Hudson V8 proposed for Detroit

50C8DAN
50C8DAN Senior Contributor
in HUDSON
There was a story back in the WTN, I think also by the late Bernie Seigfried about a true Hudson (not AMC) V8. As we all know the lack of a V8 was a contributor to Hudson's demise as a standalone independent.  The comment went something like - Hudson's casting and engine build shop was pretty antiquated and it may not have been possible for them to actually manufacture a OHV V8 from their resources - one of the reasons one never happened.  Anyone have any other details on the Hudson engine facilities?  I know that had an experimental engine group that did a lot of odd ball stuff, like a modernized H8 in about 1951 or 1952.  

One other thing I have never understood was that it would have seemed with the interest in OHV V8s in the early 1950s Continental would have been a natural source to come up with one?  They seemed to build a lot of flathead 6s going way back into the 30s, but never came up with a V8 to sell to independents.  They may have tested the waters, but never heard of one being made. 

Comments

  • 37 CTS
    37 CTS Senior Contributor
    Hudson had mostly marketed itself as a Six-cylinder car company also offering Eights. I really believe they were not into the V8 with the management team they had. The last development at HMC was a new version of the Six with overhead valves.  A Bernie Siegfried story was he lowered the crankshaft for that engine over the side of the plant on a rope to save it.  Bernie and others went to work at Ford and the new Ford OHV was basically their planned Hudson design. 
     I have read articles that the Continental V8 engines were not evaluated but not suitable for automotive use by Hudson.
      A car of Hudson Bernie Siegfried lore I would like to hear about is a experimental 1954 that when driven off made no noise, was it steam, or electric, or the new Hudson 8?
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    37CTS some of the information you have is from the B Seigfried article back a number of years ago in the WTN.  A couple of comments - it was the "modernized" I8 cam that was lowered from the upper window but was caught by security.  The V8 supposedly evaluated by Hudson was from LeRoi, not continental.  LeRoi did not have the resources to supply the volume Hudson, or any other auto manufacturer would need.

    I have repeatedly thought that WTN would do all of us a favor of publishing a "From the archives" section to reprint various stories and tech segments by many of the Hudson mechanics and employees that long ago left for the Jefferson Ave. plant in the sky.  I keep hearing that WTN does not do this as they want to publish and sell a book with this information, but I have no idea if this is a rumor or true. 
  • superwasp
    superwasp Member
    I wouldn't think the total addressable market for such a book is enough to garner attention from a conventional publisher. You'd likely have to self publish to get it done. Too bad. Sounds like there's some interesting info hiding in the proverbial basement there.
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    Look I love the WTN, but it has turned primarily into a social newsletter.  When I joined in 1985 it was loaded with good tech articles and Hudson factory stories.  I would read every one of the articles and have kept many of my 80s and early 90s WTN.   My later WTNs have been donated to retirement homes.  Except for Geoff's articles, there is little to no tech any longer.  I am also a member of the Studebaker club and they have a whole section dedicated to Q&A tech and service questions from members.  There is a dedicated group of about 5 individuals that answer letters every month in the Turning Wheels magazine.  The WTN would do well to copy this type of section.  On the other hand with everyone getting their info from the forums and Facebook may be the days of club magazines will soon be over.

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