Jon37

The Pennsylvania Dutch and Chesapeake Bay chapters of the H-E-T Club will join one another on May 18, for a visit to the Beyond the Battle Museum (Gettysburg) and the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (York Springs). To see a flyer, click link: https://cbc.hetclub.org/ewExternalFiles/Flyer 4-21-24.pdf There may be a several-second delay in downloading; please be patient! This event is open to anyone who has an interest in Hudson, Essex or Terraplane automobiles, or would like to learn more about them. To contact event organizers, e-mail xxxdetailed@verizon.net (delete xxx before sending).

Congratulations on acquiring your Essex! In addition to seeking Essex technical advice and parts here on the AACA, you might want to list your needs on the Hudson Open Forum at https://openforum.hetclub.org/. You only need to give your e-mail address and devise a password, to use the Forum. It's run by the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club, which you might find worthwhile https://production.hetclub.org/ .

Some wheels have a variegated / flecked / marbleized /pearlescent pattern in the plastic, as opposed to one color throughout. These are very difficult to reproduce. For instance, here is a steering wheel from a 1937 Hudson, with that same flecked pattern, which has been reproduced by the Pearlcraft company in Australia. They are even able to re-coat the horn button with a thin veneer to match the rim. Here's Pearlcraft's website: https://www.facebook.com/pearlcraftsteeringwheels/

Periodically, over the years, various Hudson enthusiasts have had high speed ring and pinion gears machined, to help the older Hudsons go faster. These fit models from about 1934 to 1940. They would be made up in batches,, then would go out of production, then someone else would have a few more sets made. They were never cheap. Once in a long while a set will come up for sale. I don't recall the exact ratio; maybe 3-5/9 to one. If you could find a set, these would enable you to cruise at 60 mph without having to retro-fit an overdrive transmission, which weren't available in the 36's anyway. When installed, these ring and pinions would be a perfectly authentic way to achieve your goal. Another method of getting more MPH's on the 1930's Hudsons, is to use a modern rear axle that will fit. This wouldn't look authentic, but it could always be removed and the original rearend re-installed, if the car is to be judged in a show.

If you haven't done so already, you might try placing an announcement on the Hudson Open Forum, at https://openforum.hetclub.org/ Registration is free, and quick. If you work better with Facebook, you can tune in the Hudson Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/16027154035/ Of course, the AACA forum reaches many more people, so keep advertising your needs here, for sure.

Looks like you have a lot of "leads" for that lens. But if none of them work out (or to find other parts for your Essex ) you can place a request on the Hudson Open Forum at https://openforum.hetclub.org/discussions . Registration is simple and free. But in the future I suggest you post photos of the item you're looking for, plus maybe a dimension or two. Someone might have exactly what you wanted, sitting in a pile of parts in his barn. But he might never know, because he's not familiar with 1920's Essexes.

Acme Auto Headlining is an old and respected company. They manufacture the headliners, but I believe you can only purchase them from authorized dealers. The website does not contain a full list of all the makes and years of headliners that they produce. You should contact them with your needs, and also ask them where you can actually purchase one. Perhaps they have dealers in Europe. http://www.acmeautoheadlining.com/

You suggest that 6-volt car owners who want quartz halogen lamps will have to re-wire their headlight buckets to fit modern "bayonet" style connectors, and that retro-fit quartz lights may strain the capacity of pre-War generators. Actually, if my memory is correct (and unless these are no longer made) Classic and Vintage Bulbs makes 6-volt halogens with the original-style "American Pre-Focus" bases. These can fit the existing 1930's connectors with the 3-hole flanged bases. They also make halogens to fit 1920's connectors. https://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com/index.html . Regarding required amperage, I seem to recall that they sell 35 and 50 watt (or was it candlepower?) versions of the halogen lamps. I used their quartz halogen lamps in my '37 Terraplane (whose generator had a modest output) with no problems. Later I switched to LED headlamps made by Classic Dynamo and Regulator, in England. Their LED's work with 6 volts, pos. or neg. ground, and have the correct original prefocus bases. (However, the high beam mode doesn't seem to "project" very far down the highway.) https://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/

A video walk-through of this yard, can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzhh1o8nPkg Call Dave at 270-865-2212, or check them on Facebook at Lyons Vintage Junkyard.

I've had a set of LED lamps in my '37 Terraplane for 3 or 4 years now: headlights, tail / stop / turn signals, and dash lights. Six volt, positive ground. All seem to work very well, and the lamp bases fit the original sockets perfectly. I've been fairly happy with them. However, when I hit the dimmer switch the high beams do not "project" out in front of the car, they simply make a larger radius of light (when driving under a canopy of trees, the high beams merely illuminate the underside of the branches above me). Also, one or two of the tiny LEDs within in the headlight lamp, seem to blink on and off. (Not the whole lamp, just a tiny portion of it).

You should carefully inspect the perimeter frame in the area of the rear wheels. If badly rusted, it could cost you thousands to repair even before dealing with the rest of the car. However, if the frame is solid (or has been rebuilt) you're off the hook. Step-Down Hudsons are not fated to rust away eventually. It's just that many of them spent hard lives driving through road salt, and were not properly garaged. Presumably, once yours has been restored, you'll be taking much better care of it than owners did in the 1950's and 60's.

"The New Doc's Meet" takes place this coming weekend (Aug. 25-27, 2023) at the Townplace suites by Marriott Winchester, 170 Getty Lane, Winchester, VA 22603. This is a continuation of "Doc's Apple Blossom Meet", which began in 1964 in Front Royal, VA. This year it had been postponed from its usual May date because of a scheduling conflict with the Eastern Regional Hudson meet.If you can't attend the full 3-day affair, stop by for a few hours, see old H-E-T friends (and make some new ones), and view some beautiful Hudson cars!More information is available at:https://hetclub.org/index.php?option=com_dpcalendar&view=event&id=230&calid=97&Itemid=508

Here is the contact information for this junkyard:

For contact information on this junkyard, scroll down....

Do you have the various manuals for this car? As you may know, they are available at the H-E-T website, under "Library". All current members of the Hudson club can access and download them. The 1930-33 Hudson Service Operations Manual has sections on axles, engine, and so forth. However, there are no illustrations, it's mostly text. For the illustrations you will need to have the 1930-39 Hudson Master Chassis Parts manual alongside your Service Operations Manual! Kind of cumbersome. One other consideration to be kept in mind, in regards to your car. Do you know if the carburetor was rebuilt using seals that are compatible with ethanol? l

I wish you would have shown the exterior of the car in question. One would have to be an expert in dashboards, to know what year this DeSoto is! I am not an expert in Chrysler cars, so here is my best guess is that this dashboard is from a 1939 export DeSoto. The car may have been built in Detroit then shipped "knocked down" (in sections) to Australia for assembly there. Note steering wheel is on the right in your dashboard photo, suggesting that this car was for use in Australia or New Zealand. For many years the Chrysler Corp. made export versions of at least two of their brands (DeSoto and Dodge). These were based upon the current-year Plymouth automobile (Chrysler's entry-level car) and were modified with Dodge and DeSoto trim, grilles and options to suggest a Dodge or DeSoto. First, here is the 1939 Plymouth as built for the U.S. market: Here is the 1939 Dodge as manufactured the U.S. for the U.S. domestic market. The body was bigger than the Plymouth's. And here is the 1939 "export" Dodge, which is actually a camouflaged 1939 U.S.-built Plymouth. The body is slightly smaller than the "domestic" Dodge and has 1939 styling cues to suggest a Dodge grille. Now, here is the 1939 U.S. DeSoto, built for the U.S. domestic market. It used the same larger body as the Dodge (and Chrysler too, for that matter). ....and now the "export" 1939 DeSoto, which is actually (once again) a '39 Plymouth camouflaged as a DeSoto: There are probably inaccuracies in what I've said, since I'm no expert, but with luck someone will jump in here and set things straight!

It's easy to remember all the cars I've had over the past 59 years. The total is eight. Three of which I still own.

A photo would be helpful. Someone might have the very brackets you need, sitting in a pile of used Hudson parts, and never know what they are. You could check the H-E-T roster and look for a '53 cv owner who doesn't live too far away, and phone to ask if you could stop by and take a photo of the bracket. Unless, of course, it's housed within the windshield header and not visible.

The Junkyard forum is ONLY for listings of individual junkyards that specialize in parts for older vehicles. It is not intended as a clearinghouse for individual "wanted" car parts.

The Eastern Region of the Hudson club is holding its yearly meet in northern New York State, May 18-20. Come out and see the Hudsons! For more information see the discussion https://hetclub.org/index.php?option=com_dpcalendar&view=event&id=152&calid=96&Itemid=507or this flyer https://cbc.hetclub.org/ewExternalFiles/Screen Shot 2023-01-12 at 7.39.44 AM.png

The Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club will be represented at Hershey this October. For more information see the discussion on the Hudson Open Forum, https://forum.hetclub.org/discussion/368101/hudsons-at-hershey-october-2023#latest

You might try Munshaur's Upholstery, 1199 Old New Windsor Rd, New Windsor, MD 21776, tel. (410) 857-9601. I recommend him. He fabricated a top for my 1937 coupe in Haartz cloth, from scratch, at less than half the price estimate I was given by two other Washington / Baltimore area installers. He's in the Frederick, Md. vicinity.

This forum is ONLY for listings of individual junkyards that specialize in parts for older vehicles. It is not intended as a clearinghouse for individual "wanted" car parts.

This forum is ONLY for listings of individual junkyards that specialize in parts for older vehicles. It is not intended as a "parts wanted" clearinghouse.

Turner's Auto Wrecking Address: 4388 S Willow Ave, Fresno, CA 93725 Phone: (559) 237-0918 No e-mail address listed Website: https://www.turnersautowrecking.com/ Video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1284933358203056 "A marketplace for antique/classic cars, trucks, and parts. Turner's Auto Wrecking has autos from 1928 to present. Huge warehouse full of antique car and truck parts from 1928 thru the present,10,000+ cars in stock. 70+acres."