true "barn find"

oldhudsons

eBay # 120336108663 is a true 1 owner "barn find" with only 51 K miles, in Mt. It is a '52 Hornet sd. with the unusual combo of Twin H & overdrive.

[Deleted User]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other-Makes-HORNET-1952-HUDSON-HORNET-1-OWNER-ALL-ORIGINAL-RARE_W0QQitemZ120336108663QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item120336108663&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318#ht_500wt_0

Unknown

This looks like a great car you take home clean up get her running & stopping and driving. No need for restoration. I even like it

Browniepetersen

It is always intresting to me for someone to have a price on their car that is higher than what I think mine is worth. Maybe I have it all wrong on what a 52 4-door is worth on the market today?

[Deleted User]

He wants too much for it. There have been recently advertised great driving, very original, turn key cars for the same asking price. Nice car but too much for what it is.

[Deleted User]

Yup I was thinking 7-10K would be tops for this. Still its nice to see one come out of the barn like this.

[Deleted User]

The seller has been sniffing too much exhaust to get $15K. About $7,500 too much exhaust. And that is generous.

37 CTS

Back in 1953 my great Uncle traded his 48 Hudson for a black and cream Hornet sedan. My aunt said they had more comments about how pretty that car was over any of the many new cars they owned.

The Twin H with OD is a great performance car.

What fun it must have been to wash that for first time in so many years

Unknown

oldhudsons wrote:

eBay # 120336108663 is a true 1 owner "barn find" with only 51 K miles, in Mt. It is a '52 Hornet sd. with the unusual combo of Twin H & overdrive.

MEMORIES... 1972 answered an obscure ad in the Omaha World Herald....old Hudson for sale, call XXX_XXX-XXXX. I called and the woman who answered said her uncle had passed on and the car was in his garage. She was asking $200. We ended the call with her explaining the car had been in the garage for 18 years. I asked her why... she told me the vehicle had been purchased in Omaha and her uncle had driven it on a trip around the USA. A few weeks after his trip ended he had a massive stroke and was confined to a nursing home until his death. The Hudson had been in the garage every since then. The next weekend I drove to a town 150 miles distant to look at the car. The weather had turned cold and snow was in the air. When I arrived it was very cold and the niece was reluctant to drive over to show the car. She finally arrived and we went to the back to open a detached garage. There on four flat white wall tires was a dust covered 1954 Hornet 4 Door sedan. The car had 22000 mile on the clock and other than a thick coating of dust looked show room new. For reasons unknown to me rodents did not invade the car nor was there evidence of corrosion other than that caused by the failed battery and the dissimilar metal corrosion caused by the aluminum head. I bought the car and several weeks later on a bright weekend day collected the car... we loaded it on a trailer and on the way home passed though a Truck wash... the car appeared so great.


I would like to see this car in person, at my stage of life a hose off and a mechanical check and fix would be followed by driving it as is.

Unknown

This one is tempting if it doesnt go to high , its not that far away - guess I'll see !!

Unknown

They're only original once. If you want original, you've got to pay the price.

RL Chilton

The "buy it now" is 15K, but the reserve isn't set as high. This car is a really good find. I'd pay 15 for it, because if you are looking for a future return, the car will only escalate in value. 10-12 would be more reasonable and that's probably in the neighborhood of the reserve.



Of course, location doesn't mean anything to me, it wouldn't matter if it was located on the moon, if I could drive there to pick it up. I've got a zillion miles driviing around this country to pick up Hudsons and Hudson parts and I don't even have that many!



Like it was stated earlier, they are only original once, and WOW! What a great candidate for those who wanted an all original car.



Anyone notice that the clock numeral plate is correct for a '52, but the speedo numeral plate is not? Curious.

[Deleted User]

$7,500 would be my top bid. So what if it is "original" - by the time you get new brakes and brakes lines, fuel lines, carb kits, new tires, maybe a water pump - guess what, boys??? It ain't so "original" anymore!

[Deleted User]

Nice catch on the speedo Russ. Its got a 51 speedo in it. And if only 51K miles why are the aircleaner decals missing? intriguing. I may jet down to Montana and CSI the crime scene I mean location LOL

oldhudsons

In regards getting a low mileage original I'd like to add this comment. I' know I've owned over 100 Hudsons in my 45 years as a "Hudson man", from '13 thru '54, and I've owned low mileage Hudsons as well as one's restored by others & by myself BUT there is, as best as I can define it, a structural integrity about a low mileage Hudson that cannot be duplicated by any restoration. That touch or feeling becomes apparent only from the experience of having driven a number of Hudsons, both low mileage originals & those that have been significantly disassembled. To me it is primarily felt in the steering & handling as well as how quiet the car is on the road. This is why I concur with Dave.

I'm know some of the others of you have had the same experiences as I over the years with a number of Hudsons & will perhaps agree with me?

RL Chilton

oldhudsons wrote:

In regards getting a low mileage original I'd like to add this comment. I' know I've owned over 100 Hudsons in my 45 years as a "Hudson man", from '13 thru '54, and I've owned low mileage Hudsons as well as one's restored by others & by myself BUT there is, as best as I can define it, a structural integrity about a low mileage Hudson that cannot be duplicated by any restoration. That touch or feeling becomes apparent only from the experience of having driven a number of Hudsons, both low mileage originals & those that have been significantly disassembled. To me it is primarily felt in the steering & handling as well as how quiet the car is on the road. This is why I concur with Dave.

I'm know some of the others of you have had the same experiences as I over the years with a number of Hudsons & will perhaps agree with me?

oldhudsons-



If that's true, then you need to drive my car when completed. I feel as though I'm going the extra mile with this one and would like to know if it is "right" or not. Hudsons aside, I have driven many a-other make, restored and otherwise, and have found as many discrepancies between various aspects of "roadability" whether it was partially, completely or unrestored.



I've driven restored examples that were just awful and some that were better than when new. Same goes for unrestored examples. All of my experience lies outside Hudsons, of course. At least with many other marques, it's been my experience it's in the quality of the restoration, whether it had 30K on the original, or 300K . . . just more work required on the ones that had been hung up wet and left to dry.



Perhaps Hudsons are significantly different? If that's the case, then the "barn find" sedan currently listed is worth more than what many folks think.

Unknown

oldhudsons wrote:

In regards getting a low mileage original I'd like to add this comment. I' know I've owned over 100 Hudsons in my 45 years as a "Hudson man", from '13 thru '54, and I've owned low mileage Hudsons as well as one's restored by others & by myself BUT there is, as best as I can define it, a structural integrity about a low mileage Hudson that cannot be duplicated by any restoration. That touch or feeling becomes apparent only from the experience of having driven a number of Hudsons, both low mileage originals & those that have been significantly disassembled. To me it is primarily felt in the steering & handling as well as how quiet the car is on the road. This is why I concur with Dave.

I'm know some of the others of you have had the same experiences as I over the years with a number of Hudsons & will perhaps agree with me?

I've driven a few with extremely low mileage, in nice shape and I agree. That is what sold me on buying a Hudson myself. However, when that center steering bushing wears out... they can be scary!

53jetman

I've driven many Hudsons over the years, both low milage originals and fully restored examples. I feel each vehicle has a personality of it's own. Some of the originals didn't drive as I recall a Hudson driving. Some of the extensively restored Hudsons did not drive as well as others I had driven. The only thing I can attribute the difference to is the car's

"Personality". You all may think I'm crazy, and maybe I am. After all, I'm a Hudson Nut.



Jerry Bean

53jetman

[Deleted User]

Jerry, My friend Denham Morgan, Told me, when I got into Hudsons that each car has a distinct personality and He named each of his cars accordingly. He had "Belle", a smoother running 51 sedan, you'll never find. So named because she acted like a Southern Belle. Beautiful but could be a handful at times. Also had "Gwen", Whom I now own, "Bobbie", now a street rod somewhere, Ruby, and more than I can remember. I do remember that He said each and every one had it's own peculiarities, or personality.
Bob

[Deleted User]

Thats right Bob, and if Denham said it, you can take it to the bank.By the way, Belle still runs just fine she's just in a different garage now

[Deleted User]

I think every car is different. If original, it depends how well it was originally put together, how it was driven from new, how well maintained, etc. Same can apply to a restored car with build quality, etc. I have a 48 Commodore with 135,000 miles and it drives as new.... much better than my restored 51 Hornet.