1956 250 v8

[Deleted User]

I have a 1956 hornet hollywood, and have just had a rebuilt 250 engine installed. It runs well but will not idle. The carb has been rebuilt, the timing chain looks correct, there are no obvious vacuum leaks. What else could be causing it not to idle properly?

[Deleted User]

Better check the valve chamber cover. Walt.

PAULARGETYPE

YOUR HORNET HOLLYWOOD IS IT A HORNET SPECAL THAT IS THE WAY IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY OF A HORNET SOME ONE REMOVED THE PACKARD V8 OUT AND INSTALLED THE AMC 250 V8

[Deleted User]

1956 was the start of AMC,s V-8 engines and the Chrysler transmission. In 1957 they opened it up to 327 CID, long before Chevy had a 327. Only in 1955 did Hudson use the Packard engine and trans and they were JUNK. I know as I sold Hudsons. Walt.

Nevada Hudson

I have two '56 Hudsons, One is stock 250 v8, which was at the National, and the other '56 has the Packard 352 v8 with Ultramatic. And it runs great!

[Deleted User]

I have never seen a packard engine in a 56 in the New England area. Alex, jump in here. Walt.

Nevada Hudson

Walt, you saw mine when we had the Dry Creek Valley tour, and other Northern Cal. meets. Photo is on my posting. It was at the Reno National, and the first San Mateo regional meet about 18 years ago. Former Glenn Malme car that I have owned since 1972.

[Deleted User]

After checking with my old buddy in CT, a real AMC guy, Packard engines were installed in 1956's till March 56 then all were AMC's 250 engines after. Walt.

PAULARGETYPE

WALT NOT SO!! I 'M GONNA TELL YOU ALL 55 HORNET V8'S HAD PACKARD 320 WITH ULTRAMATIC AND ALL HORNET V8S IN 56 WERE 352 PACKARD V8 WITH ULTRAMATIC THE 250S WERE ALL HORNET SPECIALS ( SHORT FRONT FENDERS LIKE THE WASP BUT WITH THE AMC 250 V8 THEY WERE NOSTLY STICK OVERDRIVE BUT SOME WERE BUILT WITH HYDROMATIC IT WAS A HORNET SPECIAL ) I KNOW ALL YOU GUYS KNOW YOUR STEP DOWNS BUT NOW YOUR IN MY WHEEL HOUSE LOL HORNET SPECIALS WERE NOT BUILT TILL MARCH 56 THESE WERE BODYS THAT WERE LEFT OVER WASPS THAT AMC DIDN'T THINK THEY WOULD SELL SO THE INVENTED THE HORNET SPECIAL (AGAIN ) 1528 4 DOORS WERE BUILT AND ONLY 229 HOLLYWOODS IT WAS THE OWEST PRODUCTION OF ANY OF THE 3 YEARS THE 57 HOLLYWOOD SUPER WAS ALMOST AS FEW WITH 266 55,56,57 HUDSONS ARE MY 1ST LOVE THE 57'S ARE SPECIAL TO ME IT WAS MY FIRST CAR AND WITH THE 327 CID AND THE JETAWAY TRANS IT WAS TOP DOG IM MY NECK OF THE WOODS

Geoff

Sounds like it would have been the exact opposite of the '55-'56 Wasp, which only had the poor little Jet motor. I presume this was the same body Paul?

PAULARGETYPE

YES IT WAS GEOFF AND THE 250 WAS NOT MUCH BETTER THAN THE JET ENGINE I OWNED ONE FOR A WHILE A 56 HOLLYWOOD IT HAD 11,666 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT I SOLD IT WITH 12,300 IT WAS THE NICEEST CAR OF THE 56/57 I HAVE EVER SEEN BUT WITH HAVEING MY 57 HOLLYWOOD IN THE SAME GARAGE WITH THE 327 IN IT THE 250 IS ALMOST GUTLESS

Hudson Grandpa

Well Paul I guess I belong in the 266 category

TwinH

I recently had the chance to ride in this old Packard powered hot rod to a nostalgia drag race. I must say that is was no slouch at all,the OD gave it legs to get to the track and back and that 352? gave the pie crust slicks all they could handle for probably the most 1/8 mile runs from a single car all day. Now if I can just talk him into building some carbs for his 2x4 manifold...

PAULARGETYPE

HUDSON GRANDPA DO YOU STILL OWN THIS CAR ??

Hudson Grandpa

Paul: Boy I only wish I had not done such a stupid thing. But when you are 27 yrs old, and you have no knowledge of what the future holds, there it went. I think it only had about40 to 50 thou on the speedo when it got traded, if that. Unless it's in Argentina it still has to be around somehere, unless it was mistreated. It was in pristine condition when it got traded to the dealer in New Braunfels, TX in 1961. Bender Motors...All white vinyl Interior. Pic is in Denver.

PAULARGETYPE

JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE MY LOVE WHEN I'M BEHIND THE WHEEL I'M 19 AGAIN I BOUGHT THIS CAR WHEN I WAS 20 AND STILL OWN IT 45 YEARS LATER WHERE DID THE YEARS GO

ESSX28-1

Know the feeling Paul. I paid $16.00 for my 28 Essex Coupe when I was 20 back in 1965 & I',m also still driving it!!

Frankvintagefullflowcom

I horse-traded my way into my first car in '63, a near perfectly straight '50 Chev 2dr., and had a whopping $4.50 OOP into it. That represented a full month's pay from my paper route job. Now, those were the good ol' days.
F

Geoff

I paid $20 for my '28 Essex, back in '56. That was more than a weeks wages! Still driving it today.

Geoff

And I paid $50 for my Jet back in '71. That was about half a weeks wages! Also still driving it.

PAULARGETYPE

WELL THE BLACK 57 HOLLYWOOD COST ME A COOL $500 I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT PRICE THEN AT THE TIME 55,56,57 HUDSONS WERE LOOKED DOWN ON BY PURE HUDSON GUYS IT WASN'T A STEP/down IT WAS HASH WELL I LOVED THE CAR THEN AS MUCH AS I LOVE IT NOW 18 MPG ALL DAY DRIVING AT 80 TO 90 MPH I PUT 50,000 MILES ON THE CAR THE ENGINE FAILED AT 149,OOO MILES I WAS LUCKY TO FIND A NEW AMC CRATE ENGINE TO INSTALL IN IT

[Deleted User]

Paul I was 28 when I sold it for $400 dollars. You are a young guy LOL. PS I still like the "V" in the grill and I am sure glad that car cant talk!! LOL

PAULARGETYPE

LARRY WELL YOU AND YOUR BROTHER PUT MANY MILES ON MY LOVE YOU RAN HER HARD AND PUT HER TO BED WET SHE STILL RUNS LIKE THE WIND A LOT LESS OFTEN THAN BEFORE BUT WHEN I ASK SHE WILL STILL SPIN THE SPEEDO OVER 100 TO BAD IT'S +2 OUT SIDE AND 6'' OF SNOW ON THE GROUND I WOULD LOVE TO GO FOR A RIDE LOL

Nevada Hudson

Great report, Paul!
Those guys still look down on our cars!
Guess they never drove one.