Projects I’m torn in more ways than one!!!... Traditional build 2nd guesses, Help me out fellas!!!

My choice would be the Oakland with the Hudson. I'd consider putting a dual range Hydramatic behind that Hudson which was a factory option.

 

I’m with the majority here—the Oakland has far more appeal, at least for me. But here’s the thing: Building that car is going to take FAR FAR more than you realize. I’m talking time, skills acquisition and cash. You need serious motivation to keep yourself going through that long and sometimes discouraging process. A clear vision is motivation. Wanting to prove the naysayers wrong is motivation. Having something to prove—to yourself and others—is motivation.

A lot of guys start out in denial and eventually hit the wall. Me, I’m in year eight on my build and there were times when my “vision” was all that kept me going.

I think I asked you this question in another thread: Do you love this Oakland? The fact that you’re considering a trade suggests maybe not. If you don’t feel that pull, that vision and motivation to make this particular car happen, you should sell the Oakland and look for something that’s further along and more solid. You’ll be on the road years sooner, and probably money ahead. There’s a reason people say “start with the best car you can find.”

My two cents. Think about it, and good luck with whatever you decide!

 

What is this 1929 Hudson you speak of?
Maybe that one is the answer. Maybe, just maybe focusing on that car and that car alone may be the best bet.

Having two major projects going at the same time is like having two masters....at least for me it is.

A man cannot serve two masters eventually he will loveth one and hateth the other.

Personally I have had to pull the plug on a project and focus on one and one alone. The others can wait. They do not eat much and I've got the space.
If I tried to do them at the same time......nothing would ever get done. Both of them would be perpetually pieces of patched up junk.

 

What Studebaker Joe said^^^^^^ hydramatic out of a 52 Hudson

 

I'm going to repost my comment from the other day because I think I managed to post it in the wrong way. I have some knowledge of stepdown Hudsons, so I thought I'd weigh in...

There are lots of parts available for the 308, including some speed parts, but as somebody else said, it isn't a cheap engine to rebuild. That tranny is nice in the sense that it has an overdrive, but a tranny from a later Hudson would probably be easier to find parts for (also available with overdrive). The clutch is peculiar to Hudson, being a wet clutch, but it works well and parts and service are available. Either of the manual transmission are maybe just a bit weak but the Hydramatic is very tough indeed, and not cheap to rebuild either. It won't downshift like a modern automatic will, so you might not like it. The manual tranny and Hydramatic have very different rear mounts (at least in a Hudson) so you would have to decide that pretty early. That's my worthless .02.

 

Weld up the Chevy sedan with steel tubing replacing the wood. Put the Hudson Twin H power engine and stick O/D trans in it and you'llhave a screamer 308 Twin H Powers were fast in the Hudson

 

Some inspiration for you @Wurger
Mild Chop, No Hood Sides, Modded Tailights, Nerfed, Scavenger Pipes,
Your Vintage Drivetrain with WW's, Solids and Spiders




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So @Wurger give us an update on this interesting Hotrod material you were considering building...

 

Studebakerjoe x 2 ! Twin H, Hydramatic in the Oakland........way tooooo kool!

 

Oakland is an [early], square, car, "most" of the wood will have only a slight "bow"...
the newer car will have a little more bow and a lot more wood...
doesn't matter if you are a cabinet maker...
but if you are going to replace it with steel tube the less bow the easier to replicate...
.
as for your mill... at your age you will probably want to go for long rides for years... maybe use something that is easy to get parts for, stinks to be stuck in Burnham, Me. with a broken valve spring or such on your '20s, '30s or '40s engines and trannies..
at that price you can mess with either one [increasing its value] and move up if you find THE rod body...
… my $0.02.

 

Above Quoted from Friday Art Show...



The rear window is actually individually altered and the 3" chop goes around it
it's done quite often in chopping to keep away from mail-slotting.




https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/friday-art-show-05-04-2018.1106450/page-2#post-12929965

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If you already have a Hudson 3 window with a rumble seat in the works, sell this stuff and put the money towards finishing up the Hudson 3 window.

Both the other cars in question need the wood replaced, that in its self is a huge, expensive project. Then there is the motor & trans that both need to be rebuilt, another pretty expensive undertaking. I can't imagine what a "kit" would cost to replace the Hudson trans with the Mopar trans, and then you still need to rebuild the Mopar trans. You haven't even really started building the car yet.

I retired from running a welding shop, I can tell you without a doubt, Start with the very best body you can find. Your going to have several thousand dollars in these rusted up, rotted wood rides, you can find much nicer cars for less money your then your likely going to have in these to get to the same starting point, especially if your looking for a non-popular brand Gene

 

OK Wurger. We haven't heard from you since May of last year. What have you decided on? Is the Oakland all finished yet? In 31 and 32 Oakland had a factory flathead V/8 engine. Pontiac used that engine in 32 only. Now, THAT would be cool but the Hudson 308 would be faster.
While I love early Chevies [Had a 33 , 3 window] the Oakland would be my choice.

 

Hey fellas, I’m still collecting parts for it, with stogy’s awesome art work it’s a keeper in my book, The fenders especially on the passenger side may be a little bit beyond saving so we shall see. I’m still figuring the best way to support the body, I enjoy restoring cars as well so the Oakland would be my go to during the long process of looking for parts for my other rigs. The three window Hudson btw has little to no wood, so no problem there mine is a true Hudson Murphy body made of thick steel, The only wood of note is for the roof covering.




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Still planning or rockin’ the 1954 Hudson Hornet Twin-H 308, the Oakland has an “ All American Six” in it which is quite large so there will be no need for stretching out forward or recessing the firewall. The transmission attached to the 308 is a 49 Hudson Commodore three speed with overdrive, still wondering if I should rock that or get the Hydromatic transmission that would have been attached to the 54 originally, it’s the same bolt pattern so there is no issue at all as it is mechanically speaking and it will run perfectly fine as is, any thoughts?


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Well, if you decide not to use the Hudson, remember that you have what looks like a complete Twin-H manifold with all the linkage and you can sell that anytime. If the engine turns over it's worth some too. If it were mine I'd keep the stickshift but get a later (52 and up) transmission, but that's just because I like a stick better than a Hydramatic, but that's just me. I'm guessing you could rebuild the later transmission cheaper than you can rebuild a Hydramatic. You need to make your mind up about this pretty soon because the stick and the Hydramatic have very different rear mounts. On the Hydramatic there are two mounts which are actually mounted to the bell housing so you would need that. The stick is a conventional single mount and may be easier to work with. I really like the idea of a Hudson powered Oakland, but I'd try to get a handle on the condition of the engine because as I've said. they are not cheap to rebuild. Don't let that manifold and linkage get away too cheap though.

 

The idea of the Oakland engine in a Oakland hot rod intrigues me. You would be the only one in the country with one!

Denny

 

Oakland with Twin H & Hydro 4 me.