Where Have All The Essex Gone?

Unknown

Sing song time everyone! You remember that rather saccharine pop tune

from the early 60s? Where have all the Essex gone, long time passing?

Geoff Clark's rather provocative comment a couple of weeks ago that in NZ

the Essex cars outnumber Hudsons (even the Stepdowns), got me to thinking

over the relatively poor showing of Essex at the meets I have attended here

in the U.S.

In the two Western Regionals I have been to and numerous local meets, the

four cylinders Essex models are rare and the six cylinder Essex have been no

shows. I have NEVER seen an Essex Super Six on the "hoof."

Why should this be? During the period when our cars were new, the Hudsons

were outsold by the Essex something like three to one. The fours were sturdy

and speedy and well thought of both in their time and now by modern

enthusiasts. While the sixes initially had some problems, Hudson got them

sorted out and sold the Essex Super Six in huge numbers. So where are they

now?

I have often asked other old car folk why so few Chevys survived from the

Model A era. Five million Model As were made over a period of 4 years and it

seems that most of them are still running. Did you know that Chevy OUTSOLD

Ford in two or three of these years? Seventy years on, the Fords are

thriving; the Chevys are nearly extinct. Indeed, there may well be more 1929

Hudsons on the road than 1929 Chevys. I know of no way to prove this one way

or the other, but the fact that the proposition can even be entertained is

astonishing in itself.

The answers I have gotten on the Ford/Chevy issue center around two

issues. First, the Ford was mechanically strong where the Chevys had trouble

with the new six cylinder motors. The second reason seems the stronger one to

me: The Fords were all steel. The GM cars used the "composite" construction

using lots of structural wood. In the thirties and forties when these cars

were just transportation, an owner could replace the piston rings on his Ford

and get to work a few years more. What do you do with a rotten body that is

literally falling apart at the seems? Curtains!

Unfortunately for the department of nice pat answers, a higher percentage

of the Essex had steel bodies than Hudson, many of which were sold with wood

framed composites from Briggs and Biddle and Smart. So where are all of those

sturdy, speedy all steel Essex now?

After several gin and tonics last night my glance chanced upon one of

those plastic inflatable globes and the germ of an idea took root. North

America is physically higher than New Zealand. New Zealanders, always with a

keen eye for a bargain, took advantage of the first law of physics and

snapped up the bargain Essex cars when they ran down hill. Purple Smurfs were

involved in all of this some kind of way, but that bit seems hazier than the

rest right now. I know that doesn't sound too convincing in the cold hard

light of day, but last night it all seemed to make a great deal of sense.

Well, I've had my crack at an explanation, what do you make of it?

Tonight is Friday night and that means Margaritas. I promise to ponder the

matter again with proper lubrication.







Paul O'Neil, Hudson29@aol.com

Fullerton, California USA



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