1951 Hudson Hornet Series 7A Convertible Brougham

In 1948 Hudson made a very important design contribution to the automotive community by introducing the 'step down' body style. By 1952 they had claimed 10 of 11 stock car Grand Nationals as the dominant 'Fabulous Hudson Hornet' raced through the mid-1950s generating strong commercial success.

There were only 500 Hudson Hornet convertibles produced in 1951, and this example is one of them. It is finished in burgundy with a dark red leather interior and black power convertible top. It was treated to a body-off restoration during the mid-1990s and has remained in good condition since. It has been carefully preserved in a climate-controlled showroom and traveled a mere 1,600 miles, all in dry weather. The car has traveled 61,250 miles since new.

There is a 308 cubic-inch L-head six-cylinder engine with Twin H power, dual carburetors, and a dual manifold induction system. It has a high compression '262' cylinder head which helps boost the power to 180. The gearbox is a dual Range Hydramatic automatic unit and there are four-wheel drum brakes.

This 1951 Hudson Hornet Convertible was offered for sale at the 2007 Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction presented by RM Auctions, where it had an estimated value of $80,000 - $100,000. It was offered without reserve. The estimated value proved accurate as the lot was sold for $93,500.

In 2010, this Hudson Hornet Convertible was offered for sale at RM Auctions 'Automobiles of Amelia Island' sale in Amelia Island, Florida. The car was estimated to sell for $75,000 - $100,000 and was offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car was sold for the sum of $99,000, inclusive of the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2010