Can anyone identify this sedan?

[89tc]

I found this sedan in the woods near my house. I'm thinking the dashboard configuration is the give-away as to what kind of car it is. The geographic area of the woods is surrounded by old farms and primitive homesteads from the early 1900's, so I'm thinking it's a Ford or Chevy, as opposed to a luxury car. 

[keiser31]

Probably a 1928 Essex or Hudson given the fact that it has piano hinges at the rear of the doors. Here is a 1929 Essex. The door handles on the 1928 are lower like on the car in question.

Edited December 30, 2020 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[89tc]

A 1925 Essex? 

[kbeach]

Dashboard looks to be 1930 - 31 Hudson or Essex.

 

Looks like I was off a couple years. After checking believe it to be 28. That what I get for relying on my memory.

Edited January 2, 2021 by kbeach
incorect information (see edit history)

[89tc]

So Hudson and Essex were the same company at that time? We're they alot more expensive than a Chevy or Ford? 

[paulrhd29nz]

It is most definitely a 28 Essex. The holes in the cowl for the side lights give it away. 
And yes we’re more money than a Chev because the body’s were were built way better. Try and and look to see how many early chevs are out there. There are thousands of Essex’s about because there is no wood in the body with exception of some tack wood for upholstery. 

[Douglas Gilmore Brown]

My neighbor, Joe Staples (1917 - 2007) hotrodded an Essex sedan in the late 30's. He shoehorned a big Studebaker six  and tranny into it, and added some leaves to the springs. The spring hangers were outboard from the sides of the frame, and the steel body was light weight and tough. 

 

He said that was a pretty popular conversion back in the day.

 

20 years ago, I was given a 1930 Essex frame that was sitting on an old stone wall. I put it on eBay. A fellow drove all the way from Florida to Maine to get it ... he wanted to a make a period rod out of it.

 

So if there is a frame buried in all that leaf litter, it might have some potential.

 

[nzcarnerd]

On 12/31/2020 at 7:28 AM, paulrhd29nz said:

It is most definitely a 28 Essex. The holes in the cowl for the side lights give it away. 
And yes we’re more money than a Chev because the body’s were were built way better. Try and and look to see how many early chevs are out there. There are thousands of Essex’s about because there is no wood in the body with exception of some tack wood for upholstery. 

 Assuming 1928 is correct, the US price of a 1928 Essex sedan was $795, a Chevrolet, the last of the four cylinder models, was about $100 less. Much less money than, for example, a Studebaker Dictator at $1395 or a Buick Standard Six at $1295. 

 

Interesting to read in the Standard Catalog that for 1930 the four door Essex sedan bodies were built by Biddle and Smart, in composite wood/steel, whereas all other body styles were built in steel by Hudson in Detroit.