Stepdown engine ID

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Hello All. I am a new HET member who recently purchased a 1954 hornet special project. Have never owned a Hudson before and am learning a lot about this brand.



My project came with two extra engines and I would like to know if there is a list of engine serial numbers which will tell me what they are.



Engine No. 1) S/N 7291423, is complete with aluminum head and 2-barrel Carter carburetor. Head has "super power dome" cast into the top.

Engine No. 2) S/N 256244, does not have accessories, has cast iron head with I think a date 9 15 54 cast into the top.



Is there a way to determine if the third engine, which is in the car, is original to this particular car?

Comments

  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    Engine numbers are same as car serial number. From the 1948-1954 monthly model year production list the following is:



    7291423 (drop the 7) - came from a car built in Nov 1953

    256244 - from a car built in July 1953, therefore from a 1953 Hudson.



    From the serial numbers there is no way to determine what engines they are - produced in 1953 and 1954 were 232, 262 and 308 engines - the 308's have an extra ridge down near the bottom of the block for stiffening.



    Engine serial numbers were stamped on the side of the block in the upper right hand corner.



    Someone will be along shortly, I'm sure, on how to tell the difference between a 232 and a 262 engine.



    Hope this is of some help.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    HudsonTech

    Memphis, TN
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    The engine number is stamped on the right front side of the block just ahead of the manifold on your 54 308. It should be the same as your "vin" number that appears on the passenger side door pillar or door jamb. I'm sure othersd will chime in onnthe ID of the other engines. I don't have my books in f4ront of me at the time.

    http://www.smokymtnhetclub.org/fiftyfour.html

    This site should give you info on your 54.

    Good luck and welcome to the FUN,

    Dave w
  • nick s
    nick s Senior Contributor
    I'm pretty sure that you'll find that 7291423 is a 308 as the 7 indicates that it came from a Hornet (not a hornet special as it would be a "6") and as alex mentions it is a 54. From what I've seen the 51-53 block serial numbers do not indicate the series but 48-50 and 54 do.

    stepdown 6 heads typically have the dispacement cast into the front though there are exception in the 48-50 years. but this will not help on the second engine if you are correct on the head date and serial number as that head was most likely swapped and could be any combination of 232 262 or 308 block and head bolted together. As mentioned the 308 will have the tell tale rib, but the 262 and 232 will appear identical unless you can compare strokes.
  • esfoder
    esfoder Expert Adviser
    wd20oneton wrote:
    Hello All. I am a new HET member who recently purchased a 1954 hornet special project. Have never owned a Hudson before and am learning a lot about this brand.



    My project came with two extra engines and I would like to know if there is a list of engine serial numbers which will tell me what they are.



    Engine No. 1) S/N 7291423, is complete with aluminum head and 2-barrel Carter carburetor. Head has "super power dome" cast into the top.

    Engine No. 2) S/N 256244, does not have accessories, has cast iron head with I think a date 9 15 54 cast into the top.



    Is there a way to determine if the third engine, which is in the car, is original to this particular car?





    Congrats!!!



    I took the plunge about 2 years ago and let me tell you it is consuming.



    Now I have 4 cars in various states. at least 6 engines in various states and my wife just loves it when I drag new stuff home!!!



    Good luck the site will help ya alot



    Dusty
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    esfoder wrote:
    Congrats!!!



    I took the plunge about 2 years ago and let me tell you it is consuming.



    Now I have 4 cars in various states. at least 6 engines in various states and my wife just loves it when I drag new stuff home!!!



    Good luck the site will help ya alot



    Dusty



    Wow, you live in Oregon, and have cars and engines in 10 other States! You must do a lot of traveling to work on them!!!
  • Chris Smith
    Chris Smith Expert Adviser
    Iv'e observed that Hudson owners treat them like they were potato chips, they can't have just one.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Thanks for your help. I'll look for the ridge on these engines. It looks like the engine which is currently in the car is a replacement. The engine ID is 263823. Does this mean that it is a 1953 engine?

    Thanks,

    Rob
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    wd20oneton wrote:
    Thanks for your help. I'll look for the ridge on these engines. It looks like the engine which is currently in the car is a replacement. The engine ID is 263823. Does this mean that it is a 1953 engine?

    Thanks,

    Rob



    263823 came from a car built in July 1953. (205491 to 269005).



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    HudsonTech

    Memphis, TN
  • esfoder
    esfoder Expert Adviser
    Geoff C., N.Z. wrote:
    Wow, you live in Oregon, and have cars and engines in 10 other States! You must do a lot of traveling to work on them!!!



    Yeah well not quite like that. If that was the case I would need to get into the aircraft hobby and don't know if I can sneek the air plane in past the barn? You know where I hide all my GOOD STUFF!!!



    Maybe a plane with a Hudson engine??? I saw one with two model A engines in it once.



    Dusty
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    esfoder wrote:
    Yeah well not quite like that. If that was the case I would need to get into the aircraft hobby and don't know if I can sneek the air plane in past the barn? You know where I hide all my GOOD STUFF!!!



    Maybe a plane with a Hudson engine??? I saw one with two model A engines in it once.



    Dusty



    Airplane with a Hudson engine - in the early 1930's (around 1932 as I recall) somebody put a Terraplane engine in a Curtis Robin mono-plane. It actually worked - and why not.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    Memphis, TN
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