Hello all. Speaking of Orphans---------How about some pictures of Hudson, Essex, Terraplane rods. Late 20's and/or early 30's. I am working on a '29 Essex Coupe. Two years and counting. Keeps me off the street! It has helped me through some tough times too, mentally, emotionally. I'm disabled and money is always in short supply. Always have more wants than cash! Wife still loves me, YES, even after 47 years. Regards. Perley
My 32 Hudson coupe. I have had it 2 years. Basically built a new franme for it and did not work on it much the past year. I should get busy on it this winter.
Sounds like you have a cool project on the go. Post pics of it if you can. Click the link in my sig...4 pages of my Essex truck pics!
Great project there ratrod47. Keep us posted please. I have some slow times too. Last winter I was off all through it. No firewood for the stove and no other heat. You know how cold it gets up here! BRRRRRRR Perley
Here are two '34 Terraplanes that I know about. Neither one is mine. The red car is powered by a Pontiac 400. The other I can't recall.
OlderRodder43, I like your spirit, man! I can't post an Essex or Terraplane pic, and the closest I have been to Hudsons was my '50 Super 6. BUT, Essex was a fine, fine car in its day. Here's a compressed capsule from the book I wrote about defunct U.S. makes, and I hope it's not all a repeat for YOU who OWNS an Essex! Despite its conservative image, Essex (1919-1932) provided Hudson an important entry in the lower-mid-price range, never much exceeding $1,000. Essex gained a reputation for reliability. It is credited with starting the trend toward closed American cars. Sales were steady during the '20s, then sales of the conservative cars fell off. After the depression began to take hold, Hudson recreated the Essex as a "new" model for 1932. The transitional model in 1932 was badged "Essex Terraplane," thereafter just Terraplane, with snappier styling, lower price, sturdier bodies and more powerful engines. But, Essex was ALWAYS a Hudson, and, likewise, the Terraplane was a repackaged, re-marketed Essex! I say, MORE POWER TO YA! Even here in Ohio, the cold weather always shuts down anything I would love to do outside or even in an enclosed, unheated building. SO, hang in there, buddy! OTHERS ARE IN THE SAME BOAT WITH YA (and, yeah, firewood is hard to come by!).
My 1937 Terraplane Model 71 Brougham. Doing some finish work on it right now. I can't paint or sand for shit, so a fellow HAMBer is finishing that out for me. Can't wait to get her back!!!
WOW, this thread is overwhelming already! Thanks jimi'shemi291 for that Hudson Essex Terraplane information. Nope, never seen that info before. Love it. I will post a few pics of my build here shortly. I am quite tickled with it so far. Coming along slowly, but getting there. I am hoping that I might make a cruise-in next summer with it, but --------- well, here comes another looooonnnng Maine winter! Thanks everyone. Keep em comin! Perley
You are welcome, OldRodder! Wow, pix of these four rods so FAR have my adrenalin pumpin'. Hudson/Essex/Terraplane -- GREAT cars in their time! (In the early years, Hudson was, I think, the THIRD best-selling make in the U.S., BTW)
For the national Hudson - Essex - Terraplane Club, here is their website: http://www.hetclub.com/ It's new and replaces their old, outdated web site. Check it out.
Actually, back in '74 I had a 3-W Ford coupe body in the same shape and, due to SPACE, let a friend have it fer nothing. I had plans for it, but in real life you do what you have to do. I have narrowed down my field over the years to my '55 Fireflite & my '38 Plymouth, and I HOPE I can force myself to stick just to THOSE! LOL (Still, I regret not getting to do what YOU are doing now. I think I could have made that car great!)
OldRodder33, there is a thread I started a few months ago that is RICH with not only Hudson/Essex/Terraplane info and PIX, BUT (better yet) features posts & contacts for REAL experts on ALL THREE makes! If you want an entryway into the H/E/T world (HAMB-ified), I would definitely go to this thread (just use that "Search" bar at the top of the main page). I was just thinking that it will SURE keep you entertained when that Maine snow & wind are blowing outside, brother! 308 Hudson 6 for Early Rods ??? (There are over 200 posts and more than 5,000, views, so you can see it was a well-watched thread for a while. GOOD H.E.T. gen'l AND tech stuff!)
Just so there is no misunderstanding, my '29 Coupe was acquired in two pieces, the cowl section and the trunk (rumble) section! No floor or subfloor, no roof, no grille shell, nothing else, except two mismatched doors. The driver door is a '29 but very rotten, but the passenger door is a '27-28, also in poor condition. So there will be NO attempt at restoration by me! This is going to be an old style (traditional?) hot rod. I hope that does not offend anyone! Here is a picture of the car as it was when I brought it home in September of 2007. Perley
This is a Johnny Cash type car, made up of a little of this and a little of that! The frame is a combo of the front 1/3 Model A frame connected to 4 x 2 box tubing for the remainder. My oldest Grandson (now 19) and I built all of the frame and K/X member etc., after first mock up with 2 x 4 wood frame. The front axle is from a '49 Ford F1 with the parallel springs removed and replaced by a single spring from a mobile home, minus some leaves, installed buggy style, like Model A's. The brakes/hubs have been converted to mid 70's GM disc with 5 x 4.75 lug spacing. This matches the rear which is from an 80's Chevy S-10 blazer 4 x 4, which is 4 inches wider tread than the 4 x 2 version. The engine is from a '69 Chevy Camaro, it's a 230 cu in Inline 6. The tranny is from a '91 Chevy S-10 pickup truck, it's a Borg Warner T-5 manual five speed. The flywheel, 153 tooth, is from a pre '78 GM, the pressure plate is from a '72 GM pickup that had a six cylinder. I had to have the clutch plate made to order from Fort Wayne Clutch and Driveline, Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Nice people! I cut the S-10 driveshaft myself and fit it back together and welded it my self. With instructions from my Mentor in Florida! I have built a new sub-floor assembly and the body now sits on the chassis and awaits more work. With a lot of luck, more hard work, a little(?) more money, and help from the Lord, it might run next summer sometime. But my garage is an old greenhouse, 30 ft. x 32 ft. and 14 feet tall that is COLD in the Maine Winters and HOT in the Maine Summers. So I work during the cool/heat of the days! heeheeee. It has a barrel stove but no firewood, since that has become a premium in these high priced oil days! I have started a build thread on another forum if anyone is interested. PM me for URL. I worked on that thread last winter, but haven't posted anything from this summer's work yet. Here are a couple of photos of where it's at today. I'm having a terrific fun time doing this build, and at 65 years old, something I've wanted to do since High School, (hot rods). Perley
Hey, here's StudHud! Knew the hard-bitten H-E-T guys would find this thread pretty fast! I imagine Hudsonator will be along shortly! LOL
Hey Perley! What's this nonsense I hear about you not having any firewood? I got 17 acres, mostly wooded, that I would be happy to help you out in the firewood department. There is enough deadfall that could be bucked up quick and should burn okay for this winter, and we can come up with enough green stuff that should be seasoned good by the time next winter comes around. Anything to help a fellow Essex/Mainer out, especially an all-around good guy. Let me know. Oh yeah, and you can come take those fenders too and check out my powerless garage! Sam
Man, these Essex/Terrplane threads I just mainly sit back and boil with envy. I love my stepdown, but want a Pre-war Hudson of some type one of these days. Powered by HUDSON. Y'all keep 'em rolling. Hud
Right on, Hudsonator! And, Gigantor, WHAT a generous ovation on your part, buddy! You helped ME with info, ideas and encouragement, what with my back out for a month. Now, you're helping ANOTHER HAMBer! God bless you.
Thank you so much everyone. This is getting to be a GREAT thread. What a wealth of HET info. Boyd Who --- I've seen your truck before on the Web. Nice Nice. My Friend Gigantor!!!! What can I say? I am really touched with your generosity and offer of assistance. I truly appreciate it. I may take you up on that offer later on. Right now I've had another friend offer me some last year's tops, and he's a lot closer. Right now the gasoline cost is a real deterent to running my gas guzzler GMC Savana 2500. Remember my offer too for helping you with electricity in your garage, or maybe that was one of the emails you didn't get. Brian, your Plymouth is going to be really good. I love the lines and I love the way you two are doing the chop. Lots of extra work but certainly will be worth it in looks. Are you and your Brother working in the same garage? I take it your Dad is a Hot Rodder too. I'd love to meet you guys sometime. Thanks all. Perley
Hey Perley you have a great start on your project. Looks great. I can relate to you. As I also am 60 years old retired and building my first hot rod project . Wich I always wanted in my high schol days so my theme is traditional / old skool but in late 60's. I have been through your area many times over the years and camped there also. Pretty country up there !! Steve
Hey thanks Steve. I come down your way frequently. We have a Daughter that lives near New London in Connecticutt. Is that you project in your Avatar? What is it, tell us about it please! And do you have a build thread on it? Take care. Perley
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