“A specialty car should be extra special.”
For 1983, Oldsmobile decided to add some glamor to the Cutlass Supreme line by bringing back the Hurst/Olds for the eighth time. Cars & Concepts took black Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Calais coupes and modified them to create a Hurst/Olds, adding silver lower paint accented by red and silver pinstripes. By far the most distinctive interior feature of the 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds was the Hurst Lightning Rods automatic shifter with three separate gear levers—a transmission that required a page of instructions in the owner’s welcome brochure.
The powertrain was the LV2 180 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a Rochester 4MV four-barrel carburetor, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Special features for the Hurst/Olds engine included a long-duration camshaft, high-rate valve springs, and a specific ignition distributor—all of which made for a 29% horsepower gain over the “normal” 307. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 8.8 seconds in a car with a curb weight of 3,525 pounds. Fuel economy ratings were 17 city/27 highway by the day’s standards. With an 18.1-gallon gas tank, a 15th Anniversary‘s proud new owner could expect a range of 295 to 320 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.
The 1983 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds coupe retailed for $11,844.60—about $39,200 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included a front air dam, tungsten halogen headlamps, a hood power bulge, dual Sport mirrors, a rear decklid wing, a quick ratio steering box for the power assisted recirculating ball steering, power front vented disc/rear drum brakes, and P215/65R15 Goodyear Eagle GT raised white letter steel belted radial tires on chrome plated 15 x 7 Super Stock wheels. Inside, reclining front bucket seats, a Sport steering wheel, a full length center console, Rallye cluster gages with a tachometer, a quartz clock, and a 15th Anniversary dash plaque were included.
1983 Hurst/Olds buyers could choose between a Maple Red or a Sand Gray interior, but the gray is fairly rare. Mandatory options included the Four-Season air conditioner ($725).
Options & Production Numbers
Individual exterior and mechanical options included Soft-Ray tinted windows ($105), removable roof panels ($825), and a limited slip differential. Inside, a driver side 6-way power seat adjuster ($210), power door locks ($120), power side windows ($180), a tilt-away steering wheel ($105), and cruise control ($170) could be ordered. A range of stereos was available, along with a power front fender antenna ($60). All of these options meant things could get pricey—many 15th Anniversary coupes stickered for over $15,000 (about $49,600 in 2025 dollars).
Oldsmobile planned to produce 2,500 of the 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds coupes, but eventually sold 3,001 units during the 1983 model year due to strong demand.
The View From 2025
There is definite collector interest in the 1983 Hurst/Olds, with forum support. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1983 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds in #1/Concours condition is $48,100, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $22,800. Eighties Hurst/Olds coupes are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market. As I write this blog entry in October 2025, there’s a 1983 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds coupe with 40,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $40,000.
Other rear-wheel-drive Cutlass-based Oldsmobiles I have written about include the 1980 Cutlass coupe, the 1981 Cutlass Supreme coupe, and the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe. Another 1983 performance-oriented coupe from GM was the Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS.
Eighties Cars 