For Sale: 1954 Hudson Wasp Six 4dr Sedan, 57K miles, manual shift, very solid car - $12,500 - Palisades, NY - Not Mine -Still Available, Asking Price Reduced to $10,000: 5-1-2023:

[58L-Y8]

For Sale: 1954 Hudson Wasp Six 4dr Sedan, 57K miles, manual shift, very solid car - $12,500 - Palisades, NY - Still Available, Same $12,500 Price 12-22-22: Still Available, Asking Price Reduced to $10,000: 5-1-2023: See New Link Below:

1954 Hudson Wasp very solid car - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle... (craigslist.org)
Seller's Description:

1954 Hudson Wasp. Runs and drives. NEEDS TIRES flat spots from sitting. VERY SOLID CAR. Car was repainted in the late 1970's Some extra parts in trunk. Replacement grill parts and some body chrome. Garage keep car for decades. BUT now it’s not SO ITS GOT 2 GO. odometer: 57000
Contact: Jim call or text: (845) five-4-8-fifteen-3-2

Copy and paste in your email: 3e37d72a7d00387e9cb20dd70c0be3fd@sale.craigslist.org

I have no personal interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1954 Hudson Wasp Six 4dr Sedan.

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by 58L-Y8
Still Available, Asking Price Reduced to $10,000: 5-1-2023: : Crossed out the dead CL link. (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

More photos:

[Xander Wildeisen]

Did Hudson drop the 262 in 54? This car has a 232 in it. Or just a different engine install. I thought all Wasps came with a 262.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

8 hours ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

Did Hudson drop the 262 in 54? This car has a 232 in it. Or just a different engine install. I thought all Wasps came with a 262.

So did I.

[58L-Y8]

9 hours ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

Did Hudson drop the 262 in 54? This car has a 232 in it. Or just a different engine install. I thought all Wasps came with a 262.

The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975, Edited by John Gunnell states the 232 ci six was the standard engine for the Wasp Six Series 4D, the Super Wasp Six Series 5D had the 262 ci six as its standard engine.

Edited August 5, 2022 by 58L-Y8
underlined book title (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

Is that in 54 only? My first Hudson was a 52 Wasp sedan. With the 262, it was not a super Wasp. Was 53 the first year for the super line up? I think 54 was the first year for the special line in the Hornets? Guessing the plain wasp with the 232 just replaced the pacemaker?

[roysboystoys]

"Guessing the plain wasp with the 232 just replaced the pacemaker?"

 

I think this is correct. Lots of parts laying around , had to use them up.

The interiors had mismatch from other years and models.

I had a 54 Hornet Special Brougham , that was a style not used in Hornet series before. 

It had a 308 with hydro , and different interior than Hornet. But not the same as Wasp.

The 54 Hornets were pretty consistent in builds , but there was a mixture of left overs for other models.

Even the sales folders don't show it all.

[58L-Y8]

49 minutes ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

Is that in 54 only? My first Hudson was a 52 Wasp sedan. With the 262, it was not a super Wasp. Was 53 the first year for the super line up? I think 54 was the first year for the special line in the Hornets? Guessing the plain wasp with the 232 just replaced the pacemaker?

Xander:

Surveying the Hudson section of The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975, Edited by John Gunnell, beginning with the 1952's the model line-up started to get splintered.  The Pacemaker 4B was demoted to its plainest trim, kept its 232 engine.  Built off the same 119" wb chassis, the Wasp for $200-$250 more included all Pacemaker standard equipment plus richer trim powered by the 262 ci which it shared with the Commodore Six.   The Commodore Eight and Hornet on the 124"wb the difference being the former had the 254 ci straight eight in its last season and the latter the hot new 308 six. 

1953 saw the Pacemaker being replaced by Wasp 4C joined by the new Super Wasp 5C, both the 119" wb chassis.  The former kept its 232 six and the latter commandeered the 262 exclusively as the Commodores were decommissioned.    The Hornet continued exclusively its 308 and 124" wb chassis.

1954: The Wasp 4D and Super Wasp 5D hold over their engines, chassis and price positions.  The Hornet Six Series 7D was joined by the Hornet Special Six Series 6D.  From the catalog:

"The last models introduced by Hudson, in Detroit, were the Hornet Specials.  They appeared March 19, 1954, at prices $115 to $140 lower than the comparable Hornets.  They had Hornet Special front fender script, Hornet engine and a subdued level of exterior brightwork, but Super Wasp interior trim."

[Xander Wildeisen]

I would guess the pacemaker was almost to plain looking. Where the wasp had side trim and a nicer interior. Hudson really milked everything out of that step down design. If you look at a picture showing all of the models in 1952. Hornet, wasp, commodore, super six and pacemaker. It is the same car.😂 a big Edward scissor hand/stepford wives choice of so many options of the same thing.🤔 after carful review of all of the models, I think I will go with the super six. Because of it’s proven design and performance, when compared to the other cars in Hudson’s lineup.🤨

[58L-Y8]

3 hours ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

I would guess the pacemaker was almost to plain looking. Where the wasp had side trim and a nicer interior. Hudson really milked everything out of that step down design. If you look at a picture showing all of the models in 1952. Hornet, wasp, commodore, super six and pacemaker. It is the same car.😂 a big Edward scissor hand/stepford wives choice of so many options of the same thing.🤔 after carful review of all of the models, I think I will go with the super six. Because of it’s proven design and performance, when compared to the other cars in Hudson’s lineup.🤨

Xander:

Hudson was between a rock and a hard spot by the early 1950's with the intensified competition of OHV V8's and 3-year restyle cycles becoming the norm.  Worse, the Step-Down had trapped them into a body series notoriously difficult and costly to update.  About all they could do was slice and dice the models they had in an effort to broaden appeal based on price and trim level.  It wasn't ultimately going to succeed.

Steve

Edited August 5, 2022 by 58L-Y8
syntax corrected (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

I am a Hudson fan. And not talking them down. It is funny that the step downs are the most recognizable Hudson’s, and part of the down fall of the brand. No V8, the Jet and not enough resources to compete with Ford and GM. All spelled doom. I do think there is growing interest in the cars. When I joined the HET club, and went to club activities. I was 16 years old. And the youngest person there by a lot. There were no younger people at those events. A quick look on Facebook shows lots of younger people fixing up Hudson’s.

[StillOutThere]

As Hudson added models, the "new" '52 Wasp, came with a 262" because it was ABOVE the Pacemaker series with the 232" but below the Hornet.

In '53, the Pacemaker was dropped but the Super Wasp was added.  So the plain Wasp got the old 232" (from the P'maker) and the Super Wasp now had the 262".

For '54, like this offering, the plain Wasp continued as bottom of the line and thus had the old 232" six cylinder.

[58L-Y8]

Still Available, Same $12,500 Price 12-22-22:

1954 Hudson Wasp very solid car - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle... (craigslist.org)

Seller's Description:

1954 Hudson Wasp. Runs and drives VERY WELL. Inspected and insured New front brakes and Master cylinder all new brake hoses. Been using it a lot this past couple of months. VERY SOLID CAR was originally undercoated and is a very SOLID car. Car was repainted in the late 1970's, extra parts in trunk. Load of Replacement and grill parts, some body chrome come with the car. Garage keep car for decades until recently. NO RUST might be a SLIGHT overstatement BUT NOT A RUST BUCKET it's a solid car. odometer: 57000

Contact: Jim call or text: (845) five-4-8-fifteen-3-2

Copy and paste in your email: 2b9eded64bff3a4ea2c54c01ad3f4f4e@sale.craigslist.org

Edited May 4, 2023 by 58L-Y8
Still Available, Asking Price Reduced to $10,000: 5-1-2023: Crossed out the dead CL link, (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

Still Available, Asking Price Reduced to $10,000: 5-1-2023:

1954 Hudson Wasp Runs Drives very solid car - cars & trucks - by... (craigslist.org)

Contact: Jim call or text: (845) five-4-8-fifteen-3-2

Copy and paste in your email: e5d5ea4b8d683f03a5ee20f82872a1af@sale.craigslist.org

[DrumBob]

I talked with the seller a while back. This car is about an hour away from me. He's in the US Army apparently, and very much needs to sell the car, so it could be a good deal for someone.