Factory-built race cars didn’t only come from Porsche, Ferrari and Shelby. Oldsmobile played in that space, too.
And it offered one with rather humble roots.
The year was 1992, with the now-shuttered brand conjuring up something special for the day’s professional street stock endurance racers–think IMSA’s Firehawk series, the predecessor to today’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.
The starting point for …
IIRC, that engine was supposed to be in the stillborn 1989 Fiero GT.
I still miss my 92 SCX, it was a fun car, just was getting a bit worn out. Not easy to find one nowadays. The W41 and HO Quad engines do make good swaps into Fieros.
I know we often say a lot of cars would turn heads at a Radwood show, but I feel like this is one that definitely would.
Most people probably won't know the significance, but for those that do, it'd be like seeing a unicorn in the flesh.
That one is straight out of the "way back machine." Totally forgot about them.
Kind of cool to be reminded of an old brand that had a coupe and some folks on the inside who modified it for better performance for a niche crowd.
Man, I LOVE these.
I've told this story before, but when I was around 11 years old, I went with my dad, uncle, and cousin to the local Olds dealer to buy my cousin's first new car: A 1993 Olds Achieva. While I was sitting in the showroom waiting for them to do the paperwork, I sat on a couch and watched a loop of an Olds promo video that featured all the new Olds products and give a look at their motorsports efforts. In there was footage of the Aerotech concept, the 1994 Aurora, and all sorts of stuff on the Quad 4-powered SCX. My cousin ended up buying a 4-door silver-on-red Achieva S (I think) with a 5-speed manual trans, so there was a possibility it had the Quad 4. But the SCX they showed on that promo loop was what I was really hoping he'd buy! It looked so much better as a 2 door and without the awkward rear fender skirts his sedan had.
I still want one! Someday....
I like this way more than I thought I would.
The better half said, "It's adorable and ugly at the same time."
I really miss that SCX we had as a project. It was amazingly fun to drive and it was super cool working with Olds as basically the little briither oof their factory Firehawk effort. Like, I asked my contact at Olds "Hey, can I get a spare set of wheels?" and a week later a PALLET of wheels showed up. I asked for some extra brake pads and another pallet showed up with an entire motherjumpin' rear axle assembly ("the bushings wear out" my guy at Olds said), four front uprights and hubs, and a bunch of brake pads of various compounds and rotors. I asked if the had any suggestion on shocks and a set of shocks that the Hacker Brothers pulled off of their Firehawk car because they didn't like the rebound curve but they thought it would be perfect for autocross showed up.
We were a rounding error for them, but it was just interesting to see how it was easier for them to send a huge chunk of car than a single part.
They looked like they would be a domestic Prelude, at least on paper. The chassis was a lot more nose heavy and flexible, but it seems Oldsmobile did all they could with it. Rumor has it the factory made some extra stiff beam axles for them stamped with showroom part numbers.
JG Pasterjak said:I really miss that SCX we had as a project. It was amazingly fun to drive and it was super cool working with Olds as basically the little briither oof their factory Firehawk effort. Like, I asked my contact at Olds "Hey, can I get a spare set of wheels?" and a week later a PALLET of wheels showed up. I asked for some extra brake pads and another pallet showed up with an entire motherjumpin' rear axle assembly ("the bushings wear out" my guy at Olds said), four front uprights and hubs, and a bunch of brake pads of various compounds and rotors. I asked if the had any suggestion on shocks and a set of shocks that the Hacker Brothers pulled off of their Firehawk car because they didn't like the rebound curve but they thought it would be perfect for autocross showed up.
We were a rounding error for them, but it was just interesting to see how it was easier for them to send a huge chunk of car than a single part.
That's awesome!
I have too much money in savings. I'm considering throwing a bid on this one.
From the archives, some shots of our Achieva project car.
And that top scan looks a bit poopy. I’ll see if I can find a better one.
A few more photos of the old GRM Oldsmobile Achieva.
I want to say the first one is Solo Nats in Salina but JG can confirm.
And this looks like the back corner of the parking lot at JG’s old appartment–which became my apartment when I moved to Florida to work at GRM.
JG, this is the Riviera, right?
David S. Wallens said:JG, this is the Riviera, right?
Nope. good guess, though.
That's actually when I was visiting my folks when they still lived in Gulfport. It's a field (now a partking lot) around the corner from our old house, adjacent to the Stetson law college. That used to be the big grass field where we'd go play football or launch Estes rockets (which would invariably drift out on to Gulfport Blvd on re-entry). Now the small remaining grass area is fenced off and the rest is paved for parking for Stetson.
Here's a similar view today, from 15th Ave s, looking south toward the remaining tiny bit of grass, Gulfport Blvd and the Golfview Apartments.
Sold for a bit under 7k.
To someone that's a great buy.
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
Ah, okay. I was like it looks a little like the Riviera....
Folks, getting some GRM/Florida history here.
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