hudson engine hand crank question...

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User]
edited November -1 in HUDSON
guys,

my 1942 Hudson DeLuxe six has a harmonic balancer bolt that is cut for a hand crank and the radiator, grille and front sheet metal is notched as well.

its definatly factory, not some hack job.

my question is would this car have come from the factory with a hand crank

for cranking the engine by hand? is this something the 175 splasher engined

car came standard with?

I find it hard to believe you could crank one of these over by hand fast

enough to get it to start. anybody have pictures of a engine hand crank or

one they want to sell?

i'm just getting started on mine and trying to gather some extra informatiuon.

thanks,

Ralph

aka PaceRacer50

Comments

  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    I'm surprised that they still offered hand cranks as late as '42. Maybe someone with a '42 can come in here and corroborate this.



    My '37 has an accessory hand crank, and it also comes with an extension bar (the bar has a squared-off male end, and the socket welded to the hand crank is square and fits this). If '42 is like '37, you'll find the extension bar clipped to the structural braces up near the trunk hinge -- assuming yours is a 4-door. The crank itself is a squared-off zee; one of its sockets fits the wheel bolts, the other fits the crank extension (as noted above).



    It doesn't require much to get the car started with the crank, assuming that your only problem is a depleted battery). Just engage the extension bar pin into the nut on the harmonic balancer, and give a quick upward clockwise yank (starting at about 9 o'clock). Hold the crank with an "open" hand, not putting your fingers all the way around the handle. This is in case of a backfire, which would yank your hand down if you were actually grasping the handle, rather than simply pulling the handle out of your hand (if your hand is open).



    This is especially helpful if you've just run your battery down and there isn't quite enough "oomph" to both turn the starter AND supply a spark to the plugs. By taking the strain off your starter you allow plenty of juice to give you the hot spark you need to get started.



    Hope this helps.
  • jjbubaboy
    jjbubaboy Senior Contributor
    Hi,

    Yes my 36T also has the crank ability. It did also have the extension clipped in the rear above the hinges. I do not however have the lug wrench/crank handle. Does anyone have an extra they want to sell?

    Also what was used for a jack back then?

    Thanks,

    T Jeff
  • Huddy42
    Huddy42 Senior Contributor
    I think 1939 would have been the last with this cranking device, I have an original 1942 Super Six which also has the slotted dog nut, these were probably left over dog nuts from pre 1939's and used due to the war years, it would take quite a few minutes to remove the number plate and the cover to insert the crank handle you would not want to be doing this in your best suit or good clothes. I have never seen any Hudson post 1939 with a crank handle.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    i'm going to check mine tomorrow for the clips in the trunk. its a 2 door sedan so it should be just like the 4 door models. i have noticed that most of the casting numbers & tag on the radiator are listing 1941 numbers but mine is

    a early 42 production model.

    Huddy42 do you have any pictures or information on the black-out models for 1942? some of the trim on mine is painted a off dull black with a rubberized gray paint over it. items like the bumpers (but not the guards), hood side trim, cowl trim, door trim with door handles, quarter panel trim, windshield trim and wiper items is chrome or polished stainless. Everything else has this

    dull black with rubberized gray paint on it. the gray is on top of the black. these painted items do not have any chrome underneath the paint.

    i have looked at a parts book that list the black painted trim and it shows

    every polished or chrome piece except for the bumpers being painted. I just

    wonder since mine is a early 42 model how it would have come from the

    factory.

    PaceRacer50
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    My 40 Eight has the crank nut.



    I've cranked Dad's old model A and 35 Ford dump to life many times. Nobody had a 'battry' that had any juice in it back then. As we lived in the mountains here, we usually parked them on enough of a hill so we could roll-start 'em.



    I've actually seen Dad start the old 28 Packard pickup by jacking up one rear wheel and twisting it.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Yea, my 41 super six has a provision for a hand crank and I assumed they were left over balancers. Heck, they sure wern't going to waste anything ,now were they. I really like the one about uncle josh and his dad staring the car spinning the wheel to start it. Pretty cool

    Had an old field car back in the sixtys . A 50 Chrysler 4dr. Too heavy to push. Now if I would have thougt of that spinning tire trick, I would have saved 15 cents every time I had the battery charged at the gas station. I think the battery spent more time on the charger than in the car. It was still fun.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Remember as a small child my Dad jacking up the left rear wheel of a T ford to crank it. The Trans must have been messed up. of course my 6 mo. younger cousin was in the yard with us. Dad told us what ever you do stay away from that wheel. When it started the cousin ran up and tried to stop the wheel. It did not stop but throwed him at least 30 foot from the car. After every thing settled down I remember Dad pushing the ford off the jack jumping in and takeing it to the Garage to fix. Guess them were the good old days.
  • Huddy42
    Huddy42 Senior Contributor
    Paceracer50,



    Sorry I do not have any pictures of the blackout models, but this little bit of info may help.



    Hudson stopped production of civilian cars on 5 February. Shown is the last one 'for the duration'. Most of the brightwork had austere paint finish.



    ( the above was taken from Car Spotter).



    Interesting to also note that the front apron between the grill and the radiator under the hood has the slot for a crank handle to pass through ,BUT, there is no slot in the bumper bar as in pre 1940, the bumper bar is lower on the 1942 models and the crank handle would wobble all over the place , you would not be able to control it and would cause damage to the grill area.
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