1936 Terraplane Series 62 Custom

By 1934, Hudson's 'junior' Essex Terraplane became known as the Terraplane. The Terraplane car brand, built by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, was produced between 1932 and 1938. For 1936, the Terraplane line now shared one wheelbase length of 115 inches. Terraplane models consisted of the Series 61 Deluxe and the upmarket Series 62 Custom, plus the Series 61 Commercial line. The engine was an inline six-cylinder L-head unit displacing 212 cubic inches and delivering 88 horsepower. An optional unit brought horsepower to 100 hp. The transmission was a three-speed sliding gear unit, and braking was handled by Bendix hydraulic brakes on all four wheels.

The 1936 Terraplane shared Hudson's new body design language for 1936. An industry first, Terraplane introduced bodies with steel roof sections on its 1936 models. Terraplane sales were strong in 1936, with 93,309 shipments plus 25,409 Hudsons.

A Terraplane set a new speed record of 86.54 mph for 24 hours while averaging an impressive 21.08 miles per gallon at the Bonneville Salt Flats during October of 1936.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2019