Word of the Day: Lightning Rods

David S.
By David S. Wallens
Jan 22, 2020 | Word of the Day, Lightning Rods

If one shifter is good, then three must be better, right? Okay, maybe that wasn’t quite what was going on here. Call the Hurst Lightning Rods, a popular sight in a mid-’80s issue of Hot Rod, a road-going take on a Lenco transmission.

Operation of a Lenco is fairly straight-forward: When it’s time to shift gears, simply pull the appropriate lever, with each gear having its own stick.

Here’s some fuzzy footage showing the operation.


Hurst decided to take that drag racing technology to the streets with Lightning Rods: available as an aftermarket part–and here’s where it gets really cool–as well as standard equipment on the 180-horsepower 1983-’84 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds.


  

 

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Comments
NickD
NickD PowerDork
1/22/20 9:19 a.m.

Berkeley yeah! These are awesome.

D2W
D2W Dork
1/22/20 9:35 a.m.

As a young impressionable car guy, I thought those were rad.

A 401 CJ
A 401 CJ GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/22/20 9:39 a.m.

Downshifting sequence is laid out before Upshifting sequence?

 

I guess you need to plan ahead when piloting a big hairy 180 bhp Cutlass 

Dusterbd13-michael
Dusterbd13-michael MegaDork
1/22/20 9:51 a.m.

The in car video is a mopar a body. Looks to be 72-73 from what I see. 

Aso, ive always wanted a set of these. 

NickD
NickD PowerDork
1/22/20 10:01 a.m.
A 401 CJ said:

 

I guess you need to plan ahead when piloting a big hairy 180 bhp Cutlass 

Its also hilarious that they threw an 8.5" 10-bolt in these. Because an Olds 307 would ever break the regular 8.2" rearend. But then they saddled the 4th-gen F-bodies with the puny 7.625" rearend, even with the healthy LS1s. You do you, GM. You do you.

Duke
Duke MegaDork
1/22/20 10:06 a.m.

When I was about 17 or 18 I got the chance to drive one of those Hurst/Olds, almost brand new.  'Rad' is the appropriate word.

 

ProDarwin
ProDarwin UltimaDork
1/22/20 10:12 a.m.

What gear would this make? (the red dots)

 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/22/20 10:48 a.m.

In reply to ProDarwin :

Does that tilt the machine?

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/22/20 10:53 a.m.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

i love the "Word Of The Day" series.  

Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
1/22/20 10:54 a.m.

I am betting the mechanism won't allow it. Who has one we can try?

Lightning rods are so cool to look at I would put up with the automatic is a real Hurst car. Seems like a good way to control a full manual valve body.

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