nOOb with a 46

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Well its not my my 46...

So my Grandpa has had this 46 Hudson in his back years for over 30 years now. The body is in good shape (no rust) other than the floor. It still has all the original parts including the eng. Now for the fun part. My Uncle is looking for a shop to do a frame off. The car is in Scottsdale AZ but it could travel if needed. There was a shop that said they could fix it up for $20K but they haven’t seen car.

Are there any good places to take a Hudson in AZ?



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This was a pic from last week.

Comments

  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    You would want to pin them down in writing, as to what they mean by 'fix up'. $20 grand for a good frame-off restoration is waaay low. I'd be suspicious. In fact, if you did the work yourself, you'd probably have $20,000 in it just in parts and supplies before you were done -- forget the value of your time!



    I don't mean to discourage you, just think you need to know what you're up against before you embark on this journey.



    Have you spoken to any of the satisfied customers of this company?
  • harry54
    harry54 Senior Contributor
    I'm guessing that the resto is closer to $40,000.......
  • Aaron D. IL
    Aaron D. IL Senior Contributor
    I managed to get the frame-off part of my 47 Hudson Sedan restoration done for about $5000. How? I did it myself. The floor pans on mine were solid though except for the trunk and a new trunk pan had to be welded in.

    If you were so ambitious, it would be harder though if you didn't have a solid floor because I made up a rigging and bolted chains to the seat mounts on the floor pan. Then I had the separated body mounted to a trailer and found a shop that would paint it and repair it for $4500. Meanwhile I reworked all the brakes and chassis parts and lines myself at home. The frame-off part is done....still I haven't gotten into and engine rebuild or re-wiring yet.....more expense. Engine overhaul about $3-5000 and a new harness in the neighborhood of $500. Chroming....about $2000. all Rubber parts about $500. Replacement glass if you need it. Upholstery I did myself and got away with it for about $400 in materials. Still need to buy trim clips. I'm not including labor in any of this. Or buying tools when needed. Plus you'll probably want to buy a lot of POR 15. IT CAN BE DONE. But I wouldn't recommend you undertake it unless you really love the car and also don't mind getting stuck with it because you might. Thoughts of making a profit on it are the wrong reasons to get into a restoration. Some people manage too make a profit but as a rule they are experienced restorers. It is possible for the same $20 K to find you a nice aready road-worthy example maybe.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Good to know. Something like this is way past me... I havent talked to anyone. My uncle is the one looking into it. I thought the price was a little low too but what do I know...
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Aaron D. IL wrote:
    I IT CAN BE DONE. But I wouldn't recommend you undertake it unless you really love the car and also don't mind getting stuck with it because you might. Thoughts of making a profit on it are the wrong reasons to get into a restoration. Some people manage too make a profit but as a rule they are experienced restorers. It is possible for the same $20 K to find you a nice aready road-worthy example maybe.



    Thanks for the info!

    Just to be clear its not about making money on the car or getting stuck with it. Its about my uncle wanting to have the car fixed up for my gramps before he dies. Its something that has been talked about for a few years and now the ball is rolling. I just want to make sure that its not going to be one of those things that they dump 20K in only to end up with a car that looks like crap and will need another 30K to fix

    Thanks again for all the info.
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    A couple thoughts:



    1. Regarding the restoration place, be SURE to pin them down on what you're getting for your money, AND talk to some of their past customers about the company's performance. Also, if you're ready to deal with the company, make sure you talk about scheduling. The car is a fairly common type so it should NOT take a long time to scare up the parts. BUT, you don't want to find that they got to 99% and then came to a dead standstill for two years supposedly looking for a scarce chrome trim part. In the name of getting the finished car to your granddad, you might want to take it to that 99% and give it to him, even as you feverishly search for the missing part. These restorations can go on and on...



    2. If your grandfather likes this Hudson, is he a member of the Hudson club? If not, you could present him with a membership for as little as $25 and he'll have a great time just reading the magazine. More, here: http://www.hudsonclub.org/
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    The key for your uncle is to have a plan and a budget. One approach that works for a lot of us is to get help to figure out how much it will take labor and dollar-wise to get the car fully roadworthy. This is an area where you CAN do a lot of work yourself, even if you're a neophyte, and where you can get help from Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club Members.



    It may not be too expensive to get the car to the point where it can be driven safely and reliably. At this point, you will have a better idea of how much farther you want to go in the restoration, and you will be able to drive it around to restorers to get estimates.



    You need to get a Club member in your area who is knowledgable to help you assess the car's needs and help you make a priority list. You will probably be able to find someone who will be glad to do this a no charge.



    If you (or your uncle) are not a member of the HET Club, send me your snail mail address at HETfortyqtpi@earthlink.net (remove the HET before sending) and I will send you a copy of our award-winning national magazine, White Triangle News. It contains local contact information for a Chapter in your area. It also contains sources for parts and services.



    Good Luck!:cool:
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    Oh, and a very good contact in your area is Hudson Club member and professional Hudson mechanic Al Saffrahn. HETakhudaz@c2i2.com (again drop the HET) or call his shop at 520-568-2911
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    SamJ wrote:
    Oh, and a very good contact in your area is Hudson Club member and professional Hudson mechanic Al Saffrahn. HETakhudaz@c2i2.com (again drop the HET) or call his shop at 520-568-2911

    As stated, Al is your guy around here! But be aware, he's pretty busy these days! He's the Hudson God in AZ! :-)

    I'm here in Scottsdale if you guys need any help. I'm not an expert, but can lend a hand. I've got a '50 pacemaker Coupe I'm rodding.

    Jay
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Thanks for all the info. I'll be talking to my uncle and lettign him know what you think. I'll shoot Al an email and see what he thinks.

    Thanks again.
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