37 mystery solved

Kdancy
Kdancy Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I think!

Well, it looks like the mystery has been solved. Diane told me that the PU was a model 78 (122" WB). Plus the fact that the cab and chassis I got from New Mexico had a chassis set up that did not match up with the frame she had bought some time ago (as advised because the original one had an old crack repair made to it) and brought up to me for the restoration. The NM one had torque arms and measurements were different. The cab tag noted that it was a model 70 -- 117" WB. So with all the effort to find out what was going on, with Robbie Williams and others help and expertise, the result is --

Torque tubes from front axle to frame rails indicate a car chassis. Commercial vehicles did not use the torque tubes.

Diane's PU is a model 70, not a model 78. Robbie had recorded and still has the original frame # from her 37 PU and also had the frame # on the extra frame Diane had purchased. Both model 70.

At one time in it's prehistoric past, the New Mexico pu must have had a car frame installed - thus the torque tubes on that chassis. The axle # designated a model 71. So, this chassis is a car chassis. (did hudson ever make an exception?)

So now I can go forth with using the extra frame she brought for the build.

Another point of interest is that the frame specs for the 70-78 models were not in my 37 manual, but were in Robbie's 38 manual. Looking at them, there are several variations on the frame point measurements between the commercial and standard vehicles.

Comments

  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    I was intrigued to learn, during restoration of my '36H ragtop, that the convertibles of that year not only had a reinforced x-member assembly, but the entire frame was of heavier gauge steel. Most screws or bolts that went through the frame were spec'd 1/8" longer than the non-convertibles.
  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    And more info from Roy Marks---



    There is always one more exception. People could order whatever they wanted. like an 8 cylinder engine in the later longer Hudson trucks. But mostly that's not what happened and we have to work as though they are production models. What did happen is that the dealers were offered a truck kit they could use to make a sedan (wrecked or older) into a truck. It included the cab back and bed. So some trucks are that, and this increases the number a little over production numbers. But this too is more the exception than the rule.



    :eek:
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    The "kit" to convert a Hudson car to a Cab pickup was actually pretty common. My Dad drove a 36 T Pickup to deliver milk from dairy to creamery. This truck was infact a car that was converted as the truck was of more use on the farm.
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