Early hurst history - trivia

this is a cool thread to follow...glad I could add something of interest.
-Deuce

 

The VW Bus ones are highly sought after

 

Ah ok....it must have been a GM policy, as Chrysler used Hurst shifters (with logo) on all their "all-new" 4 speed (A-833) cars starting in '64 (with exception of a poor decision to switch to Inland shifters from '66-mid '68).
Maybe even on the T-85, 3 speed Max Wedge cars of '62/'63.....

 

kirban 2 cents worth

Been getting more educated on Hemis...lately dealing with Don Garlits bought a bunch of his engine parts.....from his dragsters....he is our spokes person for a product I represent...

Years ago had a friend who passed away had the Max Wedge cone like air cleaners made...I deal with the same company as long as the part is round this guy can make it. A metal spinner. I can't member exactly what the part was called....spun in alminum if I remember....if you post a photo I would recognize the part.

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Sounds like a velocity stack....many Mopar racers used 'em on crossrams....
Moroso, Mopar, and a few other companies made 'em in aluminum..

 

kirban 2 cents worth

That's what it was.....I think after my friend had them made Chrysler came back out with them?

This same source makes about 30 different parts for me for several different cars mostly Corvettes-Mustang-Buicks.

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kirban 2 cents worth

Earlier in this post someone mentioned that a T handle on ebay was already bid to almost $300.

I got a t handle that based on that would bring well over a grand.

Will have MR AMC post it.

One I got measures THREE FEET TALL all black flocking with H embossed in it. I have never seen it pictured on a shifter mounted to a car like you see the white huge knob but it was probably for that purpose.

I believe it is one of a kind. Appears brand new. I bought it over 15 years ago from someone at Hurst prior to the Warminster location closing down.

A grand may be a low value.....

The photo that will be posted shows it along side a Hurst wheel can so you can see that it is almost twice as tall. It is one of my most valuable Hurst pieces.....

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kirban 2 cents worth

Pictured here are 3 super rare original Hurst items. Least rarest would be the Hurst wheel can which is how Hurst packaged the Hurst wheels originally before switching to a hexagon shaped cardboard box. Can held 2 wheels. By least rare meaning you see these from time to time on ebay and I am told someone has reproduced them.

The rarest 2 items is the black T handle. Has the H embossed on it which may not show up in the photo. This T handle is about 3 feet tall as it stands on end in the photo.

Equally rare is the Miss Golden Shifter embroidered banner Linda Vaughn wore in many of her appearances for Hurst during its heyday.

The T handle I have never seen it used in photos unlike the huge white ball knob that show sup in photos. Perhaps after this was made it was
too late for that type of promotion. I have no idea. I bought it from a Hurst employee well over 15-18 years ago.

With a regular size T handle fetching several hundred dollars on ebay this one would be the Holy Grail!

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Very cool stuff. I am confused a bit about the usernames. Are Kirban & the AMC guy the same guy posting under different names ? just curious.

 

awesome thread! Makes me want to go out and start collecting HURST stuff !! HAHA Crazy degrees of seperation for me, I lived in Huntingdon Valley for 6 months a couple of years ago!! All this history, I probably drove past some of these places not even knowing it!! DOH!!

The info in here makes such a great read, and I'm sure all, like me, are totally enthrawled in it, I'm just a little curious why you always elude to the details of the companies you have dealt with, currently deal with, the company you represent etc?? You give your full name so i'm sure if someone REALLY wanted to they could find out, but.. Not saying you should name drop, I've never been one for those who big note themselves by name dropping, but it seems like by mentioning some of the companies you have dealt with, currently involved in, and currently deal with, would add a whole other dimension to this awesome story and just put a few more pieces into this massive jigsaw puzzle??

Anyway, brilliant read, thanks so much for the awesome history lesson, I look forward to following this link.

Paul

 

I had no idea Hurst was out of Warminster, PA.
I just asked my pop about this and got a cool story.

Pop worked at a small garage attached to a gas station
right here on rt1 in Langhorne (think he said Osborne’s or Osmans,something like that).
He said "Mr.Hurst" (guessing George) would stop there for gas from time to time. He even hooked my dad up with a large bag of shifter bushings for free.
Cool stuff.
Sorry for interrupting the trivia.

 

Think the old building is still there its across from the old Navy Building ( ie part of Willow Grove )

 

kirban 2 cents worth

To explain the 2 names...

I am dennis kirban and post under my exact name.and reside in PA...and all the hurst related photos are in my possession (collection).....I lack the skills to down load photos from my camera to my computer let alone to a internet forum...

So, I take my camera to work (I own the company) have my secretary download my camera and send photos to my personal email which I then email to Mr AMC who resides in the Carolinas....with my wording with each photo and posts here and other forums for me.

My skills are limited...heck I can;t even put phone numbers in my phone....

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kirban 2 cents worth

Hurst moved everything under one roof in 1965 sat across from the Johnsville Airbase...(trained astranuats there)....I actually did 2 big car shows on this base.....base is now completely gone motel and old folks home etc sit on the site.

Hurst building is now 3 times as large. I actually gave the CEO a blue print copy of the original building which I have from Hurst.

Prior to 1965 Hurst had several buildings scattered in the area of Horsham/Warminster/Glenside/Abington over the previous years.....

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kirban 2 cents worth

Will give more details tonite regarding some of the above questions. I appreciate all the compliments and those that have also contributed. Every nite it seems I need to photograph more Hurst stuff to share. I have my one office set up in our house. Without a doubt the most valuable room in the house! I have always been attracted to advertising items/signs etc....example I have an original Mountain Dew mannquin that is over 40 plus years old.

Also have an original Buster Brown boy....old timers rememebr buster brown shoes?

More later....

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Been fortunate in life.....never had to work for anyone after my military service.....1966-69.

 

I can remember a UPS truck that delivered in Angola, IN in the late 60's that had a tall Hurst shifter in it like the one you're talking about. All us hotrodders thought it was sooo cool.

 

kirban 2 cents worth

Not to throw my Hurst thread off track but I thought readers would enjoy this. I had these two trucks back in the early 1970s...I restored the pick up Studebaker (1947 vintage)....the ramp truck 1 1/2 ton version I bought that way. It was Lincoln powered with an overdrive transmission.

Back then not many trucks were showing up at car shows so seeing these two was a major hit....the Pepsi bottles are 6 foot high blow ups I got from pepsi...my cousin had built the wooden carton.

Pepsi never expressed any interest....

Sold both trucks years ago....no idea where they are today. Maybe someone reading this recognizes them?

Stude trucks most unusual....front and rear bumpers were identical and front and rear fenders where also interchangable....Also dash from the 1940s Studebaker would interchange which was chrome compared to the truck dash. (I also had a 1940 Stude business coupe).

Sorry to get off the topic but count it is as break as Mr AMC had these photos handy for another forum that wanted to see this.

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Mr. Kirban...
Thanks so much for all your information. I've finally taken the time to read all the posts and check out the pics...Great stuff so far, do hope there is more. I've owned 2 Hurst SC/Ramblers. One I bought new in '69 the other I bought in the early '90's. Loved both, but have neither...such is life.
Thought you might like to see a pic of the left hand glove I found at a swapmeet 10-12 years ago. It appears to be new, but the Hurst patch has yellowed some.

 

kirban 2 cents worth

Appreciate the info....the Hurst SC cars always liked them....few years back we did the original date coded plug wires for the GTOs....and I also did the ones for your car which carried the same exact wording Packard suppression etc...we did 2nd and 4th quarters for the years...

Sold them to a company I believe in Ohio that sells AMC parts....name escapes me.....one of those critical parts if you are doing a resto.

The gloves are extremely rare if plastic T handles fetch big money the gloves are rite up there with them as you never see them for sale.
I regret letting so much Hurst stuff get tossed that was not GM related when Hurst moved from PA to Mr Gaskets location in Ohio.....

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I almost didn't buy it because it was a left only, but glad I did. Have any idea what it might be worth?

 

kirban 2 cents worth

As to the value....tough call its like anything else as long as you have two or more interested parties with deep wallets, understanding spouse......could fetch several hundred dollars.

I have seen the silver hurst wheel cufflinks fetch $500.

I bought all my Hurst related items years ago....I did buy at a recent Carlisle event an original Hurst banner the old style its in decent shape vintage probably mid 1960s....

If it was perfect it would bring probably a grand.

I would sell this one for alot less.

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kirban 2 cents worth
First photo shows a good bit of my personal colleciton of various key chains necklaces etc. The Jack Duffy name tag was my wife's boss. (He recently passed away). You can see the heavy influence of black and gold colors. Also note the visitors pass name tag. Lots of history here.
The second photo although not Hurst related, in the Pontiac GTO world is quite rare as this is the Max Factor gift pack. Max Factor was cashing in on the GTO craze. Today this would fetch big big money.
enjoy
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I have one of these that I bought in 1990. It was from a wall full at a local parts store. There were probably 20 or more. The package was so yellowed that you could almost not see the handles. I could have bought all I wanted for the $7.50 hand written on the packages. This was when the aluminum handles were around $20. I still have the original one, but I wish I'd have bought all of them.

 

kirban 2 cents worth

Valuable piece for sure! Even I don't have one! Its ashame even in some of the literature and actual papers from Hurst....doubt anyone has any records on how many of certain items they actually produced.....

I would pay good money for an early style dual gate versus a glove....

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Again its great to see such a response and posting of different items. I found a photo of the original building that they opened in 1965 with everything finally under one roof. Will do my best to get it up sometime tomorrow. Its a shot from the sky shows the entire building Interesting enough the big letters on the front of the building read Hurst-Campbell and then when Bill left around 1969...building sign then simply read Hurst. This photo I have says Hurst....so it had to be around 1970 or later.

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kirban 2 cents worth

The question I posed way back in this thread was what company did Bill Campbell and a few of his buddies purchase after his falling out at Hurst?

Since no one has answered I will tell you.

Bill was fond of camping.....

Took many trips with his family etc.....

In 1969 or there abouts...him and not sure exactly how many of his buddies bought a little bus company in Canada....

They were not making many buses at the time....

Today in the RV world and rock and roll world the name of these buses are very well known....for being converted into palaces on wheels costing million dollars and up....

the name of that little bus company? Prevost....(can't swear on the spelling)

In the early 1990s Bill sold it to either Volvo or Ford....(He did keep one). The interview I did with him 3-4 years ago gives exact details as I am playing off my memory at this point.

His workshop at his house is large enough that he keeps the bus indoors all the time.....

Not often you get a chance in life to own or partially own two totally different companies that in most peoples eyes were at the top of the chain in each particular market. I think all the readers of this thread agree Hurst the original Hurst company was at the top of their game in the shifter business.

In converted buses RVs, etc the name Prevost is probably considered the cadillac of motorhomes. (I know my mechanic who had a Midas motor home always said they were the best.

True story....

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kirban 2 cents worth

As to this persons questions...I am not sure how to answer this, as I don't want to come across as bragging or listing a bunch of items we are associated with or people. One reason in every forum I am on I leave profile blank...but in every forum I am on I use my real name.

A few products you may have seen no matter where you have bought them we are the source for. In the Mustang world notably the 5.0 engine the all billet style adjustable fuel regulator is our product no matter where it was bought. Started getting them made in 1991. We sold to all the big players when the fox body was popular. Steeda-Saleen-Mustangs Unlimited- Anderson-Tommie Vaughn etc

Playing off that regular we also stlll get made 4 different ones for the Porsche market....beauty about that is Porsche ones we can sell for 3-4 times more money....Our regulator was on the Porsche that ran in the gamblers run a few years back covered by a woman who holds the record for time and speed.

In the GTO world if you are familar with the 1964-65 GTO....they had a optional set of stainless splitters that exited out under the 1/4 panel. We are the sole source of them since the beginning (1980) no matter where you see them including the ones that are on the 1965 in the Henry Ford Greenfield Village in Detroit area....unless they are original.

The one current item we get made is the 6-speed shifter for C5 and C6 Corvettes or biggest customer is Callaway....in the Corvette world that name is near or at the top.

Course we make many other items none carry our name and in some cases customers attach their name to the product.

In the direct retail business we are near the top in the Buick Grand National world. We sold over 300 of the cars including 8 real GNXs and wrote a 400 page book on them that can be purchased from Amazon etc...our name has been mentioned at Barrett Jackson auctions related to these cars.

Once you write a book, it throws a different light on things.....

Our company more recently is the largest seller in the country of zddplus which is the simplest solution to the lack of zddp in todays oils. We made the deal to get Don Garlits as the spokesperson for the company.

We sell direct to some of the companies you probably buy from: Mac Antiques, Bill Hirsch, Eastwood, Year One, Chevs of the 40s, Clarks Corvair, 4 Studebaker companies, Patricks in Arizona, Phoenix engines, several major engine warehouses, cam companies Isky-Crower-Delta, also did private label for Erson which used to be owned by Mr Gasket I believe.

In a nutshell that is the story.

As for Hurst, I was always fascinated that a major automotive company, was in my neighborhood that was in the car magazines. Most of us back east always thought everything came from the west coast.

At first in the late 1970s, you could send your shifters to Hurst and have them rebuilt for free or a small charge can't member which.

Starting in the GTO business we were one of the first companies, I had customers send me their shifters so they knew they would get them back. A dozen donuts in the morning to the rebuilder at Hurst got me same day service on shifters.and at no charge to me!....

Next thing I am buying stuff from Hurst, started by just collecting shifter knobs. Amazing how many different knobs they made. Always on the lookout for different ones.

First job my wife had when we were married was working at Hurst doing a lot of the travel arrangements for Linda and others....my wife actually drove a 1964 GTO to work back then.

The rest as the saying goes is history.

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again that should answer your question...about my background.

 

kirban 2 cents worth

I took some more photos tonite of some rare shifter knobs in my private collection. Be interesting to see if any old timers can place them as to what they came on. All from Hurst.
I have no idea in most cases where they were used.

The one has an interesting history based on the stories I was told years ago.

Look for them sometime Wednesday.

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I have one similar to this. It is a satin chrome stick with a boot and a three speed knob. The stick is welded into a piece of approx. 1/4 inch thick piece of steel to weight it down and create a base. The screws for the boot screw in to the 1/4 inch piece as well.

Is that the way these were made? I always thought it was just something somebody made up but maybe not?

Also have one similar to the one you have with a T handle but it just has a 4 speed ball on it.

They were in with a bunch of stuff I bought from an old speed shop.

 

kirban 2 cents worth

it could very well be a display made up for speed shops...I have a hard wood type sign that was for T handle displays...they had a lighted clock also...I have a lited Hurst sign that says Hurst Performance Products...have to show it sometime...

They had a tall display of the Christmas tree lites similar to what they use at dragstrips...

And of course, the most famous and best known display....was the stand up 57 inch tall Miss Hurst Linda Vaughn....I have a mint one of them...few years back I sold 8 of them brand new on ebay each brought $700 or better and that was probably 5 years back....they were brand new in the box.

That would probably be their best known display that a speed shop would have....problem is since they were cardboard survival rate is quite poor and they fade in the sun light.

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kirban 2 cents worth

Again from my private collection, this is one of the small lite up signs Hurst did. Probably sold or gave them to various retail outlets as promotion. I also think they had one that had a electric clock as part of it.

Original promotional items are difficult to find today. I would put this around late 1960s early 1970s vintage.

Some companies today have some really neat advertising pieces which in years to come could become quite valuable since they are not something that was sold to the public.

More neat stuff coming later.

enjoy


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