Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

My Dad used to race a 1953 Hudson Hornet called the "Green Hornet" back in the '60's in U/Stock, I'm just curious if anyone out there would happen to have any pictures or footage from those day of his car. I'm trying to build a compilation of photos for him, he still has the car and now drives it to local cruise-ins and occasionally takes it to our local track for some fun. It's not too competitive against today's bracket (pedallers) racers. Anyway, any help would be appreciated. I have attatched a couple of recent pics.

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Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Does it have the Twin H dual carb setup?cool car.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

It originall had a 2 barrell on it, right now we do have similar to the Twin-H setup on it. He has a 2 2Bbl manifold on it with adaptors for the 1Bbl. carbs that are on it. We have the Twin-H manifold, the dual 2Bbls., and even a home made dual quad manifold the he ran on it one time just for fun down at Sturgis KY. , that picked it up 4 tenths !! Just couldn't leave 'em for Stock class :mad:.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Dad used to race one too, J/Gas if I remember right called it the orange crate. Raced @ old Hyde Park in Ohio

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

My dad just sold a 50 twin H Hudson last year. He now has a 54 with 4 barrel and late model air and auto. He has now rounded up everything to change over to stick w/overdrive. One problem is that old clutch is a wet setup and he heard that Ford has a dry clutch that fits. Anyone have knowledge of this?

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Jeff, It seems that those guys are adapting 700R4 's to the 308.
I'll bet you'll find someone fitting T5's too.

Look here:

http://hudsonrestoration1948-54.com/

Love that old Stocker . I'll bet it really upsets the lawn chair/ stuffed doll types at the cruise nights when it gets all the attention.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

THAT is just flat-out COOL !

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

DITTO.....That is when stock was really fun and neat.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Hey Mark thanks for the website. He started drooling with the info for him to go to. I still owe for your race event. I will catch up with you for sure. Jeff

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

No problem. Thanks for your support . I wish you'd come out and race with us ,though.
How about a Hudson Jet 10.5 tire car on spray?

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Didnt Hudson fudge a little bit with the twin H 308 engine availability in the Hudson Jet or am I wrong here ? I know NHRA let then run the motors in the Jets but they let 4 speeds run in 57 Chevys too. I heard a story about a prominent Hudson stocker racer convincing NHRA that the jet was available with the twin H when it wasnt. Theres a few of the bath tub Hudsons still running at Bonneville in the vintage production classes in the 140 mph range. Production there refers to the body, anything goes in the motor but max 320 cubes.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Supposedly, the308 is about 6 inches longer than a 202. It won't even fit without firewall modifications.
Hey, that kinda thing never bothered ME , and some of the old timers I know.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

I would have to try it when he is out of town. 10 wide and a q-jet N2O plate with oh about a 500 shot or maybe no nitrous jets might could keep up with the others. I dont know how I could explain the carnage to him.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Nice Car!

And Mark, that's really funny!, sometimes around here you can't tell the stuffed crying bumper leaning kids from the stuffed old guys in the lawn chairs!!!

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

You could use Hilborn injection like the Bonneville Hudsons

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

The 308 is longer than the 202. I don't think that the 308 would fit in the Wasp body either. I do believe that there was a "twin-H" 202 also for the smaller cars.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Did any Hudson Hornets come turbocharged or Super Charged? My younger son Nick is at Columbia University (Summa Cum Laude I might add) and decided to buy a 56 Hudson Hornet. He is completely restoring it himself. Kind of doing a retro-mod deal. It is his real first interest in cars. Can we power up that Kelvinator? That tank needs some boost!

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Lynn, I don't believe that 56 Hudsons WERE Hudsons, I think they were Nashes. All isn't lost though. I also believe that there were some twin side draft Nash engines made. (really!)

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Spoke with my dad and to the best of his knowledge no turbo or s/c on pre 56 Hudson.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Yep this one is a Hudson Hornet with an AMC motor. The pictures are too big to load, I will try.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Hudson and Nash shared bodies in 56. The 308 Hudson engine was improved in '56 with higher nickel content in the block casting, Hydrulic lifters, and larger head bolts.

I have a 56 engine that was a replacement engine in one of the 1951 Hudsons that the local police dept. had back then. The twin H is on it along with the "51 3spd overdrive trans.

My 49 that my uncle bought new. 262 six 3spd overdrive.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

My dad will enjoy the pics of your car. It will give him the extra boost to convert his to stock faster

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Stout,

I am so proud of you. You compared our Pontiacs to Clegg's weed eater motored Margarita mixer, but you resisted comparing them to the Hudson Hornet 308 two barrel. Maybe the sun down that way has softened you up a bit?

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

There was a website a while back called "Uncommon Engineering" that featured some weird Hudson experimental engines that had been modified by adding a head that contained an overhead valve for each cylinder, and because there was only ONE valve (they kept the two side valves and used them both as exhaust valves), it was HUGE, like maybe two and three-quarters of an inch in diameter. It served as an intake valve, and I can only guess at how good the cylinder filling was with this setup.

That website has shrunk and none of the really weird stuff that used to be on there seems to be shown, now. Too bad; it was crazy....

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Nitroman: hope Gary is doing well. Say hi to him from a former competitor (53 Olds guy). Will check for pictures, but don't think I have any. Best of luck. Ron.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Yep, Dad is doing well for 71, soon to be 72. About 3 weeks ago he had a very minor heart attack which was actually blockage in a stint they put in 4 years ago. I mentioned your name to him, and after a couple of seconds he said "OH YEAH !! He's the one that bought my old car hauler". Definately brought back some memories for him, I guess from what he was telling me, it was either you, or possibly your brother that ran into him at Indy last year ?? It's a lot of fun with him still having his car and it still being basically like it was back then. I just wish there was a competitive class we could enter with it. :cool:

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

I'm really enjoying this thread-thanks for the discussion-when I moved up to Oneonta back in '77 there was still a garage servicing Hudsons on Rte 23 between Catskill and Windham-I kept the receipt from that garage-I still have it and I value it almost as much as my Woodstock tickets.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

Just west of Crown Point IN at the In/IL border is a Hudson garage. Empty but building and signage is or was still there 5-6 years ago. Dad has started his conversion from auto to stick. Trying to get it done before the AZ heat.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

I like it as well, just wish I could drum up some old racing pics. I sure thought someone might have history collected up, I'm beginning to think in that day nobodoy cared about the photos or the memories they would bring someday. Same as my Dad or I wouldn't have to try to beg them out of someone on here.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

REALLY ??? Nobody can produce any old pics at all ??? Thanks for looking anyway....:rolleyes:

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

I remember a few of those running back in the early days...

Nashes and hudsons on the circle tracks in the fifties and the drag strips in the early sixties.

Cool car...

Good luck in getting the pics.

David
The New Hemi Guy

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

My son Nick's car. He is making it a retro-mod, but dad wants to juice it up a little.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

My partner and I considered building a Hudson before we built our '57 sedan delivery in 1965-1966. We were hoping to build a Jet with the 308 Twin H.....it was not legal as I recall........My partner had a Wasp for a street car for a while......I am very gald we did not build a Hudson and there were not many of them around even back then.......I had plenty of various old tanks as street cars........even a '53 Olds 303 with a backdraft 2 barrel and a hydro......Now that car was a tank!

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

First car accident I was in was a 53 Olds, big crash, tiny dent.

Re: Hudson Hornet from the '60's
 

The 308 is, in fact, externally larger than the Jet 202, and requires firewall modification to fit the Jet. The 232, 262, 308 blocks are all the same external dimensions, so the 308 will fit in the Pacemaker/Wasp. Twin H Power was available in the 202 Jet, 262 Wasp, and of course the 308 Hornet.