Nostalgic Moment

Unknown

When I was a kid, my dad had a 1954 Hudson Hornet, dark blue over light blue, a thing of beauty. My brother and I would stand in the rear passenger compartment, leaning over the front seat, until ordered to sit. We'd drop the large center arm rest, lean back and look for the moon through the huge rear window.





The car had a wonderful ride ... it did not float like our neighbor's Cadillac, it always felt smooth and controlled. When my mom dozed off, my dad would run it up to 90 mph. Once in a while, he would floor it from a toll booth. Blowing out the carbon, he intoned seriously, something we always hoped for.



In 1959, we got a new car, a 1959 Rambler Ambassador Custom Cross Country wagon, cream over bronze, our first V8, a 327, 4 barrel with dual exhausts. It was quick, and had a modern feel, low cowl, big, wrap around windshield, front individual reclining seats low to the floor, taller rear seats which gave a great view out the front. Loved that car. In 1960 we got another Rambler Ambassador station wagon, colorful push buttons for the dash mounted Borg Warner automatic transmission - our first car with air conditioning. On hot summer evenings the family would pile into the 60 Ambassador and cruise cool and happy. The Ambassadors were smooth and powerful, but never had the road presence of the great Hudson which rested in our garage.



When I turned 17 I got to drive the Hudson. It had 90,000 miles on it and was a bit tired. The aluminum high compression heads had warped a bit, the twin single barrel carbs made a great induction sound when I would wind out the big 308. The car handled beautifully, delivered me and my friends from my folly many times, but did not have the bark or violent acceleration that some of my high school buddies got out of their V8s.



Wish I had the Hudson Hornet now. The 1960 Ambassador would make a great ride as well.



Someday, I might just get a 52-53 Hornet convertable, 3 speed manual w/OD, black with red leather and a 7X would do nicely.



Anyway, just thought I'd kick down memory lane for a bit.



Have a nice evening folks.

Clutchguy

Ah yes,the thoughts of traveling in my parents Hudsons.We as kids,my younger sister and my older brother,would argue over the center arm rest,you got to sit there last time-it's my turn,etc... By todays standards,the armrest argument would be"who gets to be thrown thru the windsheilds first"LOL.My sister,being younger always got to lay in the back window of the sedans.When I got old enough to drive,my brother who is 2-1/2 yrs.older,used to make fun of the Hudsons my Dad and I played with.He had a 65 Impala-SS,with a fresh "targetmaster"350 in it.He made the mistake of polking fun at the 1954 Hudson Hornet Cv.[now owned by Bill Souers] that it wouldn't get out of it's own way-needed to get a V/8!!!My Dad,as always,Up for the challenge,told my brother anytime,any place.So right then,my bro said'Lets GO!!" Dad and I got in the 54,followed my bro to the interstate.This is where my brother was taught a lesson of a lifetime.As we got onto the interstate,he takes off without really giving us a FAIR start.The Chevy V/8 powered really quickly off about 5-6 cars lenghts,bro was laughing at us the whole time-UNTIL he realized at about 90,we were passing him without real effort.I looked at him and was laughing my butt off,so he flipped me the bird and exited at the next possible place.Dad and I went to Dairy Queen,came back to the house,asked the brother what happened to take so called race??My brother has had a real different attitude towards these"Junk old Hudsons'as he put it.My Dad says -- 6=8,and your Chevvy needs fixed Rick!!!!

Unknown

Oh yes, I remember lying on the back window shelf ... felt like a navigator on a Stratocruiser. We had a summer house in White Meadow Lake - sort of a bit of 1950's Avalon. My dad's friends would sit around the back yard playing pinochle and shmoozing cars. A few tmes, we'd go to Morristown, Max in his 54 Caddy de Ville coupe, and the Hudson would just run away from the big V8. The first time a car beat us to 60 was the Seigal's 56 Buick Century coupe, but it could not keep up on the curves.



One time we had our Hornet up to an indicated 117 mph. That was as fast as it would go.



Since then I've seen the Clifford Performance web site and how they massaged Hudson engines to terrific effect. A nice topless 7X Hornet with some Clifford magic would still be a feisty number for cruising the Pacific Coast Highway.

[Deleted User]

I am really enjoying these Hudson memories please keep posting them. Stories about Hudsons in the day are great.

Unknown

My dad had a 53 Hornet cl. cp. with Twin-H. I loved setting on the pull-down armrest. You could see everything. We would go to my grandparent's house for Sunday dinner. On the way there was hill that if you were going fast enough you could get that weightless sensation. Every time we would approach it I'd be saying"go fast, go fast", not that Dad needed any encouragement. that car was around until it rusted out so bad it wasn't safe to drive. I drove it in high school and after. Great car for a date! Drove it back and forth to college one year when the 54 Hornet we bought the summer before ended up with a crack in the block and wouldn't start in cold weather. could only get it started by pushing it down the road at about 35 mph. That 53 Hornet was the greatest. The only thing I didn't like was that when you popped the clutch coming off the line you immediately had to shift to 2nd before the wheels stopped spinning. That car sure could fly down the x-way though. Those are some of my long ago memories.



Larry Bowerman