1940 Model 44 comes back to Life

Uncle Josh
Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
This afternoon, another of the half-dozen or so 1940 Model 44 Eight Cylinder Coupes came back to life with a mighty roar.



The engine has a couple of new cam bearings, a replacement piston, and a set of used main bearings. Sounds good.

Comments

  • Way to go Uncle Josh
    Bob
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Huzzah!!!!
  • Congratulations Uncle Josh!



    Love those fat fender cars(especially the coupes)!



    Kevin C.
  • Clutchguy
    Clutchguy Senior Contributor
    Larry,why did you paint the engine red,head gold and thenm the trans silver?.Just curious
  • ????Question????. Do you know why there is a round casting in the block below the cylinder head and above the generator on the left front side of narrow block 8 cylinder engine blocks? Looks like something should mount there. HUDSON history question. Lets see who knows.
  • Richie
    Richie Senior Contributor
    Way to go Uncle Josh !!!
  • Clutchguy
    Clutchguy Senior Contributor
    tombia wrote:
    ????Question????. Do you know why there is a round casting in the block below the cylinder head and above the generator on the left front side of narrow block 8 cylinder engine blocks? Looks like something should mount there. HUDSON history question. Lets see who knows.



    I take it you are talking about a '37 thru '47?,and if so,I have now idea? Since this was the same basic design used from '30 to '52,it could have been used for something prior,but I have no clue,but really never thought about it?.:D
  • Clutchguy
    Clutchguy Senior Contributor
    Richie wrote:
    Way to go Uncle Josh !!!



    Larry,it is really great that you have made another Hudson engine and car run again. Hopefully it will stay a Hudson eight coupe for many years to come!!:D:D
  • faustmb
    faustmb Senior Contributor
    Looks like a solid car. There must be a good story behind this one. Whats the next step on this one for you?



    Matt
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    tombia wrote:
    ????Question????. Do you know why there is a round casting in the block below the cylinder head and above the generator on the left front side of narrow block 8 cylinder engine blocks? Looks like something should mount there. HUDSON history question. Lets see who knows.



    All I see on this one is a little boss about 5/8 inch in dia that sticks up about 1/16 inch. There is also one at the back of the engine.

    As an old machinist, I might use them as a locator to start machining the intake side, or more probably they were a casting sprue to let air out of the mold.
  • nick s
    nick s Senior Contributor
    tombia wrote:
    ????Question????. Do you know why there is a round casting in the block below the cylinder head and above the generator on the left front side of narrow block 8 cylinder engine blocks? Looks like something should mount there. HUDSON history question. Lets see who knows.
    were the early breathers on the left?
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    Clutch guy wrote:
    Larry,why did you paint the engine red,head gold and thenm the trans silver?.Just curious



    I dunno. The gold 308 with red intakes looked good so thought I'd use the same colors differently. Maybe for the WOW factor when you open the hood at the shows.



    The stepdown 8 I got from the Royer estate looked good red with the aluminum head, but I didn't like the aluminum head so I traded it off for an iron one which has the HUDSON cast into the top.



    I believe aluminum as used on the tranny is correct, but I ran out of red that day and I had a can of aluminum handy Good thing it wasn't a can of brindle.
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    I've now run several carb bowls of gas thru it. It's loosening up a little and starts good but it's skipping and cranks easy thru one cylinder. Must have a valve hung up I hope. I'll pull the plugs and find out which cylinder and If I'm lucky it'll be an exhaust which is under the plug and I can tap down. Stay tuned.
  • The modern Hudson 8 (down draft carb. models) was copied? off the Terraplane 8 block, They had the crankcase breather located in the left front

    of the block. These blocks can be used all the way back to 1930, I remember when the Roger Beall restored the 1931 phaeton that ended up at Harrahs accually had a 47 block install in it. Wide blocks (48 and up) are quite diff. except that head bolt pattern and manlfold/port location is the same. that is that all heads and manifolds will interchange.
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    faustmb wrote:
    Looks like a solid car. There must be a good story behind this one. Whats the next step on this one for you?



    Matt

    The chassis is done, new rear springs, front end parts, brakes etc. body off last year. Body ext is derusted ready for primer. Dent free replacement front fenders have to be primed, Adapting trunk floor from a 46 Brougham in the woods etc. We'll get there with good health.
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    Uncle Josh wrote:
    I've now run several carb bowls of gas thru it. It's loosening up a little and starts good but it's skipping and cranks easy thru one cylinder. Must have a valve hung up I hope. I'll pull the plugs and find out which cylinder and If I'm lucky it'll be an exhaust which is under the plug and I can tap down. Stay tuned.

    Aha! I pulled the plugs tonite and no compression on 1 and 6. Pulled valve covers, and intakes not seating. Pulled head and a paper shop towel was holding 1 and 6 intakes open. Buttoned it up and it roars on all 8.
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    tombia wrote:
    ????Question????. Do you know why there is a round casting in the block below the cylinder head and above the generator on the left front side of narrow block 8 cylinder engine blocks? Looks like something should mount there. HUDSON history question. Lets see who knows.



    The first series Hudson eights ('30-'33) had a breather tube fitted into a hole where this "bump" is. Later series (34 onwards) had the breathers in the tappet covers.

    Geoff.
  • Spencer Yarrow
    Spencer Yarrow Expert Adviser
    the early engines have a breather at the back as well on the same side
This discussion has been closed.