Marshall Teague's comprehensive article on how & what he does (did) to Hudsons

oldhudsons · January 2014

Guys - whilst rummaging found this "letter to the Editor" from a Mar. '53 Speed Age mag written by Teague. It is approx. 1 page in very small print so I don't think if I scan it it would be readable.
His article very definitively tells exactly what he did to prep his Hudsons, inc. complete engine overhauls, chassis tweaks, parts he'd use and many other interesting comments.
If some of you are interested in seeing what he wrote I'll type the most pertinent parts of it in here, altho not all at one time as take too long, LOL.
Post in here to let me know.

Park_W · January 2014

That letter is printed in Jack Miller's book, "Total Domination." Definitely an interesting piece.
Speaking of total domination . . . most of us know that Hudson didn't win the Cup in '54. But I was doing some research recently in Greg Fielden's book on the first 40 years of NASCAR, and noted that the 1954 cup winner, Lee Petty, entered 34 races and won 7. Meanwhile, Herb Thomas also entered 34 races, but won 12. Hmmm! Unfortunately, Thomas had not placed in the top 5 and top 10 as often as Petty, and that gave Petty enough points to earn the cup (Petty: 24 top 5's, 32 top 10's vs. Thomas: 19 top 5's and 27 top 10's).

RL Chilton · January 2014

If you've got the time, Pete! That would be most interesting.

SuperDave · January 2014

What Russell said!
I remember seeing those guys dueling it out on the tracks back in the day.

oldhudsons · January 2014

would it work best if I were to type it up as a "Word" file then attach it? would everyone be able to read & or download/print it out if I were to do that??? Seems like a lot more useable format than me typing parts of it into the site here - need advice on this ~

Roger Harmon · January 2014

I'd love to read it! Any way you're willing to put it up here is great with me. Thanks.

Richie · January 2014

Any way you can do it will be fine oldhudsons, I'd like to read it. Thanks, Richie

Nevada Hudson · January 2014

Maybe Sam could put it in the WTN.

oldhudsons · January 2014

OK, will work on it this weekend.

oldhudsons · January 2014

hmm, took about 2 hours to type this off article pages, several cups of coffee - I converted it to a PDF file which I guess most use/get (?). I just found a couple of little typos but am afraid if I try to go back & edit it might screw things up so will leave it as is.
Will make some comments after attaching it.

oldhudsons · January 2014

great, clicked on it & it opened immediately.
In this he says he left NASCAR because of offer from Briggs Cunningham to co-drive at LeMans however I've heard/read he left because of severe differences he came to have with Bill France who owned/ran NASCAR and that initially he was the treasurer for the fledgling organization.

oldhudsons · January 2014

Also, I used to have a '52 or '53 Mechanics Illustrated with an article by Tom McCahill about the Hornet's capabilities. He wrote the article about a '52 HH with 7X engine that Cunningham had in France & was being used by Cunningham's people as a "gofer" car, McCahill saying it had a lot of hard miles on it. As I recall he was allowed to take it out onto the track during trials, was quite taken with the Hornet's handling & he was passing European sports cars with it before the rear axle failed. There were several photos of the HH in the article ~

oldhudsons · January 2014

I thought it interesting when he says the 262 engine, which wouldn't be introduced until '48, was designed in '44!

54Hollywood · January 2014

Great article. Thanks for posting!

Tim in WI.

hudsontech · January 2014

Excellent job, Pete.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

oldhudsons · January 2014

you're more than welcome, just a matter of a couple of hours squinting at dinky type on an old now brown pages & typing away + coffee so I could keep at it, LOL

oldhudsons · January 2014

researched & found McCahill article as a reprint used by Hudson for adv./publicity (if want to buy it, it's $15.99 at autolit.com). Very hard to read & only 2 of several pages shown with ad for it but gleaned the following thought you might find pertinent/interesting:
McCahill: "Last winter while shooting the breeze with Briggs Cunningham & Bill Spears in Florida the subject of the Hudson's great racing success came up. Less than 1/2 hr. later I was on the phone, calling Tom Rhoades in the factory in Detroit to order a Teaguemobile for Briggs and another for Bill, with all the extra equipment. I left Florida shortly afterwards & never saw either car until Briggs showed up with his as a staff car - - -". "Briggs not too happy with the car as it came from the factory so he turned it over to Marshall Teague - - -. Teague installed the very engine he had used in the Mexican race last fall - - - ".

oldhudsons · January 2014

This raises some interesting questions. As most of you know if you ordered "Z" parts (that's where they are in the Parts Book), the factory put the parts in the trunk of the new car as they were dealer-installed only parts. Was Cunningham's '52 HH sent to Florida with the parts in the trunk & some dealer pulled the engine to install the cam, put on the head, 7X exh. manifold, etc., or did Rhoades have it done at the factory for someone who had "juice" such as McCahill or Cunningham?????
Also, if Cunningham wanted a high-performance Hornet it's seems odd he would have ordered a Hollywood which is probably 500 lbs. heavier than a coupe.
The article very complimentary which was unusual for McCahill who was well known for his caustic comments which is why Hudson got permission (paid) to get article made into adv. handout. He did complain that he could only get it to do 107. There are a number of photos of the '52 HH sitting on or being driven on the LeMans track.
Also intriguing, what happened to the Cunningham car?????????????

oldhudsons · January 2014

Briggs Cunningham & Lance Reventlow two of my early "heroes" as had the guts & $$$ to build their own cars & take on the European manufacturers on their home ground. Reventlow, the playboy son of one of the world's wealthiest women, built the Scarab cars & was quit successful (saw him race at Elkhart, Wisc.). He died young.
Cunningham a super-wealthy man started out in Florida & at some time decided to move to Calif. (as I recall due to marrying a Calif. gal). He loaded up his car collection etc. & shipped it all out by train. He set up shop near the ocean in Orange County, had a small museum with a few of the very best of the best true "Classic"s as well as several of his Cunningham racing cars. Wonder if the '52 HH made it west; didn't see it when visited his emporium at least 20 years after he'd have gotten it, but what a helluva car to get one's hands on!!!!!!!!

54SuperWasp · January 2014

Thank You Oldhudsons, I was able to print it and it came out perfectly. Michel

terraplane8 · January 2014

The ready to race weight is said to be 4,900lbs - is that a typo? Seems an awful lot.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

Wow! Marshall says everything was stock, only loosened up a bit ? I think like Smokey, he wasnt about to tell his secrets and tricks..Only put out what he wanted his competitors to hear..