New Essex owner here.

stev1955
stev1955 Expert Adviser
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Hello, new to the forum and looking forward to much help down the road. Just got a hold of a 1930 Essex Super Six and it's my first classic car after selling my Harley (and surviving 26 years of riding). The car body is in good condition with a previous repaint, engine starts and runs but needs a exhaust manifold (cracked and loud) and the carb needs rebuilt as gas drips from the throat when the engine stops. The previous owner wisely put in a petcock in the fuel line to control that problem. The worst part of the car is the interior which is ratty but I'll just cover the seats for now and fix it when funds permit. Not a hard-core restorer here just an enthusiast I suppose.

Steve

Comments

  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    Steve, Welcome abord and by the way, a very nice looking car. I am guessing that you are from Alabama or Mississippi? But only a guess from the Confederate flag. It is good to have you as a member of the forum. By the way, are you a member of the HET Club http://www.hetclub.org ? If not you should check out the web site..... We have a lot of great Hudson lovers down your way.....
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    Hello,

    Welcome to the Forum. You have a beautiful Essex. I suggest that you join the National Hudson EssexTerraplane (HET) Club at www.hudsonclub.org where you will find a lot of Tech help and receive a Bi Monthly color Magazine full of Articles, Events, Pictures, a large Classified Section, and much more....

    Dave Kostansek 440 293 4079 can help you with the Carb rebuild and Many more old HET Parts...The Exh manifold should be removed then taken to a local weld Shop to preheat, weld or braze then slowly cool in sand....

    Dale Cooper 513 821 6200 can provide Gaskets and much much more HET Rebuild Parts....
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Welcome. Just a couple of points - you should disconnect that heater if the manifold is leaking. It sucks hot air from around the manifold, and if used will fill the car up with highly dangeorus exhaust gases. Do not get the manifold brazed - this will not stand up to the heat. Get it metal sprayed or fusion welded by a professional who can do cast-iron welding. You have a nice car that should tidyup real well and give you much enjoyment. If the manifold is unrepairable, there is a club member here in N.Z. who has a mold for getting new ones made.
  • TwinH
    TwinH Senior Contributor
    Congrats and welcome Steve. I drug a 30 Essex home last month and

    your already way ahead of me. Mines not running and yours doesn't

    have a ratty interior. You could just as easily have ended up with the

    1970's screaming furry bedspread upholstery that mine is graced with.

    There was a new manifold on Ebay a week or two ago,and I'm thinking it was

    bid up to $165 or so and was a no sale. I'm am thankful that any parts

    are being reproduced for these. Keep an eye on my restoration thread

    and we'll learn this together.

    http://classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=62&jfile=showthread.php&p=122002#post122002

    http://classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=62&jfile=showthread.php&t=20973



    Get any spare parts with it? Jeff
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Welcome to the madhouse, Steve. Glad you survived your "bike" years without any serious damage.



    You'll find that most Hudson / Essex owners nowadays like to drive their cars as opposed to endlessly polishing them and competing for trophies at shows, so doubtless you'll get some tips on how to make your car more roadable by subtle "tweaks" that keep your car looking old but make it safer and more pleasant to drive. If you can't readily find a good replacement for that manifold, possibly it can be repaired. Geoff (who has already posted) is a good source of information, his everyday car (in New Zealand) is a '28 Essex. Dave Kostansek in Ohio (already noted above) deals more with the older car parts, as does Carl Weber in Massachusetts.
  • ESSX28-1
    ESSX28-1 Senior Contributor
    Barry Davis here in NZ HETizabel@slingshot.co.nz (drop the HET etc) is reproducing 1930 Essex exhaust manifolds.
  • essexcoupe3131
    essexcoupe3131 Senior Contributor
    Welcome to the forum, looks like you ahve a better than most start piont with your 30 looks like a pretty tiday old girl all in all

    Mike
  • stev1955
    stev1955 Expert Adviser
    Thanks to all for the replies. I'm not even driving it yet until I get the exhaust fixed. There is an auto repair shop right behind my house here in Pennsylvania run by a drag racer who says he has welded some cast parts before and he'll give mine a shot. I just might join that HET club sounds like a good idea. Appreciate all the info. Steve
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Steve,



    I'm not sure where in Pa. you are, but if in south central Pa., you might want to consider joining us at the 47th annual Doc's Apple Blossom Meet, a 3-day affair in Front Royal, Va., for Hudsonites.



    Also, the Creasy family holds a 3-day meet in September (can't recall the date) in Bloomsburg, Pa. which has a large Hudson attendance.



    And the Western Reserve Chapter has a lot going on in the Pittsburgh area, for Hudson enthusiasts.



    You'll find these little hotbeds of Hudsondom around the country. Good places to meet people and plug into the "network" of parts and technical help.
  • stev1955
    stev1955 Expert Adviser
    Thanks Jon B.
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    Welcome aboard. Great bunch of people - they been putting up with me for 40 years and ain't shot me yet!!! :D Best damn club in the country - I've been a member of several others over the years - they are history and I remain with my Hudson family and never regretted a day of it.



    There's a lot of 1930 literature on my web site (the HET Club on-line library) @ http://hetclub.org - at the moment it's a list, but everything can be opened and downloaded. It will be made into a true web site sometime in the near future.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    Memphis, TN

    http://hetclub.org/burr
  • stev1955
    stev1955 Expert Adviser
    Thanks Alex. Need all the help I can get.
  • Joe30Essex
    Joe30Essex Expert Adviser
    Steve,

    Nice looking Essex! Looks like most everything is there-shouldn't be too hard to fix. I did most of the interior of mine, you have the panel patterns so its pretty easy. I took the seats to an auto upholsterer who did a great job.

    Take advice from Geoff Clark, he has helped me MANY times over the years get and keep my car running.

    Let me know if I can be of any further help. (The best advice is join the HET Club- lots of resources and great people.)



    Joe
  • stev1955
    stev1955 Expert Adviser
    Gonna join that's for sure.
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