We’ve looked at a few step-down Hudsons here over the years, but never a Hollywood hardtop coupe. Now this one that Ralf K (Don Kincl) shot and posted is pretty rough, but presumably/hopefully it’s awaiting its turn outside a restoration shop. It’s hard to imagine any other outcome for this glorious beast.
The Hollywood hardtop coupe was a new addition to the line in 1951, at which point the “step-down” fastback Hudson sedan was in its fourth year already, and starting to look increasingly out of date. It obviously took a bit of doing to tool it up, as Hudsons had essentially a unitized body construction. Meaning, it had frame rails, one the very outside edge of the body, very much like the perimeter frames The Big Three all eventually adopted, but in the case of the Hudson, they were welded directly to the floor pan and body structure. This made major changes more difficult.
Here’s what it would have looked like in the prime of its life.
Since I didn’t watch The Partridge Family, I wouldn’t have known that one of these was Keith Partridge’s first car. I wish it had been mine.
As much as I can appreciate the Hollywood coupe, it’s not really the Hudson for me. I fell in love with the original way back in 1961, and I’m still in love. This is one of the few old cars that could get me to break down and go for it. If this showed up with a For Sale sign, I’d make it happen.
We’ll say farewell to this Hollywood, and hope it gets the transformation it so well deserves.
Related: CC 1951 Hudson Pacemaker: My Fluttering Heart Needs a Pacemaker
Yikes, that’s a massive project alright. However, if you’re going to redo EVERYTHING it makes sense to start with a car that needs EVERYTHING. It sometimes makes me scratch my head when resto shops start with a decent car and rip it apart to make it perfect.
Those are strong PN words of love for the original step down sedan. You know there’s a decent looking one at Country Classic Cars in Staunton, I’m sure the curbivores in Illinois could make it land in your driveway 😉
It would be best as a parts car. Since this is an orphan brand, not worth all the effort and many dollars to restore. Men of this generation are no longer around and few would appreciate the sentimental value of this model.
It may be easier to just visit a Hudson automotive museum.
Paul,
In the 4th photo, should it be the Partridge Family??
Keith Oartridge used to get mistaken for Keith Partridge often because they looked so much alike and both drove Hudsons. I fear that our feature car is a terminal case.
I thought maybe the Oatridge family was a TV show about a family that drives around in a multicolored grain truck
Or a cereal commercial LOL
I wonder if that car is for sale? We have a long running joke on a C Body forum about many old cars for sale, on Craigslist, have a hose in the picture(s).
Keith Oartridge was Keith Partridge’s evil twin. He moved like Jagger.
I’ve seen worse. Pictures may not tell the whole story, but it appears to mostly have surface rust. It may not be that bad if the floors are solid. My biggest concern would be the missing glass and interior parts. It looks like a decent shell to start with.
I fell in love with these when Mike Lamm, Editor of SIA magazine in the early 70s, wrote some articles on his project to make one a daily driver staff car for the magazine. After big convertibles, these early hardtops are faves of mine.
Let us not forget that a convertible was part of the first stepdown lineup in 1948, so it would not have been a tremendous undertaking to modify one by welding a hardtop on. That was basically what Studebaker did when it came late to the hardtop party in 1952.
Looking at some pictures it appears that the rear quarter windows are shaped a little differently and there would need to be some substantial work done at the windshield header, but otherwise it should have been a fairly straightforward cosmetic modification.
This one may be beyond saving. It does appear to have many good parts that could be used on other cars. The question is whether many people are restoring Hudsons these days.
Oh, it could be saved but depends on how much skill, effort and money you can sink into it. For this, one might well pass but for other projects maybe you dive in.
Last year I saw a Hudson Hornet in beautiful condition, on a trailer at the gas station. Going somewhere to be shown off. My little boy was so excited to see Doc Hudson from Disney’s Cars movie in real life. Wonderful looking cars in person.
Those poor Hudsons need an infusion of Twin H Power, stat! 😉
These are very well made cars. Silky smooth cork lined clutch. Have more grease fittings than Carter’s had pills.
This absolutely makes me want to vomit. I bought this car at 15 . A running car bad brakes and missing some glass. . Had to sell my prized car because of a divorce. The guy who bought it said he was going to restore it. But instead left it in the woods to rot. A solid eastern Washington rust free car. I have since found another and love it very much , but this truly is sickening.
My current 1951 Hollywood. A newly rebuilt 7X 308 with twin-h. A rat but is as cool as hell.
My current Hollywood.