The Fabulous Hudson Hornet

[Bill Blue]

My wife rented the movie "Cars" and we watched it last night. I got to wondering, for about the millionth time, what made the Hornet fabulous? And it was Fabulous. No one argued about that designation then, nor now. The engine was a museum piece, a 308 cu. in., L head long stroke six that was little changed from the Hudson engines of the 30's. It did have four mains, an aluminum head and 12 port block. The Twin H Power was two single barrel carbs. It had a modern chassis which probably gave it an advantage, but it weighed about 4000 pounds. On the drag strip the lightweight Olds 88 with the OHV V8 usually did good just to keep up.

How (or why) did this car play so successfully with the modern engines emerging from Detroit?

Bill

 

[skywords]

My kids watch that one a lot, good movie. Maybe the Hornets sucess as in the movie had more to do with driving skills? "Turn right to go left" Classy looking car.

 

[V6 JOSE]

Bill,

I believe we agree on this one. The Hornet indeed was a fabulous car. The engine put out a lot of power and the hornet was prety light, compared to it's contemporaries. I never had the opportunity to own one, mainly because I was too young to drive when they were new, but I always admired them. The Hudson Terraplanes were huge and heavy, as were the Olds that you mentioned. I believe the Hornet was the forerunner of the compact cars that every one believes was the American Motors Rambler.

My biggest problem was , Too many cars, so little time".

Jose

 

[66Tiger]

Loved the Cars movie, one of the few DVDs I own (along with Bullit, Gone in 60 seconds, Italian Job, World's Fastest Indian, along with a few others)

Just picked up a small (slightly bigger than Hot Wheels) die-cast of Doc Hudson, Lightning McQueen and The King at Toys-R-Us this weekend.

Hudson Hornets dominated Stock Car Racing from 1951 to 1954 with a light weight (for it's time) and a low center of gravity (because of its monocoque body) automobile beating many cars with much more powerful and modern engines.

Marshall Teague won 27 of 34 major stock car events, including 7 NASCAR events in his Fabulous Hudson Hornet.

Paul

 

[Pumpkin]

Horny Hornet

You have missed the primo spot for making out. ..Whew (not me) That back seat only was excelled by the 53' Kaiser 4 door... But now the 56' Rambler Classic had some fold down seats if I remember ,,,,,You could camp in it.

What did I say?
Chuck

 

[Bill Blue]

Did some seaching. Cubic inches is not the answer. The Olds 88 has 303 of them, the Cad 331 as well as the Chrysler. Buick (yeah, I know) had 320. All are OHV.

Weight, no. The Olds weighed 3585 pounds. The Hornet weighed 3580 pounds. Very impresive for a car with 124" wheelbase and all that interior room. I'm not sure anything today can beat it. This is a lot lighter than I imagined, knowing how overbuilt they were and the mileage (12-14 mpg, 17 cents a gallon) Dad got in the '48 Super Six and '54 Hornet with automatic. The common saying was "A Hudson can pass anything on the road but a gas station."

So it looks like the chassis was able to make up for the power limitations of the flathead. I also suspect there were no carbs available for the V8's that would let them breathe any better than the flatty.

Bill

 

[Chuck Ingram]

My neighbour just a few houses down the road has one sitting in his yard.
Had it for awhile and he does plan to restore it.Like me he has so many projects and not all car projects.

 

[Bill Blue]

My neighbour just a few houses down the road has one sitting in his yard.
Had it for awhile and he does plan to restore it.Like me he has so many projects and not all car projects.

My uncle has one is his backyard, given up on plans to restore it. Probably a good idea. They, like the Alpine, become a mess after rust sets in.

Sure would like to have one, though.

Bill

 

[Series3Scott]

It's because of this movie that my two boys (ages 3 and 8) have now taken an interest in classic cars. I took the 8 year old to an all-AMC show last year and he got to see a Hudson Hornet (just like Doc) up close. My 3 year old wants an old truck like Mater (which will be my excuse to buy the '48-'53 Chevy pickup I've always wanted - yes I know Mater was later than '53).

I think my boys have watched the movie a gazillion times, and of course we have the soundtrack in the car, and the toys, and the playsets.

My father is responsible for getting me bit by the old car bug, so it was neat to sit down with him and my two boys and watch it together. Lots of neat visuals - did you spot the Cadillac fins and LaSalle grilles posing as mountain ranges in the background?

 

[Jeff Scoville]

I think my boys have watched the movie a gazillion times, and of course we have the soundtrack in the car, and the toys, and the playsets.

I have been blessed with 2 daughters. The additional blessing is that they both love the movie, and both have already picked the color they want their Sunbeams painted.
With any luck, it'll be them shooting the paint!

 

[Bill Blue]

Scott, is Mater a Chevy? I though maybe it was an IH. hard for me to tell with some of the cars, they took so much artistic license with the styling. I thought it was strange that some of the cars were barely recognizeable, but the Hudson was perfectly detailed.

Bill

 

[Series3Scott]

Scott, is Mater a Chevy? I though maybe it was an IH. hard for me to tell with some of the cars, they took so much artistic license with the styling. I thought it was strange that some of the cars were barely recognizeable, but the Hudson was perfectly detailed.

Bill

Yes - part of the Task Force line of trucks. Probably about a 1957, as they went to four headlamps in 1958.

 

[Chuck Ingram]

I have been blessed with 2 daughters. The additional blessing is that they both love the movie, and both have already picked the color they want their Sunbeams painted.
With any luck, it'll be them shooting the paint!

Jeff

I think our children should be able to be interested in all things regardless of gender.Nows the time to let them get dirty fingernails.We have a few grandaughters who just want to help and learn it all regardless if they get a bit dirty.Thats from laying bricks to cleaning and painting parts.They love to come here and use their BABA'S sewing machine as their mothers don't sew.
I think to have children is a blessing