If not for the Fabulous Hudson Hornet race car, which was reborn in the animated movie Cars, Hudson would be a largely forgotten brand outside of hardcore enthusiasts. The financial turmoil at the Hudson Auto Museum in Shipshewana, Indiana, reported yesterday on ClassicCars.com, seems to highlight the fate of this once-great car company.
The Pick of the Day is a 1950 Hudson Pacemaker Brougham, a two-door coupe in green metallic paint that shows the forward thinking of the automaker after World War II. An early unibody car with “step-down” design that made the interior roomier and the center of gravity lower, Hudsons made their mark in NASCAR and other racing venues in the early part of the 1950s.
“This example is very well-sorted mechanically and it runs and drives beautifully,” according the Atlanta, Georgia, dealer advertising the Hudson on ClassicCars.com. “Correct and unmolested with only a few modern touches to enhance safety and drivability.”
Among the modern touches are a flathead straight-6 from a 1954 Hudson with electronic ignition added for reliable performance. The car is outfitted with a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive for relaxed highway driving, and rides on new set of whitewall tires, the dealer says.
The car has been brought up to a “good driver standard,” the seller adds, with all chrome and glass in good condition, a completely restored interior, and gauges, clock and radio that all function properly.
New for 1950, the Pacemaker was a smaller entry in the Hudson lineup, beautifully styled with a sleek fastback roofline and at the time the lowest roof height of any American car. Besides the Brougham coupe, body styles included a club coupe, two- and four-door sedans, and a stylish convertible.
The Hudson seems like a decent deal at $16,900 for an attractive car from an orphan brand that deserves to be remembered.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day
Beautiful but not original.
Not correct and unmolested either
Gorgeous car. Improvements are not to be considered "molestation’ merely minor enhancements to bring it up to “good driver standards,”. Much like replacing horrible bias-ply tires with radials.