Hudson Museum Closing Controversy

[Xander Wildeisen]

First video says 48 cars. Next video shows the cars. $4,000,000 divided by 48 = $83,333 I think it will be tough to get that number out of a lot of those Hudson's. 

 

[motoringicons]

Xander: I agree. I never understood where the 4 million number came from. There are a hand full of cars in the collection that would do 100K, or a bit more, but there are lots of 20-30K cars, and a fair amount worth less than that.  Many of the more valuable prewar cars are dated, 1980s era restorations.  Remember, all of these cars have been sitting unused for at least several years.  At the minimum, they will all need mechanical and cosmetic freshening. Some will require significant work in order to be "ready to show or tour."  I predict the total might be just short of 3 million.  

 

Trimacar: All of our cars are special. Heck, they were special when the first owner's proudly drove them home from the dealership. Our cars were cherished by the people we purchased them from and will be cherished by the people that purchase them from us or our estate. While your great collection of cars will not likely remain together, they will all most likely go to people who will be equally as excited to become the next caretaker. Eldon's Hudsons are no different. Won't it be great to see some of these driving onto the show field at a future AACA National Meet or better yet, driving down the road on a Glidden Tour? 

 

Our cars will outlive all of us and, I firmly believe, will continue to provide their future caretakers with the same enjoyment they have given us.

Edited April 14, 2018 by motoringicons (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

4 hours ago, motoringicons said:

Xander: I agree. I never understood where the 4 million number came from. There are a hand full of cars in the collection that would do 100K, or a bit more, but there are lots of 20-30K cars, and a fair amount worth less than that.  Many of the more valuable prewar cars are dated, 1980s era restorations.  Remember, all of these cars have been sitting unused for at least several years.  At the minimum, they will all need mechanical and cosmetic freshening. Some will require significant work in order to be "ready to show or tour."  I predict the total might be just short of 3 million.  

 

Trimacar: All of our cars are special. Heck, they were special when the first owner's proudly drove them home from the dealership. Our cars were cherished by the people we purchased them from and will be cherished by the people that purchase them from us or our estate. While your great collection of cars will not likely remain together, they will all most likely go to people who will be equally as excited to become the next caretaker. Eldon's Hudsons are no different. Won't it be great to see some of these driving onto the show field at a future AACA National Meet or better yet, driving down the road on a Glidden Tour? 

 

Our cars will outlive all of us and, I firmly believe, will continue to provide their future caretakers with the same enjoyment they have given us.

Well we can hope,  or on the other side of the coin they will go to another country to never be seen again or possibly end up the victim of a natural disaster.  If super rare they may get restored if not totalled beyond rebuild but if a wild fire or tornado the ymay not out live us, unless we were trying to ride out the twister in them. 

 

Next question,  so if you get sucked up in a twister like Dorothy,  do you end up at Hershey?  That's the closest thing I can think of to OZ in the old car world.

[D Yaros]

On 4/13/2018 at 3:49 PM, motoringicons said:

Let's be real: This forum is full of knowledgable car collectors who understand and appreciate the cars that are (were) part of this museum. How many of you visited this museum and how many times did you visit it?  Would have, should have, and could have's don't count.  I have been there three times since its inception. The pittance that they earned from the admission costs from my three visits wouldn't pay for a two-weeks supply of toilet paper.

 

 

I visited, spoke at length with Eldon, Jr. and enjoyed my time there.

 

[Joe in Canada]

This is becoming a regular event with smaller car museums closing their doors. Here is the largest private  Ford museum in the world that is also closing and holding an auction. Seems like all the old hoarders and private collections are bailing out. Do you think it is possible to still save the hobby with the millennial generation?

 

 Then in late 2016, Greske Rust, den Hartogh’s daughter and executive director of the museum, cited lack of interest and declining attendance in closing the museum.

 

and a hoarder  http://mackauctioncompany.com/18aug4.html

Edited April 17, 2018 by Joe in Canada (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

Museums are money-losers in most cases. Very hard to maintain cars and facilities, pay employees, and do all the other things you need to do on a handful of admissions a day (if that). A lot of big collectors are turning their collections into museums for tax purposes, but that doesn't really solve the problem when they die. Eventually the stuff has to be liquidated just to pay the bills. You're not saving anything for anyone, you're just pushing the headache down the road for someone else to deal with.

 

Sell your stuff while you're alive. Don't force someone else to take on your dream. They won't do it as well as you would and they might even resent it. Instead of a great gift, it becomes a massive burden, no matter how benevolent you think it may be. Preserving Hudsons is a great idea, but the next question is: preserving for whom? Those cars would all have been better off going to private owners two decades ago rather than sitting and unwinding in a place where they're not wanted.

 

Let it all go. It's just stuff. Don't drown your kids in it and don't force the public to keep it afloat after you're gone. 

[mrpushbutton]

Very, very good words there, Matt. You know of what you speak.  My former employer thinned his collection way down, simplified his life, for this very reason. 

The collections that are in private museums for tax purposes are usually leveraged as collateral and have to be sold to sold to settle the estate and satisfy creditors.

 

 

[spencer yarrow]

The only way to make a small fortune from a motor museum is to start with a large fortune

[John_S_in_Penna]

UPDATE:  It looks like cars are to be sold soon.

I don't know whether all of them, or just some of them,

are in an August 4 auction, but there are quite a few.

 

I was browsing the Hemmings website and saw listings

for the upcoming auction.  Here are a couple of examples:

 

A 1921 Hudson Super Six coupe--there can't be many of these around:

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/hudson/unspecified/2130763.html

 

A 1927 Hudson Series O roadster--another uncommon car:

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/hudson/unspecified/2130812.html

 

Who can tell us more?

Edited June 30, 2018 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Joe in Canada]

Here is the complete listing http://www.worldwide-auctioneers.com/auctions/classic-cars-for-auction/

[Joe in Canada]

I went and looked at this one last year tucked away in a barn. Hard to get a good picture being half buried but it was all there and a true speedster at that.    http://www.worldwide-auctioneers.com/auctions/details.cfm?vehicleID=21&id=63

[alsancle]

The two murphy's will be interesting.  The town car has Pebble potential.

 

http://www.worldwide-auctioneers.com/auctions/details.cfm?vehicleID=14&id=63

Edited June 30, 2018 by alsancle (see edit history)

[jeff_a]

2 hours ago, Joe in Canada said:

I went and looked at this one last year tucked away in a barn. Hard to get a good picture being half buried but it was all there and a true speedster at that.    http://www.worldwide-auctioneers.com/auctions/details.cfm?vehicleID=21&id=63

Essex boat Tail Speedster!

[Xander Wildeisen]

I think the 52 Hornet race car will do very well. If what is stated about it is true.  https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/hudson/unspecified/2130824.html      The Italia is the big ticket item. Auburn had the best looking Boat tails ever built. The Hudson Boat tails just do not have the lines of the Auburns.

[D Yaros]

I think this would be fun auction to attend as an onlooker.  May do just that.