The Hudson Hornet is an automobile that was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of
Detroit, Michigan, between 1951 and 1954. The Hornet was also built by American Motors
Corporation in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and marketed under the Hudson brand between 1955 and 1957.
The first-generation Hudson Hornets featured a functional "step-down" design with dropped
floorpan and a chassis with a lower center of gravity than contemporary vehicles that
helped the car handle well – a bonus for racing. The Hornet's lower and sleeker look
was accentuated by streamlined styling, sometimes called "ponton" styling. The car's "unique,
low slung appearance and silky handling earned Hudson an image that – for many buyers – eclipsed
luxury marques like Cadillac." The second-generation Hudson Hornets became
a restyled Nash that was badge engineered as a Hudson.
First generation The Hornet, introduced for the 1951 model
year, was based on Hudson's "step-down" design that was first seen in the 1948 model year
on the Commodore. The design merged body and chassis frame into a single structure, with
the floor pan recessed between the car's chassis rails instead of sitting on top of them. Thus
one "stepped down" into a Hudson. The step-down chassis's "lower center of gravity...was both
functional and stylish. The car not only handled well, but treated its six passengers to a
sumptuous ride. The low-slung look also had a sleekness about it that was accentuated
by the nearly enclosed rear wheels." 1951
Hudson Hornets were available as a two-door coupe, four-door sedan, a convertible and
a hardtop coupe. The models were priced the same as Commodore Eight, which was priced
from US$2,543 to $3,099. All Hornets from 1951 to 1953 were powered
by Hudson's high-compression straight-six "H-145" engine. In 1954, power was increased
to 170 hp from 145 hp. Starting in 1952 an optional "twin-H" or twin one barrel carburetor
setup was available at additional cost. A L-head design, at 308 cu in it was the "largest
[displacement] six-cylinder engine in the world" at the time. It had a two-barrel carburetor
and produced 145 hp at 3800 rpm and 275 lb·ft of torque. The engine was capable of far more
power in the hands of precision tuners, including Marshall Teague, who claimed he could get
112 miles per hour from an AAA- or NASCAR-certified stock Hornet, as well as Hudson engineers
who developed "severe usage" options. The combination of the Hudson engine with overall
road-ability of the Hornets, plus the fact these cars were over engineered and over built,
made them unbeatable in competition on the dirt and the very few paved tracks of the
1950s. The newly introduced "Twin H-Power" was available in November 1951 as a Dealer
installed option at the cost of $85.60. An electric clock was standard.
Hudson Hornet 1951 model year production totaled 43,656 units.
1952 In 1952 the "Twin H-Power" version now standard
equipment with dual single-barrel carburetors atop a dual-intake manifold, and power rose
to170 hp. The hood featured a functional scoop that ducts cold air to the carburetors
and was considered "ventilation" in 1954, rather than ram air. The engine could be tuned
to produce 210 hp when equipped with the "7-X" modifications that Hudson introduced
later. During 1952 and 1953 the Hornet received minor cosmetic enhancements, and still closely
resembled the Commodore of 1948. The Hornet proved to be nearly invincible
in stock-car racing. "[D]espite its racing successes...sales began to languish." Hudson's
competitors, using separate body-on-frame designs, could change the look of their models
on a yearly basis without expensive chassis alterations" whereas the Hornet's "modern,
sophisticated unibody design was expensive to update," so it "was essentially locked
in" and "suffered against the planned obsolescence of the Big Three [General Motors, Ford, and
Chrysler] automakers. Hudson Hornet 1952 model year production totaled
35,921 units. 1953
The 1953 model year brought minor changes to the Hudson Hornet. The front end was modified
with a new grille and a non-functional air scoop hood ornament.
Hudson Hornet 1953 model year production totaled 27,208 units. An 8-tube radio was a $100 option.
1954 Eventually, for the 1954 model year, the model
underwent a major square-lined redesign. This entailed extensive retooling because of the
way the step-down frame wrapped around the passenger compartment. The front had a simpler
grille that complemented the now-functional hood scoop and a new one-piece curved windshield,
while the sides gained period-typical fender chrome accents, and the formerly sloped rear
end was squared off. The front to rear fender line was styled to make the car look longer
and taillamps were also redesigned. The interior was also updated with a new dash and instrument
cluster that were surprisingly modern. There was still no V8 engine available, but
the 308 cu in six-cylinder in top-line Hornets produced 160 hp and the racing-inspired 170 hp
"Twin-H-Power" version was optional from the factory.
Although the Hornet's redesign put it on par with its contemporaries in terms of looks
and style, it came too late to boost sales. The updated Hornet Brougham convertible, the
sole convertible available from Hudson, was attractive but overpriced at US$3,288 for
a six-cylinder car in 1954. Hudson Hornet 1954 model year production totaled
24,833.
NASCAR fame
Hudson was the first automobile manufacturer to get involved in stock car racing. The Hornet
"dominated stock car racing in the early-1950s, when stock car racers actually raced stock
cars." During 1952, Marshall Teague finished the
1952 AAA season with a 1000-point lead over his closest rival, winning 12 of the 13 scheduled
events. Hornets driven by NASCAR aces Herb Thomas, Dick Rathmann, Al Keller, Frank Mundyand,
and Tim Flock won 27 NASCAR races driving for the Hudson team.
In the AAA racing circuit, Teague drove a stock Hornet that he called the Fabulous Hudson
Hornet to 14 wins during the season. This brought the Hornet's season record to 40 wins
in 48 events, a winning percentage of 83%. Overall, Hudson won 27 of the 34 NASCAR Grand
National races in 1952, followed by 22 wins of 37 in 1953, and capturing 17 of the 37
races in 1954 — "an incredible accomplishment, especially from a car that had some legitimate
luxury credentials." The original Fabulous Hudson Hornet can be
found today fully restored in Ypsilanti, Michigan at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum,
a facility that was formerly home to Miller Motors, the last Hudson dealership in the
world.
Second generation In its final three model years, the Hornet
became a product of the newly formed American Motors Corporation. Following the 1954 merger
of the Hudson Motor Car Company and Nash-Kelvinator, Hudson's Detroit manufacturing facility was
closed and production of Hudson models was shifted to Nash's Wisconsin factory. No longer
built on the "Step-down" platform, all Hudsons were now based on the senior Nash models,
but featuring distinctive Hudson styling themes. 1955
The new models were delayed to a January 1955 introduction, "as American Motors engineers
work out the problem of making two completely different looking automobiles with identical
body shells." The first entirely new car from American Motors,
the 1955 Hudson emerged as a conservatively styled car compared to the competition. Sedan
and hardtop body styles were offered, but the coupe and convertible were no longer available.
For the first time ever, the Hornet could be ordered with a Packard-built 320 cu in
V8 engine producing 208 bhp and Packard's Ultramatic automatic transmission. The rear
suspension now incorporated a torque tube system for the driveshaft and coil spring
rear suspension along with front springs that are twice as long as most other cars.
Along with Nash, the new Hudsons had the widest front seats in the industry. The Weather Eye
heating and ventilation with an optional air conditioning system were highly rated in terms
of efficiency. The integrated placement of major air conditioning systems under the hood
and the price of only $395 also won praise. Automotive journalist Floyd Clymer rated the
Hudson Hornet as the safest car built in the United States because of the single unit welded
body, high quality braking system with added mechanical backup system, roadability, general
handling, and maneuverability; as well as excellent acceleration and power for emergency
situations. 1956
For the 1956 model year, AMC executives decided to give the Hornet more character and the
design for the vehicles was given over to designer Richard Arbib, who provided the Hornet
and Wasp with one of the more distinctive looks in 1950s which he called "V-Line Styling".
Taking the traditional Hudson tri-angle, Arbib applied its "V" form in every conceivable
manner across the interior and exterior of the car. Combined with tri-tone paint combinations,
the Hudson's look was unique and immediately noticeable. However the car's design failed
to excite buyers and Hudson Hornet sales skidded to 8,152 units, off 4,978 units from 1955's
13,130. 1957
In 1957, the historic Hudson name came only in a Hornet version in "Super" and "Custom"
series, and available as a four-door sedan or a two-door "Hollywood" hardtop. For the
second year the V-Line styling featured an enormous egg-crate grille, creases and chrome
strips on the sides, and five tri-tone schemes for the Custom models. There was more ornamentation
to the cars, including fender "finettes" atop the rounded rear quarter panels for 1957,
as well as very unusual twin-fin trim on top of both front fenders. Although the price
was reduced and the power was increased by way of AMC's new 327 cu in that was rated
at 255 hp with a four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts, consumers reacted by buying
only 4,108 units. Production of the Hornet ended on June 25,
1957, at which time the Hudson marque was dropped and all of AMC's products took the
"Rambler" name.
Legacy
The 1951 Hudson Hornet was selected as the "Car of the Year" in a book profiling seventy-five
years of noteworthy automobiles by automotive journalist Henry Bolles Lent.
For the 1970 model year, American Motors resurrected the Hornet name for their new compact that
replaced the Rambler American. In 2006, a small, front-wheel-drive concept
car called Hornet was designed and developed by Dodge.
The Disney Pixar film Cars and several spin-off video games featured a Fabulous Hudson Hornet
named Doc Hudson, a retired Piston Cup champion. The Piston cup is the franchise's version
of the Winston Cup Series, which changed to Sprint Cup Series in 2004.
The Hudson Hornet was featured in the video games, Driver: San Francisco and Forza Motorsport
4 as a part of July Car Pack. Collectibility
First-generation Hudson Hornets are legendary for their NASCAR racing history and Jay Leno
lists the 1951-1954 models as one of the "top ten of America's most collectible cars". "One
of the great postwar landmarks - a true champion" gives it a big edge in collector appeal. Richard
M. Langworth describes the first-generation Hornets in his book Complete book of collectible
cars: 70 years of Blue Chip auto investments as "the most remembered Hudson of the postwar
years, one of the industry's all-time greats." For example, prices on the Club Coupes, the
body style used by the winning NASCAR drivers, have greatly appreciated in the last several
years where several nicely restored examples have broken the $75K barrier in several cases.
See also Hudson Wasp - A lower-priced version of the
step-down Hornet. Doc Hudson
Notes Inline
General Conde, John A.. The American Motors Family
Album. American Motors Corporation. OCLC 3185581. External links
Hudson Car Club Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club
Doc Hudson from the Disney movie Cars is a Hudson Hornet mk1
Hudson Hornet at the Internet Movie Cars Database