1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo [Tour]

I have a sweet rare car in the shop today, it's a 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo. These cars are extremely rare and I can't remember the last time I even saw one on the road or parked.
The GLH stands for "Goes Like Hell" and is the creation of renowned automotive guy Carroll Shelby. He created a number of cars over his lifetime but probably the most well known are the Shelby Ford Mustangs.
This 85 Omni GLH turbo is a 4 cylinder turbo car. I had it in my shop to do some minor electrical work. The current owner has done and will do more things to nearly restore this car. Even since shooting this video the owner has repaired brakes, a wheel hub, oil leaks and more.

[@firebrand07]

Had one. Incredibly quick. I ported the head runners, hogged out the exhaust manifold, drilled a tiny hole in the plastic wastegate line, installed a forward motion cam, custom computer w/shelby injectors, forged pistons. Even without an I/C it would flash 22psi and burn the tires until it hit 70mph in 3rd gear. Crazy. Sleeper from hell is what the chevy guys called it.

[@InternetDude]

Thanks for sharing, yep crazy quick especially if you mod them a bit.

[@michaelb8957]

I test drove this car when it first came out. A friend worked at Dodge and called me over to see it. There was an all black model parked out front and I said what's the big deal, this is nothing. He said just take it for a test drive, I laughed and said OK. I was shocked how fast this car accelerated and handled turns. When I returned he was laughing and said I told you it is impressive. The car was so fast off the line and did have torque steer but what fun to drive, I wish I had one today. I don't understand why they were not more popular.

[@InternetDude]

These really were underrated as a performance car but they are a total hoot!

[@timothyhays1817]

I bought my 85 back in college. I came across the Shelby speedometer decal that extend the mph from 85mph to 135mph. I guess I took it up to 125mph area once. The back end started getting light feeling. So I got out of it. This car is very unique in the upgrades from the normal Omni. Bigger brakes all the way around. Heavier struts and shocks. Wider rear axle. Dual Micky Mouse mirrors. Lots of stuff taken from the Shelby Charger.

[@InternetDude]

Cool!

[@jonmurraymurray5512]

My Shebly Charger would squat the faster I went. Lost my license when I got pulled doing 130mph.

[@larissarayne805]

I had one in college...was a beast!

[@InternetDude]

Cool!

[@hedge313]

I had one new in 1985. I wish I still had it. I cannot tell you how many mustangs I took in that little car.

[@InternetDude]

Thanks for the comment! These cars were sleepers, I could see it beating Mustangs every day.

[@chuckgifford1094]

Wish mine was as cool as this one but have a 1979 Omni with the 1.7 couldn't get it to run at the auction got it for $200!!! Found a starter and got it running!!!! Got plans for it!! Such a cool little car!

[@InternetDude]

Great!

[@Springbok314]

I had a 1986 GLH turbo with a black interior. Loved the car but after 100k the head gasket blew. But golly it was fun while it lasted.

[@InternetDude]

they are a hoot

[@slikrhodez3336]

I bought a used 86 when I was a young PFC! Drove it across the US from California to Texas and then to Massachusetts before shipping it to Germany! Had my first top speed autobahn blast in that car (Top speed wasn't this car's strong point, surprising GTI's and Kadet GSIs off the line was!) Nice to see one running, even in that condition! The Chrysler 2.2 liter turbo had the coolest exhaust note of any under power when the turbo would spool up! I could recognize one without seeing it when it drove by. Thanks for sharing!

[@InternetDude]

👍

[@RecklessNinjas]

Glad to see this thing alive! It took a long time to get my 86 running again.

[@InternetDude]

I like to save old vehicles, as does the owner.

[@85Stang331]

Had many chrysler turbo cars but never a GLH. The GLH was made from later 83 for the 84 model year without a turbo carb only and ran to 87. The omni was a great car esp the 3spd fuel injected version. I spent 20 years with Chrysler had my time with these.

[@InternetDude]

Cool 👍

[@nintendoneil]

My first car! (Mine was an 85’) I think I got it in 1993 for $2000. I had to save up a lot of pay checks from my first job at McDonald’s for it though...cool car for teenage me! I had one of those little CD players that was connected to a tape that went into the cassette player. I rocked out the tunes in that little beast of a car. Thanks for sharing this. Brings back a lot of memories..

[@CommunityToursAustralia]

Thankyou for showing this car my friend

[@InternetDude]

It’s a piece of history

[@oscarwalton1188]

They were great lil car's

[@InternetDude]

Yep

[@stinkybuddydog]

I really dig this Omni! loved them when I was a teenager!

[@tonyperkis9561]

Ahhhh! I can’t find one. A dream car of mine. 😍

[@scottwright388]

There's one local to me in Md. with 76k miles for 1,200 in pretty decent shape.

[@lisambutler8166]

If I ever get one, I’m making mine a little Nero’s pizza car from the movie home alone. That’s the type of car it was

[@jonmurraymurray5512]

I bought an 85 Shelby Charger. What a fun machine@

[@InternetDude]

I bet

[@TRYtoHELPyou]

If I ever have my dream collection, it will include a Plymouth horizon lifted on 33s. Electric conversion. Very nice overview. These turbos were rare.

[@InternetDude]

Since this car is so old it would be an easier candidate for an EV conversion.

[@tomm8195]

Just got an 86 omni very cool car

[@InternetDude]

Is it GLH or regular? I literally don’t see any on the road anymore.

[@tomm8195]

@@InternetDude ljust a regular omni been sitting for 2 years have the battery charging for a day hoping to start it up tonight. Has the 2.2 na was thinking of putting some money into it and making it a cloned glh. Very cool car

[@daveandkarynvass7953]

I bought one brand new in 85', named it Hoss. Used to blow the doors off T/A's, off the line.

[@InternetDude]

Cool! Do you miss the car?

[@lisambutler8166]

Cool frikin car man!

[@InternetDude]

Wish it was mine

[@michaelhasse2568]

no new harness available. long gone. love these, had 86 carb & 86 glhs

[@johnnytenjobs]

Hubnut sent me here.

[@fffourtwenty]

It's like a 6th generation Xerox of a Lancia Delta Integrale, super cool

[@InternetDude]

I see the similarities

[@jaym2569]

Very cool thanks for sharing!! Fwd turbo cars are cool!!

[@InternetDude]

this car is a hoot!

[@garbage854]

Cool 😀

[@darkenergy5686]

How much would a new wiring harness cost? Might be worth the investment if the current owner is planning on keeping the car. Electrical gremlins can be a b!tch.

[@InternetDude]

I’m pretty sure there isn’t a custom harness available. Regardless, all the gremlins are gone and every circuit is back to factory spec. I did some and the owner did some.

[@mostlymoparih5682]

I like it. Is there a brake kit installed on that? Is that lever by the shifter for the kit?

[@InternetDude]

The lever between the seats is the factory park brake.

[@mostlymoparih5682]

@@InternetDude Yeah but I was talking about the other lever. I thought I saw two sticks there, one for the stick shift and another but I was mistaken. Thanks Happy Motoring.

[@InternetDude]

OK

[@bobo9519]

First!

[@dowen1511]

Grate Looking Hair. 😂

[@LynxStarAuto]

You know these were basically rebadged Simcas

[@InternetDude]

Hmm interesting info, I hadn’t realized... en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simca-Talbot_Horizon

[@felisconcolor1112]

They were not: just try and swapping the Simca-Talbot's torsion bar front suspension with the MacPherson Strut front suspension and realize just how wrong you are. While Chrysler owned and controlled Simca for several years, the Talbot-Horizon resembled the US-market Omni/Horizon in the same way a wheelbarrow resembles a Bucyrus-Erie earthmover.