1936 Terraplane serial numbers...

Splitwindow

The registration and tag on the firewall above the steering column gives my 36 Terraplane a serial number of 6314820... is the model # located elsewhere? I was told the first two numbers were the model but my tag says 63 for the first two.

Lee ODell

The 'General Information Handbook" by Alex Burr give the serial numbers for 1936 Hudson 63 Custom 6 from: 63-101 to 63-9820

Canada Vin # starts with 63-C-101

Is there a tag on the right front door post near hinge?

Lee O'Dell

Jon B

That's odd!  Definitely look elsewhere (as Lee suggests) for another number.  Passenger door post (as he says) is one possible location.  Also, get under the rear of the car and scrape the rust and grease off the top of the axle housing on the right side (between the differential and the brake backing plate).  Get a mirror up there and a light, and look for the body number stamped into the housing way up high.

If it says "63", maybe somebody replaced the nose of your car with a Terraplane nose, early in the car's life....and you're actually driving a Hudson!  (Or does the engine say "Terraplane" too?)

Splitwindow

I'll have to look when I get back over to where its stored for another tag or something... 

Terraplane on the nose, TP instruments, TP "power dome" engine, Terraplane listed as make on the registration going back to 1959... someone would have had to go through alot of trouble back in the day to make it a terraplane. What I do know is is that it all looks like its been together for a long long time, no parts that stand out as not belonging.

Lee ODell

I wasn't paying attention about it being a Terraplane. I just looked at the number given.. The rear axle is a good place to verify the number unless it has been replaced. Probably not though.

Here are the Vin #s for 1936 Terraplane:

61 Deluxe = 61-101 to 61-69750

61 Commercial = 61-101to 69750

62 Custom= 62-101 to 62-17041

Good luck.

Lee O'Dell

Lee ODell

I suspect the 63 should be either 61 or 62 since the rest of the vin # is 5 digit rather than the Hudsons 4 digit vin #.

Interesting. Let us know what you find.

Lee O'Dell

Lee ODell

1936 Terraplane wheel base 115"

1936 Hudson wheel bases 120 and 127"

The History of Hudson by Don Buttler page 202 states:

"Among several features which differentiate Terraplane Deluxe cars from their Custom counterparts was the absence of horns on the front, and the rear had only one taillamp. Also, front windows had no ventpane "wings", and a spacer panel added at the rear of the window permitted the glass to slide back and provide a narrow front opening."

Lee O'Dell

hudsontech

Also - the Model 61 didn't have a temperature gauge.

IMHO I think somebody, for whatever reason, stapled a Hudson ID tag where there should be a T'plane tag.  The other, tho highly improbable, is somebody, years ago, on the assembly line was doping off and put the wrong tag on the car as it went thru the line and it was never caught.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Splitwindow

Now i'm wondering what i've got here... i'll run over at lunch tomorrow and measure the wheelbase as well as take the big look at the axle and such.

RL Chilton

And the plot thickens . . . 

Splitwindow

OK we have a solution!

115" wheel base, all the right terraplane goodies, and a very small 2 that looks alot like a 3 in the serial number. I can see why they would have got it wrong on the registration... now the question is do I try and correct the error at the DMV or let sleeping dogs sleep!

Jon B

You should phone or e-mail the DMV first to explain the situation but don't mention your name or car.  Just say that you have bought an antique car whose serial number had been mis-copied by a previous owner into the bill of sale.

Or was it written incorrectly on the title?  That could be a bit harder to change but (going back 40 years, in my own case) a state trooper came out and examined the serial number plate, then attested to the fact that it was what it was.  Maybe it would be that simple.

In this case, the difference of one digit makes the difference of whether this is listed as a "Hudson" or a "Terraplane".  That's kind of big.  But on the other hand...in Virginia my car is listed as a "Hudson" simply because their computer doesn't have "Terraplane" listed as a name choice!  Or so I've been told...

Splitwindow

Caution would be best! I'll call around and find out. It is incorrect on the title and old registration slips. Thanks for the tips!