Hudson Pickup Tailgate Hinge Mystery Solved

bellbigdawg

I'll admit right now that original nice 41-47 hudson pickup tailgate hinges are hard to find, rusted, broken, and missing is it. for years I've been told to use 48-54 chevy pickup hinges, slot holes, squeeze down ends. but they don't look nothing like hudson hinges. I guess repos are out there, but I want original hinges not welded pipe. well, found 3 Willys civilian pickups, a 1951, 1954, and a 1955 that a friend own, and low and behold, there are the hudson hinges!! made by the same machine, exact in every way! the only difference is hudson had the hinge rotate in the inner sleeve in the tailgate, willys tacked it to the hinge so the sleeve rotates in the tailgate. same exact sleeve between both. wow, these are easier to find! and for some reason all of his were nice and solid! I had one good hudson hinge to compare to, so this is good news!

LanceB

Hey Big Dawg glad to hear that. Do you have any pictures of those yet?

faustmb

Good information. Where would one find a set of Willys hinges?

mars55

faustmb wrote:

Good information. Where would one find a set of Willys hinges?

Try these guys. Part Numbers 652116 and 817307. Page to bottom of web page.



http://www.willysjeepparts.com/Tail_Gate.htm

bellbigdawg

there ya go! I've got a picture of a set off a 52 willys pickup. peel the sleeve off and you got a 100% correct hudson hinge. I'd leave the sleeve on and take the one out of the hudson tailgate (part number BO142796) so that the sleeve wears out in the tailgate and not the hinge wearing out on the sleeve. also notice early willys pickup stake pockets... just like hudsons. I think maybe the same manufactorer made pickup bed parts for both companys.

Uncle Josh

Sure enough. I checked the 52 Jeep truck in the woods and there they are.

Unknown

LanceB wrote:

Hey Big Dawg glad to hear that. Do you have any pictures of those yet?

Perry Spring (Dany Springs Dad) has them made the last time I talked with him.

bellbigdawg

springs hinges are welded pipe. don't look like hudson hinges, though probably much stronger than the stock ones. sorry, but I'm picky on correctness on my restorations, not just looking for something that" works", but a part that can pass a 100 point inspection if it came down to it. plus a good pair of correct hudson hinges off a willys pickup have always cost me less money than the reproductions cost.

blaine

Can someone post an updated link or photos of the hinges?  My truck came with the tailgate off and no hinges.  I tried searching g for the part numbers posted above with no luck.

blaine

I found these in a box of parts... would they be correct tailgate hinges for a 46/47?

Lklemm1

That's the hinges.

blaine

Anyone know if you can still find (Willys) replicas?  The ones I found online looked different.

Uncle Josh

Reproduction Tailgete hinges here.

https://www.thejeepsterman.com/products/529-hinge-tailgate-1947-1964-pick-up-and-fc-170/

blaine

That’s why I’m confused.  That hinge doesn’t look like the hinges I posted above.  The hinges look more like these - http://www.classicpartsusa.com/product/SM175_1951/1951_Truck_Parts_Tailgate_Items?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2b7uBRDsARIsAEE9XpFnttrNedOgBc5Bcsm8i8BQTmTFlQubWhScv-r_blePWQKvebAcjqoaAmfPEALw_wcB

Glowplug

The hinge ends are the same https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2012_0711_46hudsontruck04.jpg

46HudsonPU

blaine said:

That’s why I’m confused.  That hinge doesn’t look like the hinges I posted above.  The hinges look more like these - http://www.classicpartsusa.com/product/SM175_1951/1951_Truck_Parts_Tailgate_Items?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2b7uBRDsARIsAEE9XpFnttrNedOgBc5Bcsm8i8BQTmTFlQubWhScv-r_blePWQKvebAcjqoaAmfPEALw_wcB

Yea...  I prefer the ones you've noticed, IF they can be made to work (?).
Anyone come up with a 'decent looking' (i.e., looks similiar to 'OEM') solution?

longlivelance

Was hoping to rekindle this discussion as I am looking for tailgate hinges for my 46 pickup. I've looked into Willys hinges, but everything I find has an OD greater than the 1" ID in the Hudson tailgate. None of the Willys hinges I've found have a sleeve on the outside that can be removed as described above. I do have the internal sleeve in my tailgate, but it is welded in, and I am hoping to find something that works with that instead of having to modify the tailgate. 



Any info or solutions anyone else has found? Or does someone have a set of Hudson hinges they would sell?