Short trip in the 51

Richie

After driving my 51 around town for a week or so and the overdrive working great I decided to give it a little test. My wife and I went to vist my youngest son last Sunday which is a 125 mile round trip. Almost all interstate with about 20 miles of secondary roads. Once on the interstate I drove at about 60 to 65mph for about 15 minutes and then drove the rest of the way at 70 to 75mph and the engine seemed real comfortable at speed. I was a little nervous at first but as the trip went on I became more at ease. The car looks terrible but we still got lots of thumbs-up as we kept up with the traffic. Around Atlanta most traffic moves pretty fast. We left to come home before it got dark just in case we had any problems. We drove home at 70 to 75mph without a single problem. I was very happy that the car drove that well, in fact it drives better than the 50.

On Saturday I had taken the pan off to clean it and found some sludge in it, but not much at all. I had checked for leaks from the pan gasket Saturday and had none. After returning home Sunday I checked the oil and it was full and clear as water. As the old saying goes, "you can't judge a book by it's cover".

Our next trip will be to south GA. on the 31st to an annual car-guy's cook out. That will be a 260 mile round trip and I feel confident driving the 51 now. I just wanted to share my little success story, I'm starting to like the 51 a lot. Richie.

Unknown

Old and tired looking does not equal slow and falling apart. Hudson Stepdowns are similar to the timex watch... take a likin and keep on tickin.



Thanks for sharing your ride story.

hudsontech

And we add another smiling Hudson owner to the road.

Wonder whose smiling the most - Richie or Michael!!



Way to go, man. Hope you have many more happy trips in the future.



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

RL Chilton

Good job, Richie and congratulations. Yep, sounds like a reliable Hudson to me. Mechanicals in good shape, now it will free you up to do some cosmetics (if it's in the plans). Believe it or not, there are still some Hudson daily drivers out there. I can think of 2 or 3 off of the top of my head.

[Deleted User]

Richie:

Sounds like a great trip, wish you could consider PF. It will be soon. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. What happened to the 54? I'm still working on bathrooms, hope to finish next week. Keep um running. Bob

Richie

WildWasp wrote:

Old and tired looking does not equal slow and falling apart. Hudson Stepdowns are similar to the timex watch... take a likin and keep on tickin.



Thanks for sharing your ride story.

WildWasp, I agree, but I think our Hudsons are a tick better than the Timex Watches. Richie.

Richie

hudsontech wrote:

And we add another smiling Hudson owner to the road.

Wonder whose smiling the most - Richie or Michael!!



Way to go, man. Hope you have many more happy trips in the future.



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

Alex, I don't know about Michael but I'm smiling pretty big right now. I hope we will have many more happy trips also, thanks Alex. Richie.

Richie

RL Chilton wrote:

Good job, Richie and congratulations. Yep, sounds like a reliable Hudson to me. Mechanicals in good shape, now it will free you up to do some cosmetics (if it's in the plans). Believe it or not, there are still some Hudson daily drivers out there. I can think of 2 or 3 off of the top of my head.

Thanks Russell, the mechanics are all done and I drive it daily. I have to decide every day which one I will drive that day, lately I have driven the 51 and am loving it. I have had several comments at local car shows from "old school guys" that I should just "clearcoat" it. They were serious about it and I just kinda laughed. Richie.

Richie

bobdriveshudson wrote:

Richie:

Sounds like a great trip, wish you could consider PF. It will be soon. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. What happened to the 54? I'm still working on bathrooms, hope to finish next week. Keep um running. Bob

Hey Bob, it was a fun trip and I enjoyed watching the people looking at it. We can't make PF this year, but if we were going I'd be driving the 51 for sure. I sold the 54 about two weeks after I bought it to a local guy in the local Dixie Chapter. I see him at our monthly meetings. You have been at it for some time now, a very worth while project I'm sure. Maybe some weekend we can take a trip over to see you and check out your work at the same time !!! Good luck finishing them up. Richie.

SuperDave

Richie,

You need to change your avatar !!

Come on down to Florida, The Orange Blossom Chapter has a few things planned this winter. Oct 23-24 at Lake Wales, then a meet in Englewood Fl Nov 21st, The BIG Turkey Rod Run at Daytona Speedway Thanksgiving weekend Nov 27,28 as well as the 52nd BirthPlace of Speed Meet in Ormond beach the same weekend (Next town north of Daytona) . That's an AACA meet and Hudson is being featured due to it's 100th Birthday. Our 49 will be on the participation plaque. We need every Hudson to show up!

dave W.

Browniepetersen

Dave, I guess I retired too soon. I would often make it to Kennedy Space Flight Center while I was working. While you folks are enjoying your tour on Ormond Beach, those of us in Utah will be starting the ski season. Only a light dusting of snow right now but by then we should see about 60 inches at the resorts. It is always fun to see a Hudson in the parking lot with a ski rack on the top.

SuperDave

Brownie,

It's not aways warm here in November. I remember the last Ormond show we attended ('bout 29 years ago) with a Model A Ford. We nearly froze in the Friday night Gas Light Parade. It was 29F that night! This year we will have heat and if it's hot we'll have AC ! I started going to the Rod run after that. The flea market/swap meet always nets a few little trinkets. I wouldn't be going to the AACA meet this year,except that they are featuring Hudson and Chose ours for the pictures. I tried to copy Richie's paint color, so it is photogenic. Just don't look too closely! it's a twenty footer..

Richie

SuperDave wrote:

Richie,

You need to change your avatar !!

Come on down to Florida, The Orange Blossom Chapter has a few things planned this winter. Oct 23-24 at Lake Wales, then a meet in Englewood Fl Nov 21st, The BIG Turkey Rod Run at Daytona Speedway Thanksgiving weekend Nov 27,28 as well as the 52nd BirthPlace of Speed Meet in Ormond beach the same weekend (Next town north of Daytona) . That's an AACA meet and Hudson is being featured due to it's 100th Birthday. Our 49 will be on the participation plaque. We need every Hudson to show up!

dave W.

Dave, I thought about changing my avatar for a while but decided not to put "ugly" there just yet. Sounds like you have a busy schedule coming up. October is filled up for us and I'm committed to a Toys For Tots car show on Nov. 21st and we have Thanksgiving dinner for all my brothers and my kids and grand kids so those two months are pretty full. I would like to make a trip to Florida in the next year, I used to make several visits to plant city each year up until about 5 years ago. We'll see what happens!! Thanks for all the offers Dave. Richie.

hudsontech

Change the avitar - Ugly is STILL beautiful, when it comes to a Hudson.

In other words ain't no such thing as a ugly Hudson.



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

RL Chilton

hudsontech wrote:

Change the avitar - Ugly is STILL beautiful, when it comes to a Hudson.
In other words ain't no such thing as a ugly Hudson.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr

No such thing as an ugly Hudson, huh? I was gonna stay out of this till you posted that. I should probably leave it alone, 'cept to say that I have to disagree with you a little on that one, Alex.:D

Richie

hudsontech wrote:

Change the avitar - Ugly is STILL beautiful, when it comes to a Hudson.

In other words ain't no such thing as a ugly Hudson.



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Alex, "done". Richie.

[Deleted User]

Richie wrote:

Alex, "done". Richie.

Man, are you hooked or what?



Mopars are just a distant memory for you, huh?



I like the '51, neat car. Short-hoods rule.



Mark

Richie

`Hudsonator wrote:

Man, are you hooked or what?



Mopars are just a distant memory for you, huh?



I like the '51, neat car. Short-hoods rule.



Mark

Yup, hooked is right Mark, can't help it !! The 47 Plymouth is still a good car and I do have good memories of it, it just is not a Hudson. Hudsons are it for me !! I drove the 50 as a daily driver until I got the 51 driveable and now I just want to drive the 51. Actually the 51 drives much better than the 50, I even take the wife shopping in it. I was going through my Hudson folders last night and found the ad that was on e-bay for the 51 and in the description the owner stated the car was in a warehouse since 73 and the last windshield sticker was dated 1973, but he also stated the low mileage was original, 32,000. After taking everything out of the car when I changed the clutch I believe the mileage to be correct. The floor and matts are like new. I'm very happy with it!! Richie.

[Deleted User]

I remember my first Hudson car, wasn't that long ago.



We had no interest in the vehicles, just the engine to go into something else. By accident, I wound up buying the Super Wasp and got it running easily. The very first time the car hit the pavement - I was hooked. Its still hard to believe these cars ride and perform so well for their age.



Same kind of epiphany that so many have posted here about discovering Hudsons. I really enjoy your threads and you do pick out some good vehicles - Lucky Dog!



Mark

hudsontech

RL Chilton wrote:

No such thing as an ugly Hudson, huh? I was gonna stay out of this till you posted that. I should probably leave it alone, 'cept to say that I have to disagree with you a little on that one, Alex.:D

As it is written Russell - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!!



Hudsonly,

Alex B