83 Hurst Early Production Differences?

[bdillon77]

Folks,
I have been unable to verify any of this information in any existing threads, and was hoping I could find help here.

83 H/O VIN 1G3AK479ODM435804

Quicksilver Interior. T-Tops. Lightning Rods. Correct badges on dash. Correct tire size sticker on driver door. Air valve for air suspension behind license plate/ fuel door. Silver/black bumpers. Blacked out front/rear light bezels. Dual snorkel intake with vacuum. Chrome air cleaner lid.

However, it does not have the hood bulge or the nose emblem. Instead the chrome center hood trim strip extends to the windshield and the traditional Oldsmobile standup hood ornament is present. I’ve been told, only once- and cannot find information to verify anywhere, that the first 19 to 35 H/Os produced did not get the bulge or emblem simply due to supply. Is this familiar to anyone? Does the VIN imply an early production? If this is a clone, it is pretty thorough- so much that I doubt the obvious hood and emblem would be overlooked. Also, the dash isn’t gray/ Quicksilver, but perhaps what would go with the red interior…
It could have had front end damage, then repaired with off the shelf Olds parts, but the headlight bezels are blacked out, the front wheel well covers are consistent, and the headlamp panel is likewise consistent (no obvious detection of paint, spray, sticker, replacement, etc)- all items likely to be damaged as well and replaced in the same off the shelf manner.
Any help or guidance would be appreciated. Please don’t extend this thread with armchair “Fake!!!” declarations just because your 83 has the bulge and emblem. I would like to know if this VIN is an early production, and if anyone has heard of any differences in the first handful.

 

[L92 OLDS]

The color is Sand Grey IIRC....."quicksliver" is a first for me but the grey is definitely rare and desirable for the 83 HO. I have never heard about HO's not getting the hood bulge and all the typical trademarks of a Hurst. My guess is that it was in a wreck and was not repaired correctly. If someone was cloning a Hurst, it's unlikely that they would forget the hood bulge and emblems.

 

[78 salon]

Check the firewall tag, should have the "w-43"( might be wrong on the #) on the tag.

 

[88hurstolds]

Long story short... that VIN is a LATE production VIN in the #2300/3001 range or there abouts which still implies nothing on the story about any cars not receiving a header badge or hood scoop or even for the first 19-35 cars... That is a load of crap, I know people with cars in that range...

You have a late production sequence car around #2300, my two '83 H/O's are #727 which has a VIN ending in 400xxx and #1607 which has a VIN ending in 422xxx.
I know two individuals with cars made on the very last day of production and they have all the required equipment.

Please post photos of said car sounds like you have a mess with the dash being mismatched... it's a rebody or was in a wreck, perhaps was stolen at one point.

Does the car even have stripes?

The cowl tag should say W-40, NOT W-43.

Look for wheel well trim holes in the quarters, they should be absent.

The headlight bezels should be black ABS plastic and NOT painted.

There is no RPO tag on '83's so that is out of the question.

Look for the heat shield above the passengers side tail pipe for the fuel lines.

The trans tag should be blue and say OZ

Should have a large 350 harmonic balancer and non-log / 350 cast style exhaust manifolds.

Passengers side Axel tube I believe should be stamped AT, I'll need to confirm.

 

[83hurstguy]

What 88Hurstolds said above is right on...

Mine was in a similar situation with a front end wreck, most likely early on in its life. The grilles are the correct H/O grilles, but it had painted headlight bezels, a standard Cutlass front bumper (though painted), and I believe the hood may even be a standard Cutlass hood (though the scoop is there). I found a bent frame horn confirming the damage (now fixed of course).

Somebody screwed the car up and put regular Cutlass parts back on. The VIN validates it's an H/O. Use the rest of the checks listed above.

The only production variation that can be confirmed on an 83 H/O is that air shocks were initially optional, and by December (can't remember exact date), dealers received a memo stating they were not required on all H/O's. Anything else is speculation unless factory documentation starts showing up.

 

[bdillon77]

Thanks for the verification guys. I figured it was more likely in an accident- and if the dash is suspect then the mileage is too (32,000), but a strange upside is zero rust under the door sills, lower quarters behind the wheels, and windshield moldings.

Thanks again for your help.