Yeah, yeah, we know…smog-choked horsepower in a heavy sled. Whatever. 1975 didn’t offer a lot in the way of horsepower and torque across any line, and the numbers had taken a beating between the move to net horsepower ratings, smog equipment and, new for 1975, catalytic converters. Anybody pining for the glory days of the musclecar wasn’t a happy camper, to put it mildly. Horsepower had to be well-hidden in order to not attract the attention of the EPA. And the buying public’s tastes had switched from mean machines to stuffed and fluffed “personal luxury cars” that for some reason, had to look appropriate when pulling into a fancy gala or an opera.
Many tried, plenty failed, but Oldsmobile managed to find the perfect blend of power, economy, sport and luxury with their Cutlass line. While the Cutlass Supreme could be just about anything any buyer could want and the 442 made a perfect sticker car, we have to say that this 1975 Hurst/Olds is surprisingly sharp…more than we should be crediting any 1975 car. The black and gold look was just coming into vogue and so were the Hurst Hatches, known to anyone that isn’t a car geek as T-tops. Paired off with the formal-roof Cutlass, fitted with the 455ci V8 and a Hurst Dual-Gate shifter for the automatic and on this particular car, a digital readout tachometer mounted on the console, this Hurst/Olds was about as exciting a car as you’d find on a lot that year.
It’s not going to compare to a 1970 442 W-30 at all. Not even a bit. But if you’ve ever cruised a 1973-77 A-body, that won’t matter so much. It’s not a hairy hell-raiser, but a cruiser, a comfortable ride that looks good, is optioned well, handles surprisingly well, and has just enough bark to be fun. And those trick swiveling bucket…can’t forget those!
eBay Link: 1975 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds W-30
its’s funny how the “less desirable” cars of the 70’s still have more character than the rubber stamped blobs of today.
Any car that has survived for 40 years in one piece has gained character by its very act of surviving.
That said, this is also probably one of the nicest examples of mid ’70s land yacht styling I’ve seen in a while.