1951 Hudson Hornet Series 7A Convertible Brougham

In 1948, Hudson's innovative 'step-down' chassis with the foot wells recessed between the widened chassis rails was an early expression of the 'unit body' concept, which merged the body and frame in a single, welded unit. The rear chassis rails passed outside the rear wheels, which was in contrast to the other American automobiles of the era. The Hudson's rear fender skirts were not just a stylistic embellishment but were functional. These step-down Hudsons were just five feet high and were among the fastest, best-handling cars traversing the motorway.

In 1951, Hudson introduced the Hornet model. It brought with it a new Super Six engine which had been introduced in the step-down model in 1948 but enlarged to 308 cubic inches. It was the most powerful Six on the market, and soon it dominated the race track, winning six first-place finishes on the NASCAR circuit.

This Hornet Convertible Brougham left Hudson's Detroit facility with its iconic step-down body in 1951. It is believed to have been a California car since new, later making its way to Al Saffrahn of Maricopa, Arizona, in the late 1990s. In 2008 it was sold to Mark Whalen of Fenton, Michigan, and purchased by its current caretaker in 2012.

This convertible has been carefully and thoroughly restored. It was stripped down to bare metal and was re-painted in black with a reupholstered Maroon leather interior. It has maroon carpeting, a correct leather-grain dash, and a new smart black convertible top.

This Hudson rides on Kelsey Hayes wire wheels. It has a paint-matched sun visor, driver-side spotlight, and Hudson's Twin-H Power intake. It has a 308 cubic-inch inline six-cylinder engine, Twin H-Power carburetors, and a Hydramatic Dual-Range transmission. There is an independent front suspension and four-wheel drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2017