1937 Terraplane documentation questions

[James-Wahl Motors]

I am working on writing copy for the owner of this 1937 Terraplane Business Coupe for signage and other purposes:

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25221/lot/12/

 

Want to make sure I get things correct.

 

1. Is it proper to refer to this as a 1937 Terraplane De Luxe? The auction listing and many other places call it a "Hudson Terraplane." I understand it was made in the Hudson factory.

 

2. Should it have "Hudson" on the hub caps? I read that wasn't the case until 1938.

 

3. Are there any designers we can attribute this car to?

 

4. Can anyone point me to a sales brochure or similar period image of a 1937 Business Coupe?

 

5. If anyone has more history on this specific car beyond what is in the auction listing, I would be interested.

 

Thanks

[Jon37]

To answer your questions:

 

1. Yes, this is the DeLuxe model (model 71, as shown by the first two digits of the serial number).  However, I note it has front fender ornaments, which were not standard on the DeLuxe model; they came with the Super model.

 

2. No, the hubcaps should say TERRAPLANE HUDSON in red letters.  (In the following year the hubcaps said HUDSON TERRAPLANE in blue letters.)

 

3.Frank Spring was the chief designer at Hudson from the early thirties up through the StepDown era.

 

4. Period images?  Here's a vintage photo of a '37 coupe now being offered on Ebay:https://www.ebay.ie/itm/1937-Hudson-Terraplane-Coupe-7-1-2-x-9-1-2-Glossy-Advertising-Photo-/302914231776?hash=item4687185de0

Here's a catalog image of the coupe, showing the "utility coupe" slide out pickup bed. https://s3files.core77.com/blog/images/939268_81_88895_3_0aNZZuO.jpg   There was also a 4-passenger victoria coupe with side-facing seat in the back area.  The business coupe would have had a sort of package shelf back there, I believe.

 

5. You might want to pose this question to the Hudson enthusiasts, over at the Hudson Open Forum https://forum.hetclub.org/ . (Joining the forum is simple; just put your e-mail address, invent a username and concoct a password).  It's a tightly-knit group of long-time members, so it wouldn't be surprising if someone knew a previous owner or two of the car.

 

Incidentally, I'll spare you a recitation of the several mistakes in the Bonham writeup, but I must emphasize that 1937 Hudsons and Terraplanes only had 101 horsepower, not 115.

[James-Wahl Motors]

Thanks for all the info!

 

I want to confirm how the factory presented the car. In looking at the three 1937 Terraplane documents at the link below, it appears the car is referred to as just "Terraplane" not "Hudson Terraplane" though Hudson is referenced within:

 

http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Hudson/1937_Hudson/dirindex.html

 

Also, I haven't found production numbers by body style. Are we able to determine how many 1937 De Luxe Business Coupes were built?

 

Thanks again

 

[Jon37]

Yes, the Hudson company only referred to them as Terraplanes in 1937.  I think the only place they referred to "Terraplane Hudson" would have been on the trunk ornament, the hood ornament, and possibly on the door sill plates.

 

As far as I know, no documentation exists for production numbers by body style.  When Nash merged with Hudson in 1954 to form AMC, most of the company files were thrown out.