The 1969 Oldsmobile Hurst 455 flexed its muscle car power with flamboyance, boasting gold stripes, a twin-scoop hood, and a 455-cid V-8 engine. Its enormous airfoil furnished 15 pounds of downforce at 60 mph, 64 pounds at 120 mph.

It was the only GM intermediate-sized car to offer an engine larger than 400 cubic inches. At the time, corporate policy prohibited the divisions from putting larger engines in cars smaller than full-sized models (other than the Chevrolet Corvette.) Oldsmobile got around the 400-cubic inch limit by implying that the engines were installed by Hurst Performance of Warminster, Pennsylvania, which produced special-edition performance versions of the 442 and Cutlass Supreme.

Instead of the dual ram air scoops like those used for the 1968 model and other ram air '69s, the Hurst 455 sported a "mailbox" fiberglass hood scoop with "H/O 455" printed on each side -- advertising what lurked beneath the hood.

The base price of the 1969 Oldsmobile Hurst 455 was $4,376.

• Wheelbase, inches: 112.0
• Weight, lbs: 3,716
• Length, inches: 201.9
• Width, inches: 76.2
• Height, inches: 52.8
• Production: 912
• Base price: $4,376
• Current Value: $50,000 +

• Type: ohv V-8
• Displacement: 455 cubic inches
• Fuel system: 1 x 4bbl.
• Engine: 455ci/380 hp
• Compression ratio: 10.5:1
• Horsepower @ rpm: 380 hp @ 5000 rpm
• Suspension: Heavy Duty
• Torque @ rpm: 500 @ 3200 rpm
• Transmission: Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
• Axle ratio: 3.42:1

• Top Speed, mph: 132
• 0-60 mph, sec: 5.9
• 1/4 mile, sec @ mph: 14.03 seconds @ 101 mph