Hurst Engineered FWD '68 Olds 442 Uncovered

bobbarry · #1 12-21-2009, 12:47 AM

Neat story for the Olds folks emerges from a Corvette Forum...

Corvette forum member, in a thread about a Craigslist ad for a 1983 Corvette, to illustrate how some people don't know everything, mentions in passing his father-in-law's prototype front-wheel drive '68 442 with a 455. People nay-say and mock his claims:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1572263991-post10.html

Mention of his claim is made over on an Olds forum, where again his claim is dismisssed, and people say that this claim is worthless without pictures.

http://www.realoldspower.com/phpBB2/...d1a1e47f277c35

He posts pics.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...eel-drive.html

http://s665.photobucket.com/albums/vv19/81pilot/442/

Turns out this was not an unknown prototype, but actually a Hurst engineering project from 1968 that had been brought up independently before:

http://www.oldspower.com/vb/showthread.php?t=34178

Now we simply know that it still exists, and where it is. The below link has the copy of the March 1968 issue of Super Stock that has a detailed 4-page article on the car:

http://72.22.90.30/phpBB2/viewtopic....sc&start=0

Very cool that something like this comes to light.

agtw31 · #2 12-21-2009, 01:13 AM

i didnt believe the guy just walked into a dealership and bought it,which is the story the guy gave.

very neat car,though.

**Fast67VelleN2O** · #3 12-21-2009, 01:20 AM

Super cool!!!!

MultiMopars · #4 12-21-2009, 01:25 AM

From one of the links:

"I just find it funny that its the same kuckleheads over and over again who try rip anyone with something they never heard of a new *sshole. The guy getting the full story wrong on the car is more forgivable to me than all the guys who said it doesn't exist, couldn't be done, guy is smoking dope, blah blah."

This has been a pet peeve of mine since all of these Internet forum began. People are always so quick to jump on people about something out of the norm that they THINK was impossible. I just don't understand it. Most of us are aware of some of the more publisized "special" cars that were built over the early years for GM executives etc. I am sure that there were MANY more "special" cars built with odd drivetrains, options, etc. that are long since gone. Probably a lot of them in 4 door cars that were never considered worth saving.

This should be a good lesson for a lot of the skeptics that are always so quick to spew their vast knowledge that often have no idea of what took place back in the day.

**markjohnson** · #5 12-21-2009, 02:35 AM

I gotta agree about some of those flat-out ignorant responses from the Oldsmobile board. I really don't even follow Oldsmobiles but even I knew that Hurst messed around with these FWD into 442 conversions from old magazine articles. I'm thrilled to hear that the car survived! A lot of "self-proclaimed" experts eating their words now.

StriperSS · #6 12-21-2009, 02:51 AM

That's why I enjoy this board. There's a measure of respect here that doesn't exist on too many other boards. I love Oldsmobiles too, and had a few, but a couple of experts can really spoil the experience.

**Fast67VelleN2O** · #7 12-21-2009, 03:30 AM

[ QUOTE ]
That's why I enjoy this board. There's a measure of respect here that doesn't exist on too many other boards. I love Oldsmobiles too, and had a few, but a couple of experts can really spoil the experience.

[/ QUOTE ]

Unless we are talking about an L89 Nova.

agtw31 · #8 12-21-2009, 05:15 PM

this is the only front wheel drive 442 ever made.it wasnt made by GM,but Hurst.
the person that started this whole ball of wax said some pretty outlandish statements concerning the original purchase of this car ie: this car was purchased from a dealer,and is 1 of 6 made..
i called every statement he typed BS,because the car he described just didnt exist.
now,if he had just said that his father in law had the Hurst FWD 442,it would have had a little more credibility,since that car was actually real.
i find it hilarious that people want to bash a skeptical opinion when it's based on logical thinking,not rumors,or urban legend.

442w30 · #9 12-21-2009, 05:56 PM

I read the thread on ROP and didn't find anything unusual, Andy - just another day. Maybe on the Corvette site it's a bit more heated?

Pulnaway · #10 12-21-2009, 06:17 PM

Andy, The guy is the owners son in law. He is just passing on the info as he was told. Who knows what the original owner was told when he purchased the car. How do you know that the car was not purchased through a Olds dealer? Why does that seem so far fetched? As far as the 1 of 6, I'm sure his FIL told him that. He did not know it was 1 0f 1. The bottom line is the car is real and if people had bothered to ask the right questions instead of the old YFOS replys these threads would not get so blown out of shape.