the dash but I'll try and figure things out from there.
Taking a break from the gauges till I get some parts. Meantime removed the rear bumper to touch it up a bit. Nice hitch huh? Rear frame rails in pretty decent shape, hitch is welded to rear frame and bumper inserts, looks like it's staying.
