are we turning into the "stepdown" club?

50C8DAN

Walt lets see some pics of your '34!

[Deleted User]

50C8DAN wrote:

Walt lets see some pics of your '34!

The car belongs to Lee Cherry across the bay in San Loranzo, CA. I'll send him an e-mail to send your pictures of the car. Walt.

hudsontech

walt's garage-53 wrote:

Walt here. I chose the 53 Hornet because I wanted a car to travel across this country. I love the old Hudson's but the motors would not drive across this country like I do with my 53. Try putting 175,100 miles on them in 11 years without touching anything and drive on super highways with traffic in the 75 to 90 range. I built a 1951 Hudson 8 engine to shoe horn into a 1934 8 with the 3 speed with overdrive and installed a Ford rear with 3:50 gears, along with air condition. In the next few weeks we will add cruise control. Forgot, we installed Hornet front brakes because at 70 mph the front brakes and the rear brakes on cable would no stop this car. It is now a driver. Walt.

I remember Eddie Moore telling about a 34 coupe that his dad, Don Moore, put a 308 in. Eddie said the 34 would do everything except stop!!!



I know full well if I should ever build another 37, 38, 39 Dodge or Plymouth coupe with the 53 Dodge 241 hemi in it, I would, without doubt, put disk brakes in - at least in the front. Those old 30's cars, with big engines in them, had about as much stopping power as a freight train.



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

Unknown

walt's garage-53 wrote:

Walt here. I chose the 53 Hornet because I wanted a car to travel across this country. I love the old Hudson's but the motors would not drive across this country like I do with my 53. Try putting 175,100 miles on them in 11 years without touching anything and drive on super highways with traffic in the 75 to 90 range. I built a 1951 Hudson 8 engine to shoe horn into a 1934 8 with the 3 speed with overdrive and installed a Ford rear with 3:50 gears, along with air condition. In the next few weeks we will add cruise control. Forgot, we installed Hornet front brakes because at 70 mph the front brakes and the rear brakes on cable would no stop this car. It is now a driver. Walt.

Sounds like my setup, Been using it for 5 years now and it sure makes it more driveable, but why the Ford rear? Mine is a dana 44 from a 52/54. What kind of wheels you using?, I used Motor wheels from Chrysler products so I still have wire wheels.

Park_W

IMHO, any of the cars from '37 on up handle well and can be driven at speeds of 55-60, or better if equipped with OD or more favorable rear axle ratios. Whether the Interstates or the non-expressway roads are better may depend on how nervous one is about seeing someone pull up to a stop at an upcoming intersection. On my first outing with our former '36 convertible, I thought I'd take a state hwy to the meet 20 miles away, but soon got so worried about intersections, folks pulling out from their driveway, traffic light timing, etc., I headed quickly out on the limited-access highway. Felt much safer there, even at 55 while the mad Atlanta-area traffic whizzed past me. I love the performance and handling of our Hornet, but I plan to always have one pre-stepdown Hudson to drive. Folks need to see what great cars they were.

[Deleted User]

tombia wrote:

Sounds like my setup, Been using it for 5 years now and it sure makes it more driveable, but why the Ford rear? Mine is a dana 44 from a 52/54. What kind of wheels you using?, I used Motor wheels from Chrysler products so I still have wire wheels.

The Ford rear is the correct width, the Dana rear is to narrow, and no way was I going to add shims to bring the rims out. We did use 36 Terraplane wheel center sections with 6 inch rims and 205-75R15 radials. What a nice ride and handling. We are thinking about adding a Pacer rack and pinion steering if we can figure how to add the power steering pump. Space is getting tight under the hood. One other thing, if you sit in the car it's 34 as the owner made the 53 Hornet 3 speed a top loader, shift on floor. Walt.

[Deleted User]

50C8DAN wrote:

Walt lets see some pics of your '34!

Did Lee get in touch with you? Walt.

[Deleted User]

I wonder what percentage of Hudsons dissappeared in the World War II scrap drives? Particularly those from the 1920's and earlier.