The Infamous Jet Covertable Prototype

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    PAULARGETYPE wrote:
    I For One Have Done A Car That Was This Bad And Know What It Takes To Make It A Really Nice Car Your Looking At 3 Years Of Your Labor And Around $30,000 For Chrome ,paint And Supplys,new Wiring Harness,leather And Sewing Of The Seats + The Price Of Buying The Car So I'd Say $40,000 Doing It Your Self I Think The Car Is Worth More Than That Restored. With Nice Step/down Cv Selling For Over $100,000



    Paul, most people don't have your restoration skills and couldnt do it all themselves. It would cost a left testicle (and a right one too) to have to farm out a good portion of this stuff. If I was to own this car, I would buy a nice # 3 or # 2 jet coupe and just remove the roof. Then have a good body man take whats left of the convertible top assembly, put it together and drive it... just like Hudson did. Done deal in a month or so. I'd store the firewall and ID plates of the original car but rest of that car is trash and no more special than any other Jet.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Rarity does not necessarily equate to desirability.



    Russ, why do you ask, pray tell???:p
  • Nevada Hudson
    Nevada Hudson Senior Contributor
    The lower roofline of the convertable will look good on the Jet. One of the major complaints on the Jet was that it was tall and boxy .(higher than the larger Hudsons!) If it is ever restored, it will look quite cool ! Oh, still waiting for my Jetsetter!
  • rambos_ride
    rambos_ride Senior Contributor
    With a donor car to do whatever you want with... Lets not get into the
    leftcar->rightcar vs. leftcar<-rightcar discussion again...this car is beyond a sympathetic restoration - or a normal high end restoration - this one is gonna take some hard cutting, hacking, swearing and welding to make it sing again so regardless of the means of restoration only a percentage of the original will be in the completed restoration. Would the car be worth more as a completely original prototype - ABSOFREEKINGLUTELY! BUT - that doesn't mean that a restored version which will be a hybrid will not be worth at least the cost of the restoration.

    Even at 1000 man hours @ 90.00 an hour (an exhoribitant amount I only wish I could charge) that's only 90k in labor. Someone else mentioned 30k for chrome, interior...etc... even pushing that to 50k still gets you this car restored for < 150k

    A one of a kind Hudson Prototype passing the auction block at BJ's would go for at least that...probably closer to 200k+-

    I mean come on it's a piece of history and one of a kind 150 Large?...That's chump change for some of the rich folks out there (of course thats none of us right...:D )

    Sad thing is I have the skills, patience and desire to restore a one-of-a-kind Hudson prototype...and soon I'll have the space and time to restore it - but I don't have the chump change!:mad:
  • bob ward
    bob ward Senior Contributor
    There was a gross overbid that was rapidly withdrawn, but it did momentarily reveal the reserve to be $15k.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    hello, just a thought, but does anybody notice the green step down on those shows featuring jay leno. it is always in the back ground, he did an overhaulin show and i seen one where he finds a duesenberg in a garage in hollywood. he should be contacted, i know he loves orfans and all the odd stuff. he has the shop and the smarts to do it right. just a thought i had, some times they are good. lol. dermot.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Leno ended up with it. He could sent it over to Bill's shop, and a year or so later (MAJOR project!), voila! you have a new Jet ragtop. Itll be interesting to see what actually becomes of it.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Jay Leno's Hornet came from Bill Albright. He's a good Hudson fan and appreciates the cars.:cool:
  • rambos_ride
    rambos_ride Senior Contributor
    dermott wrote:
    hello, just a thought, but does anybody notice the green step down on those shows featuring jay leno. it is always in the back ground, he did an overhaulin show and i seen one where he finds a duesenberg in a garage in hollywood. he should be contacted, i know he loves orfans and all the odd stuff. he has the shop and the smarts to do it right. just a thought i had, some times they are good. lol. dermot.

    I think the show that was on was called Payback. Notice the Hudson was just in the background - not the one he was leaning on - it must mean Jay loves his Hudson more and respect it enough not to sit on it!

    I have also noticed in the backdrop shots of his garage that he has at least 1 Hudson promotional sales ad blown up and (probably painted, but could be a sticker?) displayed - If I recall its huge too - 8'x6' at least.

    Whoever buys it I hope they have the time and monies to do the car. Because even in it's deteriorated shape it looks to be mostly complete as is - this always gives you a better place to start than a car torn to pieces. The horror here would be someone stripping the car down to nothing and then giving up on the project - then how monumental would the task be to put it back together?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    It seems to me that a good possible home for the Jet prototype would be the newly formed National Hudson Museum. Can the club consider raising funds for this car to be either left in this state, or in time, be restored with total club participation?
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    $15K is wacked at best for this rust bucket, rare or not. The owner needs a real reality check, but that goes without saying since he has owned it for 40 years and we can see the result. Anyone know if he owns any other Hudsons and what shape they are in?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The best part of the deal is the Jet Coupe for $400. Even if the Jet Convertible was restored to #1 or high #2 and sent to BJ, I don't believe this would bring $100K, even being a prototype and unique. I think it's a $40K car at best. Low demand, just like Edsels, Ramblers, Nashes, etc. I do like the idea of the HET club acquiring it, as it will be appreciated only by a very small group, like the hudson club only.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Forget about all of you guys... me and Hudsondad are going to pool together and buy the Jet.... :cool:



    We're going to use it for a lawn planter. I think it will make a nice mother's day gift for hudsonmom.... :p



    Actually, the best idea here, is to have it bought for the Hudson museum, whether there is such an entity, and have Bill Albright restore it. If nothing else, I think it would give Bill , without a doubt, the lifetime achievement award, for the club, and allow him to be immortalized for life,not just for all of the cars he's rescued, but for the ultimate project....



    If money wasn't an option, and I would end up with this thing... I don't think I would have Bill do the car. Not a matter of ability, or craftsmanship, but rather, looking at the pictures, it just seems to be a mean thing to do to someone. ;)



    but the best scenario is having it sit in a museum, just the way it is, unrestored, for a whole bunch of years. That would be a great display... :D
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    hudsonkid wrote:
    Forget about all of you guys... me and Hudsondad are going to pool together and buy the Jet.... :cool:



    We're going to use it for a lawn planter. I think it will make a nice mother's day gift for hudsonmom.... :p



    Actually, the best idea here, is to have it bought for the Hudson museum, whether there is such an entity, and have Bill Albright restore it. If nothing else, I think it would give Bill , without a doubt, the lifetime achievement award, for the club, and allow him to be immortalized for life,not just for all of the cars he's rescued, but for the ultimate project....



    If money wasn't an option, and I would end up with this thing... I don't think I would have Bill do the car. Not a matter of ability, or craftsmanship, but rather, looking at the pictures, it just seems to be a mean thing to do to someone. ;)



    but the best scenario is having it sit in a museum, just the way it is, unrestored, for a whole bunch of years. That would be a great display... :D



    If the museum is an option then let the club get bids on the restoration. $15,000 purchase price? Bury it.
  • bob ward
    bob ward Senior Contributor
    There has been a lot of debate about whether to restore the Jet convertible or whether to transfer the convertible parts to a solid 2 door Jet.



    A better approach I believe would be to learn from the Jet conv how Hudson made a 2 door Jet sedan into what would be, in an engineering sense, a viable convertible.



    Because they were doing a one off, whatever they did would be fairly low tech and not impossible to duplicate today. I suspect from the photos that a lot of the convertible specific parts are going to need remaking anyway. While the converible specific parts are being remade, why not make a few sets of them?



    Put the original in a museum as is, and use the knowledge from it to make just as many Jet convertible clones as you like.
  • harry54
    harry54 Senior Contributor
    I Guess The Jet Has Landed
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    ...wheels down, bent, but it has landed, nonetheless! It'll be interesting to see if this makes Detroit in '09 for the Nats (100 years of Hudson).
  • harry54
    harry54 Senior Contributor
    I think it's one of the esteemed members of the club.......
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The No 22 Italia, Which I Uncovered Now Belongs To Mr Jim Souers Of Indiana, Also The Green Coupe That Leno Has, I Did Sell To Him. He Is Now Doing A 51 Hornet Sedan. I Sold Him A Dual Range Hydro And A Restored Twin H Setup For The Car. If You Would Like To Help He Needs All The Eyebrow Belt Linte Moldings From The Rocket To The Pork Chaop. If You Have Any Of These Pieces In Good Shape. Let Me Know. Bill Albright
  • russmaas
    russmaas Senior Contributor
    bill a wrote:
    The No 22 Italia, Which I Uncovered Now Belongs To Mr Jim Souers Of Indiana, Also The Green Coupe That Leno Has, I Did Sell To Him. He Is Now Doing A 51 Hornet Sedan. I Sold Him A Dual Range Hydro And A Restored Twin H Setup For The Car. If You Would Like To Help He Needs All The Eyebrow Belt Linte Moldings From The Rocket To The Pork Chaop. If You Have Any Of These Pieces In Good Shape. Let Me Know. Bill Albright



    My first quess was Souers. Dick Burgdorf has a NOS factory set that was an add on to 48-49 cars. I believe he has a coupe and sedan set. Was at my meet last week when I asked him if he had any. Comes complete with instructions. Asking $750 for each set. Bill I also may have some on a 51 comm sedan, will have to check.
  • frank spring
    frank spring Expert Adviser
    Italia number 22 is owned by Ed Souers and family.
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    A complete listing of Italias and their whereabouts appears on page 21 of the Jan/Feb 2004 issue of the White Triangle News. There is also extensive articles on these cars by Laurie Shultz.
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