Words & Photos: Gary Rosier
The 1972 Hurst/Oldsmobile was actually developed by Hurst Performance, not Oldsmobile. Due to a tragic accident involving the 1971 Indy Pace car, a Dodge Challenger, the major auto manufacturers were reluctant to provide the pace car for the 1972 Indy race. Hurst Performance stepped up and volunteered to sponsor the 1972 Pace car. Oldsmobile provided the Cutlass Supreme coupe and convertible. It was the only time an Indy Pace car was sponsored by a manufacturer other than an automobile manufacturer, and first time to include a major supplier’s name in the title.
The 1972 edition of the Hurst/Olds had some of the lowest production numbers of any produced, with a total of 629 made: 130 Convertibles, 220 hardtops with sunroofs, six station wagons for press and ambulance use and 279 hardtop cars. The only color available was Cameo White with reflective 3M gold stripes that were stickers, not paint. All of the cars had the W-25 Ram Air Hood and gold SS III Rally Wheels with chrome bolt-on center cap and chrome beauty ring, as this one does.
The tires originally were Goodyear Poly-steel Radials. The standard Hurst/Olds engine was a 455 cubic-inch Rocket V8 rated at 270 net horsepower. Optional at extra cost was the W-30 option with the L77 455, a blueprinted engine rated at 300 net horsepower. Both engines were mated to a Turbo Hydra-matic 400 transmission with console-mounted Hurst Dual-Gate shifter. All of the 1972 Hurst/Olds had the black Strato bucket interior with a center console. Special Hurst/Olds Pace Car badging adorned the glove box door and all 1972 Hurst/Olds were identified with a W-45 Code on the cowl tag, as is this one.
Dumont Penland and his wife Pat, of Ormond Beach, Florida, own this gorgeous – nearly 100 percent original – ’72 Hurst Olds. The decals in the trunk are even the originals and the car has only seen the rain once in the over 35 years they have owned it! It happened when Dumont was on his way home from a car show, with his wife Pat following him… in another 442… and it was raining so hard she could only see him because of the reflective stripes on the car! It’s a true love affair, he says with a grin!
I guess you could say the Penlands are purists and dedicated Oldsmobile owners. Dumont has only EVER owned one other make of vehicle, and that was in ’56 – a Plymouth. He has owned a 70-71 and 72 – all 442’s, as well as the ’74 442 that his wife surprised him with on Fathers’ Day. Cutlass Supremes, Cutlass S’s, 442’s – it didn’t matter, as long as it was an Oldsmobile!
Dumont got started with his car brand “love affair” as a youth just starting college. It was the ’50’s, and Oldsmobile was the make of choice for gearheads, as we affectionately call them. No matter whether drag racing, hot rodding or road racing (later to become NASCAR) – Oldsmobile was the ticket! His first car was a black ’50 Olds “88.”
Looking through the ads in Auto Trader one day, he saw this car featured for sale. It was a long time ago, he said (1982), so muscle cars hadn’t quite caught back on fire yet – due to insurance regulations and the gas crunch – so this one was reasonable!
This car obviously spent all its life pampered and in the sunny south away from all the salt and grime of winters up north. That preserved the car and the only change made was an NOS Olds W-30 aluminum intake he installed. He also has changed up the tires for safety and drive-ability – going with Goodyear Eagle ST P245/60R14’s.
This car won more first place awards than anything he has ever owned added all up together! He had so many trophies all over the garage that one day he came home and found them all in the roadside trash. His wife got tired of dusting them and that was that, he shrugged! Yes, they are still married and still in love – and let no rain ever fall on THAT parade!
