OLDS Hurst/Olds Lightning Rod Shifters - Gimmick or Functional?

[CaliWagon83]

Okay, I know this is probably going to get me banned or at least pelted with virtual rotten tomatoes, but I have to ask it. Are the Lightning Rod shifters in the H/O at all functional, or are they just gearhead eye-candy? I've watched a few videos on their function, and they just seem needlessly clunky. I get that they were modeled after the Lenco drag race shifters, but I guess I'm not seeing the real-world benefit. Please educate me.

 

[85442/86buick]

 

[TURNA]

They work as intended, but the car is so under powered..... it was just a sales gimmick

Eye candy / cool factor

 

[TURNA]

On the other hand I wouldn't say no if I found a GBody set for the right price!

 

[1bad79]

I like them in my car and there fun to run through the gears and most people in my area see them and think there wild.I never get sick of hearing what’s with the 3 shifters and my reply is always the same,you have 1 shifter I have 3 so I win but in reality they cost a lot and aren’t ment for racing and when I eventually get sick of them I’m going to do a set of kilduff rods or switch to a 5 or 6 speed

 

[melloelky]

gimmicky

 

[69hurstolds]

95% gimmick. Unless you practice a lot with them, and get them "tuned" just right, they're a clunky mess to try and shift with any kind of performance in mind. Fun? Sure. But a dual gate is MUCH more functional in that arena. The difference being is that they're rare as hell considering the total number of 4-speed versions made that actually are for the Cutlass.

Although you cannot beat the coolness factor with three rods sticking out of the console.

 

[fleming442]

*gimmickly functional

 

[BuickOldsPontiac]

Very cool, but probably gimmicky but I have never driven a car with them.

 

[pagrunt]

"Functional gimmick"