1930 Hudson Model T Coupe

During the 1920s, Hudson realized the marketplace demanded straight eights. For 1927, Hudson introduced radically updated automobiles, headlined by the retirement of the Super Six engine in favor of a new six-cylinder with F-head architecture displacing 288.5 cubic inches and developing 92 rated horsepower. The new-for-1927 Hudson's ushered in the use of four-wheel brakes, new rear suspension, and updated styling.

As the 1920s were coming to a close, the Great Depression was wreaking havoc on the economy. Hudson had very strong sales for 1929, followed by 36,674 cars for 1930 - nearly half of 1929's production.

Hudson was ranked third in the industry for 1929, with 300,962 calendar-year shipments consisting of 79,179 Hudsons, 227,887 Essex models, and 2,130 Commercial vehicles.

The Great 8 was Hudson's first eight-cylinder engine. It was designed in-house and was essentially an enlarged version of the 1929 Essex Super Six. The L-head 'eight' displaced 213.8 cubic inches and was rated at 80 horsepower at 3,600 RPM. Surprisingly, the new eight-cylinder engine was lighter than its predecessor. With continual refinement, the Great 8 would be used to power Hudson's top models through 1952.

The Great 8 was used in the shorter Series T and the longer-wheelbase Series U. This particular example is a 1930 Hudson Great 8 Series U Five-Passenger Brougham. It is a second-series example that had a factory price of $1,145 when new. The car came into the Eldon Hostetler collection in already-restored condition.

This particular example is a 1930 Hudson Great 8 Series T 2/4-Passenger Coupe. It weighs 3,060 pounds and is powered by the 213.8 CID L-head inline eight-cylinder engine. It has a three-speed manual transmission and four-wheel Bendix mechanical drum brakes.

This car was acquired by the Hostetlers on August 11th, 2001, at an auction held at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds. Its previous owner was Lester Flanigan, who restored the car after purchasing it from Richard George of Midvale, Utah, on September 18, 1996.

The car has twin side-mounted spare wheels and tires, side-view mirrors, and a luggage trunk at the rear. The interior has a roll-down rear window and Art Deco-inspired instrument panel.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2019