The time was 1969.The guy that lived down at the other end of the alley had 7 Hudsons at his house and more stored elsewhere.I had recently told him about a 1953 Hudson Super Jet that was for sale for $100.00---He bought the Jet and stored it out at the ranch where he worked.Over the next couple of years for one reason or another Rubin got rid of all the Hudsons and his extra parts,except the Jet.Flash forward to 1979.I was at the wrecking yard that i worked at,when Rubin drove in.We had not seen each other for a couple of years.After talking for awhile,i asked him about the Jet.He told me that it was still out at the ranch and was for sale.I bought it for the same $100.00 that he had paided for it 10 years earlier.It had the small flathead six with Twin H Power and a 3spd.OD trans.I towed it home with my bosses tow truck.I worked on it for a couple of hours and got it running.I drove it around the block a couple of times before the radiator hose let go.I towed it out to the wrecking yard where i worked and parked it by the office.It sat by the office for several months before i decided that cash was to short to fix it,so it put a for sale sign on it.I was asking $300.00 for it.It sat for months before anybody even asked about it.One day a fellow came in and bought it for the $300.00 and parked it out in front of his store with a for sale sign on it.It once again sat for months,then one day i drove by and it was gone.Never did find out who got it and what they paid for it.This was in Napa California.I hope someone restored it and it did not wind up as a parts car or had the six ripped out and V8 installed in it.
EvilDr235
Aaahh...Hudsons in junkyards...I recall a row of Hudsons at Brownie's Auto Wreckers in Florida, probably about 1960, these were still relatively new cars at the time but nobody wanted them and they weren't worth much. Twin-H Power Hornets, convertibles, beautiful cars but Hudsons, Studebakers, and the like were just doomed to rust away. The entire junkyard was soon swallowed up by an airport expansion, and they all went to the crusher I'm sure. I hadn't thought about this in years but your recollections of the Jet brought it all back.
yea,
Studebakers.I had a 1950 Champion and a 1957 Scotsman with plaid seat covers.Paid $50.00 for the Champ and the Scotsman was givin to me just for asking about it.The same guy gave a friend of mine a 303 1949 Olds engine and a 255 1953 Mercury flathead engine.The 1960s were a great time to be a teenager with a love of old cars and trucks.Most old cars sitting around were free or close to it.All you had to do was bang on someones door and ask.If i had only had a place to store them all.
EvilDr235
I'm assuming that the AMC forum is where the Hudson guys are hanging out (but not posting very much!!!). I've got a 1937 Terraplane Brougham that's about 90% finished and shouls be ready for the HET Nationals in Reno this July; and a 1952 Hudson Wasp that's a nice driver.
Wow! someone mentioned a Stude Scotsman. A buddy of mine got one for the taking in about 1964. As I recall the only chrome on the car was the 2 bumpers and the rest of it was as basic and stripped as a car could be. This thing was green and cream two tone but otherwise was at least one notch below a Plymouth Savoy taxi cab in options and luxury. He drove it as a winter beater and to prove a point he never took the key out of it no matter where he parked it. Maybe it was the times and thats why it was never stolen but the rest of us figured no car thief in his right mind would want to get caught stealing a Scotsman!
Thanks for reminding me of the Stude Scotsman, a car easily forgotten.
hehehehehe
Mike
patrick, can we talk 37 terraplanes. i have a coupe in orig. cond. 1 re-paint only i believe.
o/d trans and clutch to be specific, mine is all there. was run empty on clutch fluid and then parked. guy did not know what to do .