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'36 Hudson terraplane value


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Stumbled onto this '36 terraplane by accident and wondering about value. I know folks are going to ask for pictures but a description is all I got at the moment.

100% stock, spent its later life in a barn and is solid, no rot. Engine not running but turns over. original paint at 75% with some surface rust and a few dents. Interior ok, nice dash, steering wheel, poor/ok upholstery with some water stains. Windows have delaminated. The car is all there, no broken lights, straight grill and all hubcaps.

I'm just looking for a ballpark to see if this guy is way off base or close....

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In addition to posting your question here at AACA, you might also want to post it over at the Hudson club's Open Forum, at http://forum.hetclub.org/ I'm sure that, between the two forums, you'll find your answer! As Paul says, you need to put in as much information on this car as you can (and yes, a photo would be helpful). It will be a 6-cyl (unless it's been modified), but body style is important. And options too (Electric Hand was a neat option but probably wouldn't change price much. Sidemount fenders are desirable. Coupes and convertibles tend to bring more than 4-doors or broughams (coaches). Radio, original heater and "banjo" steering wheel are desirable options. Also note that there were two series of Terraplane, I think they were model 61 and 62 (first two digits in the serial number will tell the tale.)

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It seams solid. Body style is plane jane, not so desirable. You can find a good 4 door driver of that era of Hudson for 6 to 9k.

Looks to be a very good base for a restoration. I myself love the patina and would just do what is needed and drive it.

This may take little effort to become a driver.

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Actually (cheapskate as I am) I was going to say "3,000 to $4,000" but then thought better of it. I am in no way a good appraiser. So the $4,500 seems not unreasonable to me.

What you're getting for that money is a solid, fairly-presentable car that you can clean up, get running, drive around and have fun with. I would NOT recommend promptly disassembling it and then investing $40,000 and hundreds of hours of your time restoring it. It's a four-door Terraplane and they just don't bring that kind of money when you go to sell it. Plus you will end up with a hulk of a car and dozens of cardboard boxes of parts, all taking up your garage space and driving your marriage onto the rocks. (And you'll be frustrated as, year after year, ''it isn't finished yet''.

Instead, just get it running. Keep the patina, as you say. Most of the engine and chassis stuff is either available original new-old-stock, or can be interchanged from more popular makes of the era. I'd strongly recommend joining the H-E-T Club because that's where you'll find parts, technical information and a lot of nice and knowledgeable Hudson people. Once it's safe and reliable, start to drive and enjoy it. Then, bit by bit, you can gradually bring it up to snuff through your own efforts (or in finding good, inexpensive people to do the work): paint, upholstery, chrome, rubber parts. Restore as you enjoy.

Incidentally, you'll find that this gets a LOT of attention at your local cruise-in or car show. When was the last time you ever saw one?

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Thanks for all the info...

I figured if I bought it i'd clean it up and replace the windows/tires/brakes IF I could get it running... The seller said he tried but was unable to get it going. He was about to rebuild the engine but never got to it so its been in storage ever since. Last thing I need is another frame off restoration going on around here, already got a '36 Chevy in parts now (which will be my last frame-off).

How hard is it to find engine parts for these? Is it an engine that was used for a while or just a few short years? Worse came to worse I don't mind rebuilding an engine as long as it doesn't cost $4k and parts are uber scarce. Been there, done that.

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Well, buying parts for this engine won't be like buying parts for a Model T Ford or a small block Chevy. But they're not that bad. There is a whole host of suppliers of "just Hudson" parts which sort of exists "off the grid". This is why you'd be well advised to join the Hudson club if you get the car. It's a clearinghouse for that information and parts. Here, for example, is a link to the website of one fellow who sells gaskets and engine parts. http://www.hudsonmotorcarco.com/ (Click "parts catalog" to see some of what he sells). For some reason he only lists the "master rebuilder" sets from 1938 up, but the Terraplane and Hudson Six engines were built from 1932 through 1947. There were of course some changes during that time. Anyway, this will give you some idea of parts costs. The harder to find parts would be NOS fenders, chrome, etc. but drive train parts (including clutches) are relatively easy to obtain.

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I once spent 3 months searching for oversize bearings for a 1964 Russian flathead 4 cylinder engine... don't need anymore of that. If only every car had the parts support the model t enjoys... but then what would I have done with those three months, lol!

Looks like mechanical parts are out there in quantity, always a good thing! Thanks for the help mate!

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not only will you enjoy this car, you will enjoy working on it, and most of all enjoy the people you will meet on the way. You will not have any problems getting drive train parts at all.

Listen to Jon and join the club. Its all about networking. Where are you located? He is some stuff for you to look at.

http://www.hudsonterraplane.com/tech/1936/1936TerraMechElecTune-upSpecs.pdf

http://www.hudsonterraplane.com/tech/1936/1936TerraplaneOwnersManual.pdf

http://www.hudsonterraplane.com/tech/1936/1936ServiceInfoAdjustments.pdf

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OK so I got to go look at it in person today. Nice car, very solid... it still has paint in the wheel wells. After poking around inside I could see that it had a heater (olive greenish color), a nice dash, one visor for the driver, and pretty decent seats. There were a few dings on the fenders and trunk, and its missing one of the hubcaps. He said that one had been dented up when he had a wreck in his truck, so there are only three caps.

There was a long rod up under the inside trunk lid, they guy said it was for the jack... beats me. There was also a small part missing in the lower center of the grill... crank hole cover?

Its a nice car, i'm going to try and work a deal with the guy since were just about to move and I don't want to be bringing it here as the garage is already full with the chevy.

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The long rod that is held by clips in the trunk, up around the trunk hinge, is the extension rod for the crank handle. It slides through the hole in the front bumper (and the hole in the grille that's apparently missing its cover) and engages the large nut in the vibration dampener. The cranks don't grow on trees but you can find one, and they're extremely handy when your car stalls on a lonely road and the battery's not in the best of shape!

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  • 1 month later...

If you truly have a passion for cars, spend the money to get it running and stopping up to its former self with new glass as required. Drive it, receive feedback from hobbyists and the public. THEN decide if you want or even need to go further.

If you are only concerned for the monetary implications, put it up for sale on ebay now because this hobby ALWAYS comes in over estimates.

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If you truly have a passion for cars, spend the money to get it running and stopping up to its former self with new glass as required. Drive it, receive feedback from hobbyists and the public. THEN decide if you want or even need to go further.

If you are only concerned for the monetary implications, put it up for sale on ebay now because this hobby ALWAYS comes in over estimates.

Thats the plan as soon as we get moved again... I won't be repainting this one, love the original paint!

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

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