What to look for? 1930 Essex

TwinH
TwinH Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Going to look again at a 1930 Essex rumbleseat coupe that I saw at a

swapmeet a couple of weeks ago. Wish I had pics to share but for the

most part it is all there and rot free. I imagine it could possibly be original

paint but much worse for wear. Offhand I remember it missing the speedo

and some interior panels. Engine is free and owner claims it will start,just

won't idle. Still has the stewart warner? fuel pump on the firewall and an

incorrect carb. Non original wheels, there are (6) wire spoke wheels 19"

(4) are split rim and (2) are one piece rims. Any ideas on specific stuff to

look for/at or opinions of what a mostly unmolested but project car is

worth would be appreciated.

Comments

  • essexcoupe3131
    essexcoupe3131 Senior Contributor
    Check out the diff ratio on this, as the wire wheels and the right diff ratio could indicate if its a deluxe coupe against a standard coupe as they had wooden wheels, does it have wheels in the guards or a spare wheel carrier in the middle of the rear bumperettes?

    the standard coupe I think had the 5.4 ratio diff head and the deluxe coupe had the 5.1

    someone will correct me if I am wrong



    Mike
  • TwinH
    TwinH Senior Contributor
    Shows how much I know... All the Essex pics I've turned up on the net show

    wood spoke wheels so I didn't even consider wire spokes being available.

    It has dual sidemount spares and a luggage trunk behind the rumbleseat

    lid. I'm just kind of on the fence,knowing that a full restoration even with me doing all the work will probably cost more than what its worth. On the other

    hand I see myself being up for the challenge and would more than likely take

    my time doing a full mechanical restoration in such a way as to be able to

    use and enjoy it in its present condition for quite a while before blowing it

    apart for cosmetic work.
  • Joe30Essex
    Joe30Essex Expert Adviser
    Sounds like a rare car. Mine has a single sidemount, and there aren't many of those around, much less a dual sidemount. A club member has a '30 R/S Coupe and he has a set of wire wheels to go with his original wood wheels-wire wheels were an option, just don't see many of them. You can make interior panels, I did for mine and it looks pretty good. I have seen speedos on e-bay, and they were reasonable. Have also seen them at club swap meets-so parts are available, just have to know the right people.

    My Grandfather bought my Essex and it has been in our family since it was new, so I had most of the parts when I took it off blocks in a garage after sitting over 25 years. One of the first things I did before I tried to start it was drop the oil pan, and I'm glad I did, it looked like an oily sandbox at the bottom.

    People told me I could get between $3,000 and $6,000 for it before I restored it, but it never was for sale. I can tell you I have over $22,000 into it now and I don't now if I could get that if I went to sell it or not.

    Good Luck- they are fun to work on (and pretty simple, too).
  • essexcoupe3131
    essexcoupe3131 Senior Contributor
    Sounds like it could be a deluxe coupe, check out the diff ratio and that should confirm it or not, talking to people here on the site etc, I have been told that the deluxe coupe are the rarest and say in the 31 there is only a dozen or so with only being 3 dozen or so coupes in total

    the 30 was more common, but the trim in the 30 was more ornate and well detailed

    As Joe said finding speed o etc wont be to hard to find and any of the other parts as the sedans etc are all inter changeable in this stuff

    this site especially and eBay will be your best friends:)



    Mike
  • TwinH
    TwinH Senior Contributor
    Look what followed me home yesterday. First thing I checked was the gear

    ratio,it is a 5.10 gear. Here she is in her faded glory.



    006.jpg



    001.jpg



    Lacy approves,but the 1970's called and wants its bedspread/upholstery

    back.:rolleyes:

    009.jpg
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    WOW! That's a nice looking car. Are you going to put it on the street now and then do a restoration at a later date?



    It looks like a nice car to cruise around town in just as it is.:)



    Kevin C.
  • Joe30Essex
    Joe30Essex Expert Adviser
    NICE!!!! Looks pretty complete, and I do think it is a rare one. Good Luck- let us know if you need any help.
  • TwinH
    TwinH Senior Contributor
    Thanks guys! I'm going to start a new thread for wants/needs, info,

    moral support,etc while I wade through restoration of this neat old

    30 Essex coupe. All here can share the blame/credit for infecting me

    with this Hudson bug. As a lifelong Chevy guy that hot rodded almost

    everything I got my hands on,this is a pretty big step for me. I have

    a fairly substantial mechanical background including an A&P ticket and

    have been through splasher motors before.What I'm really lacking is

    the Hudson specific knowledge that members of this community have

    coming out their ears. I look forward to mining this knowledge to make

    this coupe the best that it can be. Thanks for the help, Jeff Lynn
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    Twin H, I too am a recovering "Chev O' holic" that has been bitten by the Hudson bug. Got to say it is not a bad way to go. I am sure that you will find the Hudson family up to the challenge when requesting help. I guess this means that we might see you at the national this year? Good luck on the project--wish I had some parts for you but then I am a mid thirties guy right now.... By the way, nice clean looking coupe. Looks like it is going to be a fun one.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories

In this Discussion