How many Daily Drivers out there?
I am curious to know how many of you drive your Hudson’s on a daily basis? I want to get a Hudson, but I would like to have it as a primary vehicle, Does that sound feasible? I live in a small town and drive about 50 miles a week to work, the rest of the driving would be roadtrips and sightseeing!:D
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You'll probably get a number of replies on this, but right off the top of my head: for only 50 miles a week I think you'd have no problem. If, however, your "roadtrips" included 3,000-mile cross-country jaunts, you might want to use something a bit newer.
These cars, when they were new, were perfectly able to satisfy the needs of ordinary people for everyday use. Thus, you would have to be willing to rejuvenate virtually all components in order to bring the car up to 'as-new' condition. In other words, you couldn't simply purchase a beautiful, low-mileage Hudson and think that it will now act as it did when it left the factory. Everything, from generators to engine to brake system to electrics, will have aged sixty years unless someone has already renewed it. And if you start using it daily, and it hasn't been completely reconditioned, it's going to let you down big time. And very quickly.
Some folks opt to replace the drive train with something newer. This will work, but it represents a similar outlay of time and money to rejuvenating the original components. Might be a bit cheaper, because the modern stuff is easier and cheaper to lay your hands on. But still requires a sizeable investment. Should you "go original" the car will behave as it did when new, and serve you daily. But, as it did when new, it will require much more maintenance than your 5-year-old Toyota. So be prepared to change your points, be handy with a grease gun, and generally give your Hudson the routine maintenance to which it (and all cars of the 40's and 50's) were accustomed.
And when all is said and done, don't forget that your Hudson -- even when rejuvenated -- will handle and drive as it did when new. Which is to say, it won't drive like a modern car. This isn't a problem for the occasional trip but if you've become accustomed to a late model BMW you may be in for a shock! Most of us enjoy the 'feel' of tooling around in our vintage tin, but if old cars are new to you, you need to be aware that things have changed in the last 60 or so years. (If you modernize your car with new engine, suspension, steering, air conditioning, etc., this may not be a problem. But there we are again: a big outlay of time and cash.)
I don't mean to be negative, but you need to go into this with both eyes open.0 -
Thanks Jon B- I guess I should have mentioned that I have always owned old cars, just never a Hudson. Past cars 1960 Studebaker Lark Wagon,1964 Impala,1964 El Camino,1965 Pontiac Tempest,1960 DKW/AutoUnion,1963 Nova Wagon,1960 Cadillac Hearse....and how'd you know I own a 5 year old Toyota???(actually my wifes car):)
I have always worked on my own cars and modernized them somewhat to drive daily, but never made changes that were not reversable. I really want a Hudson coupe, because I love the body styling and I am a Nut for straight-six engines!0 -
Every automobile has a soul, the more orginal parts you remove and replace with modern items , the less soul is left.
By doing proper maintaince I have driven my stock Hudson and other collector cars nationwide in reliable, enjoyment.
If I want to drive modern with cruise, A/C and the rest I just drive the newer stuff, but when I dont want this I drive an old car.
The challenge to make a car drive as new is where its at for me.
29 Vic0 -
I drive my 37 Terraplane daily, don't have a job to go to, don't get more than 40-50 miles from the house couple times a week,got a/c in it,turn signals,seat belts, the more or less needed modern things. No it's not as cushy as the wifes Buick or my late model Dodge pickup, But I kinda pretend I'm a 16 yr old kid driven the one I had back then, WHACKO? Maybe, but I'm sure havin FUN!! 50's coupe? Had a 41-49- 51-and a 52. You'll love it. GIT-ER-DONE BOY!!0
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I'm now driving my 55 Hornet daily though I haven't take a long drive in it yet. I am finding I have to do things differently than I do with my "modern" vehicles. It is a little cranky starting cold and takes some patience and once warmed up I can't touch the throttle without flooding it, just turn the key and it fires. The brakes were also kind of exciting the first time I had to stop in a hurry. They work good but they started to lock up as things got close, no anti lock and a lot of weight caused some squalling from the tires, radials may cure some of that. I'm working on the vacuum wipers now, eventually it will rain in California again and I may need wipers. So far as a daily driver it seems to be working out fine but I do have a back up vehicle if I run into problems.
Harry0 -
Now that Summer is over (the a/c doesn't work well), I will be driving mine to work probably 2-3 times per week. Thats a 30 mile round trip per day. Modern drive train, so it apparently has less soul, but it makes up for it in character. lol I have electric wipers, and a half assed defroster, so let it rain!
Terry0 -
I drive the heck out of a '53 Wasp. Mostly short trips, but have probably racked up in excess of 10K. I actually quit keeping up the first year at 5500, so that may be conservative on the milage. I can't remember the milage on it at the time I bought it.
Aside from a farm truck and a motorcycle, its my "go-to" vehicle.
Unrestored and definitely not pristine, my rolling platform of Hudson Mechanical education. But, its all original with the exception of the 308 under the hood.
As long as you don't care for A/C and take enough patience with it to fix the undoubtedly neglected mechanicals - I don't see a problem.
Most folks spend more time on the "shine" of a classic vehicle and do not attend to the part that actually gets the car down the highway. If I were out to buy a "driver", I'd pay alot more attention to the mechanicals and underbody rust than flashy exterior/interior appearance.
I'd say go for it.
Mark0 -
BAD A/C? I've got a heat/air cond unit I made out of odd parts in a box mounted in front of the shift lever on my 37"T" 4dr and even with all the heat we've had I can freeze you out! I use a dual voltage system with the heat/ac and a couple other things running off an isolated 12volt system and the electric shift and all the original stuff on 6volt. Can't stand the heat anymore but I aint given up my "T" !!0
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Mark;
well said, this Hornet has gotten me back into working on my car instead of just taking it in for oil changes. Structurally my car is sound, a little minor surface rust but no rot. Brakes are new, trans and driveline are just rebuilt, tires will get replaced this year, the tread is good but their is some side checking from sitting for five years. The heater works and the defroster on the right side, need a new hose for routing it to the left side. Wipers are in the process of getting checked out, the great paint job will come after all the rest, it's not that bad now but it needs new. It's just not at the top of my priority list.
Harry0 -
My wife just retired two weeks ago and she had to turn in her company car, so she promptly took over my 2005 Mazda MPV, so for the past two weeks I have been using my '50C6 sedan as my daily driver and it isn't bad. The car is basically unrestored but sound, I am the 2nd owner. I have driven this car almost 25,000 miles since I acquired it ten years ago and that includes trips to Hudson meets in Nashville and Seattle and lots of regional meets out here in the west. I live near San Diego. I did a brake job myself when I got the car and I had to do a valve job and a new timing chain after the trip to Seattle. I just drove it almost 800 miles RT two weekends ago to the ALL CA meet in San Simeon, CA and I got 16mph. It is still 6v and I have a 6v air conditioner in it. It is a little bit of a tank in traffic and it can tire me out driving it. I call her, "The Queen of the Road," or "Queenie." If I knew how, I would post a picture.0
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here is my driver until the snow flys
http://groups.msn.com/HudsonEssexTerraplaneBulletinBoard/hotrod46.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=42620 -
Danarchy wrote:I am curious to know how many of you drive your Hudson’s on a daily basis? I want to get a Hudson, but I would like to have it as a primary vehicle, Does that sound feasible? I live in a small town and drive about 50 miles a week to work, the rest of the driving would be roadtrips and sightseeing!:D
After I bought my 49 Super Six I worked on it for three months steady to make it road-worthy.Since then I drive it every day. I have two other old cars but the Hudson is my first choice to drive. I will be selling it soon and will find a two door to keep. What a pleasure to drive ! Richie.0 -
BADHUDSON wrote:here is my driver until the snow flys
http://groups.msn.com/HudsonEssexTerraplaneBulletinBoard/hotrod46.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4262
Thats a cool daily driver! Hope to do something similar in the near future with truck.
Matt0 -
My daily driver is a '40 Hudson 2dr sedan, Powered by a hopped up '56 308. I drive about 80 miles round trip to work and back on So.Cal freeways. I live at 3700 feet above sea level, and I have to pass through 4300 feet and down to about 1200 feet to where I work. My car has an overdrive trans and 3.73:1 gears. It gets 19-20 mpg running 70 mph. I highly recommend a Hudson as a daily driver.
Dany0 -
I have a 36 Terraplane, original, a ratty 47 Hudson Pickup, a 49 Commadore, restored, and a 52 Hornet, original. I try to drive each of them a couple of times a week. The pickup is the workhorse.0
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Danarchy wrote:
I'm Walt Mordenti and if you want to drive your car just do as I did. I've writtened two volume tech tip books on how I drive my 53 Hudson Coupe around this country, yes, 12 volts with AC, electric wipers, electronic ignition and the rest of the car is the way it came from the factory. In 9 years it has been driven 114,000 miles, 9 trips coast to coast and every Hudson National show in those 9 years. Do as I did and you will have a driver.I am curious to know how many of you drive your Hudson’s on a daily basis? I want to get a Hudson, but I would like to have it as a primary vehicle, Does that sound feasible? I live in a small town and drive about 50 miles a week to work, the rest of the driving would be roadtrips and sightseeing!:D0 -
Walt;
where does one find those books?
Harry0 -
walt's garage-53 wrote:I'm Walt Mordenti and if you want to drive your car just do as I did. I've writtened two volume tech tip books on how I drive my 53 Hudson Coupe around this country, yes, 12 volts with AC, electric wipers, electronic ignition and the rest of the car is the way it came from the factory. In 9 years it has been driven 114,000 miles, 9 trips coast to coast and every Hudson National show in those 9 years. Do as I did and you will have a driver.
Thanks everyone! That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Now the search begins for "my Hudson".0 -
Harry Hill wrote:
Send me an e-mail and I will tell you how to get my tech tip books, volume 1 and volume 2. mmordenti@aol.comWalt;
where does one find those books?
Harry0 -
Walt, I sent you an e-mail. Richie0
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Absolutely you can use them as a daily driver, once upon a time that's what they were for. By today's standards a Hudson is more up to the task of modern roads than most all of its' contemporaries. I did for a while with no modifications other than Radial tires. Main thing is that it's mechanically up to snuff and maintained. I've actually found that I've had more problems with my Hudson when it sat for long periods of time than when I drove it. If you're not willing to maintain it, though than I wouldn't bother. Plus I would hope it's garage kept when not in use and has a good coat of wax. Radials are a huge plus. Driving in snow I've done too but ideally you'd keep it out of the salt as much as possible, and if you do spray off the undercarriage.
You can add a few other things for reliability and safety but there's not much under the hood to go wrong why complicate it ? (ha ha)0 -
I don't quite drive the car daily, but I'm getting close. Need to do some interior work next.
-Chris
http://zorak.chrishull.com/public/Hudson24Sept2006/rightwithvisor2.jpg
Just got new white walls from udson Dave. The car looks Great!
(now I need brake hoses).0 -
I have a 52 with twin-h. I built it so that I could drive it when I wanted to. I drive it to work every once and a while, and I drive my other old cars as well. I work about 25 miles from home. But, with all the construction around here, and the 80 miles per hour folks drive on the freeway. It is not as much fun to drive to work as it is to just take it for a ride. As a thought, I have replaced the windshield in my work car (2002 Pontiac) three times in two years. When I say it is not worth it to drive it to work each day, this is what I am getting at. Keep in mind, as was stated above in a post. I have no reservation about driving my car long distance. However, it is harder on me than is my family car so if I am taking it out, it is normally a planned old car outing.
Brownie0 -
After driving my newly purchased 53 Hornet 1200 miles home from Ontario to Wi. I drive it every day to work ,20 miles r.t. Love it!! Tom0
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I don't have a Hudson, but I drive my 1954 Kaiser Manhattan every decent day (2 or 3 times a week, now that it's October), sometimes on a weekend jaunt for 100-200 miles camping or whatever. I drive it anytime there's no salt on the road, from when the spring rains wash the roads clean in March or April, up to the first snowfalls in December. I do not drive it to work; it's my "fun" car. I live in Wisconsin and I feel confident that it can take me anywhere in the U.S. and most of Canada right now if I wanted it to. It is factory stock, has a 226-cubic-inch flathead six, with a stock McCulloch supercharger (yes, it works and I use it!), and a three-speed Borg-Warner manual tranny on the column with overdrive. It does have Coker radial wide whites. I don't baby it, but I don't beat it to death, either. A good, fully-rebuilt, well-maintained, properly-driven car should be just as reliable as the day it left the factory--regardless of the marque-- and in a few cases, possibly even better.
Oh, and it still has the original six-volt positive-ground system, with a rebuilt generator and new voltage regulator (gave up on the 6-volt alternator idea; the old system when PROPERLY rebuilt by a COMPETENT outfit works just fine).0 -
Well... we have our 49 that my wife drives everyday to work, run arrends for our shop, and home again, And we have my 40 chopped top traveler. I drive the 40 everywhere, vegas to iowa. Sometimes just to cruise,0
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49hudson wrote:Well... we have our 49 that my wife drives everyday to work, run arrends for our shop, and home again, And we have my 40 chopped top traveler. I drive the 40 everywhere, vegas to iowa. Sometimes just to cruise,
When I was asking about Daily Drivers, I should have specified stock cars or very close to it. 6-12volt conversion I could understand, but I'm looking at mostly original cars.Not that there is anything wrong with those choppedchanneledleadsled monstrousities, their just not what I like.:eek:0 -
Car, '54 Hornet sedan, Twin-H, has had its share of problems, but drive it about 60% of the time to work and on aroundtown errands. Needs a steering center point, but actually does OK on the freeway. Much nicer than our Mitsubishi.- Bob0
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What is a true Hudson daily driver? I doubt any of us have nothing but a Hudson in our driveway. My '55 is on full registration and I drive it anywhere I like whenever I like (5000 miles since March last year and it has never let me down), but it is a senior citizen and does not get flogged on highways and though I drive it to work often, it deserves the respect we give to our grandmother. Take her out when the weather is nice, give her some exercise, but don't drag her out in all weathers and for inconsequential trips. The first post on this topic was the best one. Do it, but it will require more maintenance than your wife's five year old Toyota! Mine is still 6 volts but Walt Mordenti is spot on in suggesting 12V (easy for A/C plus light bulbs and headlight sealed beams can be bought anywhere), electronic ignition etc to increase reliability and reduce maintenance. My "modern" is a 1987 Ford, currently less reliable than the Hudson!0
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