hudson compass option

[Deleted User]

Does anyone have a picture they can post of what the Hudson compass looked like that was an option that mounted under the rear view mirror? Thanks

[Deleted User]

Any info at all out there on the compass option for any year Hudson?

53jetman

I do not recall of seeing a "Hudson" compass. My Dad sold the "Hull" compass for installation in the Hudsons that we delivered to customers.

Jerry

Unknown

41truck wrote:

Does anyone have a picture they can post of what the Hudson compass looked like that was an option that mounted under the rear view mirror? Thanks

Here you go...

hudsontech

I've been in HET for 42 years and I've never heard of a Hudson compass. In all the accessory lists I've looked at I've never seen this listed!!

What's next - somebody gonna come up with one of those 1941 Divco style vans?? Or a 1953 Commodore 8.

Only on the forum could you find these things.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

[Deleted User]

Alex, I've been in Hudson since 1934 and now I'm hearing things that never were. Where do these people find these things. All accessory were dealer options but I never heard that compass deal. You bought them at auto stores and installed them yourself. I'd like to see an order sheet with that item listed. Walt.

Unknown

walts garage-53 wrote:

Alex, I've been in Hudson since 1934 and now I'm hearing things that never were. Where do these people find these things. All accessory were dealer options but I never heard that compass deal. You bought them at auto stores and installed them yourself. I'd like to see an order sheet with that item listed. Walt.

Over the years of being involved with Hudson I have learned HUDSON had a marketing strategy which assured they could provide first rate cars from the bottom to top of the model lines and in most cases leave accessorizing to the dealers. It seems their marketing strategy allowed the local dealer to accessorize each model as it fit their market. Not only did this relieve the factory from making changes to cars on the assembly line, it allowed the dealer to make a mark-up on each accessory sold.

As the Hudson Motor Company began to suffer lower sales the corporate marketing department stepped up a campaign of sending bulletins to the dealers urging the sale of accessories as a means of differentiating and customizing the Hudsons and hopefully increasing sales of cars.

As far as ... seeing an order sheet with the item listed... All each dealer would have to do is pull out the blank order pad... and fill in the following information from the Hudson parts book to order a Hudson Compass.

Group U22-HA206195 Compass- Auto applicable to all Models

The aforementioned information came from one of my OEM HUDSON parts books.

Added: The compass accessory is listed on page 131 of the 1946-1947 Group Parts Manual. This accessory was dropped from the parts books in 1948, but it was available for order while Hudson had stock. The picture shown in the earlier post is this item. I have one in it's original box and it is not for sale. Over the years I have seen these items at both swapmeets and in the possession of Hudson owners which is where I obtained mine.

See the following picture

hudsontech

WildWasp wrote:

walts garage-53 wrote:

Alex, I've been in Hudson since 1934 and now I'm hearing things that never were. Where do these people find these things. All accessory were dealer options but I never heard that compass deal. You bought them at auto stores and installed them yourself. I'd like to see an order sheet with that item listed. Walt.

Over the years of being involved with Hudson I have learned HUDSON had a marketing strategy which assured they could provide first rate cars from the bottom to top of the model lines and in most cases leave accessorizing to the dealers. It seems their marketing strategy allowed the local dealer to accessorize each model as it fit their market. Not only did this relieve the factory from making changes to cars on the assembly line, it allowed the dealer to make a mark-up on each accessory sold.

As the Hudson Motor Company began to suffer lower sales the corporate marketing department stepped up a campaign of sending bulletins to the dealers urging the sale of accessories as a means of differentiating and customizing the Hudsons and hopefully increasing sales of cars.

As far as ... seeing an order sheet with the item listed... All each dealer would have to do is pull out the blank order pad... and fill in the following information from the Hudson parts book to order a Hudson Compass.

Group U22-HA206195 Compass- Auto applicable to all Models

The aforementioned information came from one of my OEM HUDSON parts books.

I'm not saying they didn't offer this accessory - I'm just saying I've never seen it. It's not in the 1948-1954 Master Parts Parts Catalog nor in the 1952 Group Parts Catalog - I have both of these in the online library. It's not in the 1937 or 1940 Group Parts catalog either. Which is probably why I've never seen it before.

I don't recall seeing it listed in any of the 1948-1954 Service Merchandizers either, but I really haven't read all of those from cover to cover.

Which parts book/books do you have that list this accessory????

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Browniepetersen

There was one on eBay a few months ago--looks like we all missed an opportunity to own our verry own rare Hudson accessary....

53jetman

Alex & All - Let me fill you in on how the distributors "distributed" Accessories. This would have been in 1945, 46 & 47 - probably early '48. When the dealer was called to the distributor's business location to pickup a car he (the dealer) had on order, all one had to do was to open up the trunk - It was like Christmas in July! The Distributor went way out of their way to make sure the dealers had every conceivable accessory that Hudson had available. (Thus the overabundance of "Battery Fillers" that are still available to this day) If the Dealer complained, he simply did not get the car - they would give it to the next Dealer on the list!

This system kind of fell be the wayside after Dad began buying his cars thru the Hudson Zone Office in Detroit beginning in mid 1948.

Jerry

hudsontech

53jetman wrote:

Alex & All - Let me fill you in on how the distributors "distributed" Accessories. This would have been in 1945, 46 & 47 - probably early '48. When the dealer was called to the distributor's business location to pickup a car he (the dealer) had on order, all one had to do was to open up the trunk - It was like Christmas in July! The Distributor went way out of their way to make sure the dealers had every conceivable accessory that Hudson had available. (Thus the overabundance of "Battery Fillers" that are still available to this day) If the Dealer complained, he simply did not get the car - they would give it to the next Dealer on the list!

This system kind of fell be the wayside after Dad began buying his cars thru the Hudson Zone Office in Detroit beginning in mid 1948.

Jerry

I knew about "Christmas in the Trunk" Jerry. This compass must have been tossed in the mix, as you say, between 1945 and 1947, 1948. As I pointed out the 1948-1954 Master Parts book sure doesn't have it, nor does the 1940 parts book.
Now I can say I've heard about a Hudson compass - and seen the entry in a parts book to prove it. I never, if you look back over my posts, said it wasn't an option - just I'd never heard of one. It's sort of like those early 1930's radios. It was pre-1933, from a Hudson bulletin I accumulated - D.S.4011 - Philco Transitone Radio (Apr. 25, 1932). From 1933 up radio's were available thru the factory.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

[Deleted User]

That compass was a new item for me. I have another I think assor. that I have only seen once. Maybe someone can enlighten me on it. My father had on his 50 com. 6 conv.a place below the trunk lid where he could check the air pressure of his spare tire. A hose ran from the valve stem to valve stem sticking through the body just below the right rear corner of the trunk. Dont know wether this was after market or Hudson assor.

[Deleted User]

1951hornethardtop wrote:

My father had on his 50 com. 6 conv.a place below the trunk lid where he could check the air pressure of his spare tire. A hose ran from the valve stem to valve stem sticking through the body just below the right rear corner of the trunk. Dont know wether this was after market or Hudson assor.

That was an option in 1939.

Kevin C.

48super6

I remember playing with these when I was a kid. My Dad worked at a Hudson dealer which by then was selling Ramblers. They still had Hudson badged compasses as well as the identical compass with the AM (American Motors) logo. I don't recall if any had the Rambler "R". The compasses were black heavy plastic although there were also some very dark brown ones. Wish I had them now!

Unknown

1951hornethardtop wrote:

That compass was a new item for me. I have another I think assor. that I have only seen once. Maybe someone can enlighten me on it. My father had on his 50 com. 6 conv.a place below the trunk lid where he could check the air pressure of his spare tire. A hose ran from the valve stem to valve stem sticking through the body just below the right rear corner of the trunk. Dont know wether this was after market or Hudson assor.

super651

A little fun with the Spare Tire Valve.
Back in the 60s my brother inlaw bought a New 1949 Comm.8 cyl Hudson with only 500 miles on it it was a beauty and we would take the speed o all the way over at times (it had over drive) and one day we stopped at a gas station in dawn town.He told the attendent to fill the tank with Hy Test and check the Pressure in the trunk.The valve was on the right side and just below the turtle,( remember that word)
We walked in to the office and watched him as he took out his guage and checked the pressure as he read the guage he was in shock and looked around to see if anyone was watching he came in and said that it was 35 psi on his guage and why did the Turtle have pressure
we told him that it was pressure from the Helium in there and it was used to make the back end lighter so it would go faster. He just stood there and said,Thats why them Hudsons were so fast. As we pulled out on the road we saw him looking at us till we got out of his view,and when we came by again he was still looking at the Hudson. Lets hear some stories from others. Hudsonly Rudy
I am installing on on my Turbocharged 46 and connect it to a small inner tube just to have some fun,it already blows there minds when they see the 262 Turbo on the side of the hood and Turtle.