54 Hornet Special Coupe Forsale

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User]
edited November -1 in HUDSON
This looks like an interesting car...



http://www.geosleeperclassiccars.com/id7.html

Comments

  • Hudson Grandpa
    Hudson Grandpa Expert Adviser
    Whats the diff between a "Hornet" and "Hornet Special" Except for an oil filter it looks the same as mine under the hood, but oh does it need work. Looks like a coupe to me. inside is way to rough for that kind of bread....However it does have a fairly nice paint job. Chrome seems to be fairly there. Whats the trunk look like? To me over priced about $4000.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The Hornet Special had a little less "content." Think of it as an entry level Hornet.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    The "special" was the lower cost version which typically used less expensive trim. Try to find a running, driving 54 Hornet Coupe and see what it goes for (and have fun finding one for sale). If anything, it looks unmolested which is great. Sorry but you won't find a solid 51- 54 Hornet coupe like this for $5,000... unless you are very, very fortunate and have the cash to talk.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I would hazard a guess you would not find this car solid. When you look at the photos and see the seat adjustment lever rusted that badly you know this car has been exposed to the elements and the level of wear in the interior supports this. "Has rust on floorboards" I would say it might be worse than that this car has sat outside. Look at serial number plate and look at paint bubbling and rust of body rivet holding plate on. It would warrant a close inspection. Looks fine from distance and maybe a bargain to someone who can do the work themselves.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    As well as the Seat adjuster lever the water staining on the passenger door panel is a sign that the car has either a big leak or has been left open at some time. Possibly leading to the rust in the floors. Also, Appears to be a Club Coupe not the Broughm/2dr sedan as far as I can tell. I would have to really go over it before buying it.
    Bob
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Anyone notice the paint overspray underhood? Looks like a critter had a party on top of the engine. The fact that this car hasn't been driven in 10years says it all. The tree crud on the top, inside edge of the right fender suggests that this car lives outdoors.
  • Hudson Grandpa
    Hudson Grandpa Expert Adviser
    nhp1127 wrote:
    The "special" was the lower cost version which typically used less expensive trim. Try to find a running, driving 54 Hornet Coupe and see what it goes for (and have fun finding one for sale). If anything, it looks unmolested which is great. Sorry but you won't find a solid 51- 54 Hornet coupe like this for $5,000... unless you are very, very fortunate and have the cash to talk.



    "I did"



    That Hornet Special looks to uncared for inside over the years. I've seen cars for sale on this forum in better shape and for less money than this one.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Asking price of 9K is way to much. Like I said, 5k would be more inline. Again, none of us has seen the car.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Didn't the Hornet Special have a 262 instead of the 308 engine? When he says, "engine needs a little work", if it's something like a bad rear main seal leak, then it's a bit more than a "little work".
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    No, the Hornet Special was a Hornet with 308 motor lesser quality appointments. One of the latter trys at lowering costs by Hudson.
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    The Hornet Special in a nutshell is a Hornet with Wasp trim on the outside and things like no armrests and latch type wind wings instead of crank out. The Special also did not have the inside hood release like the Hornet. Little odds and ends to save money and get the price down. 54 was the only year for the Special and the only year a Brougham was offered and the Brougham was only in the Special oddly enough.
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    I think this is an earlier car than mine as my VIN is 6313483. I have never found any info that gives any details as to when they were built by the VIN. I am assuming mine is very late as my origional color appears to be from the 1955 Nash color chips.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Rob, according to the chart on the Smoky Mountain Heartland Chapter's website, your car VIN# 6313483 was manufactured in September of 1954 with a production run of 3517 for the month. Both of My cars are late 54s The Hornet Special Sedan was made in Sept a little after yours, The Coupe was built in October of 1954 and was 831 from the end of the run. The Hornet Special used a Wasp interior as well as the exterior trim, but Hudson would add whatever the customer wanted. The engine was the same as the Hornet, the rear seat normally did not have the arm rest but it was available, the vent windows were of the friction type, the rear vent windows did not open, but I'm sure there was someone that ordered the car with the opening rear vents. Both of my cars have the inside hood release. They do not have the Hornet emblem on the interior door panels.
    By late 1954 Hudson was giving any combination of trim etc that the customer wanted because they knew that the 55's would not be Hudson designs and they wanted to get rid of parts stores.
    Bob
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    Hey Bob,

    All those e-mails and pics back and forth, and you never mentioned that info. I went on the site and low and behold there it is. So how do you figure your car is 831 from the end? Mine being built in September of 54 explains the odd color. Since both of yours are later than mine have you found the colors to be not in the 54 Hudson paint color book? I chased all over until Lance ( Hudzilla) mentioned it might be a 55 Nash color. When I went on the Autocolorlibrary site, low and behold the chip marked coral red looked dead on to what I have. Of course it is a chip and off a website, but it is closer than anything in the 54 Hudson chips. Thanks again for the info.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Rob, Hudson did not break the production numbers into individual types such as Hornet or Hornet Special or Wasp etc. If VIN # 1111111 was a Hornet Special, 1111112 could have been a Hornet ,ut not necessarily a Hornet Special. I subtracted my VIN for the coupe from the last known VIN and got 831.
    Bob
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