Hurst's Dave Landrith Interview .Sc/Rambler ,69 Hurst Olds , Hemi Under Glass , SS AMX , Hurst Hairy Olds . Hurst Baja Boot

Interview by Bob Rascoe 05/21/2008

I'm putting the car makes in as we spoke about these subjects . Visitors , keep in mind , that this blog is mainly for the 69 Sc/Rambler . So please let anyone know , this is the site to go too ..for being in the Sc/Rambler Hammer Lane . You also may be interested in the conversation !

This link is on the Hairy olds ..
http://www.hotrod.com/thehistoryof/1966_oldsmobile_cutlass_442/index.html
Another
http://www.oldsmobility.com/HPCars_Sept66.htm

Chevy Powered Baja Boot (note , the baja boot was funded by the military and GM. A hurst project ...)
http://www.ormhof.com/inductees/Vic-Hickey.htm
another Baja boot article
http://www.off-roadweb.com/events/0802or_40_years_to_glory_happy_birthday_baja_1000/index.html

Working on this ... hope to have more to follow .

Appreciate the time Dave spent for this car talk ( What an opportunity )

Dave was the President for Hurst Detroit , his duties were to manage P.R. for auto manufactures .
All of them . GM , Ford , Chrysler and Amc ...supervise the builds of the cars . Was in charge of everything . PR crew , H L Shahan and many others worked for Dave ...
Dave is "The Guy" to talk about these super cars ...

The main thing Hurst had the promotional cars for Was Advertising . To help sales ...for the car companies .
He oversaw production of the Hurst/Manufacturers projects , Hemi under glass , SS AMX , Sc/Rambler , (69 Hurst Olds ?), 67 and 68 military project the Chevy powered Baja Boot ,
Hairy olds . Question marks are possibly not Daves projects ...
I will get the facts and correct ASAP ..No question marked cars are positively daves works .
As we spoke directly about those ...
Other was the Chrysler Baby grand , then AMC javelin Baby grand races ..

Dave Sold the AMC BAJA package to James Garner (Rockford Files and Movie Fame)
10 cars , Eight two wheel drive And the Two Four Wheel drive cars Dave was in charge of .
Exciting life ?? Or What !!!

NOTE NOTE Note
I will recheck with Dave as I do not want to leave any misquotes , as we were really covering a lot of ground in a short time (22 min.call) more to follow ...I just want to get this posted right away. Comment if you like ...

Dave left Hurst in 1971 and formed his own company (Landrith Industries) . He had bought
out Hurst's Detroit Plants Dyno's and car fabrication tooling . Took a lot of his accounts with him .
He has owned Five Sc/Ramblers , but needed to fund his new business . So had to sell them at that time . Would like to own one again .


Dave was consultant for AMC's race programs , plus other tasks , Like spearheading
the 77 AMX project etc . (Want to get more of the Five W's) ..
For Amc in 71 and 72 he Drag and oval track raced .
1975 he took on the AMC Hornet project , that was the 1977 AMX .
Daves Team worked with Jeep before AMC bought Jeep CO...

Dave was involved with the auto industry his whole life , accept the past 10 years .
Where he is still working , for a company that has accounts for recreational vehicles .
They research and engineer parts for motorcycles , and other craft ...Harley Davidson , Honda,Yamaha , Bombardier , etc ...Make mirrors and other die casting parts .
Stated that they talked Harley Davidson into aluminum castings instead of Zinc die cast .
33% weight savings ...

Shirley Shahan was a driver for Daves team , H L Shahan drove some also .
Other drivers were regulars , Rod Hall , and a Miller , will get back w/ first name ?

NOTE NOTE SC/RAMBLER Specific
This is Minutia on Steroids . Sc/Rambler specific : From Sc/Rambler's Godfather !

There were 30 Promo cars built on the "third Floor" AMC factory in Kenosha .
Some of these were shown in Ohio , 15 were shipped to H L Shahan in California .
These 15 were brought to Orange County Speedway ...Over 200 press agents showed !!
The cars were drag raced and drivers given their time slips and prizes . A road course was set up allso.
What a Gala affair that must of been . Food , drinks , lighting up the rear tires !
I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning !
Dave plus H L Shahan were at this event ...

Hurst was responsible to put the hurst added Items on the Sc's . They added the pin stripes
and decals . They did not paint the cars ...( third floor AMC building in Kenosha ...)
Will dig for more info on the other parts the hurst team installed , Hood scoops definitely .
Tachs , head rests . Hurst Shifter ...

This is from Dave , The Tachometers were Sun ST-635 ...
The Hood Scoops were TWO different sizes . They were made in Canada . In rene' Quebec .
Their was a claim , that we're shooting down , about three hood scoop sizes . Wrong..

Looking forward to keeping in contact , as this is a really great source ...
Dave has many people he's met through the years , and has made many friends along the way.

Thanks for reading
This Blog will not self destruct ! You are experiencing the Sc/Rambler Hammer Lane !

Bob Rascoe