1951 Hudson Hornet Series 7A Convertible Brougham

Hudson Hornet Twin H-Power Convertible Brougham was treated to a three-year restoration. It is finished in light metallic gold with a beige and green leather interior. It has the Twin H-Power carburetor setup, dual range Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, power windows and power convertible top, radio, heater, and the distinctive Hudson sun visor mounted on the windshield frame. It rides on chrome wire wheels and period-correct wide whitewall tires.

The all-new H-145 308 cubic-inch flathead inline-six engine produced 145 horsepower, which was more than the new OHV V8s offered by Oldsmobile and Cadillac. It offered nearly 20 horsepower more than the Hudson Commodore Eight - with the Hudson Super Six Custom body. The engine was offered exclusively in the Hornet in 1951. The H-145 engine had an aluminum 'Power Dome' cylinder head and higher compression at 7.2:1, making it the most powerful and largest six-cylinder engine in an American car. Fuel was fed to the engine via a single two-barrel carburetor.

The Twin H-Power was a dealer-installed option in late 1951 before becoming a factory option in 1952. Twin H-Power replaced the single two-barrel carburetor with two one-barrel carburetors feeding through individual manifolds.

Hudson described the construction of the body and frame as a 'monobloc' or unit body, one of the first in the United States auto industry. The design was introduced in 1948 as the Hudson 'Step Down' style that placed the floor panels inside a wide perimeter frame, lowering the seats and creating a spacious interior. The overall height of the car was just 60 inches.

With the H145 engine, the Hornet was a fearsome competitor for NASCAR and AAA stock car racing. With Twin H-Power and additional tuning of the H145 engine, Hudson Hornets won more races and championships between 1951-1954 than any other manufacturer. The 'Hudson Hornets' won 13 races in 1951, 49 races in 1952, and 46 in 1953, together with the 1952 and 1953 NASCAR championships.

The Convertible Brougham accounted for only 551 cars out of a total of 44,000 Hornets produced in 1951.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2014