Iconic — adj. \ī-ˈkä-nik\ — widely recognized and
well-established; acknowledged for distinctive excellence

What are the most iconic brands in the automotive performance aftermarket?

We thought about that for a while and collected votes from thousands of hot rodders and performance enthusiasts on Summit Racing’s Facebook and Instagram in search of the answers.

The word “iconic” may mean different things to different people, but we chose to roll with the dictionary-based definition of the word.

Continuing the countdown to #1 is the brand you voted to the #3 spot on the list.

Miss Hurst Golden Shifter © Hemmings.

#3 — Hurst

On the Hurst Shifters website, it proudly proclaims: “An American Icon Since 1958.”

Our readers strongly agreed, placing Hurst in the #3 spot on our list of most iconic brands. We certainly don’t think many would disagree considering the company’s legendary parts, on-track success, and innovative marketing and promotion approach. Few, if any, aftermarket manufacturers combined those three aspects better than Hurst. And it’s no coincidence that few, if any, companies, have been more synonymous with high performance than Hurst.

Legendary Parts

Hurst was founded in 1958 and began manufacturing a line of high performance shifters not long after. By the early 1960s, Hurst aftermarket floor shifters had already achieved legendary status on the dragstrip. The Hurst 4-speed shifter earned a gigantic reputation by completely changing the way manual floor shifters performed.

Hurst became a major player in the hot rodding community when Pontiac selected a four-speed Hurst shifter for its 1961 Catalina with the 421 Super Duty engine. This original relationship with OE manufacturers helped Hurst become a household name and would lead to greater popularity for both Hurst and its shifters. The Hurst name became so trusted and so coveted, General Motors eventually lifted its rule against placing outside vendors’ names on GM products. In 1965, the Hurst name began appearing on Pontiac shifters to help GM promote its performance prowess. Other U.S. automakers soon followed, and Hurst products could be found on the AMC AMX, Ford Mustang Boss 302 and Boss 429, Plymouth Barracuda, and many others.

In addition to shifters, Hurst marketed and sold more than 100 different speed parts. The company is also credited with creating the Jaws of Life, the life-changing tool used by first responders and emergency workers to extract crash victims from badly damaged vehicles.

On-Track Success and Promotional Prowess

To promote its products, Hurst teamed up with U.S. auto manufacturers to create a series of special Hurst-equipped models—the AMC SC/Rambler, the ’71 Hurst Jeepster, and several Hurst/Olds vehicles to name a few. During the 1960s, the company began sponsoring racecars and even handed out contingency sponsorships to drivers using Hurst products. Hurst also developed lightweight factory cars commissioned by Chrysler for the Super Stock drag racing, and is even credited for rescuing the pace car program at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hurst’s involvement in racing was just the beginning of founder George Hurst’s marketing genius. “Miss Hurst Golden Shifter” was hired to promote Hurst shifters at big-time racing event and eventually became nearly as iconic as the shifter itself! Linda Vaughn, the most-famous Miss Hurst, was ultimately elected into the Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Hurst also created some memorable drag racing exhibition cars, including the famed HEMI Under Glass wheelstander, and would bring portable machine shops to major drag races to make repairs of Hurst products.

Today, Hurst is part of Driven Performance Brands, along with other well-known brands like Flowmaster and B&M. The company has returned its focus to offering a wide range of products—George Hurst’s original vision.

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