Hudson Performance & Endurance Records

BigSky
BigSky Senior Contributor
in HUDSON
I was surprised this weekend when multiple on-line searches failed to pull up the 1937 or really any of the performances & endurance records.  Outside of the step down’s NASCAR records.  Is there a source which lists Hudson’s records by year?

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  • 54coupe
    54coupe Member
    I the back of the Conde book has a detailed list.
  • ken1962
    ken1962 Member
    There is a 16meg file with over 100 pages of all records from 1900 to 1950s 

    Google. History of Automobile World Records - Count SEHERR-THOSS - FIA
  • 33ET8conv
    33ET8conv Member
    I think the most amazing year was 1933, especially for hill climbing. The Terraplane race team had over 70 events and didn't lose a single one!
  • AnnaCarin
    AnnaCarin Member
    Did you by any chance read of the 1937 records in Floyd Clymer's "Owner's Report on the Hudson", in Popular Mechanics, December 1951? Unfortunately, those records... weren't.
    A letter to the editor in the March 1952 issue explains:

  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    Anna, thanks for sharing that information.  I had recently seen the video on that run plus a few other records completed in 1939.  See below:

    At approximately 1:42:00 the land speed racing videos are shown, about 10 minutes of it.  I believe they said the cars were running overdrives. 

    It’s my belief that without a good source, (easily accessible on-line), all those records are meaningless.  However, if all of Hudson’s performance records were able to be readily found on-line that would add valve to the mark for current & future owners.  

    Ken, I looked through 60+ pages of the found document & didn’t see anything with Hudson on it.  If you have page #’s to direct me to I’d appreciate it!
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    Actually if anyone has online links to these performance & endurance records please post them because my Googling has come up empty!
  • 54coupe
    54coupe Member
    Search "1937 Hudson Salesman booklet" page 199 and 200 list records set by Hudson products.
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    54 Coupe, thanks for the directions to locate this information, it’s really cool!  I’ll attach the screenshots I took of those pages:




  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    From Don Butler’s book.

  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    K
  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    I think they mean the AVERAGE speed over one mile, not the speed that was reached at the end of the mile! A Terraplane Eight reached 60mph from a standing start in 14.4 seconds.
  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    The 1934 Railton Light Sports Tourer (sometimes abbreviated to LST these days) was the ultimate expression of high-performance prewar Hudson based cars. I’m trying to find my Railton book. I think 0-60 in 8.8 secs was one figure and that was with a tall axle ratio. They only made two, and one of them is a famous car with a lot of racing history, now restored and in the same city I live in.
  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    edited December 2020
    It’s interesting that the Hudson Eight did 20 mpg flat out, that seems to defy the laws of physics! One would think that mileage would be horrific at that speed but it was quite good. They did say that the car could go 24 hours at top speed without a tyre change whereas competitor cars needed several on the front axle. This was due to the weight distribution with more weight on the back axle than the front axle, with the front-mid engine placement. Meaning in my opinion the front of the car didn’t plough on the corners.
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    Terraplane8, great information on Hudson Performance & thank you for sharing it!  
    I have to say the weight distribution of 50/50, I had read of this before with Hudson & was honestly skeptical.  If I only had corner scales.... even if they are close to 50/50 that is a quite impressive feat.
  • 54coupe
    54coupe Member
    BigSky said:
    Terraplane8, great information on Hudson Performance & thank you for sharing it!  
    I have to say the weight distribution of 50/50, I had read of this before with Hudson & was honestly skeptical.  If I only had corner scales.... even if they are close to 50/50 that is a quite impressive feat.
    My 36 sedan has a Chevy 350. It weighs 3280. 1400 on the front, and 1880 on the rear. I was shocked.
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    edited December 2020
    No wonder I can’t do a burnout!!!

    but that is really shocking!
  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    edited December 2020
    My ‘36 Terraplane sedan with driver weighed at 53.5% rear and 46.5% front. I did a discussion on it which is searchable here.
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    If I say “wow”.... I hope it’s not insulting!  ????

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