54 Special

464Saloon
464Saloon Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Is there any difference from a performance standpoint of a Hornet Special and a Hornet. What books I have just mention that it was a stripped down lower cost version, but I have heard that it had a bigger carburator and was only sold to law enforcement as a pursuit car. Anybody here have any knowledge of these models.



Thanks

Comments

  • 53jetman
    53jetman Senior Contributor
    The '54 Hornet Special was not a stipped down car, it was a Hornet chassis/engine built with a Super Wasp Interior and exterior trim that sold for approximately $250.00 less than a Hornet. Yes, this was the car that was sold to many law enforcement organizations usually equiped with "export" (heavy duty suspension, axles and spindles) goodies and a 7X engine. The Ohio State Highway Patrol used several on the Ohio Turnpike, and nothing could run away from them - NOTHING!

    53jetman
  • HornetSpecial
    HornetSpecial Expert Adviser
    The Hornet Special came about because of the merger with AMC. They offered the Special at a reduced price to move cars. With wasp interiors and wasp trim. The one's john public bought were plain 308 cu in. The law ordered thiers with 7x package. Parts are hard to get for this model as it was the last of the step downs and they knew it. I have one that was built in August, and they had merged in May of 54. Next year came the Hash. Nash- Hudson.
  • Aaron D. IL
    Aaron D. IL Senior Contributor
    Hornet Specials didn't have the crank vent windows or the center arm rest in the back seat. '54 was the only yeah for the special and for that reason some people find it desireable as a rare and unique step-down. Maybe it weighs a little less from the lack of all the extras the Hornet had but probably not enough to help you escape a 7X equipped one. My guess is the factory was trying to use up as much of their inventory as possible and because the public wasn't buying Wasps, they probably put out a few more Hornets because that's what the dealers could move. Race car drivers and police bought the 7X and "severe usage" packages.
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    Doesn't the 7X have the Twin-H? I was told that there was a bigger 2 barrel that went on the police cars that made them faster than Twin-H cars.
  • 53jetman
    53jetman Senior Contributor
    I've been around Hudsons all my life and I've never heard of a bigger 2 bbl. carb being used. I don't know of a different manifold for such a carb. I have seen a couple of aftermarket twin two bbl manifolds, but to my knowledge this was not offered by Hudson

    53jetman
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    According to the gentlemen I spoke to who is also a long time Hudson club member, this is stated in the History of Hudson book, by Don Butler. I will check this out with Neils as he is a local of mine and has all the Hudson books. I only have two, one by Hemmings and one is a photo archive by Byron Olsen. The one by Olsen does have a brief few sentences and a picture of a 54 Special two door sedan. It only says it was a Hornet in Wasp trim. It would seem to me that if Hudson made any cars for police and fire, they would be juiced up a bit over what the general public could buy, but even so, it does seem that mainly the Special was a cheaper decontented vehicle. One you would expect a police car to be based off of.
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    How do the two one barrels compare to the two barrel? Seems interesting to me having a fair amount of experience with the Flathead Ford V8 that they ran two barrels stock, twin two's, three two's and four two's over that. Even a manifold for a single 4 barrel like my Dad is running on his 50 Ford and it is a much smaller engine than the Hornet. One would think the 308 would really fly with two two barrels or a single 4 barrel.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    464Saloon wrote:
    How do the two one barrels compare to the two barrel? Seems interesting to me having a fair amount of experience with the Flathead Ford V8 that they ran two barrels stock, twin two's, three two's and four two's over that. Even a manifold for a single 4 barrel like my Dad is running on his 50 Ford and it is a much smaller engine than the Hornet. One would think the 308 would really fly with two two barrels or a single 4 barrel.



    Bigger carbureators, or additional barrels do not make n engine faster, necessarily. What makes twin H work well for a hudson, is that the carbs can more evenly distribute the air/fuel mixture being spaced apart. The openings on the twin h wa-1's, area wise, is only slightly bigger than the WGD of the two barrel models. What essentially makes it better is the spacing. It is beneficial to the breathing of the engine.



    When I swapped the twin H on to my 50, I was surprised at the difference it made.
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    Considering the size of the engine, I would think two two bbls would really run well. Especially if the motor has an opened exhaust, bigger cam and higher compression. I didn't think that much originally on fuel distribution, since all my motors are of V design, so you don't have the distance between carb and cylinders you have with an inline engine. I should have my Hornet in about two weeks, so I will start learning soon.
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