Murphy bodied cars.

[Guest]

My father just bought an early Hudson with a Murphy aluminum body and hood. It is a four door convertible. The serial number on the frame is from a 1927 model, so I assume that is the year of the vehicle. I found a photo in a Hudson book, (The History of Hudson by Don Butler ) that shows a '27 model, with Carl Zeiss headlights and cowl lights. Dad's car has these as well. The front and rear doors mount on, and hinge from the same pillar, and even share hinge pins. The windshield is cast bronze or brass, I think, and plated. The door sill plates have a Murphy crest and some writing that I don't remember... Something like "Murphy Coachworks"? The running boards seem to have been made of wood, and the two rows of beltline trim look like they were made of brass half - round filled with lead, then plated. Are there and books available that deal specifically with the Murphy bodied cars? I need to do some research and find out just what we have here.

Thank you,

Dany Spring

[Guest]

Hi, Try reading Hugo Pfau"s book THE CUSTOM BODY ERA it has sections on Murphy and Hudson. Also, try contacting the CCCA classifaction comittee, they are a very good source for information for special cars like yours. They will probably be able to give you some contacts. How about posting a photo of this interesting car? Good luck. Ed minnie

[Guest]

As a kid in the early 1950's, I worked as a mechanic trainee in a truck body shop in the SilverLake district of Los Angeles. The chief painter taught me quite a bit about girls, life..and...oh..yes....body work. His previous emplloyer...MURPHY COACH WORKS, PASADENA, CALIF....!

Pete Hartmann

[Ed Miller]

The Pfau book is good but it does have quite a few errors.

[Guest]

Bit of useless trivia, Hugo Pfau's wife Irene was my first grade teacher.