Vehicle Description
1956 Hudson Custom Hollywood Hardtop ?Next-to-last model year for
Hudson?s Hornet ?One of only 1,640 Hollywood two-door hardtops
produced in 1956 ?Racing-inspired 175 hp "Twin-H-Power" 308 CID
straight six-cylinder engine ?Hydramatic four-speed automatic
transmission with 4.10 gearing ?Frost White (72) over Black (01)
over Mint Green (77) exterior with rear Continental kit ?Forsythe
Silver/Off-white cloth/vinyl interior (code 676) ?Factory
air-conditioning Fresh from a merger between Nash-Kelvinator and
Hudson to form American Motors Corporation (AMC), the Hornet?s
low-slung appearance and silky handling gave Hudson an image that
for some customers, eclipsed luxury brands such as Cadillac. This
seldom-seen example is one of 1,640 Hollywood Hardtop Hornets made
in 1956 and is optioned with Twin H-Power and air conditioning.
Made in Nash?s Wisconsin factory, this car wears one of the 1950s
design ideas ? tri-tone paint. Here, we have Frost White (72) over
Black (01) over Mint Green. The paint and trim area in overall very
good order, while the bodywork is straight and solid, the engine
bay is very tidy, the chrome bumpers look good and fit well to the
car, including the rear Continental kit. This Hudson rolls on
Goodyear Super Cushion tires, size 7.10-15 at every corner. Each
tire is mounted on a steel wheel and topped by a factory wheel
cover. The tires are in good, original order while the wheel covers
are in excellent order. Under the hood is the tacing-inspired 175
hp "Twin-H-Power" 308 CID straight six-cylinder engine , backed by
a Hydramatic four-speed automatic transmission and 4.10:1 rear end.
Driver convenience features include air-conditioning. Inside is a
Forsythe Silver and off-white cloth/vinyl interior (code 676). The
front and rear bench seats are in good order, while the gray carpet
looks great. The two-spoke steering wheel is in general good order
but with some pitted chrome and the horn is inoperable. The inner
door panels and the instrument panel are all in good, original
shape but the fuel and oil gauges are inoperable. A column-mounted
shifter and a factory AM radio complete the interior. This is a
factory air conditioning car but it is inoperable and missing some
A/C components. In 1954, Nash-Kelvinator capitalized on its
experience in refrigeration to introduce the automobile industry?s
first compact and affordable single-unit heating and air
conditioning system. It was a true vapor-compression refrigeration
system with a compact under the hood and cowl area installation.
Combining heating, cooling, and ventilating, the new air
conditioning system for the Nash cars was called the ?All-Weather
Eye.? Nash models were the first American automobiles to have a
front-end, fully integrated heating, ventilating and
air-conditioning system. This was the first mass market system with
controls on the dash and an electrically engaged clutch. This
?first true refrigerated air conditioner system? for automobiles
was also compact and easily serviceable with all of its components
installed under the hood or in the cowl area. With a single
thermostatic control, the Nash passenger compartment air cooling
option was described as ?a good and remarkably inexpensive? system.
Entirely incorporated within the engine bay, the combined heating
and cooling system had cold air for passengers enter through
dash-mounted vents. Nash?s exclusive ?remarkable advance? was not
only the ?sophisticated? unified system, but also its price was
significantly less than all the other systems. The optional air
conditioning system offered by Oldsmobile cost more and it weighed
twice as much as the integrated Nash unit that added only 133
pounds. A feature was the ?desert only? setting on the A/C
thermostat control, a position that typically ran the compressor
continually. In humid environments, the evaporator will freeze up
from the accumulating condensation if the compressor operates
constantly. Other temperature settings cycle the compressor to
prevent this problem. Freeze up is not a concern in dry
environments such as deserts and this setting provides constantly
cooled airflow into the passenger compartment. 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 the 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. The legendary 308 CID
straight-six engine, with and without Twin-H Power, was offered and
gained five horsepower for 1956. However, Packard's V-8 engine was
available only during the first half of 1956. Competition to this
Hudson in 1956 included Buick?s Series 40 Special Riviera Coupe,
Chrysler?s Windsor, DeSoto?s Firedome, Dodge?s Coronet Lancer,
Mercury?s Custom Coupe, Nash?s Ambassador, Oldsmobile?s Super 88
and Pontiac?s Star Chief Catalina. This is one rare vehicle, with
its mid-1950s styling and colors intact. Drop by MotoeXotica
Classic Cars today to check it out for yourself. VIN: X-8944 This
car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri.
Current mileage on the odometer shows 2,489 miles. It is sold as
is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT
AND DRIVE!!!? Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed
below that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.