Convertibles / Oldsmobile

1972 Oldsmobile Indianapolis 500 Pace Car

An Oldsmobile car first paced the famed “Brickyard” with the 1949 ‘Rocket V8’ powered convertible and has been chosen as the pace vehicle for the Indianapolis 500, 11 times through the 2001 race. HURST modified Oldsmobile cars first came about in 1968 and went on to special limited production for the 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974 1979 models and again in 1983 and 1984. Some 624-629 HURST Oldsmobile cars were built in 1972 – with only 10 of the 130 HURST convertible cars being powered by the famed W30 option.

  • Engine: 455 CID V8, 300 Horsepower
  • Base Price: $3,434

Overview

  • Base Model: 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible.
  • Engine Options:
      • Standard: Rocket 350 V8 (180–250 hp, depending on tune).
      • Optional: Rocket 455 V8, including the high-output 455 W-30 (rated at 300 net hp, though actual output was stronger).
  • Transmission: 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic, with a 4-speed manual optional on some versions.
  • Exterior: All pace cars were painted white with reflective 3M gold striping and Indianapolis 500 Pace Car graphics.
  • Interior: Black or white vinyl, with available bucket seats and console.

Special Features

  • Oldsmobile built approximately 629 replica Pace Car editions for public sale in 1972.
  • The actual track duty pace cars were equipped with the 455 V8 for reliability and performance.
  • Unlike some earlier pace cars, these replicas were fairly true to the actual cars used at the race.
  • All official pace cars carried special badging and striping packages that distinguished them from standard Cutlass convertibles.

Significance

  • This was the first time Oldsmobile paced the Indianapolis 500, marking an important moment in the brand’s performance image.
  • It was also part of the golden muscle car era, though emissions and insurance pressures were already starting to impact horsepower ratings.
  • The 1972 Pace Car edition remains a sought-after collector’s model today, particularly those equipped with the 455 W-30 option.

Production & Body-Type Breakdown

  • Oldsmobile built between 624 and 633 Hurst/Olds Indy Pace Car replicas in 1972
  • According to multiple sources, here’s the breakdown:
      • 130 convertibles, of which 68 were actual track cars used during the race
      • 499 hardtop coupe bodies. Among these, approximately 220 included sunroofs
      • 4 station wagons were built specifically for press, ambulance, or support use during the race—not sold as replicas

Putting those numbers together:

  • Convertibles: 130
  • Hardtop coupes (total): 499 (including 220 sunroof versions)
  • Station wagons (support use): 4
  • Sum: 633 total units

Engine Options: L-75 vs. W-30 (L-77)

All of the 1972 Hurst/Olds pace car replicas came with a 455 CID V8. The breakdown by engine:

  • Standard engine: L-75 455 CID V8, rated at 250 net horsepower.
  • Optional high-performance: W-30 (L-77) 455 CID V8, rated at 300 net horsepower. This was a “blueprinted” engine with forced air induction

But W-30 was exceedingly rare among the replicas:

  • Only 10 of the 130 convertible replicas were equipped with the coveted W-30 L-77 engine
  • Most cars, especially the hardtops, carried the standard L-75 engine. Overall, the vast majority of the 629–633 replicas used L-75, with only a handful (mostly convertibles) getting the W-30
Body Style Quantity Engine Breakdown
Convertibles 130 Mostly L-75; 10 with optional W-30
Hardtop Coupes (with SR) 499 total(≈220 with sunroof) Almost exclusively L-75
Station Wagons (support) 4 Likely L-75 (not replicas)
Total Replicas ~633 Predominantly L-75; very few W-30
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