We have to thank BangShifter Clay King for the tip on this video featuring a mean little Dodge Omni GLH strapped to the dyno and making huge power from its little four banger mill. You’ll notice a number and windshield banner on the car. Those things are there because this Omni was on Hot Rod Drag Week in 2013 and tore around drag strips all over the central part of America on that week long trek of speed seeking madness. We knew the car was really quick and we knew the car made some suds in the power department but it nearly blew us over when we saw this video and the car making 577hp to the tires on the rollers!
The Dodge Omni GLH was one of the neatest little hot hatch backs of the 1980s. Carroll Shelby was involved in its development and the development of the GLH-S. As most of you know the GLH stands for “Goes Like Hell” the GLH-S stood for “Goes Like Hell Some More” and did they ever. Sure they are kinda dorky looking but back when this thing was new and the little turbo four banger engine was fresh, it could hang with any factory V8 car of the era and when it came to the corners, the Omni walked ’em all. We don’t have much specific information on this combo, ok, we have absolutely no information on this combo except for the fact that it makes neatly 600hp at the tires and must be insane fun on the highways and byways. We KNOW it cooks on the strip and we assume it is a pretty healthy street brawler as well.
Does it torque steer? Probably like an animal, but that doesn’t bother us much. The looks on the faces of the guys you just pounded into dust between the stoplights or on the strip would more than make up for that.
PRESS PLAY BELOW TO SEE THE MEANEST OMNI GLH WE’VE EVER SEEN!
the beauty for me is that it shares a resemblance with a current (then/now) VW golf so you don’t necessarily get profiled for having an old hotrod too! Invisibility is good. 🙂
I also wonder if these are the same guys who had a 10 second Rampage sleeper from hell?
I drove an ’86 GLH. It would tear the wheel from your hand if you weren’t careful but it was a blast to drive. Only 110 hp with a chrome valve cover, it was still a pocket rocket!
110 hp was an 84 non turbo, 85 86 was 146 hp turbo 1 and GLHS was 175 turbo 2
The old 2.2 was a great engine. I had a non turbo’d 2.2 Turisimo, the equivalent of an Omni Charger, and it’d outrun stock 302 Cobra 2 Mustangs.
My first new car was an ’83 Turismo 2.2. I have a soft spot for these L-body cars. Rude and crude, but fun and simple.
My first Wife had an ’83 Charger 2.2 with a 5 speed. 99mph at best. (unless you were going down a mountain) But, in town it was quick. We were so impressed, we bought an ’86 Shelby Charger in ’88. Today, ’68 AMX stays in the garage. I drive …..’87 Shelby Charger, 2- ’87 GLHS’s, ’89 Daytona Shelby, ’89 Lebaron 2.5 turbo and have a low mileage ’87 Horizon 5 speed. I also have a soft spot for the L-body cars. And my first 4 cars were 2 Barracudas, 2 Challengers. I’m old.
This car is owned by James Reeves and it laid down low 11s most of the week and trapped in the 130s. If I’m not mistaken it actually has a 2.4l SRT4 head on the 2.2 block, kind of a Chrysler hybrid. Definitely traction limited in a car that barely weighs 2000lbs. I had one of these back in high school, definitely fun cars and very cheap to modify.
Car is still an 8v engine. 🙂
When i was 15 my parents had the two door 5 speed it two wass black with the red pin strip and we was beating v8 in 8ths we lived in this small town in Illinois called Marissa and the next town over in tilden and this cop owned it and that was is police car the damn car red on mph 125 i would love to have another car like that since im older.
I worked for a Dodge dealer back in the day. The Omni/Horizon twins were some of the biggest piles of crap I ever had the misfortune of putting a wrench to. It may be quick but you can strap a rocket to a donkey’s ass, doesn’t make my want to ride it 😉
These were quite the “Pocket Rocket” back in the 80’s…and for under 6 grand
Somewhat sadly, this likely foreshadows the future (after 2025 or so) of OEM-based grassroots Bangshifting.
Forced 54.5 m.p.g. fuel economy standards, increased local emissions enforcement, and continued handwringing over “climate change” means that there will be a lot more turbo fours, threes and maybe even TWOs in the future. Buzz, Buzz . . . .
The days of a working man being able to afford a new V8 supercar are drawing to a close. A new gasoline engine larger than two liters will be thought of as a “big block” or a “big truck motor” a generation from now.
On the other hand, 500 h.p. in a gutted 2,000 “pocket rocket” isn’t all that bad.
Definitely not a gutted car. And it’s still an 8 valve!
“Gutted” relative to what a “hard-loaded” 21st Century FWD “pocket rocket” typically packs (Nav system, huge 14-speaker entertainment system, a dozen airbags, power windows, power door locks, 20-way heated power seats, leather, multiplexing computer, Dubs . . . .)
Current “hot hatches” in the same size class as the GLHS are several hundred pounds heavier than this Cold War-era relic . . . Who knows how heavy cars will be in 2025. Maybe carbon fiber and aluminum will become as cheap as pot metal . . . .
Those Omni GLH & GLHS cars are badass. My childhood neighbor had one making about 275fwhp and it flew… The “Pepperdot” GLH wheels are some of my favorites as well…
I am 21 about to be 22 and I had the honor of owning one of these I actually bought it for 50 bucks cause it didn’t run and the guy had no idea what he had …… I got it home and off the trailer and started looking around …. the starter bolts had come loose so the starter was hanging there just spinning air … so I bought new bolts and bolted it back up then it started right up and I noticed it not running so well … so I took another look and found a couple vacuum lines that were really bad cracked with holes replaced those and took it for a drive ran real good got a tune up on it then after the tune up hit the high way and got to 4th gear and it threw a rod ….. ended up getting towed to a lot and I didn’t have the money to get it out …………. so she was gone ….. then I started lookin up the car and found out all about it and how iconic it was ….. I will have another one no matter what
IF YOU GOT $22,000.00 / $28,000.00 CAN .LOW MILAGE GLHS 40MIL OR GLH’S 12K ONE FOR SALE
I want to see the real dyno plot when the wheels are not spinning!
That dyno looks like it’s in an old barn, or possibly the Batcave. Super cool
WHAT THE H-LL DID YOU DO TO GET THAT MUCH OUT OF IT BEST I GOT 405/408 hp. SUPER SIXTY PLUS PACKAGE / WITH 18.5_ klm-can.-gal. SEND ME A POST OF YOUR ” ENGIN ” MODS ?THANKS MIKE!!!!!!
I owned an Omni GLH (before the turbo was introduced). It was the most stinking, ratty, miserable experience I’ve ever had with vehicle ownership. Bought it new. Was lucky to have sold it less than 18 months later…way less than 18 months. It was pure garbage. Each and every system on the vehicle failed. I couldn’t believe it. And the car is moron stupid low tech. It was literally at the dealer’s shop at least 50% of the time I owned the piece of s**t. I couldn’t sell it quickly enough. Only had to wait till it got outta the shop to put it onto the market. Total garbage. Worse than garbage. Total stinker. Deserves to rust out. Hated it. Never bought a Chrysler product since. Crapola. I’ve been waiting 27 years to vent on that slop box of a dumpster with wheels.
That rant GLH . . .
I’ve got a soft spot for the ol’ Omni. Learned how to drive a stick shift in one . . . Got my first mouthful ‘o “2nd Base” make-out mammary in one. YOUZA! . . . . Great little car!
Henry,
Please tell us how you really feel….don’t be holding back now. LOL
i had a 84 vw scirrocco…one of the fastest stock cars i ever owned….beat mustangs camaros all typs of sports cars that thought they were bad asses..lol
I had a base version 84 with a 5 speed and no power steering. Not fast but handled great. I doubt the ponies from this one are stock, but there is no mention of that. Can someone elaborate on its current mods?
I think it has cam only with a tune and a cheap set if headers.
I’ll stick with my V8. Obozo and his renegade EPA can cram it up there A$$. One question, how much torque?
552 lb/ft torque