Restoration Complete, YEA
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Here are some before and after pictures of my 54 Hornet Special, restoration just completed.
First off I want to express my thanks to everyone on this forum who answered my seemingly endless questions. Special thanks to Rick Monroe, Walt Mordenti, and Lance Walker. I could have never done it without this forum.
This was my first Hudson and even though I was always a car guy, I had never done anything of this magnitude. It was rewarding, challenging and at times my worst nightmare. I started it when I was 68 and turned 71 last May. It was almost 3 years of work to the day. Well, it did keep me off the streets.
I did a lot of the work myself and made lot of mistakes but it came out okay. I love to do another one but don't think I have the energy for it.
Thanks again,
Doug
First off I want to express my thanks to everyone on this forum who answered my seemingly endless questions. Special thanks to Rick Monroe, Walt Mordenti, and Lance Walker. I could have never done it without this forum.
This was my first Hudson and even though I was always a car guy, I had never done anything of this magnitude. It was rewarding, challenging and at times my worst nightmare. I started it when I was 68 and turned 71 last May. It was almost 3 years of work to the day. Well, it did keep me off the streets.
I did a lot of the work myself and made lot of mistakes but it came out okay. I love to do another one but don't think I have the energy for it.
Thanks again,
Doug
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Comments
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Beautiful work, Doug - you can be proud of your efforts.
Not to demean your work but I think the specials would be an easy resto, as far as what to put on it. It is my belief that the factory was using up parts when they intro'd the Specials so who knows what pieces went into them - trim, interiors, etc. Who knows at this point what was standard on the Specials - no matter what the catalogs or parts bulletins may say.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
Irregardless, it's one hell of a GOOD looking car!0
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Amazingly beautiful!! Great job!0
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Very happy you have put another Hudson back on the road. The quality of the restoration shows very well in the pictures. May you enjoy your new Hudson and go out and tell the Hudson story.0
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Great job, Doug!
Kevin C.0 -
Great job, looks mighty good, how about some inside pics, under the hood and in the trunk when you can. Your good, thanks for sharing and tell us what you put in it.(if it isnt stock), Thanks, Bob P0
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CONGRATS!!!!!!!!! Looks wonderful0
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Very nice!!!
I would like to echo the others, and say, "More pictures!" Please.:)0 -
very nice job, has come a long long way to what you started with
Mike0 -
Well done Doug. I have a 54 Wasp waiting for restoration. I hope I can follow your example, Barry0
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Doug,
I have a warm spot in my heart for 54 Hudsons. Very nice restoration, congratulations on a job well done.
John Forkner0 -
Nice Hudson, goes to show what you can do with a lot of hard work!0
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Congratulations on a beautiful job- and especially on having the "stick-to-it-iveness" to get it done! :cheer: I seem to be a lot better at taking things apart than getting them back together. . . :whistle:0
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Doug, The credit goes to you on this project. Thats a beautiful car and something that any Hudson owner would love to have in their stable. Really nice job. Well done sir.0
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hudsontech wrote:Beautiful work, Doug - you can be proud of your efforts.
Not to demean your work but I think the specials would be an easy resto, as far as what to put on it. It is my belief that the factory was using up parts when they intro'd the Specials so who knows what pieces went into them - trim, interiors, etc. Who knows at this point what was standard on the Specials - no matter what the catalogs or parts bulletins may say.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN
Real nice car, I really like the color. It sets off the stainless real well. Now, about Alex's comments; Hudson introduced the Special to sell at a lower price point and sell, as the advertising said, "Sell Hornet power at a lesser price". These cars used Wasp trim on the long wheelbase cars. To do so,they had to make the front fender stainless specific for the Special. Also, the interiors used, for the most part, the same material as the 53's. All the specific parts are outlined in the parts books. There were way too many of them sold for them to be pieced together from random parts. More importantly,they all have the same detail.
This is not to criticize, rather to set the record straight.
Lew Mendenhall0 -
One correction to Lew's remarks: the Hornet Special interiors were straight out of the '54 Super Wasp. Hudson used up the '53 "waffle" upholstery on the plain jane '54 Wasps. Doug, your car looks great! Do you intend to put the fender skirts on it at some point?EssexAdv wrote:hudsontech wrote:Beautiful work, Doug - you can be proud of your efforts.
Not to demean your work but I think the specials would be an easy resto, as far as what to put on it. It is my belief that the factory was using up parts when they intro'd the Specials so who knows what pieces went into them - trim, interiors, etc. Who knows at this point what was standard on the Specials - no matter what the catalogs or parts bulletins may say.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN
Real nice car, I really like the color. It sets off the stainless real well. Now, about Alex's comments; Hudson introduced the Special to sell at a lower price point and sell, as the advertising said, "Sell Hornet power at a lesser price". These cars used Wasp trim on the long wheelbase cars. To do so,they had to make the front fender stainless specific for the Special. Also, the interiors used, for the most part, the same material as the 53's. All the specific parts are outlined in the parts books. There were way too many of them sold for them to be pieced together from random parts. More importantly,they all have the same detail.
This is not to criticize, rather to set the record straight.
Lew Mendenhall0 -
Great job you can be proud of. Don't be afraid to do it yourself.
Remember, amateurs built the ark.
Professionals built the Titanic.0 -
Dave, on amateurs building the ark. It depends on who you are talking about. The producer or the Director. lol PS great looking car Doug0
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Re the fender skirts, One is in perfect shape and one is badly sprung. That will be a winter project. Thanks for asking.
Doug0
This discussion has been closed.
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