54 Wasp's
Comments
-
Hard to break down by bodystyle as that's not how Hudson kept records however another member had a factory memo as evidence to suggest that only 30 '54 Wasp Club sedans were made (Club Sedans = Broughams) and that all remaining club sedan bodies at the factory were designated for "Hornet Special" bodies. All 30 Wasp Club sedans were spring green with green interiors. The member in question had only ever seen 5 such examples of these cars. I personally owned one briefly. It's somewhere in Korea now last I heard.
As far as other '54 bodystyles rule of thumb is that coupes, convertibles, and Hollywoods did not make up as great a percentage of production as sedans. Some sources I've seen estimate that Convertibles didn't make up more than 7% of production although in '54 Every other body style had better proportions than sedans. With things being all up in the air with Hudson in '54 it's anyone's guess. In '54 Wasps and Super Wasps were not selling either, mostly only Hornets were... another reason for the Hornet Specials. A Wasp convertible was an extremely rare car but they do exist, there's a guy in out chapter with one.0 -
Aaron - I really question the statement that only 30 Wasp (and I assume Super Wasp) Club Sedans (Broughams)were built. It would seem to me that far more would have been produced before the "Hornet Special" was even announced (since this was in March of 1954 - the '54 season was almost half over by that time). Sorry, just my we little mind working!
Jerry0 -
Our family owned one of those wonderful '54 Wasp 2-door Club Sedans. It was the car I grew up with and I still have the original bill of sale from the Hudson - Lindell at Grand, Inc. dealership in St. Louis dated 11/2/54. Serial number was 4D-4305837. Wish I knew if that car was still around.
Happy Hudsoning
Tim in WI.0 -
Tim - Your note above about your families' '54 Wasp Club Sedan confirms my feelings about the limited number (30) of such cars built by Hudson. This car was a very late production vehicle, and if the Club Sedan bodies were to be saved for Hornet Special production, it very likely would never have been built!
Jerry0 -
I think there are only two 54 Wasp Club Coupe's in the roster. I think I have seen ads for three others, the last two with in the last couple months. Very, very rare.0
-
Jerry, the evidence is a factory document in that was in the possession of Ken Kates. It stated all 30 cars were "Spring Green with a matching interior." The example I had supported that. You have to bear in mind a few things that lend some credibility. 1. In '54 they were winding down production in Detroit, likely they would've wanted to use up supplies on hand. 2. Sales weren't great but they sold more Hornet's than Wasps... '54 Was the only year Hudson offered a Hornet "Brougham". Designating all remaining brougham bodies in the Hornet/Hornet Special model line was sure a better way to get rid of them (and supplies) than calling them Wasps/Super Wasps. You might be right, the source material in question might not have been the whole picture or the last document on the matter... I'm just saying it's possible.0
-
trying to sell mine...54 wasp0
-
Aaron - Further proof in my mind that the so called factory memo is baloney, the first car we received from Hudson in the 1954 line was a black Wasp Club Sedan. Doesn't sound like Spring Green to me! We also had a lite Green/Dark Green Hornet sedan, and a dark maroon/black Hornet sedan and a medium blue metallic Super Wasp Club Sedan on our 1st shipment.
Jerry0 -
Jim:
Am really suprised you havent sold that beautiful wasp of yours.. I absolutely love it and would buy it in a heartbeat if I didn't have my wasp and a recently acquired
1940 PACKARD.
To refresh your memory I'm Tom Barrett and you helped me get my car a while back when you inspected it for me in Detroit.
REGARDS,
TOM BARRETT0 -
Sorry Tom it wasn't me who helped you with the Detroit thing but we have talked in the past on the chat site. As far as selling my car , there aren't many Hudson people around and a lot of tire kickers so it goes unappreciated around here. I dunno ....might try an auction but don't expect to get much that way.0
-
harry54 wrote:How many 54 Wasp's were produced? What do you think the breakdown might be ?
Coupes, Sedans, Hollywoods, Broughms and Convertibles?
Thank you.
Only documentation I am aware of is as follows:
From a 1946-1954 Production and Shipping Data sheet I have in my General Information Handbook -
1954 Jet (all - 14,224
1954 Wasp & Super Wasp - 11,603
1954 Hornet - 24,833.
I've gotten to the point - after nearly 40 years digging this stuff out - of not saying there aren't any documents with further breakdown because as soon as I do somebody will come up with it.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- 37K All Categories
- 104 Hudson 1916 - 1929
- 19 Upcoming Events
- 91 Essex Super 6
- 28.6K HUDSON
- 559 "How To" - Skills, mechanical and other wise
- 993 Street Rods
- 150 American Motors
- 173 The Flathead Forum
- 49 Manuals, etc,.
- 78 Hudson 8
- 44 FORUM - Instructions and Tips on using the forum
- 2.8K CLASSIFIEDS
- 599 Vehicles
- 2.1K Parts & Pieces
- 77 Literature & Memorabilia
- Hudson 1916 - 1929 Yahoo Groups Archived Photos