Jack “Doc “ Watson

High-performance automotive developer Jack “Doc” Watson passed away this August leaving behind a huge legacy from his days at Hurst Performance. Watson worked alongside the great George Hurst at Hurst Performance, the company that literally owned the aftermarket shifter business in the 60’s. Watson helped develop the world-famous Hurst shifter, the Jaws of Life EMT rescue tool, and other innovations including the Hurst/Olds 4-4-2 and Hurst Hairy Olds Cutlass drag/exhibition cars.

Jack “Doc “ Watson had a significant impact on the automotive world where he was also known as the original Hurst “Shifty Doctor,” as he often traveled to various racetracks with a Hurst shifter repair trailer in tow. Prior to his Hurst days, Doc had worked with Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov at General Motors where he experimented with putting larger engines in intermediate body Tempests, Skylarks and Cutlasses for weight evaluation testing. His work at GM led to a relationship with Hurst Performance and subsequent employment at Hurst as president of Hurst Performance Research.

Working as George Hurst’s right-hand man, Watson is credited with being the creator of the first Hurst/Oldsmobile 4-4-2 drag cars. The early Hurst Olds 4-4-2’s were equipped with 455 cu.in. engines borrowed from the Toronado and their performance made them some of the most recognizable muscle cars in the country at the time. Doc Watson is also responsible for creating the Hurst’s Hairy Olds Cutlass, a wild exhibition car known for its 4-wheel burnouts thanks to dual blown, 1,000-plus horsepower Oldsmobile V-8s set-up in four-wheel drive mode.

The Hurst Hairy Oldsmobile project was the brainchild of Jack Watson and constructed at Hurst by in-house technicians. The project was also supported by some of the biggest names in the performance marketplace at the time and included camshafts made by Ed Iskenderian, custom-made rods and main bearings by Don Alderson of Milodon, intake manifolds and rocker arm covers by Al Sharp, and forged pistons and roller rockers by Mickey Thompson. The four -tire-smoking beast was driven at racetracks across the country by Joe Schubeck until a crash at Niagara Dragstrip in New York ended its touring life in 1967.

Doc Watson built a reputation for safety, performance and continuous improvement in his lifetime. In addition to his success with Hurst drag cars, one of Doc’s proudest accomplishments was his involvement with the Hurst-developed, JAWS of Life Rescue Tool that took its name from his initials (Jack A. Watson). The automotive performance industry mourns his passing and owes a debt to Mr. Watson’s spirit of innovation and passion for motorsports.