1928 Hudson Model O

The Hudson vehicles were renowned for their quality construction, durability, and engineering prowess. The Hudson Model O was the company's top-of-the-line model and rested on the 'long' 127 3/8-inch wheelbase chassis and was clothed with an array of factory-built sedans, along with six Custom body styles built for Hudson by Biddle and Smart in Amesbury, Massachusetts. The coachwork by Hudson, Murphy, and Biddle and Smart were among the most attractive and elegant of the period. They were, however, short-lived, as their introduction coincided with a declining economy and as the age of the custom coachbuilding era was nearing an end. Biddle and Smart were in dire straits, and Hudson declined to renew their contract for 1930, transferring all body construction to Detroit. Additionally, Frank Spring recognized the 'writing on the wall' and left Murphy by September of 1931 to become the first 'style engineer' at Hudson, where his career would flourish over the following two-and-a-half decades until the venerable Hudson nameplate was eventually retired.

The 1928 Model O was powered by a 288.6 cubic-inch F-head inline six-cylinder engine breathing through a single downdraft carburetor and developing 92 horsepower at 3,600 RPM (19.4 HP N.A.A.C.C. rating). The engine was backed by a three-speed manual transmission, and stopping power was by four-wheel Bendix mechanical drum brakes. In the front was a solid axle with leaf springs, while the rear received a semi-floating axle setup with leaf springs.

Styling features of the 1928 Hudson included a high, high, more slender radiator, larger headlights, and vertical radiator louvers. An industry first was Hudson's use of a steering wheel using hard rubber on a steel core. Its color (black) matched the car's instrument panel.

During 1927, Hudson commissioned a set of prototypes from coachbuilder Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California. Six vehicles were eventually delivered to Hudson in Detroit with unique body designs that included a convertible sedan, coupe, convertible coupe, seven-passenger sedan, a landau sedan, and victoria. Signature Murphy design cues included the 'Clear Vision' technique which utilized thin window frames and roof pillars, adapted from Swiss coachbuilder Georges Gangloff by Murphy general manager Frank Spring. Subsequently, several Model O chassis were shipped to Murphy Body Works in Pasadena, California, to receive custom coachwork in 1928. Four Model O chassis were clothed by Murphy with aluminum panelwork over wood framing as convertible sedans and later used as daily transportation by Hudson Motor Car Company executives.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2019