Hudsons in action

TwinH

5 pages of west coast stock car racing"back in the day". Plenty of Hudsons,

cool stuff. But the Henry J leading a pack of big cars is a hoot.



http://www.stockcarreunion.com/pages/760917/index.htm

[Deleted User]

You're close. It's a Kaiser. At least you got the right manufacturer, Whoever the caption writer was thought it was a '49 Hudson'.

Unknown

The Oakland race that DICK RATHMAN CAME FROM LAST TO WIN , was a great achievement. he earlier drove no 120 for WALT CHAPMAN, hudson Dealer from Pa. he drove from 51 to 53 in No 120 and had a formidable record. I now own WALT CHAPMANS 53 Hornet convertible, knew him personally and bought the car from his widow after Walts death in 1988

rambos_ride

Hudzilla wrote:

You're close. It's a Kaiser. At least you got the right manufacturer, Whoever the caption writer was thought it was a '49 Hudson'.

The 86 car behind looks like a stepdown and I believe says "Hudson Specialists" ...

TwinH

The Henry J pic is at the bottom of page. 2

TwinH

Check out the frame reinforcement that the kid is standing on. Thought Rambos ride

would appreciate that work. LOL Although it does smell of an unfair advantage...

rambos_ride

You would really be able to "swap paint" with some iron skirts like those in the picture!



Maybe the other racers thought the wimpy "Monobilt" cars needed some extra re-inforcement.



Must have been fun to race one of these in new and in their hey-day!

hudsontech

rambos_ride wrote:

You would really be able to "swap paint" with some iron skirts like those in the picture!



Maybe the other racers thought the wimpy "Monobilt" cars needed some extra re-inforcement.



Must have been fun to race one of these in new and in their hey-day!

Not sure if this is the case with this car - but back in the mid-50's when we were racing down south, I know some Hudson drivers put those "iron" skirts, usually just on the right side, on for a reason. To keep the right rear wheel from leaving the car if the right axle broke, as they were prone to do. When that happened the wheel, of course, came off the car, broken stub and all and the cars had a nasty tendency to make an immediate right hand turn and head for, and over, the nearest wall. With the reinforcing bar across the wheel like that, at least it kept the car on the track until the driver could stop.



Hudsonly,

Alex B

[Deleted User]

Great website!



I love those "Hudsons in action" shots. Now THAT was stock car racing!



Thanks for posting the link.



Mark

Aaron D. IL

I read from somewhere that part of the reason Hudson switched to Spicer rear ends in '51 was because in stock car racing the Hornet held the track so well in the turns and was really the first stock car to pull enough G's in a turn with the wheels on the ground to pull the old-type Tapered rear axles right out of the housing. So Hudson switched to the Spicer rear ends.