Another Hudson in my future?

[patrick66]

Some of you know that I am also a BIG Hudson fan! I've owned several since 2000 - a '37 Terraplane model 71, a '47 Super Six 4-dr., a '50 Pacemaker coupe, '50 Commodore 8 4-dr, '52 Super Wasp, '53 and '54 Hornet 4-drs, a '56 Super Wasp, and three Metropolitans. Eleven in total. My last was the '37, which I bought partially restored, and I finished that car up to be a gorgeous vehicle! Traded that (my last) several years back for an outstanding '41 Plymouth PT25 pickup...which I sold a couple of years later!

Anyway...A Hudson buddy of mine is getting ready to retire, and is looking to sell off several of his toys. He's been a huge Hudson guy for several decades. He has a 1954 Hudson Jet. So you ask "WTF is that?". It's the car that nearly killed the company outright, built for just two years; 1953-54. They are a smaller Hudson, which was the right car for the wrong time. These had a 202 ci Six that put out 125 hp. Available with a single one-bbl or the Twin-H dual singles, it could be had with the three-speed manual or the Dual-Range GM HydroMatic transmission. They had a style to me, that is a cross between a Hudson in the front,a '53 Ford in the back, and a '51 Dodge from the side. Very stodgy styling like most American cars of that time, but neat cars to drive!

I've known the car since he got it in 2002. It's originally a light cream yellow color, lighter than Chrysler's Daffodil Yellow, and now in primer. The seats are done, brakes and steering all rebuilt, and a couple of electrical problems have been fixed. The fuel system is all-new or restored, the tires are recent, and the car is very solid overall.

What the hell am I going to do with it? I don't know yet. I'm going to look at it this week and see where I'd be at with it. Might do some trading, I dunno. The car pictured is what the car would look like completed. I've wanted to get back into a '50s car, since both the Coronet and Imperial are essentially completed, as far as I'm concerned. I'll let you all know soon if the Jet will be gracing my shop floor soon!

 

[oliver]

It sounds like you already know you want it. It's a very neat little car and you are right, the rear does resemble a '53 Ford. The glass must be hard to find for those cars...(?) . Lots of luck with this potential acquisition!

 

[patrick66]

I've known the owner since 2000 and the car since 2002. I made an offer several years back, but he wasn't looking to sell then. He called a couple of months ago, and we've had some serious discussion on the car. He lives 90 minutes away, so going to see it takes a little coordination. It's probably a 95% done deal, but there are a couple of things I want to see on the car before pulling the trigger.

 

[69monaco]

They made some great cars in the past........

 

[69monaco]

 

[patrick66]

OK, kids! Went to look at it, and it's in better shape now than it was four years ago, the last time I looked at the Hudson. And yep, it's coming home with me. In a couple of weeks. It has had the floors patched and sealed. New tinted side glass installed. Exterior primed and sealed. New tires, brakes, wheel cylinders, and fuel tank/lines/pump. Conversion to 12V not about 50% done. Seats have been reupholstered in tan/brown (nice!). To actually drive, it's going to need the seats installed and the 12V conversion completed. Now, I'll have owned all of the Hudson post-war models but one, and all body styles except ragtops.

Once I can get my SD card to load, you'll see pics!

 

[LeBaron1973]

Well done, nice to read about one of the independents again.

Good luck with the car.

 

[Carmine]

Well done, nice to read about one of the independents again.

Good luck with the car.

Agree. I find all that history fascinating and it's great to see the artifacts preserved. Hudson was dead decades before I was born, but it's still interesting to me.

 

[patrick66]

Here she is, in my garage! As you can see, it is yet another yellow car in my little collection. The seats are newly done. Tires and brakes are new. Bumpers are nice. Overall, the car is in great shape, with a few things every 63-year-old car needs. My friend K brought it over this afternoon on his trailer, and we and my son off-loaded it and rolled her into the shop. I had to clean out a spot for the Super Jet, but the shop needed tidying before Winter, anyway. The delivery of the Super Jet motivated me a bit. Stay tuned as work begins on this little-known bit of American automotive lore!

 

[patrick66]

I'm tossing around a couple of ideas on paint. The original colors on Hudsons were quite creative in both interior and exterior choices. The Jet was yellow with a cream white top, brown seats and dark green dash and interior metal surfaces. Very nice, actually! So, I can go with those interior colors and exterior colors for a resto-type build. Or, paint the exterior Blitz Black (a JD semi-flat) and go mild custom with a lace-paint scheme on a silver-painted top, lakes pipes and other similar touches, along with a pretty much stock appearing interior. It's never gonna be a concours resto, nor will it ever bring a ton of cash. Simple and fun.

 

[livininharrow]

I'm tossing around a couple of ideas on paint. The original colors on Hudsons were quite creative in both interior and exterior choices. The Jet was yellow with a cream white top, brown seats and dark green dash and interior metal surfaces. Very nice, actually! So, I can go with those interior colors and exterior colors for a resto-type build. Or, paint the exterior Blitz Black (a JD semi-flat) and go mild custom with a lace-paint scheme on a silver-painted top, lakes pipes and other similar touches, along with a pretty much stock appearing interior. It's never gonna be a concours resto, nor will it ever bring a ton of cash. Simple and fun.

sounds like you already know the look you want. I like the satin black mild custom with sidepipe idea. go with your instincts . always worked for me.

 

[patrick66]

I have two Daffodil Yellow cars already, and now a third that was nearly that very same color. Since the car will never hit the B-J auction circuit as a high-dollar rarity, and chances are it'll never be a $20K or higher car, ever; I'm just tossing around ideas for it. The mild custom look is something I've always liked, but never really had the car to do that to. Plus, there are a lot of four-door cars out there that have been saved by going that route, versus an all-out resto. I know several very good paint stripers, too, that can lay down pinstripe like no one's business!

I took some 0000 wool to parts of the dash this afternoon and wanted to see how they'd look...Oh, my! Hudson had a great reputation for some of the very best chrome plating of any American brand. The glove box trim was first. Looks like showroom condition, no pits or flaking of any kind, and came out beautifully! Next was the speedometer surround. Pretty! Then I did a portion of the chrome sleeve on the steering column. That is just gorgeous! I don't see any need to replate anything inside the car at all.

I need to focus on finishing the Imperial as much as I can before diving headlong into the Jet. There's so little left to do on the convertible. One full weekend should be enough time to hammer away on the work that remains on the car.

 

[65sporty]

The shop I work for started as a Hudson dealer in 1947, when they quit selling cars in 1970 they were an AMC dealer. The Grandfather started the business, the Father took over and I work for the Grandson. Now we only do repair. We had a really cool Hudson clock that was in use since 47 but we lost it in the shop fire we had in 2014.

 

[patrick66]

In Ypsilanti???

 

[65sporty]

No, were further north in the thumb, Marlette. I had my wife to a doctor in Ypsilanti and we had lunch at a place across from the Hudson museum that's there. Sometime I will go back and check it out. My bosses uncle has 2 trucks, I think they are 47's, one is stock and the other looks stock but with a 350 Chevy and a Turbo 350 trans. It's a nice driver.

 

[patrick66]

The owner calls Ypsilanti "the last remaining Hudson dealer!"...I'd love to got there and Shipshawanna to the Hudson museum, before that one goes away, now that the Hostetlers have passed on.

 

[patrick66]

Went to the shop tonight and took some steel wool to the hood and the front fenders. For as long as this car sat on the side of my friend's shop outside, it is in amazing shape, body-wise. Found one little hail dent. One. This really is one of the straightest '50s cars I've had. Plus, with the floor repair done already, there isn't a whole lot to be done for paint prep. Only real bad spot on the car is where the rear frame meets the bumper brackets. That is pretty rotten and needs to be made right with new steel. The front and rear windshields need new rubber in a bad way, and that is available new! Those will come out immediately prior to paint. No hurry. First thing is to pirate a battery from the Coronet, drain what little gas is in the car, and get this little beast fired up! All of the fluids are less than a year old, but of course, year-old gas is never good.

 

[cm23uoc]

Congrats on the car. Love it. I always took a liking in the independents, always tossing around ideas for 50s/60s US cars I'd use as grocery getters if I'd be in your Country. I always counted the Jet into that list, personally I like it best as a most Basic 2dr. Utility sedan with monotone paint and Twin H engine Option. Not too many around I guess though.
The seats are nicely done indeed and they seem to be at least a similar pattern to the original if I compare them to the old brochures online. That dark green of the Dashboard is a Color I personally like a lot and in fact I always saw "my" Hudson finished in that hue outside as well. I remember the Collectible Automobile article on the Jet that had one in that Color pictured in very good unrestored shape I think. Have to look it up now. ;)

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I think I would go with some 50s custom touches

 

[patrick66]

So far, I think that is going to be the plan. Matte black with Lake pipes, two-tone green door panels and carpet with the two-tone brown seats, green or silver-painted roof with lace, and some killer '50s-style pinstriping! Oh, yeah, and the dash-mounted hula girl!