1936 Terraplane Series 61 Commercial

Express Cab Truck

Hudson Motor Car Company was formed in 1909 by Detroit department store magnate J.L. Hudson and Roy D. Chapin to build a 'for under $1000.' The result was one of the first low-priced cars on the American market and very successful, with more than 4,000 sold the first year. At its peak in 1929, 300,962 cars were produced by Hudson and its lower-priced companion car, Essex, allowing Hudson to finish third in sales among American nameplates, just behind Ford and Chevrolet. During the depression, Hudson began to phase out the Essex in favor of the Terraplane brand. Amelia Earhart served as spokesperson for the new brand.

The 1936 Terraplane and Hudson models were offered with a column-mounted electro-mechanical shifter called the Electric Hand which replaced the floor shift. The pedal clutch was still required.

This Terraplane truck was used on a dairy farm hauling milk cans, followed by service at an upstate New York garage. It was discovered in the basement of a house where it had been stored. It underwent a three-and-a-half-year restoration with parts very difficult to find due to its rarity. Only a handful of these Terraplane trucks are known to survive.

The Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, built the Terraplane between 1932 and 1938. During its maiden year, the car was known as the Essex-Terraplane, and by 1934 it had become simply the Terraplane.

The 1936 Terraplane Series 61 was powered by an L-head six-cylinder engine displacing 212 cubic inches. The engine was mated to a sliding gear three-speed manual transmission with Bendix four-wheel hydraulic brakes. New this year was the teardrop-shaped grille that included nine chevron-type moldings. The wheelbase measured 115 inches and had a length of 154 inches. The payload capacity was rated at 3/4 ton.

A new body style for 1936 included a station wagon.

by Dan Vaughan

Custom Panel Delivery
Chassis number: 61-50137

In 1936, the wheelbase length of the Terraplane-based Commercial vehicles increased by three inches. Safety was improved with the adoption of hydraulic brakes on all Hudson and Terraplane vehicles, supplemented by a mechanical backup in case pedal travel extended beyond a pre-determined limit. The commercial bodies were built by Hudson, except for the Panel Delivery, which continued to use bodies built and supplied by the Body Division of York-Hoover Corporation of York, Pennsylvania.

In 1892, Peter W. Keller founded the York Wagon Gear Company as a supplier of horse-drawn buggies, wagon parts, and wagons. After a merger with the Hoover Body Company, the name was changed to York-Hoover Body Corporation. When the industry shifted to motorized vehicle production, this brought a change to their commercial body production. Initially, the company operated locally; later, it grew nationally. Their engineering and manufacturing capabilities evolved over the years, and the distribution network grew as well. The list of achievements includes being the first company to build the first transit busses for Washington, D.C., and the construction of the first 'Jeep' body for the United States Army.

In 1932, the York-Hoover Company added a casket division, outlasting the body works after it was sold in 1958.

This particular vehicle is a 1936 Terraplane Panel Delivery. It is believed to have been sold new in Denver, Colorado, where it was used by a baker before migrating east. Years later, it was purchased in New Jersey by Eldon Hostetler in December 1993. The Terraplane was picked up by the Appenzeller Brothers, who went on to perform a total restoration.

The restoration required the replacement of many rotten pieces. The steel outer skin from the A-pillar to the rear had rotted. New wooden pieces were created and fitted to the vehicle's chassis. When the body was ready for paint, it was given 'tri-tone' livery to match Eldon Hostetler's 1937 Terraplane Series 70 Pickup Express. Other features include red outer grille elements, hood vents and wheels, twin amber fog lamps, and a red 'bullet' hood ornament. The engine is a 212 cubic-inch L-head six-cylinder unit offering 96 horsepower and mated to a three-speed manual transmission.

by Dan Vaughan