Adventures with my 1952 Hudson Hornet

The Hudson has arrived home

2012-01-11T11:23:00.001-08:00

The Hudson is coming home

2012-01-10T09:46:00.001-08:00

The Hudson will arrive home tomorrow afternoon and I am excited to see it. It will be hard not to take it for a drive, but you can see the salt dust on the roads.

The Hudson was definitely harder and more expensive getting it home than it was getting it to IN. More than half again more actually. I am not sure exactly why. Two different brokers were unable to find my Hornet a ride home, but I was able to connect with an independent hauler thanks to Tom at Valley Motors of Winona. Thank you Tom.

Ready to come home

2011-12-13T12:40:00.001-08:00

Doug has let me know that the Hudson is ready come home. While not everything was able to be done before the budget ran out, he focused on making it a solid reliable driver. Once it gets home there will be a lot of pictures and reacquainting myself with the car, assuming that I can find the time. The twins will be here by Thursday. Now I just need to get a car hauler to call me back. It must be the time of year, I am having a hard time scheduling a ride home for the Hornet.

At a crossroads

2011-11-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

The Hudson restoration is at a crossroads, and I do not know what direction it will take, but I am still holding out some hope for a happy ending.

20 weeks gone

2011-10-25T12:06:00.001-07:00

I have spoken to Doug, I have spoken to Russell, and I am moderately hopeful that I will have a car by the end of the month.

Delivery unknown

2011-10-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

There have been a few bumps in the road, leading to uncertainty on delivery. Doug is evaluating options for the woodgrain, I have agreed to going with re-coring the radiator instead of adding a pusher fan, and some of the work I have asked for is not clear cut, such as dealing with the dual exhaust adapter blocking a control arm grease fitting.

19 weeks gone

2011-10-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

Doug sent me an update with pictures, informing me that the Hudson will be ready this week. While it looks like the colors & fabrics are working well together, the woodgrain is considerably lighter in color than I expected, a close match to the paint color on the outside of the car.

18 weeks gone

2011-10-12T05:37:00.000-07:00

The last communication I received from Doug he told me that the Hudson should be done by tomorrow, but I have heard nothings since.

17 weeks gone

2011-10-07T17:28:00.001-07:00

Another week gone.

16 weeks gone

2011-09-27T14:54:00.001-07:00

Woodgrain parts are between Russell and Doug. Doug is waiting on the woodgrain parts before hooking up the electrical and finishing the mechanical work. Hopefully nor more than a couple of weeks to go, but I am really in the dark.

15 weeks gone

2011-09-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

My woodgrained parts should have been delivered by Doug yesterday, but I have not been able to get Russell or Doug let let me know if it actually happened or not. According to Doug, my car is only a couple weeks away from being done.

Feeling better.

2011-09-12T14:11:00.001-07:00

I talked to Doug on the phone today and my confidence is back up. All we needed to do was talk. It is going to look great.

A nice bit of news from Russell

2011-09-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

I received a nice bit of news from Russell today. The parts still have to be clear-coated and buffed, but will be shipping to Wildrick Restoration early next week. I can't wait to see the finished product.

A special thanks to Russell for taking the time to give me an update and send me a picture.

Thirteen weeks gone

2011-09-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

Jan finished the last of the fabric. She sent the bulk of it to Doug for the interior restoration, but had some yarn left over. She wove it together and I will be holding onto it 'just in case' . It has been a pleasure working with her and I am very happy with the final product.

Unfortunately I have not received a reply to my e-mails asking for an update from Doug who is working on my car or Russell who is working on my woodgraining.

Twelve weeks gone

2011-08-30T13:19:00.001-07:00

I have received no updates this week.

Eleven weeks gone

2011-08-26T05:33:00.000-07:00

I was able to connect with Doug this week on the phone, talk about progress, and get some pictures. While he has a lot going on, it sounds like I will have my car back in September.

I was also able to connect with Russell, who is doing my woodgraining. The news there was not as good. While the parts have been sanded, primed, and the base coat applied, it seems that the supplier sent Russell the wrong materials to do the leather pattern. He is working on getting the right ink & toner.

I received an e-mail from Jan. She used up the last of the weave and ended up with 1 1/3 yards of fabric that I will keep as a potential backup or fix for some future problem. Pictures Below.

Pictures from Doug:

Pictures from Jan:

Ten weeks gone

2011-08-16T06:40:00.000-07:00

It has now been ten weeks since I loaded my Hudson onto the car transporter. I had some good news arrive yesterday. Russell gave me an update on my parts he is woodgraining "...blasted, sanded, primed, sanded,base coat applied. Base coat for the blue is nearly identical to the color of the primer, just half a shade off. Ink and Toner are bluer in color. ... Next, the leather-grained pattern gets applied.". No word yet from Doug.

Nine weeks gone

2011-08-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

I spoke to Russell last week about my parts that he is woodgraining. He said that they have been stripped and soon to be in primer. No pictures yet. I am considering oil bath air filters from Doug, but I have not gotten a price yet. I am assuming that no update from Doug means that work on the car has not progressed. When I shipped my Hudson off to Wildrick Restoration nine weeks ago, I really thought that I would get my car back in September, but I am starting to have my doubts. Makes me sad to have lost a whole driving season.

Eight weeks gone

2011-08-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

My Hudson left on June 7th, and today is August 2nd, exactly eight weeks later. I wish I had more to report, but I have heard nothing on the woodgraining or the Hornet itself. I plan to reach out next week again to Doug & Russell in hopes of an update, pictures, and estimated date of completion.

Seven weeks gone

2011-07-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

I have confirmed that my interior parts that need to be wood grained made it to Russell Chilton and that Dr. Doug has the interior stripped out. I am hopeful that I will get some pictures from Russell and Doug in the near future that I can post. I am also looking forward to an update from Doug on the mechanical work I asked for and his thoughts on adding a pusher fan.

Six weeks gone

2011-07-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

This week I have been reading on the Hudson forum about the HET National gathering. My Hudson has been gone 6 weeks. I miss my Hudson.

Two weeks gone

2011-06-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

I shipped out my 52 Hornet two weeks ago. I know it is in good hands with Doug, but I miss it and am looking forward to the day it comes home with a new interior and all tuned up.

Off to Wildrick Restoration

2011-06-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

The car was picked up today for shipment to Wildrick Restoration. I am excited, but nervous also. To get everything done I have to trust the transporter, I have to trust Doug, I have to trust Russel, and I have to trust Jan. That is a lot of trust for me.

Here are some pictures of it being loaded up.

More pictures of the fabric

2011-06-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

More pictures from Jan.

May 29th 2011 Hudson Social

2011-05-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

On Sunday May 29th 2011 I had the pleasure of hosting a Hudson Social. Five Hudsons and about a dozen people made for a wonderful day. As they caravaned back to the Twin Cities, they even let me lead them from Byron to Pine Island. I was having so much fun I dropped the to back of the line in Pine Island and followed them as far as Zumbro Falls.

Link to full set of pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/mjsandbe/May29th2011HudsonSocial?feat=directlink

Weaving of the fabric.

2011-05-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

I was unbelievable lucky to have found Jan. Here is a short video of her weaving the fabric for my 52 Hudson Hornet.

My artist/weaver in the news

2011-05-16T14:25:00.001-07:00

Threads of innovation on display at Rochester-area shows

Good News Spring (except for the weather)

2011-04-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Good news: I was hired by Mayo Clinic and started March 7th.
Good news: The Hudson started up this spring with only a little persuasion, and the whole family took it for a cruise to the Pizza Ranch, about a 60 mile round trip. Very nice!
Good news: We were able to preserve my 'Hudson money' during my unemployment, so the interior restoration; general tune-up/check-up by Dr. Doug is still on.
Good news: My Metro Moulded Parts, Inc. wind window rubber arrived yesterday, the last pieced needed except for fabric
Good news: Jan sent more pictures of progress on the fabric. Scheduled to arrive end of May
Good news: The '52 Hudson Hornet will be shipped to Wildrick Restoration by K&L early June
Good news: I will be hosting a informal classic car burgers & brats social at my home May 20th.

Here are the pictures from Jan. I think it looks great.

Jan is making progress on the stripe fabric

2010-12-19T08:58:00.000-08:00

This week I received a sample of Jan's work in the mail. it is not final form yet, but she asked for my input on a couple of the threads/yarns and I also got a chance to hold a sample in my hands. Thrilling. I have also attached a series of pictures that show where the fabric will be used in the car. Seats, door panels, and a pouch on the back side of the front bench seat. In the pictures the bottom of the bench seats are blue because I had to cover them due to damage/disintegration. In reality they are the stripe fabric, just like the seat-backs.

HET Forum Thread: http://www.classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=13&id=138548&Itemid=152

Wildrick Restoration Web Site

2010-12-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

I have had the pleasure of working with Doug Wildrick of Wildrick Restoration on his website, www.WildrickRestoration.com . I really think I have made a positive difference and hope to continue to help him in the future. I also hope to be able to encourage a few other Hudson folks to create simple sites, for the benifit of the community.

Hudson Forum Thread about www.WildrickRestoration.com:
http://classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=13&id=138442&Itemid=152

This is Awesome,

2010-12-02T10:37:00.000-08:00

I just got these images from the weaver I have been working with. She has been working on research, threads, and weave; here are the results. I hope to have my hands on samples with in the month. It is nice to have something going right.

Hudson Forum Thread: http://www.classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=13&id=137607&Itemid=152

Falling into Winter

2010-11-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

We have had a beautiful fall, but snow is falling today. I don't think it will last the weekend, but it is a sure sign that I will have to get the Hudson ready for storage soon. I was part of a layoff in March, worked a contract job for 6 months, but have been on unemployment for the last couple of months. I hate it, not just because it leaves me felling poor and dependent on the state. I need to be productive, so I am diving back into my work with United Way. I had hoped to have the Hornets interior restored this winter, but that does not seem to be a possibility. The Hudson money has become the money needed to bridge the gap between unemployment and actual bills. I am actively looking for work, but it is slow business and Thanksgiving -> Christmas is not the time of year for hiring. Most companies I am talking to are trying to use 4Q to make their full year numbers. If you happen to of anything. please let me know.

Here is my professional profile: www.MichaelJSandberg.info
Here is my resume: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B6DMvGiIRqeMNWU0MmQwYzAtOTE2Ny00Mzg0LThhNzUtMjc0ZjIyYTcxZWY4&hl=en

Good news all around

2010-08-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

Problems Fixed:

Leaking fuel pump fixed, thank you Williamsfield Motors!
Engine knock taken care of by retarding the engine timing. Sadly I do not seem to have the standard reference point, but I have it pretty close and no matter how hard I push it, no knock.
Distributor working great after help from Tom from www.valleymotorsofwinona.com
Head gasket tested and passed
Radiator overflow and collapsed hose issues taken care of by a new 7lb radiator cap

The family is just enjoying cruising around town and making up excuses to drive the Hornet. I found that we can fit my family (wife & two kids in car seats) and grandparents together in the car. That is how we went to the farmers market last weekend :)

Classic Car forum topic: http://classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=62&jfile=showthread.php&t=22702

Some unexpected but very welcome help

2010-07-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

I had the good fortune of running into Tom Thorson of www.valleymotorsofwinona.com this morning as he stopped at his son's house on the way to pick up a 1940 Ford Pickup. He spent some time with me looking at the distributor, and he found the remains of the rivet that I thought I had drilled out and a washer deep inside. Once he had it all apart and was satisfied it was in good working order, he told me to reassemble it by the time he came through town again with the Ford and he would listen to the engine. I did my best and managed to get it all assembled by the time they arrived back, but needed some guidance on finding #1 on the distributor cap. He actually had me hold my finger over the #1 spark plug hole while he tapped the ignition. It was damn obvious when it blew my thumb off the head. With the distributor back on the engine, he had me run it while he watched with the radiator cap off, revved the engine and listened to it. He reported that I did NOT have a bad rod / rod bearings and that what I described was most likely spark knock. He put the radiator cap back on and told me to let it build some pressure and then turn it off and let it cool for a couple of hours. The good news is that the hose did not collapse and I did not have any white smoke when I started it up again. That would have been a sign of coolant getting into the cylinders. FYI - I bought a new radiator cap since my upper radiator hose collapse.

I schedule a pressure test for next Tuesday where the local auto shop will pressurize my radiator to 10lbs and see if it loses pressure. If it does, it may point to a head gasket leak. HET Forum Question.

I am hoping my spark knock is due to my timing being too advanced. With my cleaned out / repaired distributor I can now see the timing lines, but I need to verify where the pointer is that they should be set relative to. I think it is the little red triangle you can see in the crankcase opening, but I want to find out for sure before I start turning the distributor.

Something or nothing. I chose something.

2010-07-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

I have decided to do something instead of nothing. I am thousands short on rebuilding my engine, and I am still looking for permanent work. If I go for a rebuild, it would be months if not longer before my Hudson is back on the road. With this in mind, I have decided to play it by ear and see what can be made of the engine now. My first step is to send out my distributor to have it rebuilt by 21st Century Hudson. After that, do some tests to see if the head gasket is really leaking and diagnose the knock. I am assuming we will end up lifting the head, and when we do, taking a critical look at the top of the engine. I am cautiously optimistic this will get me on the road again for hundreds and tide me over until the time comes for a total rebuild.

Little Signs point to big problems

2010-07-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

There have been a number of small issues that have built to critical mass. I have what appears to be a blown head gasket (foaming coolant & disappearing oil), a engine knock every time I accelerate hard or uphill, plenty of oil drips, and a distributor chewing itself up. I was told the engine was rebuilt once before, but I have no more information than that.

I could try and do band-aid fixes, replace head gasket & distributor, drive it easy and cross my fingers about the knock and hope it was just bad engine timing, ignore the oil leaks, and why the head gasket blew in the first place.
or
I can have the engine rebuilt.

I am strongly leaning towards rebuilding, am located in South East MN, and don't have any mechanics I trust to do more than maintenance on my car. Doug Wildrick has been recommended to me by someone I trust. I plan on talking to Doug see if he is interested & willing and also to get an idea of the cost. None of this can happen until I find steady work, hopefully in the next few months. No matter what, I have a feeling the Hudson will not be moving under it own power again this summer.

I am a bit shaken that I am talking about rebuilding the engine only 6 months after buying what I thought was a rock solid car, but I am determined to help my Hudson survive another generation and hopefully be my son's or daughter's someday.

Pertronix Ignitor

2010-07-23T13:52:00.001-07:00

Here is what my Pertronix Ignitor looks like after three months. I asked Pertronix for a return / exchange. Waiting to hear back.

When it rains it pours; Problems That Is!

2010-07-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

I seem to be having a lot of small / moderate issues with my Hudson lately. First there was the fact that when it got stuck in a long downpour the door panels got soaked. Solution there will be to work with my glass guy on installing the new sweepers and figuring out the waterproof lining that is suppose to be in the doors. Then I had some knocking in the engine while climbing uphill in the bluffs at 70 MPH. I read up on that, and am hoping it was bad gas or the timing is too advanced. A couple of days ago a gasket for my radiator failed and after I fixed it I started having trouble with a collapsing radiator hose. Today my timing gun arrived in the mail and I could not see any chalk lines on the flywheel. When I opened up my distributor, I found a pile of debris from my Pertronix electronic ignition kit, seemingly from it rubbing even though it has clearance. I now have a message into Petronix support and also an e-mail into 21st Century Hudson to see if they can possibly just rebuild the whole distributor to make sure it is done right. As of this moment, I need a break from the Hudson troubles.

I should point out, the Hudson is actually running quite nicely, but at this point, I am not sure why.

New Toys for the amateur tuner

2010-07-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

I now have a unisync, timing gun, and a Dwell/Tach/Volts meter. it is my hope that they along with the great support from the Hudson community, that I (a rank amateur) will be able to 'tune' my 308.

Collapsed Radiator Hose

2010-07-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I noticed that the gasket around the goose-neck feeding my radiator was leaking, so I removed it, cleaned it up, and replaced it. Once that was done, I filled it up the brim with premixed 50/50 coolant. It was irritating because it was only a few months ago that I pulled the piece off to install a modern thermostat and close the bypass.

Today the family and I drove the Hudson into a nearby cruise-in, and when I opened the hood for someone to look at the 308, I noticed my upper radiator hose was collapse. Since it has never happened before, it kind of freaked me out.

Now I am trying to find out what it means - Collapsed Radiator Hose Post on the Hudson Forum

First trip home to from MN to WI in the Hornet

2010-07-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago was my family's maiden road-trip in the Hudson to my home town of Oshkosh WI. It was a mad rush to get the car ready for the trip, as parts for the seat belts and the carpet kit arrived at about 3:30 in the afternoon on Friday, but we were on the road by 5:30. A special thanks for my neighbor Jon for making it possible with his help. The four hour drive home was pleasantly uneventful. The only issue I ran into was when I was trying to accelerate uphill onto the interstate. For some reason, the Hudson had trouble choosing 3 or 4 gear. The rest of the trip home averaged 75 mph on the interstate and 65 on the highways. I am happy to say my Hudson had no trouble with the speed and suffered no overheating, even with the air-conditioning running. My wife even complained that the AC was too cold. Since this was the first big trip since driving the Hudson home from TX to MN, I kept track of mileage. It always worked out to just over 12 mpg, regardless of speed (65 or 75) or if the AC was on or not.

While in Oshkosh, I convinced my my parents and Nicole's to let me part Hudson in their garages. This did not prevent me from being stuck with the Hudson parked in the rain though. It was not just any rain, it was a half hour of torrential downpour, and I mean torrential. When the rain finally let up and we got back into the Hudson, I found that all of my door panels were soaked. The windshield had not leaked and the back window had not leaked, but something in the doors had let the downpour in. It was very frustrating, but at least it happened with the old interior so I have a chance to fix it before the new interior goes in. What puzzles me is that when I wash the car it does not happen, so it mush have been the sheer volume of water. Since only the door panels were wet, I am wondering if the water came in on the bottom of the glass, but is just a guess. Fixing water leaks is top priority and must be taken car of before I have a new interior put in.

Trip home turned out to be a rainy one, and the Hudson performed beautifully in it. During the four hours in the rain, the door panels remained dry, but I did discover a weatherstripping leak on the front passenger door that let some water in the front edge of the door. The only mechanical trouble I ran into was during our ascent through the bluffs from WI to MN. During the climb if I tried to go faster than 70, I got a loud rattling sound from the engine area. This bothered me enough that I did not push it. Since it generally runs great, the high speed up hill rattle will get added to the long list of things to look into in the future.

Here is a picture of my Wife's grandfather, Harold, with the Hornet. I was thrilled to be able to give him a ride and listen to the stories of every car he ever owned. For Harold, the one that he never should have let go was his Ford Model A. His most hated was a Nash.

I also had the pleasure of giving rides to a number of relations that had not seen the car before. I always find myself apologizing for the poor condition of the interior, but no one seems to mind but me.

The plan for summer 2010

2010-07-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Put a carpet kit in and otherwise assemble my basket-case interior.
Step 2: Drive the S%!^ out of it!

So far, I have the seats out and one coat of black enamel paint on the floor, and the rear seat-belts installed. I have parts for the front seat-belts ordered and the carpet should arrive next week.

Mostly my Hudson need lots and lots of TLC, but I have run into a number of new issues. Problems so far: I noticed that around my gas pedal rod, it is duck-tape. That just can not be right. I also noticed that I have many small screw holes in the firewall and floor. I plan to dab caulk on them to close them up. A slightly bitter concern is some sketchy work around my gas tank fill-neck. There is a 1/2 gap around part of it, leaving the trunk open to the road. I have no idea how to mount the radio. Last but not least, I am missing some interior parts such as the light covers for the rear vanity lights and the medallions for the front door panels.

Forum discussions:

What is it, and where does it go on my 52 HH?
What should go here?
Good place(s) to get interior trim parts?
How To? Install Radio in 52 Hornet
Why is there a donut on my brake?
Door bottom seal. Clips or adhesive?

Back from the shop, and sounding great!

2010-06-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

Today I picked up my Hudson from Byron Auto. New WWW Diamond Back Radials, gas tank repaired, exhaust damper removed, and true dual exhaust front to back. I even managed to give it a quick wash tonight before taking a little cruise with Jon.

YouTube video of the Hudson on the lift: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-RTinRddiU
YouTube video of the Hudson idling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBkaiHchVfg
Gallery of everything I took while the Hudson was on the lift: http://picasaweb.google.com/mjsandbe/52HudsonHornetBackFromByronAuto?feat=directlink
Here are a few pictures of the new exhaust while the car was on the lift:

A little too late, but finally some progress.

2010-06-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

The gas tank came back from the radiator shop yesterday. Today Byron Auto will be installing it and installing the new exhaust. They did caution me that it may or may not be done by the end of day, it all depends on how it comes together. I am sad to say that this means I have given up on the idea of making it to the North Central Hudson meet this year.

Here are some pictures of the mufflers and chrome tips.

Still up in the air

2010-06-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

My gas tank is taking a very long time to repair. According to the radiator shop, it is filthy, and they need to get it spotless for the liner to bond correctly. The gas tank is holding up the exhaust work. They don't want to weld under the car until the gas tank is back in place. So, I am still with out a car. Hopefully early next week I will get it back, along with a hefty bill. I would be pretty sad if this made me miss the Hudson meet in IL.

I took this chance to take pictures of the under-body. Here they are: http://picasaweb.google.com/mjsandbe/UnderThe52Hornet?feat=directlink

Here is a picture of my Hudson in the air, with a new set of Radials, still blue.

Gas Tank Problems& Dual Exhaust Fun

2010-05-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

I have discovered two problems with my gas tank. 1st is that when I fill my tank all the way, I drip gas from the gas line fitting. The 2nd is that I seem to have a very slow seep of gas. I made an appointment for Monday for my local auto shop to unmount the tank and see what needs to be done. There is a local radiator shop that does repair, and my mechanic also knows of a local shop that fabricates tanks. I am not sure what will happen yet. Most likely it will depend on how bad the tank is.

I am using this trip to the mechanic as an excuse to install the dual exhaust. Wish me luck, it seems damn tight under there. I am thinking dual exhaust, just inside of the fins on the bumper, with straight chrome tips.

On the road again.

2010-05-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

My Hudson is back on the road again. I broke my original thermostat housing when installing the thermostat kit from Walt. I then bought a thermostat housing from Walt that already had the bypass blocked so I did not need the restriction plate. I broke that one installing it. Hudson308 kindly sent me a 3d thermostat housing. In the mean time, I took the 2nd thermostat housing to a local welder and they fixed it. I installed that housing last night onto the Hudson and it is working wonderfully. With the modern thermostat, bypass blocked, and external oil filter, I am running 1-2 needle thickness cooler according to the gauge. I am happy with that. In about a 1/2 hour of highway and city driving, I never went over the midpoint on my gauge.

New Tires Ordered

2010-05-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

I have a buyer for my old tires and I placed an order for my new tires today from www.fatwhitewalls.com, a fellow Hudson guy. It is a lot of money, but I believe it will be worth it.

Temporary Failure - Thermostat kit by Walt Mordenti

2010-05-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

Walt's directions were good, but my execution poor, and I paid for it.

Success: Oil Filter Kit by Walt Mordenti

2010-05-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

There is not too much to say. The directions were clear, the kit complete, and the task easy. It bolted right on and looks like it should be there. Thank you Walt.

Spark Plug Gap

2010-04-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

Today I took the time to set my spark plug gap to .040. After some research it seemed to be a consensus for those running the Pertronix Ignitor and Flamethrower. I was extremely surprised to find that the spark plugs (Champion H10s) were not even close to uniform in their default gap. According to my gap tool, they ranged from .025 to .040 right out of the box. I set them all to .040, put them back in, started the car, and it runs. I am not sure if I will notice a difference, but I am sure every little bit helps.

Next Project: Oil Filter Kit by Walt Mordenti

2010-04-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, Walt Mordenti is a bit of a legend in the Hudson community. My next project will be to install his external oil filter kit. It should help cool the oil while keeping it clean and helping the engine last longer. Currently my 308 has no oil filter on it, and the oil was black after only a couple thousand miles.

Here is the kit. it comes with absolutely everything needed and a nice instruction sheet that makes the install seem like it will be a snap.

Here is where it will mount. Wish me luck :o)

Installing electronic ignition system

2010-04-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

I ordered a Pertronix Ignitor to replace my points and a Pertronix Flame-Thrower coil with the intention to install them myself. It was not terrible, but not as easy as I had hoped for.I also put in new spark plugs (Champion H10s) and new plug wires.

The Ignitor kit I used for my 12V negative ground systems was the 1362.

Here is a picture of the distributor with the points removed. You can still see the condenser on the left. I was later removed. The only real trouble with the install is the little L shaped plate on the right with the screw in it. To install the system, the rivets on the L bracket need to be drilled and removed to make room for the Ignitor module. I did this with the distributor in place, but I would recommend anyone looking at doing this to take it out first.

Here is a picture of the Distributor with the Pertronix Ignitor installed.

Here is a pictures of the new coil and distributor all buttoned up. I might just be in my head, but I really do think it runs better and definitely idles smoother.

Here is the discussion in the Hudson Forum

Taking care of the basics

2010-04-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

I worked with one of my local mechanics to do a lot of basic needed work on the Hornet.

Complete Brake Job (new master cylinders, new wheel cylinders, new hoses, new brake pads, turned drums, and a total flush of all lines)
Oil Change (10W-40)
Lube Job, using the manual to find all the right spots
Replaced Fuel Pump (the oil had smelled a little of gas)
Replace Exhaust/Intake gasket (the old one was leaking badly)
Replaced inline fuel filter
Replaced control arm bushings
Filled up rear end (I need to order and replace the gasket)

All this was not cheap, but I feel much better about future of the car :)

Back at it

2010-03-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

My last day at IBM is the 31st, and I am actually quite optimistic about the future. I will get some severance, I have a 5 month contract job lined up, and I have a few prospects for full time work in WI. With permission from my wife (I think she is taking pity on me) I am moving forward with mechanical work on the Hudson. Brakes, exhaust manifold gasket leak, and electronic ignition are on the lists. Dual exhaust is just off the list and I hope to somehow get it on. Also on hold is the interior work. Technically the interior is not on hold, but my upholsterer believes he has a line on true matching fabric, and it is taking a very long time to validate that and get it rolling.

A Bump in the Road

2010-03-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

I find myself in the unenviable position of being part of an IBM resource action (layoffs) so; I am seeking a new job and the Hudson is on hold. I have a BS in Computer Science and a Masters in Business in addition to nearly a decade of work experience ranging from technical consulting, education, program management, and relationship management. You can learn more details about me here www.MichaelJSandberg.info

If you are aware of any opportunities, please let me know.

Michael J. Sandberg www.MichaelJSandberg.info

Dreaming of Spring

2010-02-14T10:59:00.001-08:00

It is now mid February and today I backed the Hudson out of the garage to sweep it out. My wife's car has been depositing snow in the garage that slowly formed a pool of water that I could no longer ignore.

I now have the replacement glass for the drivers side window and rear passenger window along with all new window channel for all four windows. The glass guy came took a look at it in my garage and said he could do the work while it is in the upholstery shop. It is my hope to get it into the upholsterer in the next couple of weeks. I have enough money to start the upholstery and a perfect match for the vinyl. Lyle (the upholsterer) has a few places left to check for fabric, but I have a feeling we will have to settle for the near match from SMS. At this point we don't have any money for the brakes, wood grain metal, and engine work (exhaust gasket, oil leaks, etc. ). To try and drum up some cash for the car I am trying a side business, "Michael's Computer Services ". Wish me luck, it will all go into the Hudson.

Damn cold and snowy, with a chance of Hudson

2010-01-06T19:43:00.000-08:00

The weather is frozen, but the work on the car has started again. In the last couple of days I ordered new glass for the drivers door and the rear passenger door. I ordered it from Vintage Glass (800-889-3826) with the Duolight etching . To go along with the glass, I also ordered a window channel kit from Vick Zamera (562-947-5864). Vick was great to talk to and mentioned that he has followed my adventure from the time I was looking for my Hudson. It is truly fantastic to have such wonderful people in the Hudson community. The whole drive to get the glass done is that once I have the interior complete I do not want to have to tear apart the doors for any reason, especially one I can take car of now. Sadly I do not have the dollars to replace the rubber around the wind windows or replace the windshield. The windshield looks like somebody took a sandblaster to it, but at least it is holding tough. Once the windows and window-channel are in, it is a matter of waiting for the tax man to move onto the interior. A piece of homework I need to do in the meantime is to head out to Lowe's and look at their indoor/outdoor carpet. I am told they have one that is actually a dead ringer for the tan carpet in the car now (what is left of it).

Happy Holidays

2009-12-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all. Here is the picture we used for our Christmas photo card this year.

New home for my Saltwater Corals

2009-12-07T07:43:00.001-08:00

I donated my Saltwater Corals to the MN Zoo a few weeks ago. Here is a video of MN Zoo Saltwater Coral Tank. Many of the corals in the video were part of my donation :) It makes me happy.

Something else that makes me happy is to walk into the garage and see my Hudson.

Up and running, and dreaming again.

2009-12-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

Well, the Hornet is running again. The short story is that the spark plugs were fouled. We checked for spark, checked the carburetors were squirting gas, and then pulled a plug. It was filthy and smelled like gas, so I replaced them. I put Champion H12s in because that was what was in there. I was later told H10s were a better plug for the 308.

Now that I am no longer obsessed with the car not running I am dreaming wild dreams again. I am not just talking about a new interior, hopefully paid for by a tax return. I am talking about replacing the exhaust manifold with a dual exhaust header, chroming a few small parts, touching up the red detail paint, and other fun and unnecessary things. I am not sure why, but right after crisis come unrealistic dreams. Reality is that until a fat tax return in February, the car will sit. If I am lucky I will be able to scrape up enough money for some new spark plug wires and radiator hoses, but Christmas is consuming time and money at a rapid rate.

Unable to leave well enough alone.

2009-11-29T12:50:00.001-08:00

I have done it now. I have taken a working car that I drove home 1200 miles and broken it.

I was in the process of cleaning the air filters, so I took off the assembly blew them out with air and washed the metal filters in gas a couple of times. While I waited for the filters to evaporate I decided to spray down the carburetors and linkages with carburetor cleaner. I sprayed down the outside and went to start the car, it would not start. I assume that I got some of the carb cleaner in the carburetors. I did not think it would be too much of a problem, the stuff evaporates extremely fast. I gave it a little time, tried again, tried, and tried some more. I added a little gas to the carbs and even tried starting fluid, nothing works. The engine turns freely, the battery has lot of power (I plugged it in), It cranks and cranks, but never catches. Here is the discussion on the Hudson Forum

Another thing learned, oil bath air filters are not all the same.

2009-11-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

Today I removed and disassembled one of my two air filters on the Hornet. Much to my surprise I did not find an oil reservoir, just a loose metal mesh on the end with the main body as a solid piece. I had assumed that since it was called and "Oil Bath" air filter that it would be like my 54 Buick with a metal element bathed in an pool of oil. I posted my situation on the HET forum and I hope to find out more about what I am dealing with and what I need to do to keep it all in good working order, original as possible.

Bittersweet Day, the end of a hobby

2009-11-21T17:29:00.000-08:00

It was a bittersweet day today. This afternoon Doug from the MN State Zoo came and packed up my coral reef. I have been e-mailing with Doug for a few weeks, discussing donating all of my livestock to the zoo. I have had saltwater for almost 20 years, and now I have none. I am a little sad, but it makes me glad to know that they will be looked after in a professional way and not at the whim of a hobbyist. Family, friends, and fellow hobbyist have been asking me how I can give it up after so long and I tend to have trouble with a concise answer. One of the primary reasons is that saltwater does not hold my heart like it use to and it was evident in my maintenance of my system even with the automation I had built in. Many things contributed to my declining interest including the morality of saltwater tanks, the community, cost, and other assorted thoughts and feelings. In the end it was inertia that kept me going, and Doug helped me break out of that.

The picture is of Doug and I after removing all rock, corals, clams, crabs, snails, etc. from the tank. All I have left is water, sand, and the equipment to sell. The donation may get me a few dollars on my tax return but is when I sell off the equipment that I hope to have a enough money to do a little bit of work on the Hudson.

Last weekend

2009-11-13T19:45:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was beautiful and I finally got a chance to give the Hudson the wash, polish, and wax it deserved. All that is left is a little toothbrush work where the wax accumulated in grooves. I am pleased :o)

Good news about the Buick

2009-11-13T19:32:00.001-08:00

The good news is that the Buick sold. After my last encounter with a potential buyer I decided to sell it through a local classic car business, Valley Motors of Winona. I worked with Tom, the owner, and I could not be more pleased. Tom also can provide appraisals for use with banks and insurance companies, for a fee of course. If you are ever in the area, definitely worth the visit.

This is getting expensive

2009-11-04T18:51:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to work on estimates for cost on what I need to do to the car. Some of it is cosmetic, but most of it really needed. After adding up the numbers, I am starting to think it will take a couple of winters to get this work done. I doubt that even a bigger than normal tax return will dent the bill enough to squeak it out this year.

That means it will be years before I can consider any re-chroming, engine work, etc.

It is not terrible news, but it brings me back down to earth.

Selling the Buick: Frustrating & Disappointing

2009-10-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

Rick was suppose to come and buy the Buick this afternoon (the Buick is the car that came before the Hudson that we need to sell before we can move forward with restoration and maintenance work on the Hudson). Last week he drove it, said he was going to buy it, we shook hands, I took it off of eBay, and at his request I brought it in to have the brakes checked (they checked out fine and were cleaned and adjusted). This afternoon he was suppose to test drive it one more time and then buy it. We even had a plan for me to drive it over to Winona and drop it off at his house today.

Rick just called and backed out, saying it was because it is the slow time of year at work and he does not feel good about spending the money. Nicole and I are extremely frustrated and disappointed, to say the least.

Selling out of one hobby to support another.

2009-10-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

I could blame the Hornet for getting me to sell out of my saltwater aquarium hobby, but the truth is my interest has been waning for years. I am hopeful that I will be able to generate some significant cash that I can plow into the Hornet.

Hard Decisions on the Interior.

2009-10-25T12:17:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to make some hard decisions on the interior. Specifically I have been wrestling with the desire to preserve as much originality in the car as possible and the reality of the revenges of time, and the future abuse my family will inflict. I have reached a decision, and it is a compromise with myself. I plan on using new fabrics for the interior, while carefully saving as much of the original material as possible.

The main question now is if I try and restore the interior with Vinyl & Fabric (as close to original as I can find) or leather.

Thanks for Ryan Ankney (SMS Fabric Pictures), Kenneth Cate (52 Hornet Interior), and many others for helping me in my search and research.

Reproduction Fabric a Match?

2009-10-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

Today in the mail the "exact match" fabric arrived from SMS Auto Fabrics. I was rather disappointed that they did not also send a sample of the matching vinyl. They list the vinyl as an exact match too, but since I have nearly perfect vinyl, it would have been great to see them side by side before shelling out $55 a yard. At first I was extremely dubious about the fabric being even close, but after studying the fabrics together I started to think that maybe it really was a match. Thinking it is a match means that my original fabric has faded massively. Going on the assumption that the reproduction colors are correct, then it is only the strip width that is off just a little. On the new fabric, the stripes are just a tiny bit too wide. I am hopeful I can get a picture from someone with better condition original fabric. $95 a yard is not cheap, but may be worth it if it is truly close to original. I now need to weigh the cost of the fabric and installation along with the many other things I want to do over the winter. Time and money are limited, and paycheck to paycheck I want to get done what I can so come spring I am not driving the car sitting on a milk crate, stopping with my feet.

Here is the Hudson forum discussion.

Seat covers on seat covers

2009-10-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

I have more things I want to and need to do to the Hudson than I can shake a stick at. So, since I was unable to decide on anything else, I decided to uncover the seats original fabric.

The bad news is that both of the seat bottoms are pretty much shot. The fabric is very torn up on the front seat bottom and the foam is disintegrating. The back seat bottom only has a couple of tears in it but the fabric really feels dry-rotted. If pressure is applied to it, you can hear it tearing. The back seat bottom is also missing the buttons.

The good news are the seat backs. The back seat back is in perfect condition. The front seat back is in decent shape with about 1/4 of the seat (drivers side) showing heavy wear and ripping. The vinyl on all of the seats is in darn good shape. I assume it is faded, but without something to compare it to, it is hard to tell.

An interesting find was that the front seat back was covered in two layers of fabric in addition to the original.

I have fabric samples coming from smsautofabrics.com that are suppose to be dead on. I am also working with Rick Monroe on the idea of preserving as much as we can instead of just replacing. I am mildly optimistic that we can save some of the original material.

Day 3, Arriving Home

2009-10-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

We woke up Sunday morning to freezing temperatures and some chunks of snow in the parking lot. We had a few hours ahead of us on the road before arriving home in Byron MN. During the drive I did the math for fuel economy. We were ranging between 10-12 miles per gallon, a bit shy from the 15 MPG I was hoping for. The Hornet definitely needs a tuneup, and my hope is to find another local Hudsonite with hand on experience with a 308 to guide me through the process.

We arrived home at 11AM as I sounded the horn to let everyone know we were home. There were hugs and kisses from the kids, and Nicole, my wife, even looked happy to seem me ;0) The trip had been long but definitely worth it. Working heat and a beautifully driving car definitely helped. All along the road people had waved and we had folks asking us questions about the car every time we stopped for gas.

I am happy.

Day 2, a very long day

2009-10-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

Day two of the trip started early. Day 1 we made it as far as Salado Texas before we stopped for the night at a Super 8. Jon and I switched as drivers every tank of gas, pretty much driving for the entire day. We both really started to get a feel for the car, and it is a fantastic driver, easily going 70-75 smoothly, handling well. I am happy to say that as opposed to Day 1, Day 2 was quite uneventful. There were thoughts of driving through the night to get home, but we decided at about 10PM that we should call it a night. We ended up at a Motel 6 in Des Moines Iowa after logging nearly 900 miles, and we were exhausted. We went out to eat at Champs and were lucky enough to witness a Hawkeye win, while in a bar restaurant in Iowa. Hawkeye fans are truly unique.

Day 1, a rough start

2009-10-12T09:04:00.001-07:00

The first day of my trip to buy the 1952 Hudson Hornet sedan had lots of bumps in it. The first trouble of the day was when I was standing in my driveway at 4:15 AM, looking across the street at my neighbors dark house. The problem was the my friend and neighbor, Jon, as suppose to be ready to go, there was no sign of life in the house, and we needed to meet the Airport shuttle in by 4:30. I called his cell phone, I called his wife's cell phone, and I called the house phone; finally getting a very groggy Jon on the phone. His alarm had not gone off. 5 minutes later Jon joined me in the car and we sped off to meet the shuttle.

We arrived at the pickup point for the Airport scuttle to find that the shuttle was not there, but there was another person waiting. At 4:45AM I called the shuttle service and after navigating the menus, finally hit a live person who informed me that the shuttle was on its way but still downtown. Eventual the shuttle arrived and we were off to the airport for our 7:05 fight.

When we arrived at the airport we were surprised to see very, very, long lines at security. Thankfully I had already printed bording passes and we had no bags to check, so we got in line. Almost an hour later we finally got through security, just in time to hear our names being paged, our flight was ready to depart. Never before had I been paged at an airport. Jon ran ahead while I grabbed some fast food for us and followed as quickly as I could. When we were about to step onto the plane they told Jon that the overhead bins were full and that we would have to gate check his bag. In the rush, Jon gave them his bag, asked him where we were headed (San Antonio through Dallas), and gave him a ticket. As we sat down and took a breath he realized that his wallet and phone were in his bag.

The flight down to Dallas was turbulent with 100+ MPH headwinds, at least we arrived, but late. When we got off the plane Jon asked about his bag and was told that it was not just gate checked, but checked all the way to San Antonio. When we got to the gate for our next flight, it was already boarding.

On the flight to San Antonio Jon checked his bag claim ticket only to discover that the flight number to San Ant0nio did not match our flight number. They had checked his bag onto a different flight, a flight that arrived an hour after hours. Thankfully Russell (HET Club member that made this all possible) met us at the baggage claim and was understanding of our late arrival and the need to wait another hour for Jon's bag to arrive. In time, Jon's bag arrived and we were ready to go and see the car.

We had a nice short drive with Russell to Chester's house. As we got close I was happy to see my beautiful Hudson Hornet in the driveway, right next to another. Two 52 Hudson Hornets in the driveway was a beautiful sight.

We looked over the car, crawled under, and took a look inside. Another HET member, Rick, was already there and proceeded to adjust the doors for us. Jon and I took the car for a test drive and quickly discovered that the car lunged left when breaking. Russell & Rich offered to take a look at it while I worked on paperwork with Chester. I was happy to finally meet Chester in person, and his son-in-law that he called Mountain. Chester seemed like a very nice man and I was sorry to see him in a condition where he had to sell his Hudson.

After completing the paperwork and actually buying the car Russell informed me that it was the right front break that was bad and that we could probably fix it at his house. The 30 mile drive to Russell's was nerve wracking. Every time I hit the breaks the car would lunge left and quite often the left front wheel would just lock up. When we finally arrived, Rich and Russell jumped into the task of fixing the brake.

Here is Russell's perspective on the brakes. "When Michael tested the brakes, the car lunged to the left like it was avoiding a starry-eyed deer in the headlights. A quick inspection told us LH front brake was working, RH front was not. Fortunately, we got them and the car out to my house in one piece and proceeded to do an impromptu brake job. The wheel cylinders looked pretty gross, but fortunately I had an extra set on hand. So we get it all fixed up and start bleeding the brakes, and whaddaya know? Brake fluid starts spewing out of inside the drum on the RH side. Take it back apart, find out that my "new" wheel cylinder apparently had some extended shelf time and the cylinder wasn't smooth, but pretty coarse from some stuck corrosion. Additionally, the rubber seals were slightly too small . . . like 1-1/16" instead of 1-1/8". Lucky for me, I had some of those as well. A big THANK YOU to RPMonroe, who not only met us at the former owner's house for a last minute informal Hudson meet, but also came out to my house to help with the brake problem. Thanks a bunch Rick, hope your wife understands!"

Jon and I finally hit the road at about 9PM and got a couple of hours on the road before calling it a night.

The excitement is building...

2009-10-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

I am only a couple of days away from flying down to Texas and becoming a new Hudson owner. I am nervous and excited. I have so much to learn about 52 Hudson Hornets, but I have a feeling that after 1200 miles I will "know" my car. Unfortunately I will be riding home on bias ply tires, but the budget can not handle new WWW Radials and the tires on the car are only a year old. The picture is of the electric fuel pump and fuel filter. The electric pump is used when starting to ensure that the collaborators have gas in them instead of just cranking the engine.

The tickets have been bought...

2009-09-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Last night I bought our tickets for the flight down to San Antonio to pick up the car. I waited too long to buy the tickets so the cheap ones I was looking at on Southwest had doubled in price. Fortunately I was able to find relatively cheap tickets on American that will actually have us arriving an hour and a half earlier than we were planning on, but it comes at a price. We will have to be on the bus to the airport at 4:30AM, ouch!

Rules and Regulations

2009-09-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

Chester, the person I am buying the Hornet from, is very concerned we get all of the details right. In the past when I have bought cars I paid, signed the title, drove the car home, and mailed in the title. My deal in TX is becoming a little more complex. In addition to signing over the title and getting a bill of sale I need to complete a Vehicle Transfer notification to release Chester of any liability before I get the title transferred. Second, I need to get a Vehicle Transit Permit to drive it home.

Here is what I dug up and shared with Chester to put him at ease.

#1 Vehicle Transfer Notification https://vision21.txdot.gov/Vehicle/MainTransferNotification.aspx
This form is something that we complete at the time of sale in addition to the tile and bill of sale. Once completed and mailed to the address on the form it transfers liability to me from Chester for the car. The form is designed to be printed and mailed by the seller. I can bring duplicate forms with me with most of the information and a stamped addressed envelope.

#2 Vehicle Transit Permit https://vision21.txdot.gov/Vehicle/VehicleLookupForPermit.aspx
This step is what I need to do to legally drive the car after Chester takes the plates. It is an online form that needs the VIN to generate a printable Vehicle Transit Permit.

An adventure: From TX to MN in a 52 Hornet

2009-09-23T11:03:00.001-07:00

I have spoken with the owner and agreed to buy the car. The plan is to fly down to TX and drive it back to MN. It is not much to look at inside but it is a solid car, with Twin-H power ;)

An unexpected call from TX

2009-09-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

Russel Chilton sent me an e-mail letting me know that he knew of a 52 Hudson Hornet available in TX. I called the owner and Russel kindly took pictures of the car.

In the begining

2009-09-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

In the beginning I wanted a classic car, more specifically a 51-54 Hudson Hornet Sedan. I looked and looked and found either extremely high priced cars or cars that were rotten. I finally decided to cut my teeth on a 1954 Buick Century. It was a good looking and sturdy car. The plan was to enjoy the Buick and learn skills on maintain a classic while taking my time to find the right Hudson.