1934 Hudson Eight LT Special Coupe Roadster

The Hudson marque was named after department store magnate Joseph L. Hudson, one of the eight founders of the Hudson Motor Car Company. The company built its reputation on its Six and Super Six models of the 1920s and, in the early 1930s, moved further upmarket with the introduction of its Eight. The Eight was powerful and efficient and often favored by various law enforcement agencies that required a capable car to catch Prohibition-era 'bootleggers.'

At its peak in 1929, 300,962 cars were produced by Hudson and its lower-priced companion car, Essex, allowing Hudson to finish third in sales among American nameplates, just behind Ford and Chevrolet.

The Hudson LU model, also known as the Deluxe Eight, represented the luxury end of the Hudson line. It was powered by a 254 CID straight eight-cylinder engine offering 113 horsepower and rode on a 116-inch wheelbase chassis. In convertible form, the car sold for $900.

This Hudson Convertible Coupe was first restored in 1970 and is one of fewer than ten examples remaining today. Recently, the current owner acquired the Hudson and invested some $30,000, with brand-new leather upholstery, new carpeting, a new wood-grain dash, a custom-built black convertible top with red piping, a glass rear window, a new matching top boot, a restored top mechanism and a new set of Coker wide whitewall radial tires. The car features suicide doors, a rumble seat, a flip-out windshield, a factory-fitted spotlight, and a hinged array of engine-cooling vents.

In 2010, this Hudson Eight was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook event presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $80,000-$100,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for $104,500, including the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2011