Headed to French Lick!

RL Chilton

FRENCH LICK OR BUST!

Well, the time has come to start the first leg of my trip to French Lick.  On Wednesday (barring good weather), the convertible is going to make it's way to Indy via trailer so that my brother has time to do the upholstery before the National.  I'll go back up in July and drive it (for the first time) down to French Lick so that she can make her debut. That day will be the first time since 1960 that she will move under her own power.   

This also means that I could be coming back to Texas with an empty trailer, if anyone wants or needs to make use of that, just let me know.  

I'm going to make a stop off in the Dallas area to meet a Hudson man there, but I have no other scheduled stops.  If you see me on the road, flag me down so we can visit.  

After this trip, me and that car will have spent 8300 miles on the road together and I still haven't driven it.  But that day is approaching oh, so fast.  This 8-year restoration is coming to a close and I'm not really sure what I'm gonna do once I"m not working on her anymore.  Probably have withdrawal.  I know one thing, I'm NEVER going to save a basket case again.  Next one's gonna be 95% there and in at least fair shape, or I'm not even stoppin' to look.  I think I missed about 50 days out of the last 2900 that something didn't get done.  Because of that, I'm sorry if I haven't always been available or attended many chapter meetings, or just been available to "go do something", even hang out.  I always felt that pull or need to make sure the car was making progress.

I closed the hood for the first time tonight.  What a feeling.  What a look.  What a car.  Even though she's not quite done, it was really something attaching the last body panel and feeling it click home like it hasn't done since it was new.  

I couldn't have done it without this forum and without the help with parts and services that have come my way.  There's just too many people to thank and I'm trying to figure out a good way to do that.  It ended up that parts came from all 48 of the Continental US and 5 different countries.  There's more than a few that I had hoped would still be with us and I wish could see her now, all of which were a part of this restoration:  Bill Albright, Jim Harmon, Ken Amman and Larry Caye are just a few that spring to mind.  I hope there's Hudson's in Heaven!   

Speaking of parts, I'm still missing a left rear bumperette and a right front bumperette.  I haven't checked with Stu Coleman, yet, so he's next on the list.  I'll do that after the trip. 

Make sure you hit me up for a ride at the National!  We'll crank Elvis up and hit the blacktop!  Forkner's got first ride, but after that, it's open season.   

BillUSN1

Russell,
That thing is so nice I bet you could charge admission for a ride to help finance the remaining parts needed or for the next project you will save.

Wish I was going to be there to see it in person. maybe next year.
Bill

Park_W

Will be looking for you and that beautiful Hornet there, Russ.  We're driving the '51 convertible up.

hudsontech

That makes one good reason to go to French Lick - to see Russell's convertible!!!!!!! 

Great job Russell - you are, I know, a perfectionist and this ride is going to show that.

See you in FL.

Hudsonly,
Alex B
Memphis, TN

PAULARGETYPE

RUSSELL 

I KNOW THE FEELING WHEN I FINNISHED ''BABY'' IT WAS THE SAME FEEL OF HAVING DONE SOME THING OF VALUE NOT MANY GUYS ''BRING ONE BACK FROM THE DEAD'' AS YOU AND I HAVE DONE I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING BOTH YOU AND YOUR GREAT CAR AT FRENCH LICK TRAVEL SAFE KEEP THE SHINNY PARTS UP 

HUDSONLY 

PAULARGETYPE

Frankvintagefullflowcom

"Basket Case" is a four-letter-word. "It's all there" means, "it's not all there".
F

RL Chilton

Looks like we will be leaving a day early and heading out tomorrow.  Be on the road Tues. and Wed.  Heading back home on the 29th and 30th.  

Oh, and Ken:  When I hit about 45 or so, all of a sudden it felt as though 90% complete was about all I had.  Too many miles . . . 

RL Chilton

No, you're not.  I'm not 45 anymore, that was a long time ago . . .

hudsontech

Wait until you hit 70!!!!  That's a kick in the head!!!

Hudsonly,
Alex B

brumac

If you think 70 is bad, wait till 77 rolls around!  

Bruce MacLellan

Close Bruce - I'm from the class of '37.  It was a very good year!!  LOL

Alex B

onerare39

Russell,

I would be more than honored to get the first ride.  That's going to be exciting!

John

I wonder... if I show up with my 1940 Henney/Packard hearse if anyone would want a last ride? 

Glowplug

John... put Irons on the sides of the bullet ridden 39 and most of those who are in need would be much more interested.

ESSX28-1

This is is the hearse you need John!!

Park_W

Wow, Dave . . .  that baby is a real attention getter!  Coachmaker from Down Under?

oldhudsons

WOW, now THAT is a hearse!!!!!
Was it originally bodied that way, and if so, as Parks asks by whom?
Have you any other pics???

ernie28

A local panelbeater did the work creating that hearse. The rear end of the body came from a 29 Essex that another local was making into a coupe. Not sure re the rest of the car's history.

oldhudsons

can you tell approx. when this was done?

ESSX28-1

Don't know much about the Hudson Hearse but it's local to Alistair (ernie 28), so he's a good source for info.
I understand it's still earning it's keep.

hudsontech

Classy way to take that last ride in a Hudson.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

ernie28

From memory, it has been on the road for about five years now.  I have told Peter, the owner, that I want my  final ride in it when that time comes!

RL Chilton

This couldn't be a good omen . . . we've gone from going to French Lick to riding in a hearse . . . . (even if it is an HET product!).

hudsontech

Russ, if you think the thread of this post is unusual you should have been around back when we had a chat page. Everything, and I mean everything, was discussed from aardvarks to zebras and everything in between.  And the chat room ran, literally, 24/7.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Park_W

I, too, long for ressurection of the chat page.  It was indeed a lot of fun.  Looked forward to my visit every evening.

hudsontech

Park, remember the "ghostly" sisters who had been, in life, Hudson secretaries???

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

ArkieJazz

Is that Hearse right hand drive? Or is the photo reversed?

ESSX28-1

RHD. It's in New Zealand.

Lee ODell

This post has gone from total restoration on its way to French Lick to planning death rides in New Zealand.

I've got to many things to complete before that trip.

Lee O'Dell

hudsontech

Lee, this is what makes this forum so great - anybody can talk about anything anytime.  Also reflects goodwill on the club itself. 

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr

Lee ODell

Alex, I agree 100%. Information is great and the stories behind it make it more interesting.

Lee O'Dell

4starservice

Darn,

Looks like I would need to be a Kiwi to take my last ride in that beauty! Oh well at least some Hudson folks will have the chance.

Lovely hearse!

Drew

oldhudsons

R. L. - ever been to French Lick?
Going there in a hearse could be very appropriate for, as we used to say, "deadsville" (pop. 1400, know it has one stoplight having recently seen a video on Larry Bird, the self-dubbed "Hick from French Lick").