For you Hudson guys.

[JACK M]

Marketplace - 1950 Project Car | Facebook

[Xander Wildeisen]

I am almost done with my latest Hudson purchase. It joined the automotive organ donor program. It made the very personal decision to allow other Hudson’s to live on. Still going to give up it’s outer perimeter frame rails. Do not need another donor car, that is what will happen to the ones listed.

[DFeeney]

I am hoping you have a "Plan"

[kingrudy]

Some assembly required!

[DrumBob]

Too far gone, IMO. 

[Xander Wildeisen]

I can give the seller some advice on his Hudson’s he has listed. Forget about parting them out. I bought this one strictly as a parts car for my coupe. Post that I was parting it out, not a single response. So few things on these cars are worth anything. Their greatest value is in the patch panels that they can provide. If it is a nice solid car. Got my money’s worth out of it. So, what do you do when you have a car that is going to get scraped, and a cooler full of beer.🤔

[Xander Wildeisen]

After a beer, or two. You start to wonder, what would that car look like with about an 8 inch chop.🤔 no way would I put out the effort to chop it, just to scrap it. But if a person just wanted a glimpse of what it would look like. It really only takes a few cuts. Would have to get the door pillars out of the way. And have another beer. 🍻 

[Xander Wildeisen]

Rear floors in my parts car are solid. Front floors are not, maybe there could be a problem with a stepdown floor, 4 inches down?

[Xander Wildeisen]

A few more beers and a 3-4 minute chop on a car going to be crushed. Not the right forum for this kind of talk. It’s getting crushed. Might as well have fun. 

[58L-Y8]

Xander:

Thanks for the look at the Step-Down body substructure.

Steve

 

[Xander Wildeisen]

I can give you a good look at a lot of things. Once the side rails are cut out, the front end will buckle and collapse. Here is why the side frame rails rust out. Lower rocker behind the front tire, where the front fender bolts on. Dirt gets past the inner wheel well splash shield. And packs this area with dirt. If the dirt stays wet in this area. Rocker and frame rail rot away.

[DFeeney]

Seeing the chopped top reminds me of  the expression  " A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

[roysboystoys]

As far as the front floor rust, they never could fix the leak at the A pillar and door , or the dash to pillar.

Lots of bulletins, only slowed it down.

That car would be a cream puff up here in salt country.

 

[Xander Wildeisen]

2 hours ago, DFeeney said:

Seeing the chopped top reminds me of  the expression  " A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

I thought the beer had more to do with that.😀

[Xander Wildeisen]

Here are some pictures showing how the frame rails collect dirt and debris. Not a big deal in a dry climate, if these area stay wet. Your outer frame rails will rust out. Inside the frame rails is a funky dish pan scrubber looking thing. Blocking stuff from filling the entire frame rail with dirt. I think it is in there to help stop noise transfer. The frame rails are just big hollow long square tubes.

[Xander Wildeisen]

Here is a good example of what a donor car can provide. People pay hundreds of dollars for aftermarket patch panels. A donor car if full of factory made patch panels. The Hornet coupe I bought had a little more rust in it than what was disclosed. Passenger door hinges were in bad shape and needed to be replaced. The donor car provided those hinges. Also the bottom of the door had rust issues. And needed to be repaired. You can use sedan doors to repair coupe doors, by using the front and back sections of the front sedan door. And a middle section from the sedan rear door. Also inner door hinge brace is the same on the coupe and sedan. So the lower portion of that brace was replaced as well. Outside door skin will be dealt with later, jamming all of this in while tearing apart the donor car. Coupe door is cut open from the inside, leaving the outside skin untouched. Donor doors are cut into from the outside. Leaving the inside structure untouched.

[58L-Y8]

Xander:

Thanks for the close-up photos of the structural problems that make many Hudson Step-Downs beyond restoration.  Hudson developed a unique approach to body construction which created a solid foundation, if somewhat a heavy one, very unlike most of its contemporaries.

 

Here is a good example of what a donor car can provide. People pay hundreds of dollars for aftermarket patch panels. A donor car if full of factory-made patch panels".

Truer words were never spoken!    Of course, it takes a skilled metal worker to properly utilize them.

Steve

[JACK M]

Speaking of the Jets. This looks like another Hudson paradise.

 

 

(1) Marketplace - 1954 Hudson Super Jet | Facebook

 

 

[Xander Wildeisen]

Here is a good example of what surprises you can find. This parts car is a 52 Commodore 8, eight cylinder engine was replaced with a 308 Hornet engine at some point. I did not need or want the engine, but it is pretty easy to unload 308 engines. Engine was stuck and would not spin. Looking at the bolts on the cylinder head, you can see washers under the bolts. So someone has had the cylinder head off before. The two center pistons had a head gasket leak in between them and lots of corrosion built up on top of the pistons. Started to dissolve the pistons. I have never seen scale build up on a valve like this. The build up of corrosion filled the combustion chamber in the head. Transmission is a 51 single range. Free if someone wants it. 308 could be saved with an over bore. There is pitting in the cylinders. Free if someone wants it. Going to get scraped.

[Xander Wildeisen]

Cut up the parts car, and I thought I would show you the woven plastic fibers that Hudson stuffs in the frame rails. I think it is for sound reasons, but it sure helps block the frame rail. And allow dirt to collect in sections of the frame rails.

[StillOutThere]

Ahhhh yes, the Hudson factory installed "rat's nest". Dug out more than a few through verious means. Never heard a reason for it. I will send inquiry out to a deep HudNut to see if he ever heard anything authoritative and report back.

[Xander Wildeisen]

Block off sound traveling through the open frame rails. Or, it is the left over byproduct of radium paint used in glow in the dark gauges. To avoid environmental disposal fees. They sent a little out the door every day in a frame rail.🤔

[Xander Wildeisen]

The tragic life of a car that went down the wrong road, and ended up becoming a parts car. Hopefully the Hudson at the start of this post, made better choices in life.😂

[JACK M]

Washer/dryer day at the scrapyard.

[Xander Wildeisen]

The Hudson is the cherry on top.