1937 Hudson Eight?

GreenHornet

It's a four-door sedan. It's missing the grille and such. Are replacement parts like brake drums and shoes available? Would it be a shame to part it out?

Picture(s) coming soon.

Jon B

Depends upon overall condition.  If (besides missing "the grille and such") it's also rusty, banged up and missing many other things, it probably would be good only be a parts car.  It certainly would not be worth pouring in all the money required to buy those parts, (and then restoring the car).  Generally, someone could purchase a very nice four-door for a fraction of the cost of restoring one.

If, however, the car was in great shape except for a few missing pieces, then it might be worth replacing the parts on the car, instead of parting the car out.

Pictures would tell us a lot.

As to replacement parts...they're out there, though the grilles alone are bringing so much money from street rodders nowadays (hundreds of dollars) that they're fairly hard to find.

GreenHornet

GreenHornet

Thanks for the reply, Jon.

More pictures coming, if reducing the file size a bit is what helped.

2manyprojects

location ?

GreenHornet

2manyprojects said:

location ?

It's in central California.

GreenHornet

GreenHornet

GreenHornet

At a minimum, the floor is rusted through.

GreenHornet

GreenHornet

GreenHornet

GreenHornet

GreenHornet

GreenHornet

That's it for the current pictures. I might take more, if it's still there the next time I go by.

I first saw a Hudson probably in the early 1990s in Camarillo. Someone had an original four-door Hornet, oxidized blue and cream. They drove it. I wish I would have tried to get that one.

Then in the mid-90s there were several Hudson pickups on the side of a business in Chico, CA. I'd love to have at least one of those. I wonder what happened to them.

I saw this one and stopped to check it out. "Is that a Hudson?"

The next time I drove by there was someone in the garage. He said it's a '37 Terraplane and he got it for the steering wheel. Then I noticed "HUDSON" on the cylinder head. It was fun to sit in it, look through the split windshield and move the shifter around.

I posted it on another forum and someone said it's an Eight because Terraplanes all had sixes.

I prefer the flat trunk over the humpback. I think Terraplanes have the flat trunk. There was a broken glass taillight lens in the trunk.

It might be fun to get it and try to get it going more or less as-is. But I figure that brake drums and shoes aren't readily available, and it might need some.

I'd like to save the split windshield, roof and such for a future project, but I am also not wanting to cut up the car, if someone wants to rescue it.

****
Please hazard some guesses as to what it's worth. What would you pay for it?

lostmind

I see few parts usable to make it worth hauling unless you can buy it for scrap value.
Then you can remove the few usable parts and scrap the rest and get your money back.
You can buy a running car for half of what you would have in that one.
But if you have spare cash and like playing with " Junker's" , you certainly have a lot to play with.
Not many engines cost more to machine and rebuild than a Hudson eight.
But they are sweet when right.

Jon B

I think this car would yield up a lot of "small" parts that people need.  If you could buy it for $1,000 or less, and had a place to store it, you might even make a small profit, parting it out.  But if you want a "fixer-upper", I'd say it would be worth paying $2,000-3,000 for something that is solid and "all there", as a starting point.  With a car like the one you're looking at, it would cost thousands of dollars in body repair alone.  If this style of car appeals to you, look for a much better example to tinker with.  Check Ebay, various Craigslistings, and Google, just to see what is out there and at what price.  Then you get a real feel for what you will have to pay for something in basically good condition.  Do your due diligence.  Then, when a bargain comes along, you will know it's a bargain immediately.

GreenHornet

This one's back on my mind. I texted the man and he said his wife wants him to use it as yard art. So, back to the original questions.

Are replacement parts like brake drums and shoes available?

Would it be a shame to part it out?

Would it be a shame to cut it up?

Someone on another forum said that not many '37 Hudson Eights were made.

Jon B

That's correct -- not that many 1937 Hudson Eights were made, but scarcity does not always translate into value.  As to parts, there ARE a number of new-old-stock, repro and restorable parts out there but you really have to "network" for them.  N.O.S. brake drums will be hard to find (so you simply get some used ones and turn them on a lathe).

Brake shoes are much more obtainable because (like fuel pumps, water pumps, carburetors and generators) these were "replacement items" and lots of them were made or rebuilt. 

Sadly, this is a '37 four door sedan, and will never have the value of a '37coupe, stationwagon, convertible, or pickup truck.  But that doesn't mean you can't get your money's worth of fun out of it.  But don't start with a car in this condition.  Spend a bit more money and get a car that's in basically sound condition, and then the money and time you put into it, will be well spent.  Yes, it seems a shame to part out or cut up a car like this, but you can find exactly the same car in a lot better condition, for not that much money -- if you look carefully.

2manyprojects

too far gone major money pit. parts car only

Jon B

From Craigslist, 2021:  https://forums.aaca.org/topic/349335-1937-hudson-terraplane-11500-sharon-pa-not-mine-relisted-price-reduced-to-9500-may-21/  Price reduced to $ 9,500 back in '21.  You could easily spend that on just getting the metalwork done.  And that's before thousands of dollars worth of chrome, upholstery, paint and rubber parts. 

Now, this is NOT a Hudson  Eight, it's a lowly, similar looking Terraplane.  An Eight in this condition would be more expensive.  But there are bargains for Eights, too.  Meanwhile you could buy the Terraplane, enjoy it, then "trade up" to a Hudson Eight when the opportunity presents itself.

The bargains are out there but you must educate yourself about prevailing prices so that -- when a bargain suddenly appears -- you can know it's a bargain and jump on it quickly.

GreenHornet

Thanks again for the good replies, Jon.

I'm interested in this car because it was (is?) very cheap. I wouldn't buy a $9500 car, nor put $9500 total into a car. That one you linked is very nice. In the shade, the paint color looks like an Indian Motocycle maroon-ish red, which I really like. I'd prefer that this car was a 'lowly' Terraplane (love the name) over the "doctor's car" Eight.

If I were to buy it, I'd probably slowly fix it to be a grocery-getter (quite possibly with an engine swap). I'd try to make the missing front sheet metal, if I didn't luck out and find some at a good price. And/or I might use parts of the body for a project I've been dreaming of.

Since no one on the HET Club Forum has balked, then I'm more inclined to see if I can still get it because I'd feel more comfortable with whatever I do with it, versus getting it and feeling stuck with it because I shouldn't do what I want with it. 

BigSky

I’ll tell you straight up it’s nothing more than a marginal parts car & the best (hardest to find) parts are already gone from it.  There is a reason it hasn’t been restored already, so don’t fool yourself thinking this is restorable.  You will not find a hood, grill shell, trim pieces, etc, the last grill I saw was $3,000.  I’ve looked for over 20 years to find a hood ornament base for my 37 coupe & still have never found one.  

Here’s the deal, it’s a rare car buy that doesn’t mean anything other than you won’t find parts & when you do you will pay way, way too much.  Rare Hudson does NOT mean it’s valuable!  You will waste years & frustrations will be beyond imaginable.  Decades will go by, you will spend far too much time & money on it & that’s assuming “you” can do all the work yourself and it won’t be worth anything in the end.  Did I mention there really is only one place to buy any reproduction parts from, yep.  The place selling them are so busy they stopped answering their phones & emails as they are too busy with doing their own restoration work for others.  The fact is parts of any kind will cost you triple what parts for a Ford of similar vintage cost & that’s if you can find them.  

I speak from decades of owning a 37 Hudson coupe and I whole heartedly advise you to run away from that nightmare as fast as you can.  Now if you think I’m kidding & you can’t run away from it, then find a brick wall & beat your head against it til your bloody from head to toe.  It will be far less painful!

Geoff

Nothing is impossible if you throw enough time and money at it.  I have a similar car in my workshop, and the owner is realistic that he will never get anything back for his expenditure, but he wants it done, so be it.   Nostalgia rules.  He parked the car 40 years ago, and went overseas, now wants to relive his mis-spent youth.     One  1928 Essex here recently sold for $18,000, after costing $50,000 to restore it.  The guy who restored it found he didn't really enjoy driving it that much, so cut his losses.   I agree with Big Sky though, it will  be a headache to do this one.