Need Help Finding These Pieces

[Deleted User]

Hello fellow Hudson enthusiasts,



I am beginning to believe I may never find these last chrome pieces but just hoping somebody might have them put away not knowing what exactly they are. I'm still (and slowly) collecting pieces for my 1942 Commodore Eight Club Coupe project. The pieces I'm speaking of are the short chrome vertical trim pieces that extend down from the headlight rings (shown in the attached picture with the red vertical lines). They are chrome plated, not stainless, and right and left differ only in the direction of the angle along the bottom edge. These pieces came only on the '42 Commodore models. Mine were rusted beyond repair and not enough to even use as templates to cast new ones (originals were stamped steel).



Any help would be greatly appreciated! Rick K. Kingston Springs, TN



P.S. Anyone know who's convertible this is in the picture? I pulled it off somewhere years ago.

RL Chilton

Rarerodder-



Just a shot in the dark, have you checked with Glen Johnson? He scouts around quite a bit and usually has quite a few parts for the '42-'47's. I know of another source, I'll check into for you, but it's a stretch, I know . . . 'specially if those are '42 only.

Unknown

Rarerodder wrote:

Hello fellow Hudson enthusiasts,



I am beginning to believe I may never find these last chrome pieces but just hoping somebody might have them put away not knowing what exactly they are. I'm still (and slowly) collecting pieces for my 1942 Commodore Eight Club Coupe project. The pieces I'm speaking of are the short chrome vertical trim pieces that extend down from the headlight rings (shown in the attached picture with the red vertical lines). They are chrome plated, not stainless, and right and left differ only in the direction of the angle along the bottom edge. These pieces came only on the '42 Commodore models. Mine were rusted beyond repair and not enough to even use as templates to cast new ones (originals were stamped steel).



Any help would be greatly appreciated! Rick K. Kingston Springs, TN



P.S. Anyone know who's convertible this is in the picture? I pulled it off somewhere years ago.

During the time I have been a Hudson owner I have encountered this request twice. The last time was in the 70s when Nebraska Hudson owner, Dean Seafus (unfortunately Dean has passed, and I do not know who purchased his car) was trying to find the very same pieces for his 42 C8 Convertible. Sometime during the WWII years, Dean was involved in a fender bender and damaged the front of his car. Unable to find replacement pieces he drove the car with the damage. Around 1948 he was able to procure the sheet metal from a 46 Hudson and replaced the whole front cap. During the 1970s, Dean was asked why his car had a 46 front clip... the story was retold and Dean decided to restore the car to original form. All the parts were readily found with the exception of the two pieces you are seeking. I remember Dean telling me how excited he was when he found these items. I believe they came from the MacDonald Motors (Seattle WA) Hudson parts stash. That group of parts was sold to Gene and Myrna Ershman who live in Idaho. Couple of suggestions: John Sonoff Denver Co., Carl Weber Mass, Fellow in NY - Durley? (Sp), finally--- some of the folks have electronic copies of the roster... I would ask for a sort on members who have registered 1942 Hudsons... these folks know the pain of finding parts for that rare year.



Cheers

RL Chilton

Wildwasp-



Do you mean Frank DLUHY, in NY? If that' s who your "?" was about, yes, he would be a good one to ask, I think.

Unknown

RL Chilton wrote:

Wildwasp-



Do you mean Frank DLUHY, in NY? If that' s who your "?" was about, yes, he would be a good one to ask, I think.

Yes, Russell

bent metal

Did you say they were "stamped steel"? hmmm Sounds like a challenge, bet I could make um'. As far as your old onces being too bad for a pattern, don't be so sure. Keep those old ones so that a guy can see what the radius and off-set depths etc. were.:D

[Deleted User]

bent metal wrote:

Did you say they were "stamped steel"? hmmm Sounds like a challenge, bet I could make um'. As far as your old onces being too bad for a pattern, don't be so sure. Keep those old ones so that a guy can see what the radius and off-set depths etc. were.:D

Bentmetal, let me know when you wanna look at one, I'll get it to ya! I worked for an automotive metal stamping company for many years but this is beyond my shaping abilities. These pieces have some detail as far as embossed groove (red) in the front and the compound angled 'melted' bottom edge. By 'melted' I mean the shape at the bottom of the pieces look like they were soft and squatted onto the panel below the bottom edge. Now this isn't how they were actually manufactured but is the designed 'effect' of their shape.



I've often thought that if I never find a good pair then I would attempt to make or have made something as close as possible.



Rick

bent metal

I see the head light ring is different as well. Do you need those too? What about the mounting brackets?:)

[Deleted User]

The headlight riings are cast (potmetal) and I have them. But, (and I'm going out on a limb here with my suspicions), the headlight rings as you can see are round, not the teardrop shape used by the 42 Super Sixes and all the '46 & '47 Hudsons. Well, at a swap meet, I found a box of round headlight rings, used but appeared to be the same as my '42 Commodore. I bought them, took them home and what I discovered was these rings were identical as mine except no cut out notches for the trim pieces below (ones I need). Turns out these rings in the box were for stepdown models. I'm betting that Hudson, after WWII, looked back and said to themselves, we have this tooling for these round rings from '42 that were hardly used at all and incorporated them into the design of the stepdowns. Sounds logical but maybe somebody can fill in the rest of the story.



Bentmetal, the mounting brackets are simple for the vertical trim pieces-flat plate with a couple studs, I can handle those. But, man oh man, if you think you can make the chrome pieces let me know!



I'm still contacting Hudson part dealers hoping against hope. Thanks guys for the info on who to try. I've bought parts in the past from Glenn-good guy! I'll try others as well. Clinton Webb put me onto the path of a couple more parts guys. If I do actually find a pair, party at my garage! Everyone's invited!

Rick

Spencer Yarrow

i will be at the party but who is paying the airfare from australia ?

Huddy42

I'll come along with you Spencer if you can find a backer.

Maybe they can make it around July 2009.



Les.P.

bent metal

Party?! Did someone say PARTY?! Just so you know "rare rodder", I drink Beck's.:D That head light ring has the cut out, the mounting brackets are soaking in a rust release spray and the trim pieces look good, one left, one right.:)

4Hud

If your search comes up empty, you may be able to shape a male and female pattern out of hardwood and use that in a hydraulic press. Brass may work for you, it is soft and plates well.

bent metal

So rarerodder, what do you think? Are you interested? I think I'd rather have you buy the set pictured above than make a few sets that will take me twenty years to sell.:D

Unknown

bent metal wrote:

So rarerodder, what do you think? Are you interested? I think I'd rather have you buy the set pictured above than make a few sets that will take me twenty years to sell.:D

Hey Guy ?????? That looks like your dads stuff ??? I always like visiting your parents and the yard. Tell them HI for me. Ron

bent metal

Ron P wrote:

Hey Guy ?????? That looks like your dads stuff ??? I always like visiting your parents and the yard. Tell them HI for me. Ron

You know it, he's got a lot of "stuff". You should come by and see the 46' truck he's got over there right now, you could eat off the under side of it.:D It's real nice.

[Deleted User]

Bent Metal,



Replied to your PM



Rick

[Deleted User]

bent metal wrote:

Party?! Did someone say PARTY?! Just so you know "rare rodder", I drink Beck's.:D That head light ring has the cut out, the mounting brackets are soaking in a rust release spray and the trim pieces look good, one left, one right.:)

Ok guys, Bent Metal and his dad have made me a happy Hudson builder! Bent Metal, you like that Beck's on draft of in a bottle? You guys from down under-Come on up! You guys don't mind if I make this a Hudson buidling party, do you? Heck, if I could get enough guys to show up, I could get this thing built in a few days like Chip Foose on Overhaulin!