Anyone ever seen this before

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Hey Pals! Real, quick I'd like to thank all you guys for all your help through the months. Without which I would be lost.Now, as for this thread. Under my running boards there are twin metal straps, like those that strap pallets, and they are one in. approx. wide. They run the length of the RB and are held on at the ends by L brackets.There is 6 in. between them and about 2 in. from the edges. Now, originally these straps were insulated on the outside with rubber but now it's all disintegrated. There is a wire connected to the straps that appears to be like an early form of coaxial cable and it goes up to the underside of the dash and has an end like that of a dash bulb.The material looks to be as old as the car as the wire is cloth woven on the outside. The passenger RB has no wire attached. I'm thinking radio Antenna, but no radio. I don't think they even had radios in cars that far back. I could post some pictures if that might help. I'm puzzeled. Anyone? Phil

Comments

  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Sounds like an antenna to me. The radio might have been removed from your car and the antenna remained. I don't recall the year of your car but if it's from the mid 30's, that's where Hudson put their antennae, though I don't recall that they were straps; more like aircraft cable.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Phil, I think it's for a courtesy light, kind of like the Opera lights they used to put on limos so that the passenger could step in without tripping over the running board.



    Harry
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Sorry forgot to give the year, 1928,Question though.Where would a radio have been mounted in a 1928? Phil p.s. wires seem to be original equipment (in with the rest) Phil
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    I could be wrong, but I'm fairly sure that the first factory radios weren't offered by Hudson until 1932-1934. So my guess is that someone, sometime, rigged up an aftermarket radio in your car. Possibly this was done during the 1930's when under-runningboard antennas seemed "the way to go", and he improvised with the steel strap you noted. Subsequently the radio (the control head of which might very well have bolted to the steering column) was removed, and the antenna forgotten about.



    Had the previous owner tried rigging the radio in the late thirties or forties, he would surely have used a then-prevalent cowl-mount (side of the cowl that is) antenna.
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Running board antennas were all the rage when street cars were electric. The static noise generated by the trolley's pickup arm would be terrible in the big cities. The idea was to place the antenna low on the car to eliminate the noise. It's questionable if it really worked. Many aftermarket radio suppliers used them, so yours could easily be an add on. Not that I'm old enough to recall.. LOL
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Well that blows my theory of running board lights.



    Harry
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    Yup, the running boards kinda follow the car Harry, they don't really need lights.



    Sorry, couldn't help m'self.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Wait a minute without running board lights how do you know you're close enough to the curb? I remember cars had opera lights so the doorman could find the back door handle to open the door for the passengers. Didn't the back doors always follow the front doors? Now I'm really confused.



    Harry
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I know of a 28 Hudson Landau sedan that has a radio mounted under the front seat. It ia a reather large unit, but considering the year you should expect it to be large. I'm sure it is an aftermarket accy, but in this car it looks like it was installed when the car was new. It even runs on dry cell lantern batteries. I never thought to look for the antenna. This car is in very good original condition and has several unique accy's like a remote operated spot light. It has cables like a modern remote mirror, but in a larger size & a joy stick to make it move. I fou would like more info on this car e-mail me @ HETsuper6esx@comcast.net(drop the HET).



    Tom.
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