Factory hot rod---my new 51 Hudson Commodore

Paul, if you decide to sell that beast, PM me. I want another Hudson stepdown car!

 

What a cool car! Don't change a thing and drive them wheels off.......

Well Done!!!

 

great score! i would love to have a Hudson. every time i see one or hear the name, it remindes me of that movie Kellys Heroes.
"what are you gonna do with your cut kelly?"
"gonna get me a new Hudson with electric shift."

 

to further my minimal knowledge: what is a "step-down"?

Those Hudsons sure have great lines... I think this one is a "step-up", though.

 

paul that hudson rocks! i had same car from original owner that had parked it because the "brake booster" had failed, that was 79' and $12 bucks later we were cruising. mine was "broom blue" and even the radio worked. traded it off for 40' plymouth coupe parts.

 

Ata Boy Paul. I spent lots of years playing with Hudsons and the HET Club back in the 60's & 70's. Kinda wish I had one again.

 

Here are some more photos which will show the ugly interior. I like the photo of Kate Hudson much better. <center>
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Congrats, Nice Find!

 

In 1948, when the Hudson "Stepdown" design debuted, it was a BIG departure from common styling of the day. Nearly all other cars on the day were built on-frame, which meant a high floor height, and also a higher center of gravity. The new Hudson was one of a very few unibody cars of the day (Nash was another). A unibody construction meant that the floor was considerably lower than all of the other cars built at that time from GM, Ford, Chrysler, and even Packard. So, when you entered a Hudson, you "stepped down" into the car, versus the climb into the others! Look at the interior pics of Paul's car above, and you will readily see this. The success of this allowed for the unparalled styling of the '48 - '54 Hudson cars. The Stepdown unibody design, along with the 308 ci Twin-H flathead Six, allowed Hudson tremendous success in the early days of NA$CAR, because of the power, low center of gravity, and aerodynamic styling.

Hence, the term "Stepdown".

To add to your Hudson knowledge bank, the Hudsons also incorporated an emergency brake that, if your hydraulic braking system failed, you could still stop the car with the normal footbrake, rather than yanking on the e-brake handle. If the normal brakes failed, as you depressed the foot pedal farther, that engaged the rear brakes and you still had plenty of stopping power. You still had the parking brake, too.

 

Nice car.They look so cool.We only got the 4 doors over here but there are a couple of coupes and at least one Hollywood I know of.

If you need door rubbers(and I think you do) weatherseals,gaskets etc etc go to K Gap.used to be owned by Pres and Jan(she died recently)
and now owned by Dany & Kaylene Spring.
http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/kgapstore/Page?template=about

Also for hard parts etc go to Bill Albrights Vintage Coach.Bill died recently but I understand the business still operates

http://albrightcars.com/

Clifford Engineering rebuilds Hudson engines

Here is another site that has a list of lots of businesses that are involved in the restoration of Hudsons.
http://hudsonrestoration1948-54.com/STEPDOWNRESTORATIONAIDS.html

 

Awesome car Paul.
I don't know why anybody would rate this thread, with one star.
I am happy when my friends get a good score, whats not to like.
Congrats, I dig it.

 

FastAndLoose

THANK YOU !

 

Suhweet score. She's a beauty just the way she is.

 

Great Deal, looks good.......ENJOY!

 

Man that thing looks fast just sitting there huh?

 

Looks great, I kind of dig the "ugly" interior. That thing is a time bomb. Drive the wheels off that thing.

I wish it were a coupe, though...

 

It is a very beautiful machine indeed, just perfect, don't change a thing.

 

Thats awesome.

 

Very nice! I always thought Hudson's looked cool, they are different, not a belly button car at all. Leave it alone, fix any safety related items, and drive the snot out of it. There are a ton of people who would pay to have patina like that.

 

it's already for sale on craigslist.........

 

thanks for the education...

 

Looks like the one I found but your's is in much better condition. Mine was slated to go to the scrap yard when the towing guy decided to see if someone wanted it on egay. Being it was a local car I bid and won it for $212.75 cleaned the points and drove it into my yard. I love the way the factory roof already looks chopped.

 

Update-- my car sold on C-list to a young guy in nor cal who flew here this summer and drove it home over the Rockies, the Utah desert, and the high Sierras. Not bad for an unrestored car. He said he had a few issues but no big problems. He said it was a great adventure.