Hurst Performance
Encyclopedia
Hurst Performance, Inc. of Warminster Township, Pennsylvania
, manufactured and marketed products for enhancing the performance of automobiles, most notably for muscle car
s.
replacement manual transmission
shifters and other automobile performance enhancing parts.
Hurst was also an Original Equipment Manufacturer
(OEM) supplier for automaker
s and provided services or components for numerous muscle car models by American Motors
(AMC), Ford
, Chrysler
, and General Motors
. Their products were included as standard equipment in AMC's The Machine (also known as the Rebel Machine), AMC AMX
s and Javelin
s, Pontiac GTO
s and Oldsmobile
s, Boss Mustang 302
and the Boss 429
, as well as Dodge Charger
s, Plymouth Barracuda
s, and Plymouth Superbird
s, among others.
Specialty automobile models produced in cooperation with automakers that incorporated the Hurst logo
or name, included:
Hurst Performance was also the inventor of the "Jaws of Life" — a hydraulic rescue tool
. The company designed a complete Hurst Rescue System in the early 1970s, a specialty Emergency Medical Services
(EMS) apparatus. Based on the AMC Gremlin
, it served as a quicker and more compact emergency vehicle
, compared to the traditional heavy rescue vehicle
s used at motorsport
race track
s and as a companion vehicle to any highway emergency system.
V W started manufacturing its own large bumpers for the buses, so Hurst- Campbell branched out into the piston driven gear shift business. In 1968, Mr. Greenwald who had stated a previous publicly traded company,(Interstate Hoisery Mills) took the company public with George as president and himself as chairman. They manufactured, at different times, engine mounts, wheels, and shift knobs in addition to the line of gear shifts.
In the company's research department, they developed and invented the Jaws of Life. The company gave-away the patent without any compensation.
By the late 1960s, Hurst transmission shifters and other products became legendary in auto racing
, particularly in drag racing
and among custom car
makers. For example, many automobile enthusiasts replaced flimsy factory shifters with Hurst shifters
to get better control of gear selection, particularly for competitive driving. "If you didn't have a Hurst shifter in your supercar, you were a mild-mannered loser." The units were so good that U.S. automakers were forced to offer Hurst brand
ed gear sticks on their muscle car
models, although at the time they preferred manufacturing their own parts rather than outsourcing
.
George Hurst expanded into other specialty performance products during the 1960s by acquiring Schiefer Manufacturing, a maker of clutch
es and Airheart, a maker of brake
systems.
In 1968, George Hurst took his company public
. The company was bought out in 1970 by Sunbeam Products
, a maker of small appliance
s. The founder, George Hurst was promised an executive officer
position and seat on the board of directors
as part of the buyout, but Sunbeam did not follow through. Correction: Sunbeam specifically told Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Hurst that they would no longer be part of the Company. Mr. Greenwald fully retired at age 67 and Mr. Hurst subsequently was indicted and convicted of tax evasion and was incarcerated. Mr Hurst died at his own hand in 1985 and Mr. Greenwald died of natural causes in 1986.
In 1987, the Hurst operations were sold by Sunbeam and became part of the Mr. Gasket Company. In 2007, B&M Racing and Performance Products bought the Hurst brand.
Warminster Township, Pennsylvania
Warminster Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 32,682 at the 2010 census.The town was named for the town of Warminster in Wiltshire, England.-Geography:...
, manufactured and marketed products for enhancing the performance of automobiles, most notably for muscle car
Muscle car
Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a...
s.
Products
Hurst produced aftermarketAftermarket (automotive)
The automotive aftermarket is the secondary market of the automotive industry, concerned with the manufacturing, remanufacturing, distribution, retailing, and installation of all vehicle parts, chemicals, tools, equipment and accessories for light and heavy vehicles, after the sale of the...
replacement manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
shifters and other automobile performance enhancing parts.
Hurst was also an Original Equipment Manufacturer
Original Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
(OEM) supplier for automaker
Automaker
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
s and provided services or components for numerous muscle car models by American Motors
American Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
(AMC), Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, and General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
. Their products were included as standard equipment in AMC's The Machine (also known as the Rebel Machine), AMC AMX
AMC AMX
The AMC AMX is a two-seat GT in style and approach sports car that was produced by American Motors Corporation for the 1968 through 1970 model years. The AMX was also classified as a muscle car, but "unique among other American cars at the time due its short wheelbase"...
s and Javelin
AMC Javelin
The Javelin was a production version of one of the AMC AMX prototypes shown during the 1966 AMX project nationwide tour. Intended to rival other pony cars such as the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. American Motor's Javelin debuted on 22 August 1967, for the 1968 model year...
s, Pontiac GTO
Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO is an automobile built by Pontiac Division of General Motors in the United States from 1964 to 1974, and by GM subsidiary Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. It is considered an innovative, and now classic muscle car of the 1960s and 1970s...
s and Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
s, Boss Mustang 302
Boss 302 Mustang
The Boss 302 Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang originally produced in 1969 and 1970, but revived in the 2012 model year. It was produced for the Trans Am racing series, while the Mustang Boss 429 which was produced the same years was built around a larger engine.-First...
and the Boss 429
Boss 429
The Boss 429 was a high performance Ford Mustang variant offered in 1969 and 1970.-Overview:The Boss 429 is arguably one of the rarest and most valued muscle cars to date. In total there were 859 original Boss 429s made. The origin of the Boss 429 comes about as a result of NASCAR...
, as well as Dodge Charger
Dodge Charger (B-body)
The Dodge Charger was a mid-size automobile produced by Dodge. The 1966-1974 Chargers were based on the Chrysler B platform. The 1975-1978 Chargers were based on the Chrysler Cordoba.-Origin of the Charger:...
s, Plymouth Barracuda
Plymouth Barracuda
The Plymouth Barracuda is a 2-door car that was manufactured by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1964-1974.The first-generation Barracuda, a fastback A-body coupe based on the Plymouth Valiant, had a distinctive wraparound back glass and was available from 1964-1966.The...
s, and Plymouth Superbird
Plymouth Superbird
The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird was a highly modified version of the Plymouth Road Runner with well known graphics and horn. It was the factory's follow up stock car racing design for the 1970 season to the Dodge Charger Daytona of 1969, and incorporated many engineering changes and...
s, among others.
Specialty automobile models produced in cooperation with automakers that incorporated the Hurst logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
or name, included:
- 1969 AMC SC/Rambler
- 1970 Chrysler Hurst 300
- 1971 Hurst JeepsterJeep JeepsterThe Jeepster was an automobile originally produced by Willys-Overland Motors from 1948 to 1950.The Jeepster name was revived in 1966 on a new model, the C-101 Jeepster Commando, and American Motors removed the Jeepster name for 1972, ending production after 1973.-VJ:The original Willys-Overland...
- several Oldsmobile Hurst/OldsOldsmobile Hurst/OldsFollowing the success of Hurst components in Oldsmobile's 442 models, Oldsmobile, in collaboration with Hurst Performance of Warminster, Pennsylvania, produced special-edition performance versions of the 442 or Cutlass Supreme, the Hurst/Olds.-1968:...
Hurst Performance was also the inventor of the "Jaws of Life" — a hydraulic rescue tool
Hydraulic Rescue Tools
Hydraulic rescue tools are used by emergency rescue personnel to assist vehicle extrication of crash victims, as well as other rescues from small spaces. These tools include cutters, spreaders, door busters and rams...
. The company designed a complete Hurst Rescue System in the early 1970s, a specialty Emergency Medical Services
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
(EMS) apparatus. Based on the AMC Gremlin
AMC Gremlin
The AMC Gremlin is a two-door subcompact car produced in the United States and Canada by the American Motors Corporation between 1970 and 1978. AMC reduced its development and manufacturing costs by adapting a shortened Hornet platform with a Kammback-type tail...
, it served as a quicker and more compact emergency vehicle
Emergency vehicle
An emergency vehicle is any vehicle that is designated and authorized to respond to an emergency. These vehicles are usually operated by designated agencies, often part of the government, but also run by charities, non-governmental organizations and some commercial companies...
, compared to the traditional heavy rescue vehicle
Heavy rescue vehicle
A heavy rescue vehicle is a type of specialty firefighting or EMS apparatus. They are primarily designed to provide the specialized equipment necessary for technical rescue situations such as auto accidents requiring vehicle extrication, building collapses, confined space rescue, rope rescues and...
s used at motorsport
Motorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
race track
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
s and as a companion vehicle to any highway emergency system.
History
The original company was called Hurst-Campbell. It was started in 1958 as an auto repair company when George Hurst was a young man. A man named Lawrence Greenwald (Mr. Greenwald is credited, amongst other things, to be one of the inventors of srech nylon hoisery) took certain cars from his collection to George for repair. Mr. Greenwald saw promise in the young George, and he financed George in a venture to manufacture after market large bumbers for V W busses, which were gaining popularity.V W started manufacturing its own large bumpers for the buses, so Hurst- Campbell branched out into the piston driven gear shift business. In 1968, Mr. Greenwald who had stated a previous publicly traded company,(Interstate Hoisery Mills) took the company public with George as president and himself as chairman. They manufactured, at different times, engine mounts, wheels, and shift knobs in addition to the line of gear shifts.
In the company's research department, they developed and invented the Jaws of Life. The company gave-away the patent without any compensation.
By the late 1960s, Hurst transmission shifters and other products became legendary in auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
, particularly in drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
and among custom car
Custom car
A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...
makers. For example, many automobile enthusiasts replaced flimsy factory shifters with Hurst shifters
Gear stick
A gear stick is the lever used to change gear in a vehicle, such as an automobile, with manual transmission or several common forms of automatic transmission.The device is used to change gear; in a manual transmission vehicle this will normally be done whilst depressing...
to get better control of gear selection, particularly for competitive driving. "If you didn't have a Hurst shifter in your supercar, you were a mild-mannered loser." The units were so good that U.S. automakers were forced to offer Hurst brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
ed gear sticks on their muscle car
Muscle car
Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a...
models, although at the time they preferred manufacturing their own parts rather than outsourcing
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
.
George Hurst expanded into other specialty performance products during the 1960s by acquiring Schiefer Manufacturing, a maker of clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
es and Airheart, a maker of brake
Brake
A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
systems.
In 1968, George Hurst took his company public
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
. The company was bought out in 1970 by Sunbeam Products
Sunbeam Products
Sunbeam Products is an American brand that has produced electric home appliances since 1910. Their products have included the Mixmaster mixer, the Sunbeam CG waffle iron, Coffeemaster and the fully automatic T20 toaster. Sunbeam is owned by Jarden Consumer Solutions after Jarden's acquisition in...
, a maker of small appliance
Small appliance
Small appliance refers to a class of home appliances that are portable or semi-portable or which are used on tabletops, countertops, or other platforms in the United States of America...
s. The founder, George Hurst was promised an executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
position and seat on the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
as part of the buyout, but Sunbeam did not follow through. Correction: Sunbeam specifically told Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Hurst that they would no longer be part of the Company. Mr. Greenwald fully retired at age 67 and Mr. Hurst subsequently was indicted and convicted of tax evasion and was incarcerated. Mr Hurst died at his own hand in 1985 and Mr. Greenwald died of natural causes in 1986.
In 1987, the Hurst operations were sold by Sunbeam and became part of the Mr. Gasket Company. In 2007, B&M Racing and Performance Products bought the Hurst brand.