'31 H BT to be auctioned

oldhudsons
oldhudsons Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Saw an ad by RM Auctions in latest OCW with a pic of a restored '31 Hudson BT to be sold at no reserve here in Phoenix Jan. 16.

Wonder who the owner is as so few in existance. An ex-Harrah one was in L. A. some years ago & another restored one in Wisc. but who knows, might be one that "came out of the woodwork".

Comments

  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Pete-



    I guess I'm brain-dead. BT? What does that stand for?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    RL Chilton wrote:
    Pete-



    I guess I'm brain-dead. BT? What does that stand for?



    Boat Tail ?
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Boat tail. Here's a link.
    http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=AZ09&CarID=r202
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Ron-



    That's probably it! I was thinking it was short for some model #, but I'm sure you're right.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Dang, you're quick Ron P!!!
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Wow, Matt. That was fast. Faster than I could post.
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Oh, my God, that's gorgeous. But now I'm confused. I thought the only boat-tails were the '27 Essex's. In how many years were boat-tails produced for HET Motor Co.?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    royer wrote:
    Dang, you're quick Ron P!!!



    Thanks, thats what she said :rolleyes:
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    Russell - boattails were put on Essex chassis in several different years of production inc. '27, but also in '29 & '31 however the "Sports Roadster" as Hudson called it but "boattail" to us, was only made on the Hudson chassis in '31, ergo the only 8 cyl. boattail made.

    Only a few are known to exist.
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    In answer to my own question of a few days ago there was an article about the "Dr. Barbara Atwood Collection" in the OCW I got today.

    She was the wife of a wealthy Rockford, Ill. businessman & banker, Seth Atwood & was a vet.

    I just read some info on the H BT at the RM Auctions website. I have a suspicion that it was the one that "Tiny" Gould of Pa., a noted car collector of some years ago (mostly "heavy" classics), once owned & that is shown in an old Car Collector book.

    All of the cars in her collection were sold with no reserve inc. a '29 Duesenberg conv. cp. - I'm trying to find out what the H BT sold for earlier today.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Just out of curiosity...what is the big attraction to boat tails? personally I don't like them but thats just me I guess. Just like I have never liked convertibles...nor Hollywoods.we all have our own tastes and thats why they make different cars . Just wondering where the concept for a boatail came from.
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    BTs were considered, during the '20s & 30s, as the raciest (sexiest) body style built. Some had rumble seats built into them, others did not. Some of the heavy classics, like Auburn & Duesenberg, considered them the most exotic bodies they offered although not the most expensive. I guess it is a matter of taste.

    For me, the "sexiest" car I ever saw was a black & white Duesenberg BT that was built for a Capt. Whittel, who once owned a BIG chunk of Lake Tahoe. He supposedly rode around up there with a lion or tiger or ? beside him in the front seat. He eventually sold it to Bill Harrah when it had but 1200 miles on it (he had several other Duesies I understand) - it may still be in the rump of the Harrah Collection at the museum in Reno. If so it is still probably in completely original condition as it was when Harrah had it. I believe it was an SJ with blower & outside exhaust pipes (the chrome exh. pipes coming out the side of the hood on a Duesie were an option that cost more than a new Fraud, LOL, altho may have been std. equip. if you bought the supercharged engine, avail. I believe beginning in '32).
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    As of now I've had no response to RM Auctions in re price obtained for the '31 H BT.
  • tigermoth
    tigermoth Expert Adviser
    i was a Citation II pilot for the atwood's for 5 years in the early '80's. barbara atwood was seth's sister. a very interesting woman. she went to the south pacific in WWII. the atwood's ran an OEM parts supply business until selling out in '85. the new owner, john anderson, ran the 70 year old company into the ground in just a few years. regards, tom
  • essexcoupe3131
    essexcoupe3131 Senior Contributor
    I would love to have this sitting next to my coupe in my garage

    opps then I would have to buy a sedan to complete the set, oh well I can dream



    Mike
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    The boattail, with premium, sold for $110,000.

    I used to be into clock collecting & Seth had probably the best private collection in the world - it was sold off after his demise a few years ago.

    I went on an antiquarian horological tour in England with he & his daughter, can't remember her name. Seth a real "gentleman".

    I falsely assumed Barbara was his wife.
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