Get yer Hudson out.

4Hud
4Hud Expert Adviser
edited August 2011 in HUDSON
Was on a four day tour with my local mixed-make car club going from Edmonton to Drumheller,Alberta and back last weekend. The old Hornet sure is an excellent conversation starter and you get some interesting stories from people along the way. One guy said his Dad bought a new Hudson in 1948 and they were sure tough cars, "Dad could go along at 70 miles an hour and then put it in reverse without damaging the transmission". I think this one may be a somewhat distorted childhood memory.
Another fellow showed an interest and had a few questions about the car, after I showed him the Twin-H engine I asked if maybe he'd like to go for a ride rather than just look at it. He was quite impressed with how a Hudson feels at 75 mph.
My point? Old cars sure are a heck of a lot more fun when they are released from the cozy confines of home.
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Comments

  • hornet53
    hornet53 Senior Contributor
    OK, you talked me into it.

    Next Wed I'll drive my 53 from Portland OR to Ventura CA with some buddies in my multi-make club too. 1000 miles down and 1000 miles back. never driven more than 160 miles at one shot with this car before. Down the 101 most of the way. Will try to hit US1 for a while too. I'll make sure to get pics and share.
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    Good on you fellows getting your Hudsons out and about. Something I been trying to pound into Hudson owners heads for 40 years!!! Like trying to pound finish nails into concrete!!!!!!

    And if you're a Hudson owner, and you are offended by what I say - well, that's just to damned bad!!!! To many Hudsons don't get out where the public can see them and that only hurts the growth of our fine club.

    Maybe some of my efforts are starting to pay off!!!!!! :woohoo:

    Hudsonly,
    Alex Burr
    Memphis, TN
  • Richard E.
    Richard E. Senior Contributor
    Great looking Hornet! I am a big believer in driving our cars. I put 30,000 miles on my '50C6 before I tore it down last year to restore it. I drove it from Escondido to Nashville, TN for that National and then to Seattle. When I finish it next month, it will be my daily driver. People love to see these cars on the road. I always let young families sit the small children on the seat - who knows, maybe they will grow up to own a Hudson.
  • GrimGreaser
    GrimGreaser Senior Contributor
    Damn right!

    I'll be at the Mopar show this Sunday at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, CO with my Hornet. As rough as it is, it still turns heads.
  • Your absolutely right about getting them out. When the movie Driving Miss Daisy came out the interest grew considerable, After the first movie Cars came out I had alot of interest from the kids that I would let sit behind the wheel of Doc Hudsons Brother.lol I have found that in my area you can overdue the exposser. I take my car out once a year and have lots of interest from the young people, not so much from the other car owners (with the belly button cars). Unfortunatly my health and age prevents me from being very active as I would like. I have been driving these cars since 1955 (at leaset leagally) and now its up to the younger ones to carry the load.( Oh by the way do they still call them Mercurys when they first see them?) lol
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    I will have my '47 out with the Santa Fe Vintage Car Club on Santa Fe Plaza tomorrow evening. We take over that 400+year old venue and attract hundreds of "my uncle had one's" since it's the height of touroid season...:cheer:
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    SamJ wrote:
    I will have my '47 out with the Santa Fe Vintage Car Club on Santa Fe Plaza tomorrow evening. We take over that 400+year old venue and attract hundreds of "my uncle had one's" since it's the height of touroid season...:cheer:

    ya ever wonder, Sam, if so many uncles, grandpas, dads, lovers, girl friends, etc, had a Hudson why the company went broke!!!!! :lol:


    Hudsonly,
    Alex Burr
    Memphis, TN
  • Well, I sold Gwen, my Hornet Special this morning and she should be well on her way to Illinois by now. I still have the coupe, but it needs some frame work to be driven safely.
    Bob Hickson
  • faustmb
    faustmb Senior Contributor
    BJ__TN wrote:
    Well, I sold Gwen, my Hornet Special this morning and she should be well on her way to Illinois by now. I still have the coupe, but it needs some frame work to be driven safely.
    Bob Hickson

    Bob- Glad you sold your car, let me know if you want some help with the frame on the other.

    I may drive the Pacemaker to work tomorrow, still working the kinks out of the truck :)
  • hornet53
    hornet53 Senior Contributor
    Ok, almost ready. Just have to get an alignment, since I replaced the center steer pivot and tie rods; re-install the door panels, since I just installed new glass; finish painting the swamp cooler, since I just got a new support rod made (reference broken glass) and figure out which hubcaps I wanna run, 40's, 41's, 51's, or 53 fulls.

    But, I'm truly ready now that I have my homage to the Jim Harmon Garage done.


  • Took your advise and drove my low mileage 51 hornet sedan to a local show. Blew the heater hose. Gosh I dont understand because it was the orginal from the factory. Oh well nothing last for ever. lol A guy driving a 70s Cadulac wearing Chevy shirt fell in love with my 51. He said he knew where there was a 51 Hornet conv that a guy in his 80s would sell. He said it needed work but didnt know anything about Hudsons. I volunteered to go with him and help determined what it needed.(Nice of me wasnt) Seriously, im not interested. We have had 2 convs in the family and sold both of them. Not a conv. person. Point being they are still out there and would not heared of this one if I had not gone.
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    On Old Santa Fe Plaza Friday evening 8/26 :cheer:



  • 53jetman
    53jetman Senior Contributor
    Looks like a lonely little petunia in an onion patch! ! !

    Jerry
  • GrimGreaser
    GrimGreaser Senior Contributor
    edited August 2011
    MOPAR at Thunder Mountain - Bandimere Speedway, Morrison, CO:


    Heh, dad watching over the kids. :)

    Great show, only a 29 Dodge hot rod was older than me.
  • LanceB
    LanceB Senior Contributor
    Brought my truck out to a show in Monrovia, CA this weekend. Had all the typical comments about not knowing Hudson made a truck. There were just shy of 400 cars and only one Hudson.
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Drove my Terraplane 68 miles to a mixed-make (155-vehicle) car show in Maryland on Saturday, where it got a lot of stares. Actually there was a '50 Hudson in the same show as well. You just never know when someone -- who has never seen a Hudson before -- is going to be attracted to the marque at one of these shows. And this initial attraction could culminate with the purchase of a Hudson. It's in little ways like this that you can help "grow" the Club.
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    Peach Days had just over 1000 cars in attendance and just a few of us Hudson folks were there--26 Sedan, 29 Sedan, 36 English Hudson, 36 Terraplane and a 49 Brougham. It was a good time by all. No pictures this year......
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    Jon B wrote:
    Drove my Terraplane 68 miles to a mixed-make (155-vehicle) car show in Maryland on Saturday, where it got a lot of stares. Actually there was a '50 Hudson in the same show as well.

    Was the '50 Hudson owner a Club Member, Jon? :cheer:
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    Peach Days had just over 1000 cars in attendance and just a few of us Hudson folks were there--26 Sedan, 29 Sedan, 36 English Hudson, 36 Terraplane and a 49 Brougham. It was a good time by all. No pictures this year......

    Sounds peachy, Brownie. What's this "no pictures" stuff? :(







  • We were out last weekend to a country agricultural show about 1 hour south of Brisbane AUS. There was 3 Essex,5 Hudson & 1 Terraplane and 1 Matador AMX.
  • TOM-WA-
    TOM-WA- Senior Contributor
    edited September 2011
    LanceB wrote:
    Brought my truck out to a show in Monrovia, CA this weekend. Had all the typical comments about not knowing Hudson made a truck. There were just shy of 400 cars and only one Hudson.

    HOW SAD....SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA...400 CARS IN ATTENDANCE AND ONLY ONE HUDSON.

    This has become the Norm... We don't show our cars yet we complain that we are not attracting NEW MWMBERS...

    You can't generate an interest in something you do not present to the public. Young people ARE interested in Hudsons, but they need to see them and sit in them and touch them. Also if you take your car to a show leave the LAWN CHAIR at home.. You can't expect to show and demonstrate our wonderfull Hudsons from the seat of your pants.
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    SamJ wrote:
    Peach Days had just over 1000 cars in attendance and just a few of us Hudson folks were there--26 Sedan, 29 Sedan, 36 English Hudson, 36 Terraplane and a 49 Brougham. It was a good time by all. No pictures this year......

    Sounds peachy, Brownie. What's this "no pictures" stuff? :(

    Peach Days Car Show is put on by the Bonnevill's Rod and Custom Car Club. We have a membership of less than 30 so on the day of the show we are all working our respective "BUTTS" off (the only days work I have done since I retired). I left my camera home because I just did not dare take the time to use it. By the way, the Hudson's at Peach Days belong to HET Club members and have appeared on this forum many times. However, watch for the photo's from San Simeon next week....
  • hornet53
    hornet53 Senior Contributor
    Portland OR to Ventura CA and back went fairly well! Carrier bearing assembly on the Hornet came loose near Eureka, but that's why we carry tools right?


    Stopped by Pigeon Point Lighthouse, where my grandfather tended the signal in the late 50's.



    Golden Gate.



    Ventura Nationals with the guys brave enough to drive down.



    And last weekend, I hit the Rod Run Weekend in Long Beach Washington. Nearly 2500 miles in 12 days.



  • I HAVE BEEN GOING TO A CAR SHOW IN FRANKENMUTH, MICH. FOR ABOUT 9 YEARS AND MOST OF THE TIME I AM THE ONLY HUDSON THERE OUT OF OVER 3000 CARS. BUT THIS YEAR THERE A VERY NICE 1950 COUPE WHICH WON A TROPHY.
  • On Labor Day, the local Lincoln dealer hosted a free car show, with free hot dogs and hamburgers. How can you go wrong with that?? It was only a few miles away so I brought both my Jet and my 'modern' Hornet.





  • I took my 51 Hornet along with 2-57 Chevy Hardtops owned by others to a car show 40 miles away. Before we made it home one of the chevys broke down. A Hudson owners dream,loaded his family in the back of the 51 and pulled the chevy home.
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    Nothing makes my day like seeing a Benz on a rollback...:evil:
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    I used to drive break-downs crazy - here's this new, or nearly new, car pulled over with problems. And I stop to see if I can help - in whatever 25-30 year old beat up Rambler wagon I happened to be driving at the time. :woohoo:

    Love it.


    Hudsonly,
    Alex Burr
    Memphis, TN
  • LanceB
    LanceB Senior Contributor
    Hey all,

    Did a little more promoting of the Hudson name this weekend. Was in the Duarte Route 66 Parade and got lots of thumbs up and comments about Hudson. Always great showing people what Hudson had to offer.



  • Sarah Young
    Sarah Young Senior Contributor
    Glad to see all the fun people are having showing and DRIVING their Hudsons! I enjoyed driving the Jet SO much more this summer. Last summer, I was so scared of the car, I was darn near sick to my stomach just thinking of starting it up. You just got to get out there and do it. Owning an old car has been a tremendous learning and growing experience for me. I've gone as far as a 100-mile round trip in the Jet, but usually keep it close to home since the passenger side tie rod is bent up and makes it a pain to turn left sharper than a 90 degree turn. Should have that swapped out in the spring.
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