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View Full Version : Update.. 'Russ Dunmire' 68 Hurst Olds Drag Car


Jim Ferron
02-07-2006, 12:12 AM
Some of you may remember the story of the rolled over '68 Hurst Oldsmobile factory drag car that Kevin S.purchased a while back... 'Original Thread' (http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/38627/page/0/fpart/1/vc/1) ...Well I had watched that car even before Kevin had bought it and then after following another thread right here on this board, I was able to buy the car from Kevin spring of 2005.

The car was not hurt anywhere near as bad as it looked in the pictures [not sure if I really mean that] I'd rather fix a dent than rust I guess... Nothing a new roof, door and a nose couldn't fix!

Anyway finally clearing a spot in the shop, the work started on the car two weeks ago.

60 hours later, ALL the collision work is done. We've done everything in our power to save/straighten as much of the original sheetmetal as possible. At this point it's just 'normal' paint and detail from here.

Thought you might like a peek at the process... http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/SMASH.JPG http://WWW.CLASSICPERFORMANCE.COM/EBAY_PICS/ROOF.JPG
Also, if I ever find the time [and when the server works]
I try to keep some info here... www.68hurstolds.com (http://www.68hurstolds.com)

Bill Pritchard
02-07-2006, 12:19 AM
Cool....keep us posted on the progress http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

Mr. T
02-07-2006, 12:24 AM
I would take on a restoration like this, but not many guys would. I applaud your efforts! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

CamarosRus
02-07-2006, 12:36 AM
Jim, Can it be told publically why Kevin S, chose not to this former race car restored for his own significant collection ? Being from Seattle, I both attended and participated in drag racing back in the day. I remember the car well.

CamarosRus
02-07-2006, 12:45 AM
Never mind........I'm sorry for NOT having re-read the ORIGINAL story first.....
Having met Kevin and visiting his spectacular collection twice, I must say I really miss his presence on this web site.....

MosportGreen66
02-07-2006, 12:49 AM
What a neat car... Good for you!

370454s
02-07-2006, 12:52 AM
Hell I drove that Car in the Summer of 79. I had a friend that worked at Dunmire, we took the Car out for a Little spin behind the Dealership. That thing was a Beast.
Mike

Jim Ferron
02-07-2006, 02:26 AM
Here's a pic from 1968..if anybody has any others...or any rememberences from the old days you could reach me at [email protected] .. http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/OLD2.JPG

Dave Rifkin
02-07-2006, 03:24 AM
Thank you for saving such a significant car. Not too many people would have undertaken such a job.
Keep us posted on the progress.

w302nv
02-08-2006, 05:05 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Thank you for saving such a significant car. Not too many people would have undertaken such a job.
Keep us posted on the progress.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here here! Thanks for saving another one. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

It will be well worth the effort. Anyone know of any other Olds race cars from 68-72 that are out there? You just dont see many vintage Olds drag cars...

Belair62
02-08-2006, 05:20 AM
That was a horror story...I'm glad it's getting done too...

retengw31
02-13-2006, 04:19 AM
When I first looked at this, I thought he cut off the top with it sitting on its wheels, not clamped to a frame plate. That would have killed that car.

Jim Ferron
03-14-2006, 12:27 AM
Here's a monthly update for anyone who may be interested...should be in epoxy primer by the end of the week...still looking for some Chrome Steel Slotted wheels if anybody has some 15X7 would be perfect... http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/ROOFON1.JPG http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/HURST99.JPG http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/HURST200.JPG

TimG
03-14-2006, 03:47 AM
Thanks for the updates, as an Olds lover I enjoy seeing the progress.

Canuck
03-14-2006, 04:45 AM
Jim
Great job. This car is worth bringing back to life. I restored the 71 442 w-30 coampaigned by Terry Thatch out of Spokane. Terry ran the car from 1971 to 1979,in the later years as "The Old Spagetti Factory Special in White,Red and Blue. I should have restored it to its racing colors but I restored it to stock. It sknown in Olds Circles as the UPS Car as per the brown paint and butterscotch stripes.

Charley Lillard
03-14-2006, 05:57 AM
WOW...Thanks for saving it and thanks for showing us the in resto pics. When it was for sale at Barrett Jackson I spent some time with the seller. He was a very nice guy and I'm sure he was crushed to see what happened to the car he put so much work into. It was his baby. Nice to see it being saved.

PeteLeathersac
03-14-2006, 05:58 PM
Great progress! . Nice to see you saved the cowl also didn't clip the car. ~ Pete

Belair62
03-14-2006, 07:23 PM
Never knew this was purple top and what looks like Evening Orchid....

Jim Ferron
03-15-2006, 01:45 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Great progress! . Nice to see you saved the cowl also didn't clip the car. ~ Pete

[/ QUOTE ]

The restoration shop that had the car before I bought it was going to do just that, just rebody the cowl. Lucky for us all Kevin put a stop to that. Their next plan was to clip the car with the roof and quarter panels as one piece......Thank God I got it before they went nuts on that idea.

My shop pulled the original roof 100% back into position[window opening wise] before they chopped it off.
When they pulled the roof up where it belonged, the 'buckles' in the quarter panels popped right back to where they belonged from metal memory. A little dolly work and really all it took was a skim coat to cover any dents and not much more to go over the seams which we welded 100% and then ground so flat you couldn't even tell the roof had been off! By doing that the seam should never pop.

Mr70
03-15-2006, 02:17 AM
You & your shop really do deserve a http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif for this.

PeteLeathersac
03-15-2006, 06:08 PM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Great progress! . Nice to see you saved the cowl also didn't clip the car. ~ Pete

[/ QUOTE ]

The restoration shop that had the car before I bought it was going to do just that, just rebody the cowl. Lucky for us all Kevin put a stop to that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Who's the 'cowl-rebody' shop....and is this a specialty of the house? ~ Pete

Jim Ferron
03-17-2006, 02:19 AM
[ QUOTE ]
WOW...Thanks for saving it and thanks for showing us the in resto pics. When it was for sale at Barrett Jackson I spent some time with the seller. He was a very nice guy and I'm sure he was crushed to see what happened to the car he put so much work into. It was his baby. Nice to see it being saved.

[/ QUOTE ]

The original builder,Derral Farmer,who I believe is who you talked to, went to the big drag strip in the sky I believe long before this car ever took it's E-Ticket ride. I wish I could have talked to him...

The next guy I've never been able to locate...Doug Williams [wife Vicky] from Arizona...anybody know him?

Then came Kevin, then me.

I don't believe there will be anybody else till I meet up with Derral....

Charley Lillard
03-17-2006, 02:23 AM
Barrett-Jackson should have the contact info for the guy that sold it there. He is the guy that restored it.

Jim Ferron
03-17-2006, 04:30 AM
Charlie, at this point it would take divine intervention to talk to ol' Derral....or at least something else John Edwardesque... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Charley Lillard
03-17-2006, 07:12 AM
So the nice guy I talked to at Barret-Jackson selling the car was Derral ? He died ?

Canuck
03-17-2006, 05:25 PM
Jim
Derrell passed away about 4 years ago. I knew him while he was restorting the car but did not witness any work being done on it. Another friend of his, Kim Larsen,lives in the Portland area and may have assisted on the car. Your best contact is Greg Rollins of Supercars Unlimited. Greg can be reached at his business 503-244-8249. Greg is a supplier of Olds mechanical and performance parts and has supplied just about every Olds in teh Pacific northwest. Greg can probably point you in the right direction as he will know who did what to the car.

Jim Ferron
03-17-2006, 11:08 PM
Thanks for the info! I'll certainly get in touch with him.

Jim Ferron
07-08-2009, 10:47 PM
Though some of you might want to see 'Russ' again...

I had some troubles with the original body shop and I decided last year to pull it out and give to one of my old time best buddies of mine who has done some fabulous work for me in the past.

I took the car to him in rough primer and he blocked the car, and has started to line up panels.

This spring , after he gave the car a quick coat of base looking for flaws, the car came back to my shop where we installed the engine, etc.

Today I sent the partial assembled car to my engine guy to fire it up and get the mechanical bugs out before it goes back to the body shop for final paint and assembly...whew... http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/68HO11.jpg

Jim Ferron
07-08-2009, 10:49 PM
More pics... http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/68HO44.jpg

al8apex
07-08-2009, 11:15 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Some of you may remember the story of the rolled over '68 Hurst Oldsmobile factory drag car that Kevin S.purchased a while back... 'Original Thread' (http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/38627/page/0/fpart/1/vc/1) ...Well I had watched that car even before Kevin had bought it and then after following another thread right here on this board, I was able to buy the car from Kevin spring of 2005.

The car was not hurt anywhere near as bad as it looked in the pictures [not sure if I really mean that] I'd rather fix a dent than rust I guess... Nothing a new roof, door and a nose couldn't fix!

Anyway finally clearing a spot in the shop, the work started on the car two weeks ago.

60 hours later, ALL the collision work is done. We've done everything in our power to save/straighten as much of the original sheetmetal as possible. At this point it's just 'normal' paint and detail from here.

Thought you might like a peek at the process... http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/SMASH.JPG http://WWW.CLASSICPERFORMANCE.COM/EBAY_PICS/ROOF.JPG
Also, if I ever find the time [and when the server works]
I try to keep some info here... www.68hurstolds.com (http://www.68hurstolds.com)

[/ QUOTE ]

that looks like an Arizona yard ...

Charley Lillard
07-09-2009, 12:05 AM
It is...Car was sold at Barrett to a local and wrecked.

PeteLeathersac
07-09-2009, 12:21 AM
Lhttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifhttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifKS GREAT!!!

Did you find rims for it yet?.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
~ Pete

http://hotimg25.fotki.com/a/76_75/119_96/dunmireolds-vi.jpg (http://hotimg25.fotki.com/p/a/76_75/119_96/dunmireolds-vi.jpg)

Canuck
07-09-2009, 12:55 AM
Quote "I had some troubles with the original body shop and I decided last year to pull it out"

Never heard of that problem before!!!

Jim
Glad to see the progress. Get it ready for the OCA nats in your area in 2010.
I was in Tacoma a few months ago and drove by the old Russ Dunmire location,its still there all boarded up,some signage still remains.

Paul

Jim Ferron
07-09-2009, 01:15 AM
Yep I got a nice set of 15X7's and and a pair of 15X4's !!!!!

Now I can get those Ansen Sprints off it...I REALLY want to put Cragars on it like the Smothers Brothers cars had... http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/68HO33.jpg

bashton
08-19-2009, 07:20 PM
Jim; did I see this car parked on Woodward last weekend?

I was driving on the other side when I thought I saw it...

Bashton
MCACN Managing Member

iluv69s
08-21-2009, 11:50 PM
[ QUOTE ]

It will be well worth the effort. Anyone know of any other Olds race cars from 68-72 that are out there? You just dont see many vintage Olds drag cars...

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe there may be one of these early cars recently discovered in my area. A friend cleaned out an elderly ladies garage and got a ton of Olds parts but missed out on all the cars that she had recently scrapped. I had heard that the one car was a 68 Hurst/Olds, that turned out to be a prototype car with a 455 Olds motor. Luckily the scrap guy sold the car to another local Olds fan (initially for parts)and the car was saved before the wrecker. This car is a stick car. I'm curious, were any of these first seven cars 4-speeds?...and what would be the value of a car like this??? Thanksss

sixtnine
08-23-2009, 03:41 AM
Seems like I read there was at least one 4-speed built for one of the higher-ups sons. That has been years ago that I read that.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

It will be well worth the effort. Anyone know of any other Olds race cars from 68-72 that are out there? You just dont see many vintage Olds drag cars...

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe there may be one of these early cars recently discovered in my area. A friend cleaned out an elderly ladies garage and got a ton of Olds parts but missed out on all the cars that she had recently scrapped. I had heard that the one car was a 68 Hurst/Olds, that turned out to be a prototype car with a 455 Olds motor. Luckily the scrap guy sold the car to another local Olds fan (initially for parts)and the car was saved before the wrecker. This car is a stick car. I'm curious, were any of these first seven cars 4-speeds?...and what would be the value of a car like this??? Thanksss

[/ QUOTE ]

The Dude
08-23-2009, 04:36 AM
The car built for Demmers son is a 4 speed and still exists.

08-23-2009, 06:57 AM
Is its were abouts known? Did they have special vins or TT?

Jim Ferron
08-24-2009, 05:26 PM
Nope not me on Woodward....

I wish......

iluv69s
08-25-2009, 05:50 AM
So how many 68 H/O verts were made ?

67 442
08-25-2009, 07:39 AM
One for sure in gold.
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/412/210sda.jpg (http://img32.imageshack.us/i/210sda.jpg/)

iluv69s
08-25-2009, 03:58 PM
Thanks !! Now that's a real classic, huh???

Were there any other H/O verts. made in 68?? And specifically 4 speeds vs. automatics. Or I assume maybe GM records do not show the H/O as a separate model and there is no way to tell? But aparently only 515 H/O's were made in 68..were they all hardtops except this one in the Photo?

Is this car used by Hurst a known car ?? I assume that car was a 4-speed car, it being the Hurst display vehicle. But you would think it would be a better ride in the back with an automatic.

Thanks Alot!!!!

The Dude
08-25-2009, 07:16 PM
[ QUOTE ]


Is this car used by Hurst a known car ?? I assume that car was a 4-speed car, it being the Hurst display vehicle. But you would think it would be a better ride in the back with an automatic.

Thanks Alot!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hurst also made the Dual Gate automatic shifter, which was used in the 68H/O.

The Dude
08-25-2009, 07:20 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Is its were abouts known? Did they have special vins or TT?

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.realoldspower.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=43978&highlight=

Canuck
08-25-2009, 09:35 PM
The RealOlds Power site may have more detail on these converts. Hurst used the converts for promotional purposes,it is not known if they had a 455 in them like the hardtops did. It may have been a paint scheme thing as opposed to a full conversion,although I do see the W30 scoops under the bumper.
Rumors of 3 or 5 converts.

Paul

Jim Ferron
09-26-2011, 07:51 PM
Sept 2011..for anybody who may still remember this project...Runs and drives ..Interior 90% done. Body done except lettering, I have to re - detail it here and there.. Finally have the correct wheel and tire combo..maybe done in the spring for Musclepalooza..

Body came out reeeeeal good! http://www.classicperformance.com/ebay_pics/russ92611.jpg

mockingbird812
09-26-2011, 08:30 PM
Wow Jim looking good. I sure haven't forgot about this very cool drag racer. However, we are going to need to see MORE photos.....please!

SmallHurst
09-27-2011, 12:00 AM
Thank you for keeping this chapter of Olds performance open!!!! A car that I really have a soft spot for!!!! I think that it needs to slide out to Chicago for the Supercar reunion or for MCACN next fall!!!!

74NovaSS
09-28-2011, 03:51 AM
Don't let that previous owner drive it again!