in 54 was 308 eng an option for Super Wasp

Unknown

I am wondering in '54, if Hudson offered optionally a Twin-H 308 with an AL head as an option to the Twin-H 262 with a cast iron head?



Or was it the idea that if it would be a Twin-H then it would automatically be a 308?? I thought there were some Twin-H 262's, right?



I have located the original engine for my car and it is currently on the way here; the gentleman who is transporting it says it appears to be a 308 (not 262) and/plus w/ALuminim head (H-145, I think he said)! !



The engine ID # matches the VIN # (5284400) ! !



This car is a 54 Super Wasp Hollywood.



I'm very confused and pleasantly SURPRISED if it is 308.



Mercy



Thanks for your feedback.



John

nick s

308 was not an option. the 145 indicates that its an early head i think 51 only as the later heads are marked 308 not h-145 as the horse power was growing. if it is truely a factory 308 it will have the extra block reinforcing rib above the oil pan flange. possibly it has been punched out to the 308 bore but i would guess someone wanted the 262 head for their hornet and swapped it.

Unknown

I would have to wager that for some reason, the engine is a 262 with a hornet aluminum head on it. Maybe someone went the other way, or needed a head one time, and that was all that was available. Sound kind of goofy, and its only a guess that a 308 head would fit on a 262, but i think it would.

Unknown

It does have the extra block reinforcing above the oil pan flange, apparently; that's why the gentleman thinks it's a 308 (and the 308 head is an indicator too).



He is going to double check when he gets home, before delivery here, as he has 308's at home to compare the original with.



If it's ACTUALLY a 308 and the original engine this car seemingly becomes extremely rare as that may have been a Hudson manufacturer's day when 262's were in short supply OR just a major error (someone grabbed the wrong-sized engine) in the assembly line, stamped the VIN on it and installed it; perhaps.



I wonder if Bill Albright or anyone else has ever seen a 54 Super Wasp w/orig twin-h 308 in it?

7XPacemaker

If I am not mistaken, Hudson was pretty open to fill whatever order the customer wanted. I am pretty sure that a gentleman in Capon Bridge, WV has a Wasp with Twin H. On the short wheelbase cars, the rear air cleaner was kicked forward slightly due to the wiper motor being in the way.

Unknown

This is a portion of an e-mail that i just rec'd:



"The Twin-H setup in 1954 used WA1-990S carburetors on the 1953-1954 Wasp models (along with 1952 Wasp, Commodore 6).



1952-1956 Hornet 6's used WA1-2113S carburetor."



My carburetor brass tags indicate 2114S and carbs indicate WA1; there is a possibility the tags could have been switched. Looking more like a 308?



Very interesting.

Unknown

The 2114S is a carburetor for 52-54 Wasp; that looks correct.

[Deleted User]

The 2114S were used on 1954 Hudson model 5D the 990S was used 52-53 on model 5B,5C,4C. So those are the correct carbs for a Wasp for 54 with Twin-H option. And 7X is right you could get just about anything from Hudson even up to ordering a 7X engine for your Wasp/Super Wasp that the dealer would drop in for you.

Unknown

I spoke with the 2nd owner (member of HET) yesterday; he said the original owner was a military officer who drove the car pretty hard in the first 2-3 years of it's life. He said the officer made at least one change by adding the AL head (308). He also said he thinks it's a 262 with a 308 AL head on it.



He said in 1959 he obtained a 51 Hornet engine with some less mileage and exchanged the original engine (since he didn't trust the AL head) and the original engine has been sitting in his garage all of these years (47).



Suppose if it looks like a 308 exernally, plus the bore and stroke confirm it, it'll be a 308; otherwise it's a 262. Next step - off comes the head after it arrives here. I hope to keep you posted, ESPECIALLY if it's a 308!

hudsontech

51hornetA wrote:

The 2114S were used on 1954 Hudson model 5D the 990S was used 52-53 on model 5B,5C,4C. So those are the correct carbs for a Wasp for 54 with Twin-H option. And 7X is right you could get just about anything from Hudson even up to ordering a 7X engine for your Wasp/Super Wasp that the dealer would drop in for you.

Just to show you nothing is embedded in concrete when it comes to Hudson - I have a Nov. 1953 Carter carburetor sheet that says thusly:

WGD Dual Downdraft Climatic Control Carburetor 2115S - for "Hornet" 7D and "Super Wasp" 5D.

Doesn't say anything about Twin-H - but this has to be a single carb as it's a 2 bbl.



Hudsonly,

Alex B

[Deleted User]

Yes the 2115S was the standard carb offered on the Hornet and Wasp for 53 the Twin-H WA-1's were the optional carbs.



I have also seen Hudsons with non-Hudson Carter carbs that garages had substituted.

Unknown

The engine arrived today.



Initially I thought it was silver, but later realized that it is gold, & certainly not red. I thought all 1954 engines were red (plate behind engine is).



* * * The block's casting number under the distributor is => 304539



Anyone know how to decipher this number?



Could the _ _ _ 53 _ mean 1953 ?



* * * On the 51 motor ( still in the car) it is => 310111



I have started tearing it down ; need to drain some oil and then off the head comes.



By tomorrow I should know if it is a 308 or 262; with all the extra side-block reinforcing, plus the 53, plus the gold color I tend to believe it might be a 53 308.



Tomorrow we will find out for sure.

[Deleted User]

In 54, Hudson would put together just about any combo that You could think of. They were trying to get rid of as many parts as they could before the merge with Nash. That is one of the reasons for the Hornet Special. It is also why some Specials have the friction type vent window and some, though very few, have the crank operated type. Therfore it would not surprise me in the least to see a Wasp with a 308 engine.

This was told to me by a fellow that worked for HUDSON, in Detroit, from 1952 to late 1954

Bob

Unknown

I just pulled the head and it IS a 308, gold in color and apparently original. I was told by the 2nd owner that the engine has about 35K on it and WOW was that timing chain STRETCHED!!!!!!!! Dont see any cracked valve seats or any obvious problems so far. Tear down continues.



Thinking of hardened valve seats, all yellow-zinc plated bolts nuts and washers (just ordered from Bolt Depot), stock valves, stock cam, roller timing chain, bore it the minimum, Chevy harmonic dampner, balance the rotating assembly, '54 262 head, repaint it Universal Gold, 200-4R (BRF) Grand National tranny (0.67 output in 4th locked up; will drop rpms from 3K to 2K), original Dana 44 rear end (3.07), Chevy HEI 12-v conversion. Just looking for a nice, leakless, smooth-running cruiser for cruise-ins. Maybe a Vegas trip in 2008 after the new Hoover Dam bridge is completed.



Back to work & the grease!!



grease monkey

russmaas

54 HSWH wrote:

I just pulled the head and it IS a 308, gold in color and apparently original. I was told by the 2nd owner that the engine has about 35K on it and WOW was that timing chain STRETCHED!!!!!!!!



These chains stretch bad after about 10,000 miles. Original replacements arent even tight to begin with...loss of power down the road

Unknown

russmaas wrote:

54 HSWH wrote:

I just pulled the head and it IS a 308, gold in color and apparently original. I was told by the 2nd owner that the engine has about 35K on it and WOW was that timing chain STRETCHED!!!!!!!!



These chains stretch bad after about 10,000 miles. Original replacements arent even tight to begin with...loss of power down the road

russ, is this why the 389 pontiac chains are a better modification?



just curious...



thinking that's all...

russmaas

hudsonkid wrote:

russ, is this why the 389 pontiac chains are a better modification?



just curious...



thinking that's all...

Yes, they are a true roller and will not stretch...tore down a engine that ran the mexican road race a few years ago (with the pontiac chain) and had around 10,000 miles on it and it was as tight as the day we put it on. Unless the owner wants an original timing chain (1 time)...we never put them on. Tried the new style and was disappointed with the amount of "play". We believe these new original timing chains, being so loose, may put premature wear on the bronze gear on the oil pump. Also have you seen the remaunfactured upper gear to these stock chains They weight about twice as much as the original....another horsepower taker