Vehicle Description
The Hudson Hornet is a legend, one ably helped by a certain
animated movie, but before the Hornet, Hudson was building
high-quality luxury cars like this 1949 Hudson Commodore.
Originally powered by a smallish straight-8, this Commodore now
sports genuine Hornet horsepower, giving you the best of both
worlds: one of Hudson's most attractive cars powered by their most
powerful engine.
Restored in the 1990s, this car still looks great in its handsome
two-tone green paint. Subtle but sophisticated, it accentuates the
long, low lines of the Commodore. Hudson's all-new 1948 models were
the first to use "step down" styling, which really meant they were
uni-body cars and therefore the floors didn't have to sit on top of
a frame, and yes, they really are considerably lower than their
competition. As a result, this cool sedan looks chopped and
channeled like a custom Merc, but retains 100% original and
unmodified sheetmetal. That means the doors fit well, everything
seals up nicely, and it doesn't have any of those custom car
hiccups that you often find. Better still, it remains instantly
identifiable at a glance and anyone who knows what a Hudson is will
fall in love. Anyone who doesn't know what a Hudson is will
immediately want to know what it is. It's that kind of car. Nice
chrome, bright stainless trim, and lots of ornamentation make this
car look expensive and we can promise you'll have the only one at
the next cruise-in.
Thanks to the innovative construction, there's a huge amount of
space inside the Commodore's interior, making it a genuine
6-passenger automobile. Wearing proper period upholstery with
button tufted seat covers, a big ivory-colored steering wheel, and
a surprisingly modern dash, it feels contemporary and easy to
handle from the driver's seat. The gauges are arrayed in the center
of a woodgrained dash, with the speedometer on the driver's side
and a clock for the passenger, and a combination of auxiliary
gauges and warning lights in the middle. There's also an AM radio
(not functional due to a 12-volt upgrade) and yes, that's an
under-dash A/C unit that's fully operational and blows ice cold.
Nice! There's a ton of space in back with lots of leg room, and
even the trunk is massive enough for a full family to head out on a
road trip. Fortunately, there's also a full-sized whitewall radial
and jack assembly, just in case.
This Commodore originally carried a smallish 254 cubic inch
straight-8, which was smooth, but during the restoration it was
upgraded with a 308 cubic inch inline-6 from a later Hornet, and
the difference is remarkable. The big six pumps out plenty of
torque and never seems to run out of breath, which is probably why
it was so formidable on the early NASCAR tracks. There are about
20,000 miles on the drivetrain, and it's nicely detailed with
correct gold engine enamel, downdraft carburetor with oil bath air
cleaner, and a giant radiator up front. It fires easily and really
does run hard, assisted by a 3-speed manual transmission with
overdrive, so 60-70 MPH cruising is effortless (owner reports it'll
cruise at 80+ but we'll leave that for you). Hudson's combination
of ride and handling was tough to beat and you'll note the
heavy-duty subframes and floors are in excellent shape. It sits on
factory wheels and hubcaps with modern 235/75/15 wide whitewall
radials, so it has the right look with better handling.
Hailing from long-term ownership and with an awesome pedigree that
means you can drive it anywhere, this Hudson is an unusual
opportunity to own a special car. Call today!
