Life. The product was spun off and sold separately when it was owned by Dick Chrysler. By the early 1960s, Hurst transmission shifters and other products had become legendary in auto racing, particularly in drag racing, and among custom car makers. Many automobile enthusiasts replaced flimsy factory shifters (and steering column shifters, as well) with Hurst floor shifters to obtain better control of gear selection, particularly for competitive driving. As automotive historian Mike Mueller noted, "If you didn't have a Hurst shifter in your supercar, you were a mild-mannered loser." General Motors' official policy up to that time had prohibited the use of the names of outside vendors on GM products. Pontiac Division manager Elliot "Pete" Estes convinced the corporation that having the Hurst name on its cars' shifters would be an effective sales tool. Various Pontiac models had already been equipped with Hurst shifters from the factory, but the Hurst name did not actually appear on Pontiac shifters until 1965. George Hurst expanded into other specialty performance products during the 1960s by acquiring Schiefer Manufacturing, a manufacturer of clutches and Airheart, which manufactured brake systems. In 1968, Greenwald and Hurst took the company public. The company was acquired in 1970 by Sunbeam Products, a manufacturer of small appliances. Hurst was promised an executive position and seat on the board of directors as part of the buyout, but Sunbeam did not follow through. (According to one variation of this account, Sunbeam specifically informed Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Hurst that they would no longer be affiliated with the company.) Greenwald fully retired at age 67. George Hurst died in 1986. Lawrence 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. Today A subsidiary, established in 2008, called Hurst Performance Vehicles, is responsible for creating new renditions of Hurst vehicles that include the Hurst Challenger, Hurst Viper, and the Hurst Camaro. See also Linda Vaughn, "Miss Hurst Golden Shifter" References External links www.hurst-shifters.com — Official site American Motors Auto parts suppliers of the United States Automotive accessories Automotive motorsports and performance companies