New on-board here, just purchased a 27? Essex

29SX

Hello all, I have just purchased a 1927 Essex I believe. I am interested in exchanging information, buying or selling parts etc and eventually rebuilding. I look forward to learning about this car and its history. This will be my first experience with this late of model car so any help will be much appreciated.

Thank you,

Eric...

46HudsonPU

Welcome aboard Eric! Merry Christmas!

Good to have you.  I'm sure you'll find a wealth of information here.

You may also want to visit the Hudson Essex Terraplane Club website, and consider joining that Club - Members come for the cars, and stick around because of the great folks there!

We hope you enjoy your time here at the Hudson Essex Terraplane 'Open Forum' -

hoggyrubber

congrats on the Essex! I have a 27 rumble seat coupe i got it all taken apart and rusted out a couple of years ago I am just finishing up on.  it's not really a restoration, but just fixing it to drive. when you can let us know about the car and pictures if you have them.

hudsontech

Welcome aboard - as others have said you'll find a lot of help and info here.  If you haven't joined the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane club I urge you do do so - the club web site is @ http://hetclub.org/
There's a shop manual in the online library @ http://hetclub.org/burr/lithomepage.htm  - filed under 1920-1929 Manuals.  There is also a 1927 supplement with more info in the same file.  There is a lot of 1927 info in the library as well - bulletins, reference sheets, etc.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

ESSX28-1

Welcome aboard. What body do you have? We love pics
Dave Young 28 Essex RS Coupe (x 2 on the road)

29SX

29SX

Well I got back here with a picture, finally, have all the registration transferred with original serial numbers and car at home. Been looking for interior parts plus a few others with out much success and find I do not really possess to drive to complete this car stock. Also I have no personal attachment to this car either. I am now considering stripping it down to frame and body to start from there. That would at least create doner parts for those in need and wishing to stay stock with their builds. I will probably hear from folks that are not in favor of doing so but look at the positives please. Still thinking but looking that way so I thought I would post my thoughts here.

Cheers...

Jon B

Welcome back, Eric.

Well, you have to do what's right for you and, as they say, "it's your car".

If, however, you are stalled because you can't find parts or information, I wondered if it's because you weren't sure where to look, and maybe weren't able to connect with others who own similar cars (and could give you advice, and show you their cars so you'd know what you're aiming for). If that's been the problem, maybe we could help.

I hadn't noticed any specific questions from you since your initial post, so maybe you've been "off screen" knocking on doors, e-mailing or telephoning people, with little success.  We Hudson people have a large network and there are many people with the older cars amongst us.  These folks know where to find both original and repro parts for these older cars.

So, if you've become discouraged due to the inability to find parts or technical knowledge on this car, please shoot us a bunch of questions and maybe we can get you back on track!

Naturally, if you decide to sell the parts I'm sure you'll find Essex buyers!

Geoff

It appears you car has the original motor.  From my point of view it would be a pity to change it form this, as they are not being made any more!

29SX

Thanks for your reply's. Yes part of the problem is "finding" parts and "how to's" but also the passion for the build. My experience lays more in the muscle car era as do my friends, I though when I purchased this car that it would be really interesting to me but not so much. When I weigh the costs to complete the car stock vs building a custom car it really weighs out to how far you want to go with either one of them but comparable depending on how much work one can do themselves. Yes I do understand that it is a special vehicle being stock but I also see a quite a few finished up nicely so not that unique. Sounds like I am trying to convince myself by writing this all down. The running gear is complete, just needs new tires, engine was rebuilt with only a couple of hours on it. Just need to flush and seal the gas tank and get the vacuum fuel tank to work, hmmm.

Ok a few things you may be able to help me with. Roof structure, how is built, what materials are used? I checked a couple local body shops to no avail. Seats, I have no frames or structures at all. Where would I be able to buy window, door, hood, fender etc weather stripping. 

That is it for now, thanks for reading and your patience:) 

Still thinking:)

Eric...

Jon B

Well, things like the top material, weatherstripping, windlace, rubber weatherseals, and the roof material (a kind of early vinyl) are common to many cars of the 1920's and can be purchased from any number of places.  Restoration Specialties in Windber, Pa., has lots of this sort of thing including the specialty hardware and fasteners used in 1920's cars.  Numerous companies sell Model A Ford reproduction materials, where you would find things like I just mentioned.  There are specialty upholstery suppliers for the old cars like LaBaron Bonney.  If you buy a copy of Hemmings Motor News (or just go to their website) you will see hundreds of pages of ads for cars, parts and supplies such as you are looking for, for antique cars.  For the more Hudson-Essex specific items (both new and used) you will find a number of suppliers.-- at the "Links" page on the H-E-T website you wil find links to lists of these companies as well as to other informational pages regarding Hudsons and Essexes http://www.hetclub.org/index.php?option=com_weblinks&view=categories&id=0&Itemid=631 (I am not sure you will be able to tune in this page, because some of the HET webpages are only available to registered users).  I myself maintain a webpage listing Hudson parts suppliers as well as many people who reproduce certain specialty parts for Hudsons in onesies and twosies, in their basements:  http://www.detailedconcepts.net/Repro_Table.pdf .

The roof structure is wooden with (I think) cross slats, which hold up that proto-vinyl shet material, and there is a tacking strip around the perimeter.  This was common to all cars before they started stamping roofs out of one piece of steel in the 1930's.  It is possible that someone in the Club has the patterns for this wood; one of the ways to find this sort of stuff might be to contact the person who maintains the registry for the 1927 Hudsons (that info is also at the HET website).

As to the seats, that sort of thing might be available from Hudson parts vendors who have stripped old Essexes and saved the parts like doors, window frames, seats, etc.  This is why we have a club and network -- so that people can interact with one another to find this information.  It's also how friendships are built, and it's because they needed to find these parts and this information that many people discovered other people who are now their close friends.  Because it isn't that easy to find Hudson parts, the members of this club are bonded together by need.  I guess you'd say that those who chose to restore more popular cars (like Fords and Chevys) have such a quantity and variety of parts readily available (at the click of a mouse), that they don't have the same level of need as us Hudson folks!

Anyway, I hope I've given you a sort of rough idea of where you may find at least some of the parts you seek. I'm afraid most local body shops probably won't have answers for you, you need to switch to the "specialty antique mode" to find that particular network of suppliers!