1941-47 Pick-Up Factory Assembly

48Sed

Was the pick up built on the same line as the cars or were they done in a separate part of the plant.Is there any pics showing one built at the factory?

I would like to know if they took a shell of a car and cut the roof or had one stamped and welded to the cab.

I am trying to figure out how much of the car they used to build the truck.

Thanks 

bent metal

They used a four door sedan, cut off at the b-pillar. Across the roof and six or eight inches back of that on the floor. Then added the cab back.

...just a thought, if you're going to start with a car that has skirted/hidden running boards you will have to change the rocker panel to the external type running board. It's spot welded to the floor's flange.

bent metal

Oh, and the rain gutters have to go too.

Lee ODell

The PU front fenders are different. The car front fenders are indented at the cowl because of the flaring on the cowl. This flaring on the cowl will also need to go. A good body man could probably reshape the indented fenders. Where the cab is attached to the roof there will be a seam for the 47 however for 46 the seam is filled in smooth.
Lee O'DEll

48Sed

So the firewall ,floor and doors were 4 door super six but the front fenders were special for trucks?

Would be nice to see a factory pic of one being assembled.

bent metal

Well, not that they were "special". Just that they were external running board type fenders. The later sedans had the skirted/internal running boards. Which had a cut out, as Lee described, try and avoid that. Or you'll have one more thing to change.

46HudsonPU

Weren't the 'bump outs' on the sedan/coupe doors (the bottom edge of the doors, covering the running boards) added-on to the doors, on top of the sheetmetal/skin that sloped inward?

i.e., It has been my understanding that taking that 'bump' off of the sedan doors (front doors, left and/or right) could be done, to make the door work (and look like it should) on those 42, 47-47?) pickups?

Lee ODell

I believe there is a slight difference on the leading edge of the door under the flaring. I think my son Rick told me the leading edge under the flaring is trimmed back slightly. He is adding the sedan doors to his PU cab. I will check with him to verify. I believe it is not trimmed enough to worry about and in most cases would not be noticed.
Lee O'Dell

48Sed

Lee

My truck has the seem and is a 1946 built in May of that year?

Lee ODell

48Sed
It would be interesting to find out when Hudson stopped filling in the seem. Apparently sometime mid year of 46. Perhaps Larry Crammer, HET Club Registrar for 41-47 Commercial, might have the information.

Another bit of information I discovered when I recently made a list of all the known HET PUs with vin's in numerical sequence, there were some registered as 46 with 47 viin numbers and some registered as 47 with 46 vin numbers. These may have been titled by the dealer the year they were sold regardless of vin number.
Of those PUs with vin numbers listed in the Club Roster I found two pairs of PUs that were in line together on the same assembly line. There may be more pairs but about half the PU owners did not list their vin numbers in the Club Roster.

Thanks for the information about your PU 48Sed. Always good to learn something new about these trucks.

Lee O'Dell

46HudsonPU

48Sed
It would be interesting to find out when Hudson stopped filling in the seem. Apparently sometime mid year of 46. Perhaps Larry Crammer, HET Club Registrar for 41-47 Commercial, might have the information.

Another bit of information I discovered when I recently made a list of all the known HET PUs with vin's in numerical sequence, there were some registered as 46 with 47 viin numbers and some registered as 47 with 46 vin numbers. These may have been titled by the dealer the year they were sold regardless of vin number.
Of those PUs with vin numbers listed in the Club Roster I found two pairs of PUs that were in line together on the same assembly line. There may be more pairs but about half the PU owners did not list their vin numbers in the Club Roster.

Thanks for the information about your PU 48Sed. Always good to learn something new about these trucks.

Lee O'Dell

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Lee - You'll also find some '46 Hudson pickups registered as '45 vehicles...

And, just an FYI, for clarification - My three pickups don't have SN's in the 2013-2015 Club Roster.  However, they've been listed in the online roster (by SN) since it was established, and the SNs have been provided to Larry - the HET Club Registrar, all long, long ago.

bent metal

It's been a while since I removed the skirt from one of those doors. But I do remember the door corners being altered. I think to clear parts of the 'internal' running board flanges, etc. So I agree with Lee. Also, yes the smooth door skin is under the skirt. But usually rusted out. With that skirt on there are about five layers of sheet metal. That skirt won't be welded on across the middle of the door either, only on the ends. Which helps in the dissection.