55 Hornet Hollywood

Unknown

My dad and I just picked up a 55 Hornet Hollywood and after inspection have decided to make it more of a HotRod/Driver than a restoration. I am looking at an 87 Lincoln Towncar as a donor vehicle to replace the Packard V8 & Hydro trans & likely the rear-end. Has anyone else transplanted a 5.0 into a Hash or am I in new territory?



Any advise welcome!

rambos_ride

Lone_Domino wrote:

My dad and I just picked up a 55 Hornet Hollywood and after inspection have decided to make it more of a HotRod/Driver than a restoration. I am looking at an 87 Lincoln Towncar as a donor vehicle to replace the Packard V8 & Hydro trans & likely the rear-end. Has anyone else transplanted a 5.0 into a Hash or am I in new territory?

Any advise welcome!

Welcome to the forum and Hudsons!

There should be plenty of room to transplant that setup, but I'm not familiar with that year Hudson to be honest.

I squeezed a 454/TH400 into my 49 Commodore without too many alterations, so that's what I'm basing my comments on.

Check this thread and the links for some other ideas.
http://www.classiccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11169&highlight=sub+frame

Keep asking questions and don't forget to search too - lots of great information just waiting to be discovered on your new Hudson.

MikeWA

'55 (Nash) is completely different than '49 (Hudson), but if it had that Packard V8 in it, there must be room for almost anything short of a Messerschmitt. BTW, I don't think the Packard is too bad an engine, and if the tranny was a hydramatic, that wouldn't be too bad, either- but I believe they only put the Packard Ultramatic behind the Packard engines, and that transmission didn't gain the nickname "Ultra-tragic" for nothing. Can't say as I've seen any engine swaps in a Hash- should be interesting. As my daddy the carpenter used to advise, "Measure twice, cut once." Good luck.

[Deleted User]

the hash's have a very narrow space between the shock towers and make for a very tight fit for just about anything. not saying that it cant be done, just that you are going to send yourself nuts trying to get the ancillaries in. like mike said- good luck!

PS if your car has a hydra- consider an olds rocket. way too cool

Unknown

If the Packard V8 fit, then a small block Ford should have a 1/2 acre of room around it. That Packard V8 is about the widest passenger engine there was maybe except for the Chrysler hemis.

Unknown

Picked up the Lincoln this weekend. The 5.0 is a lot smaller and is 338 lbs lighter than the Packard, 460lbs vs 798lbs...



I may look for a HO 5.0 though, I found out after the fact that the Lincoln engine is the standard speed density 5.0.

[Deleted User]

Cool idea man, about time someone thought of customizing one of these cars. Maybe you can use the a/c, power steering (in conjunction with a rack), etc. and upgrade the car at the same time. Maybe you could adjust the Kincoln wheelbase (if necessary) and lay the Hornet down on the Lincoln chassis?

Unknown

I looked at that last night for a few minutes and that may be a real possiblility. The lincoln wheelbase is 117 & the Hash is 121

[Deleted User]

Lone_Domino wrote:

I looked at that last night for a few minutes and that may be a real possiblility. The lincoln wheelbase is 117 & the Hash is 121

If the step-downs weren't a unibody, thats the way I would go on my '50. But removing a body off a unibody is too much for me.

faustmb

I like the Hash bodies, especially the 2 door versions. I've always heard that they handle pretty lousy- compared to the older stepdowns. There was someone in town here a few weeks ago with a T-bird Supercoupe (HO supercharged 5.0) that would be sweet for a project like that. Price was good too, but the motor needed to be freshened up I think.



It sounds like a pretty cool project. Keep us posted.

Unknown

I hope to start dis-assembling the Hash this weekend to see what I have to work with. I have found more rust in the floor that originally thought so some of the "frame" may be damaged anyway. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance.



Thanks for the encouragement.

Unknown

Thanks! That's great!



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Top-10-Business

Unknown

Engine and transmission are out. Anybody in Texas want it?

Unknown

The problem with the Hash's are that they have a closed drive shaft, and no way to just bolt a rear end under. Using the whole frame is cool, much easier if you use the lincolns floorpan cut the Hudsons out, and sit it on top of it and weld.(Just like a big model car). Or you can just cut the lincolns floor,where the mounts are, into about 12.0inch square instead of going under to unbolt the floorpan. Cut your floor(Hash) to accept the 12.0 square. then weld together. This is after you have strechted your frame though. To complicate it more, if your steering box is good, and front frame, just cut the rear of the lincoln frame, and bolt in to your lower body, in the rear to about mid way. Then use all your existing front section, then just make mounts for the 302. Hope this helps, I know it sounds complicated, and I am a bit late on this info.

Unknown

Actually you are not too late. The idea of the whole floor pan had crossed my mind since the floor of the Hash is in need of replacement. We haven't had time to work on it for a few weeks so I hope to get back on it between Christmas and New Year while I am off.



Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[Deleted User]

my guess is anything from the firewall back is going to need replacing as far as the floor is concerned- the windscreens leak badly. the K member in mine was shot too so you might want to get some channels pressed and fabricate a new one while you're doing the floor. i cant remember who it was but someone else on here has re done the back half of the car, i think they put in an open driveline and 4 linked the rear axle

[Deleted User]

Both cars are uni-body cars. A straight up body swap isn't in the cards there!



You might just build a custom floor and supports for the Hash body, basing the pattern from modding the Lincoln floorpan and essentially back-halfing the car to accept the Lincoln suspension mounting points. Meanwhile, welding in metal to fill in the areas needing it. Like building a floor for a street rod, the way I see it! Hope it all comes together for you!



PS - Happy to see you use something other than a SBC engine, too!!!

Unknown

66patrick66 wrote:

Both cars are uni-body cars. A straight up body swap isn't in the cards there!



You might just build a custom floor and supports for the Hash body, basing the pattern from modding the Lincoln floorpan and essentially back-halfing the car to accept the Lincoln suspension mounting points. Meanwhile, welding in metal to fill in the areas needing it. Like building a floor for a street rod, the way I see it! Hope it all comes together for you!



PS - Happy to see you use something other than a SBC engine, too!!!

The Lincoln actually isn't a uni-body. We removed the body and scrapped it a couple of weeks ago but haven't had a chance to do much else. We have the suspension all pulled from the Hudson and hope to work on it again soon. I will post pictures soon I hope.

Unknown

Hard to believe the Hudson has a 6" longer wheelbase but it does. Still a possibility we will sub-frame it, just have to do a lot of measuring.

Unknown

Good looking start, You can just add 6.0 inches to your frame. Your driveshaft will have to be modified, but you look to have a great start. Good luck. Bill

[Deleted User]

Nice pics! Definately keep us posted on your progress.

Unknown

We cut off the front "sub frame" and most of the inner fenders to start test fitting.





Frame is lengthened 6" in the middle, then we cut off the frame horns on both ends.





Slowly it will be married together. We will cut the floor from the firewall to the trunk pan, set it down on the frame then build a new floor and weld it all together into a uni-body once again.