Hudson Hornet
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The Hudson Hornet was an automobile 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.
1951-1954
The Hornet was based upon the Hudson Commodore Eight model line and available in two and four-door sedan, convertible coupe and hardtop coupe. For 1951, the car was powered by Hudson's H-145 high compression in-line L-head six 308ci engine with two-barrel carburetor producing 145 hp at 3800rpm. In 1952, the "Twin-H" version of the engine was introduced with dual one-barrel carburetors which produced 170 hp. The engine could be tuned to produce 210 hp if equipped with the factory 7-X modifications.Hornet model year production saw 43,656 units in 1951, 35,921 units in 1952 and 27,208 units in 1953. In its final year before the Hudson merger with Nash-Kelvinator, 24,833 Hornets were produced.
NASCAR Fame
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%, a remarkable feat for a six-cylinder car.
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 Hudson's would be based on the senior Nash models, but would have exclusive Hudson styling.In 1955, Hudson emerged as a conservative styled car, differing mainly from the full-sized Nash bodies by having full front-wheel cut-outs. 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 unique 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 garish 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 25th, 1957, shortly before the first few 1958 Hudson and Nash models, based on lengthened 1958 Rambler platforms, were to ship. The cars were rebadged as Ambassador by Rambler.
Trivia
- The 2006 film, Cars, starring the voice talents of Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy and directed by John Lasseter is about a race-car who thinks the world revolves around him finding himself stuck in the Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. Paul Newman provides the voice of a Hornet named Doc Hudson who has a mysterious past.
- The DVD Yank Tanks shows the owner of one in Cuba.
Resources
| American Motors Corporation Historic: | ||
| Rambler: | Ambassador by Rambler | American | Classic | Marlin | Rambler | Rebel | |
| AMC: | Ambassador | AMX | Concord | Eagle | Gremlin | Hornet | Javelin | Marlin | Matador | Metropolitan | Pacer | Rebel | Spirit | |
| Renault: | Alliance | Encore | Medallion | Premier | |
| Affiliated with: | Chrysler | Hudson | Jeep | Kelvinator | Nash Motors | Nash-Kelvinator | Renault | |
| People | Roy Abernethy | A.E. Barit | Roy D. Chapin Jr. | George W. Romney | Richard A. Teague | George W. Mason | Gerald C. Meyers | |
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