Hurst Olds Lightning Rods

[88hurstolds]

Just relaying what I learned this weekend.
Perhaps it's a little of both, no licenses and production issues?
Or one to cover the other, not sure... nor do I care really, just relaying what I heard because people are asking and no straight answers are being given.
IMO the licensing makes more sense as to why these aren't available and not production issues, being myself a Project Engineer for high demand pushbuttons, after all this is just a huge pushbutton, and I can go on about production, tolerances, assembly/production and dealing with manufacturing in China for that matter... I do it on a daily basis.

Brian gave this information out not too long ago to him, the guy had no reason to make the stuff up.
It was causally mentioned to me during a conversation we had and he's very reputable in the Olds community, if he's mistaken or if the information predates then so be it but the conversation happened not too long ago.

All I know is that there isn't a shifter out there yet and perhaps this thread shouldn't have been started until one was available because too many are left hanging... and thus conversations like this happen and too many questions are asked.

Have Doc stop by my car which will be at the Oldsmobile Nationals in Cincinnati and have him look at my set, hell have him drive it.

You speak as if he's my best friend... do you even know who he is?
The man is in his 70's and people needed to remove their glove boxes to have him sign them due to his health, I seriously doubt he's going to sit in your car to test them let alone be at the OCA meet since he's affiliated with Hurst.
He's very familiar with them from the development of the 83's and 84's and those where his comments during our conversation while he was signing my NOS '83 Lightning Rods shifter bezel and talking about '88 H/O production figures (which he gave me the real info on 8) ).

Here's more info as to why I think there's a hang up with licensing:

It sure does look like it will need more work. I'm thrilled though that there's a chance to have a cheaper alternative to NOS rods. Wondering though, has the sign-offs been done on licensing such as use of the Hurst name/design? Or are these NOT going to have the Hurst logo embossed on the rods? I'd sure hate to see these squashed due to issues like that.

Which reminds me. I'm probably going to put own set up for sale soon. When these hit the market, I'm subject to more competition, which = less demand.

I'm taking care of the Hurst licensing process thru one of Hurst Licensed distributors. Once they are approved we can move forward with a Logo. Kind of looks funny with out it on there doesn't it?

 

[Bweavy]

Tail light emblem samples should be shipping to GM in the next 2-3 weeks. Once again we made sure these were dead on. The samples I recieved I nit picked apart which caused delays. Hurst is not licensing the tail light emblem that wil be GM.

Are these taillight emblems correct for 86'-88' G body Cutlass?

84-85 Black Cutlass & the 86-88 red Cutlass. I didn't nit pick the black at all just the red. Tooling wasn't cheap & paid for a while ago. The problem being is you get so much going on things fall to the way side. I met with our rep 2 weeks ago when he was here. We decided to do the 84-88 tail lights & the reverse lights first.
We have a lot of things in the works.
I just recieved the correct Lightning rod screws last week. They are in stock.

 

[Bweavy]

Just relaying what I learned this weekend.
Perhaps it's a little of both, no licenses and production issues?
Or one to cover the other, not sure... nor do I care really, just relaying what I heard because people are asking and no straight answers are being given.
IMO the licensing makes more sense as to why these aren't available and not production issues, being myself a Project Engineer for high demand pushbuttons, after all this is just a huge pushbutton, and I can go on about production, tolerances, assembly/production and dealing with manufacturing in China for that matter... I do it on a daily basis.

Brian gave this information out not too long ago to him, the guy had no reason to make the stuff up.
It was causally mentioned to me during a conversation we had and he's very reputable in the Olds community, if he's mistaken or if the information predates then so be it but the conversation happened not too long ago.

All I know is that there isn't a shifter out there yet and perhaps this thread shouldn't have been started until one was available because too many are left hanging... and thus conversations like this happen and too many questions are asked.

Have Doc stop by my car which will be at the Oldsmobile Nationals in Cincinnati and have him look at my set, hell have him drive it.

You speak as if he's my best friend... do you even know who he is?
The man is in his 70's and people needed to remove their glove boxes to have him sign them due to his health, I seriously doubt he's going to sit in your car to test them let alone be at the OCA meet since he's affiliated with Hurst.
He's very familiar with them from the development of the 83's and 84's and those where his comments during our conversation while he was signing my NOS '83 Lightning Rods shifter bezel and talking about '88 H/O production figures (which he gave me the real info on 8) ).

Here's more info as to why I think there's a hang up with licensing:

It sure does look like it will need more work. I'm thrilled though that there's a chance to have a cheaper alternative to NOS rods. Wondering though, has the sign-offs been done on licensing such as use of the Hurst name/design? Or are these NOT going to have the Hurst logo embossed on the rods? I'd sure hate to see these squashed due to issues like that.

Which reminds me. I'm probably going to put own set up for sale soon. When these hit the market, I'm subject to more competition, which = less demand.

I'm taking care of the Hurst licensing process thru one of Hurst Licensed distributors. Once they are approved we can move forward with a Logo. Kind of looks funny with out it on there doesn't it?

Pushing buttons for a living & a Hobby Mike I never would of guessed 😉
Once again the will be Hurst logo & will be Hurst licensed. Maybe Doc can explain to you what the problems were with the original shifter?

 

[88hurstolds]

He's old, I tried to gather some information from his patience was limited.
I do know that the pins need to be one piece and the channel on the main lever needs to be hardened so it doesn't cause the pin to twist/c*ck sideways when journaling in the channel.
I'm not trying to push buttons, just relaying information, may seem critical at times, just passionate and thorough.
I don't physically push buttons for a living but the analogy is comical, I am the Lead Project Engineer for an industry leader in high demand switches for Military, Aviation, NASCAR and thousands of other high demand applications out there.
I am glad you guys are making these, among the other parts and have given feedback as requested.
Good luck!

 

[Mat1227]

"We decided to do the 84-88 tail lights & the reverse lights first."
Do you have an idea of when we may be able to order the reverse lights? It's the one set of lens' on my car that look bad to me.

Mark

 

[L92 OLDS]

Tail light emblem samples should be shipping to GM in the next 2-3 weeks.

84-85 Black Cutlass & the 86-88 red Cutlass. I didn't nit pick the black at all just the red. Tooling wasn't cheap & paid for a while ago. The problem being is you get so much going on things fall to the way side. I met with our rep 2 weeks ago when he was here. We decided to do the 84-88 tail lights & the reverse lights first.
We have a lot of things in the works.
.

Brian,

Do you have timing on the reverse lights? Also, the design was slightly different between those years. I'm specifically interested in the 86' and up version. Do you plan to offer all varieties?

Thanks

 

[69hurstolds]

84/85 reverse lights are the same as the 86-88 reverse lights with the exception of the red band around the perimeter of the clear lens on 86-88 and the 84 H/O was black outside the lenses with no chrome edging. I'd have to look again, but IIRC, the mold used was the same for all 84-88. So even if you had 84/85 style lenses, with a little tape work and the right shade of red paint, you could make some 86-88 ones.

 

[88hurstolds]

Different mold was used for 86-88, the tomato red painted band actually sits in a channel which is absent on 84-85's.

 

[Bweavy]

84/85 reverse lights are the same as the 86-88 reverse lights with the exception of the red band around the perimeter of the clear lens on 86-88 and the 84 H/O was black outside the lenses with no chrome edging. I'd have to look again, but IIRC, the mold used was the same for all 84-88. So even if you had 84/85 style lenses, with a little tape work and the right shade of red paint, you could make some 86-88 ones.

We had sent more then one reverse light. If memory serves me correct & I am sure Toby will step in. I believe it was an 83 & 86 Reverse light sets we sent.

The reason I decided to do the 84-88 tail lights & reverse lights first, is demand. Grill sales on the 86 are OK at best. The investment & Time GBP & LKQ have in these has to be recovered before we move forward to other years. I'm the owner & I have to answer to people. Toby is a Project manager & he has even more people to answer to.

The chrome seat trims I believe Toby got his butt handed to him on this. I was questioned myself on putting that much $ in chrome seat hinge trim.
Now I am sure alot of you will come back & say well the price is too hi. I think I speak for Toby as well when I say yes we could of done this alot cheaper but the quality wouldn't be there.

What I am leading back to here is the reverse lights will not be real cheap but the quality will be there. It will be your support on what is getting built next. If the tail lights & reverse lights sell well then we will bring on the 81-83 which tooling on the tail lights is done but not the reverse lights. Why not offer the 81-83 tail lights then? We have to buy alot to make it reasonably priced. Not many are beating our doors down for those tail lights.
You the consumer actually control what is being built.

 

[pencero]

This is all too confusing for everyone. I hope at the end of this road you guys just put together some sort of 'trim packages' for those of us who don't want to sit around ordering 1 part at a time like it's 1975. That would cause such a lack of overall productivity for everyone involved...