Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Good News - Bad News

Good news, I met Bob and wife. Good news, Bob really knows Hudsons and seems to be a genuine and honest person. It makes me realize that I really should have worked harder at connecting with other HET club members, even if they were an hour or two away. Bad news, my Hudson was in worse shape than I realized. Bad news, his analysis of what my local auto-shop did to the exhaust made me feel a bit sick. Good & Bad, meeting a great guy like Bob made me remember the best parts of the HET Club, the people, and a little sad that I sold the Hornet. Good, he said that he or his wife would sell it back to me in the future, so if I can't fight off my Hudson bug I have a reasonable way back in.


My son Tristan Bob with my old Hudson, his new Hudson. 

Monday, April 6, 2015

More details on my 52 Hudson Hornet

In response to questions I have been getting I have more detail on the car.

I drove the car home from Texas when I bought it and I have put many thousands of dollars of work into the car since then. I do think it would be good for another cross country trip. I took it for a drive this spring. Once it warmed up it idled smoothly, went down the road straight, and drove very nicely in city and on the highway. It also stopped well; you can lock the wheels if you try without having to pump the brakes.

Here is a video of the car starting and running and more detail pictures of the car inside and out: https://plus.google.com/photos/118097982033434962283/albums/6134742176003574801

I have reproduction manuals, a hub puller, a couple of sets of keys, other Hudson stuff, and everything I have ever taken off the car (fabric, brake parts, etc). My expectation is that they will go with the car. 

Here are the issues I am aware of with the car - 

Major Issues:
·         Wiring - The headlights, reverse lights, turn signals, and cigarette lighter (good for a GPS) work. The running lights, brake lights, and interior lights do not. They all worked when I bought the car and they still work if I use a patch wire to get them power. My best guess is that when the interior was redone wires got shifted and then started to rub, fray, and break. It may be fixed just replacing a few wires or need to be rewired.

Minor Issues:
·         When the gas is filled to the very top there is a slow seep by the sending unit. You can smell it. I had the gas tank relined a few years ago. 
·         The radio does not work
·         Speedometer is off by about 3-5 miles per hour
·         One of the carbs hisses. I am told this is likely a vacuum leak. It does not seem to be affecting anything.
·         The engine is cold blooded. (need to warm up before running its best)
·         The interior needs a little work. (buttons have popped off the front seat, some of the vinyl on the bottom of the back seat needs to be re-glued  )
·         The heater switch is either not wired right or needs to be replaced. To use the heater I move a vacuum hose to open the valve to the heater core. The fan speed selector works fine.


If you are interested in the mechanical condition of the car, Doug from Wildrick restoration may be your best bet. http://wildrickrestorations.com/ He is the person that redid the interior and went through the mechanicals.  He re-cored the radiator, replaced the brakes (new pads, cylinders, etc), put on a new head and some other stuff. It has been a few years but if anyone with strong Hudson mechanical skills knows my car, it is Doug.  PLEASE DO NOT BOTHER Doug unless you are truly serious about buying the Hudson. 

Friday, March 27, 2015

First draft of listing

1952 Hudson Hornet 4 door Sedan. Blue exterior and interior in original colors. Straight-six 308 with Twin H-Power, dual range hydra-matic, and Vintage Air heat and air-conditioning. Texas car.  The Hornet is a strong driver and has served my family well. New interior (woodgrain & fabrics) and mechanical check-up in 2011 from Wildrick Restoration. New radial wide whitewall tires, brakes, exhaust, thermostat, radiator core, ignition, coil, wires & plugs, oil fitter kit, gas tank lining, and more since 2009. It comes with the owner’s manuals, assorted parts, and Hudson hub puller. It runs strong and looks fantastic driving down the street. History, detail, and pictures available at http://52hornet.blogspot.com/  Selling for 20K OBO. Michael Sandberg 507-398-3700 541 Byron MN 55920

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Spring has come, sort of.

I had decided to wait through winter to make sure I really wanted to sell the Hudson. Spring is here, along with about 9" of snow and the decision is made. I am selling the Hudson. Now I just need to follow-through and actually list it. 

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The decision has been made. It is time to sell the Hudson. I haven't decided exactly where to list it yet but I am considering Hemmings or ClassicCars.com. They both seem like good choices although ClassicCars.com listed until sold feature seems to fit better with my timeline of this fall or next spring. I already posted it on the Hudson Essex Terraplane website. You will most likely have to be already logged in for this link to work. Pricing is also an interesting question. Other comparable Hornet sedans seem to list around 20K. This would fit in the range of more than I paid for it but less than I have put into it. So I am selling for 20K or best offer. Only time will tell if it is a good number. If you are interested, let me know.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

6 weeks and nearly a grand later....

First of all a big thank you to Russ and Randy at 21st Century Hudson for parts and Hudson advice for my local mechanic at Byron Auto! About 6 weeks ago I needed to have the brakes checked & bled and the gasket on the top end of the heat-riser replaced. Turned out to be quite a lot more to it than either I or my mechanic expected. In short my dual exhaust adapter was cast thick and made things so tight that it effectively popped the heat-riser gasket.  There were trials and tribulations but in the end it was ground down and pretty much every gasket from the exhaust manifold on back had to be replaced.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Up on jacks

It has been quite some time since I have had the Hudson up on jack stands. I am attempting my first brake bleed. Hopefully I get ambitious and break out the grease gun since I already have it up.  Wish me luck.

Update: while I can change my oil and grease my fittings, brake work seems better left to a professional. Maybe a different story if I had a lift.