Update 3: The Hudson gets "re-styled"...

[Deleted User]

I've been thrashing on the Hudson lately, trying to get it ready for Billetproof. Alas, I'm not going to make it to Billetproof this year as I am getting called away for work (I'm a catastrophe claim adjuster) to the midwest.



SO, I thought I might put up a couple photos of the stuff I've been doing on the car.



So, this is what the car looked like about a month or so ago:









First things first, I had to strip the car to get it ready for DP sealer so I can do the finish bodywork. I wound up using a razor blade on the whole car. That pulled off most of the paint.











A bit more (a lot more) stripping produced a body in bare metal. There was a ton of bondo in the doors and rear quarters, almost a half inch thick in spots. Whoever had done the previous body work never even tried to pull the dents. There wasn't any rust under the bondo, so I lucked out.











I've wanted to do something with the grille opening for a long time. It was just kind of an unfinished hole in the front of the car. I had picked up a 51 Merc grille surround, and played around with a 51 Ford grille, a 53 Olds grille, a Kaiser grille bar, and finally decided to make my own surround and use a 51/52 Plymouth grille.



I used the Plymouth grille, narrowing it 4 inches. I also cut up the grille pan from the Plymouth and set it in place.

I took some 3" mandrel bent tubing for the top curve of the grille surround.



The stock Hudson hood has a big piece of trim that runs along the front edge, and I wasn't going to use it. I bent up some flat sheet at a buddy's house so I had a lip to work with and fashioned a new front edge. Filled some holes, and rounded the hood corners.













As of right now, the car is ready for DP. When I get back in mid July, I'll work on some custom fender flares for the rear wheel openings (I'm not using skirts) and get the thing painted.

[Deleted User]

I also removed the door handles and installed Lincoln pushbuttons.

[Deleted User]

Dude...that is so sweet! Nice work on that grill opening. I also was looking around for something different (i don't lke the '50 grill) and came up with the '55 Olds grill. Someone has since also used that, but I think I'll still try to see how it looks on mine.

Nice work and keep the pics coming. They're fantastic!

[Deleted User]

Wow! Yer doin' nice work, man. Keep it up. You're gonna have a winner here. And keep the pics comming.

RL Chilton

Super Sharp! Love the grill and the Lincoln pushbuttons. My old man just picked up a '46 Lincoln, but he wouldn't let me rob the buttons;)!! Always look forward to seeing your pics.



THANKS!

faustmb

Love the grill. What color are you planning on?

[Deleted User]

faustmb wrote:

Love the grill. What color are you planning on?

It's going to be gloss black with bronze accents (wheels, 1/2 of the dash, garnish mouldings, column, steering wheel).