1952 Hudson Hornet Convertible Brougham

The Hudson 'Step Down' lineup, introduced after World War II, had the passenger compartment located entirely inside the wheelbase and the passenger footwells placed low between the widened chassis rails. The new 'Monobilt' unitized frame/chassis was an early expression of the 'unit body' concept, which combined the body and frame into a single, welded unit. In contrast to other American automobiles of the era, the rear chassis rails passed outside the rear wheels. It stood a mere five feet high, resulting in a low center of gravity. This setup helped the 'Step Down' Hudson become among the fastest, best-handling cars of the era.

In 1951, Hudson introduced a new 'Step Down' model called the Hornet, with power courtesy of a newly 308 CID inline six-cylinder engine, the company's largest-displacement engine for 1951. In basic tune, the engine delivered 145 horsepower and 170 horsepower with the new 'Twin H-Power' dual-carburetor intake system. This made the engine the most powerful 'six' on the market in America. In stock-car racing, it took 13 victories in 1951 and dominated in 1952 with another 49 wins.

This particular example is fitted with the 'Twin H-Power' induction system. It is a 1952 Hudson Hornet 6 Convertible Brougham built in August 1952 and is one of an estimated 360 examples originally produced. In the late 1990s or early 2000s, it was given a restoration. It was acquired by Eldon Hostetler in October 2012 at an auction held on behalf of construction business owner Fritz Widmer of Cologne, Minnesota. The car is finished in Seafoam Green over two-tone green upholstery and accented by a Tan Haartz canvas top. It has a Hydra-Matic automatic transmission and accessories, including a sun visor, fog lamps, grille and bumper guard assembly, door-handle guards, dual spotlights, a heater, and a radio.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2019