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The Hudson Hornet is an automobile that was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan between 1951 and 1954. The Hornet was also built by American Motors Corporation in Kenosha, Wisconsin and marketed under the Hudson brand between 1955 and 1957.
Contents |
1951-1954
The Hornet was introduced for the 1951 model year and was based upon Hudson's "Stepdown" design, which was introduced for the 1948 model year in the Commodore. Hornets were available in two and four-door sedan, convertible coupe, and hardtop coupe. The Stepdown was a design which merged body and frame into one structure. The Stepdown's floor pan was recessed in between the car's frame rails instead of the entire chassis being perched on top of the frame. Thus, a person stepped down into a Hudson.
The stepdown chassis' "lower center of gravity...was both functional and stylish. The car not only handled well, but treated its six passengers to a sumptuous ride. The low-slung look also had a sleekness about it that was accentuated by the nearly enclosed rear wheels."[1]
The Hornet was powered by Hudson's "H-145" high compression 308 CID (5 L) L-head (flathead) straight 6 engine with a two-barrel carburetor producing 145 hp (108 kW) at 3800 rpm. In 1952, the "Twin-H" version of the engine was introduced with dual one-barrel carburetors which produced 170 hp (127 kW). The engine could be tuned to produce 210 hp (157 kW) if equipped with the factory "7-X modifications" that were introduced later. During 1952 and 1953, the Hornet received minor cosmetic enhancements, and still closely resembled the Commodore of 1948.
Unfortunately, "despite its racing successes...sales began to languish."[1] The "modern, sophisticated unibody design was expensive to update," so it "was essentially locked in" and the The Hudson "suffered against the planned obsolescence of the Big Three [General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler]. Hudson's competitors, using separate body-on-frame designs, could change the look of their models on a yearly basis without expensive chassis alterations."[1]
For the 1954 model year, the Hornet received a major square-lined redesign, which was quite an undertaking requiring extensive retooling because the Stepdown frame wrapped around the entire passenger compartment and dictated the car's shape. The 1954 Hornet also received an updated interior. Although the redesign put the Hornet on par with its contemporaries in terms of looks and style, the update came too late to boost sales. There was still no V8 engine available, but the 308-cubic-inch six in top-line Hornets produced 160 hp (119 kW) and the racing-inspired "Twin-H-Power" version was optional. The Hornet Brougham convertible, was Hudson's only ragtop, was particularly attractive in its new version, but priced at US$3,288, it was overpriced for a six-cylinder car in 1954.[2]
Hornet model year production:
- 1951 = 43,656
- 1952 = 35,921
- 1953 = 27,208
- 1954 = 24,833 (the final year before the Hudson merger with Nash-Kelvinator)
From 1952-1956 the Hudson Wasp was a lower priced version of the stepdown Hudson.
NASCAR fame
The Hornet "dominated stock car racing in the early-1950s, when stock car racers actually raced stock cars."[1]
During 1952, Hornets driven by Marshall Teague, Herb Thomas and Tim Flock won 27 NASCAR races driving for the Hudson team. In AAA racing, Teague drove a stock Hornet that he called the Fabulous Hudson Hornet to 14 wins during the season. This brought the Hornet's season record to 40 wins in 48 events, a winning percentage of 83%.[citation needed]
Overall, Hudson won 27 of the 34 NASCAR Grand National races in 1952, followed by 22 of 37 in 1953, and 17 of 37 in 1954 — "an incredible accomplishment, especially from a car that had some legitimate luxury credentials."[1]
The original Fabulous Hudson Hornet can be found today fully restored in Ypsilanti, Michigan at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum.
1955-1957
In its final three model years, the Hornet became a product of the newly formed American Motors Corporation. Following the 1954, Hudson's Detroit manufacturing facility was closed and production of Hudson models was shifted to Nash's Wisconsin factory. All Hudsons would be based on the senior Nash models, but would have exclusive Hudson styling.
In 1955, Hudson emerged as a conservatively styled car. Sedans and hardtops were offered, but convertibles were not offered. For the first time ever, the Hornet could be ordered with a V8 engine.
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 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. However the car's design failed to excite buyers and Hudson Hornet sales skidded to 8,152 units, off 4,978 units from 1956's 13,130.
The solution to the V-Line styling was to apply more ornamentation to the cars, including fender "finettes" atop the rounded rear quarter panels for 1957 and consumers reacted by buying only 3,108 units.
Production of the Hornet ended on June 25, 1957, at which time the Hudson brand was dropped and all of AMC's products took the "Rambler" name.
Legacy
In 1970, American Motors resurrected the Hornet name for their new compact which replaced the Rambler American. (See AMC Hornet)
In 2006, a small front wheel drive, concept car called Hornet was designed and developed by Dodge. (See Dodge Hornet)
In popular culture
- In the 2006 film Cars, Paul Newman provides the voice of a Hornet named Doc Hudson, aka the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, who in the 1950s won three straight "Piston Cups" and set the standing record of 27 wins in a single season (the same number of NASCAR races won by Hornets in the real 1952 season).
References
- Inline
- General
- Gunnell, John, Editor (1976). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. American Motors Corporation. ISBN 978-0-87341-096-0.
- Conde, John A. (1987). The American Motors Family Album. Kraus Publications. ISBN 1111573891.
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