1929 Essex Challenger Town Sedan

Production of the Essex vehicles began in a former Studebaker plant. They realized very early the interest in closed cars, offering America's lowest-priced version starting in 1922. The four-passenger Essex coach cost just $1,495. By 1925, the coach was priced five dollars less than the touring car.

By 1929, the Hudson automobile was the third-largest producer of American automobiles. That year, the Essex line was officially known as Essex the Challenger. They were introduced with a week of Hudson-sponsored public performance challenges hosted by dealers nationwide. The car had a larger radiator shell and broad beltline molding. The engine was an L-head six-cylinder unit displacing 161.4 cubic inches and offering 55 horsepower. A three-speed manual transmission was standard and Bendix mechanical drum brakes were located at all four corners.

In 1933, the Essex name was dropped in favor of a new model called the Terraplane.

This particular vehicle is a town sedan 'two-window' model that wears most of its original paint and mohair interior and is equipped with an original Liberty car heater.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2019