ClassicCar

RL Chilton

I figured since we had a thread about '39's, we could start one on '38's "officially". I'll start the ball rolling by posing a question. Does anyone know where this '38 ragtop has gone to? I believe, but am not sure, that Hayward Barb of WV used to own this car. He also was a former owner of my sedan.

RL Chilton

oldhudsons had this one posted on his album (think it's the same car):

Jon B

Well, of course there is this one, which was driven to the Gettysburg National. Comes from Long Island (but don't know where it was before then). Al Muller (previously of Long Island, now from Tennessee) had a '38 convertible for many years, originally green like the one pictured here, but later changed to yellow. Al sold it in the 1980s (I think) to finance restoration of a '33 T8 cv. he'd owned since his college days. Possibly the Barb one was once Al's. Then you have the '38 formerly owned by the late Kelly Hinegardner. So that makes three Hudson Eight convertibles known to exist in the U.S. (A fellow from Russia showed up at Gettysburg; turns out he owns a '38 cv. too, but it was exported to Germany from the U.S. when new, so not one of the aforementioned ones.) These are the only three 1938 convertible "senior Hudsons" (not counting 112's or Terraplanes) that I know of.

46HudsonPU

I recall at least three '38 Hudsons at Gettysburg, two convertibles and one 4-door sedan...

1951hornethardtop

Kelly Hindgardner had a 38 -8 conv. with a back seat. I saw him a few months before he died and he told me it was one of two to exist. I thing his wife still has it. He also had a 38 sedan that he drove to Salt Lake City meet to run on the salt flats. They wouldnt let us because it rained the night before. Dont know what happened to it.

RL Chilton

Rick-

The '38 that was at GB and at Hershey before that, is it an 8?

oldhudsons

1951 - Kelly's '38 was originally a '38 Hudson 6 conv. (model 83 & probably the only one of them in existance) which he converted into an 8; I know, I sold it to him. He'd looked for a '38 8 conv. for decades & could never find one so bought this one from me, which I'd found in no. Calif., and made it into an 8.
RL - YES, Kelly would have gone NUTS to have found a completely original '38 8 conv. after all the years of hunting! An incredible find - I took a lot of pics of it at Gettysburg but owner never around (I was told he paid $40K for it at Hershey).

RL Chilton

Oldhudsons gave me permission to post this photo. That's him in the photo with the '38 Ragtop that he sold to Terraplane Kelly. Kelly later painted it blue and added sidemounts to it. Also, he converted it from a 6 into an 8. Reason for posting, is that I do not have any pictures of the car after Kelly completed it. I was hoping some of y'all could help me out with that! Got any pics of TK with the completed car?

oldhudsons

RL - I "cleaned it up" on Picasa & added it to my website.

46HudsonPU

Russell - Yes, I was told it was a '38 Hudson 8 convertible. I didn't get a chance to look under the hood. When I get home, I'll look at the photo again, to see if there is anything on the grillework that identifies it as such...

RL Chilton

Rick-

Pete confirmed that it was.

35terraplane

Dave and Mary Blanchard of the RMHET chapter drive a modified 38 coupe everywhere.

James P.

On a far more general note, I learned some time ago that the reason that there are far fewer '38 Fords (it was an article about Fords - sorry) is that 1938 was a recession year. I found it interesting that even though the country was in a depression, it was still possible to also have a recession. There must be some truth to it, because not only are there fewer Fords for 1938, but also Chevys. I suppose that it's logical that the same thing would apply to nearly all other makes, as well. I'd be curious to know if the club registry reflects that in any way.

dave kastelic

Give me another year or so and hopefully I will get my '38 112 finished. Promised you a ride and a promise made is a debt un-paid Russell.

RL Chilton

Give me another year or so and hopefully I will get my '38 112 finished. Promised you a ride and a promise made is a debt un-paid Russell.

I have not forgotten! I assure you, sir. You don't know how, "distraught" is not the right word, . . . let's say, concerned that when I first saw that yellow 112 in a picture from GB this year, that I thought I had missed the boat, so to speak. Then I got a hold of my chimp and realized you would have written me if you had gotten her completed.

Can't wait, man!

RL Chilton

James-

From what I have learned, you are correct. To add to your story, it is my understanding that the recession (or lack of spending) was brought on by the Germans starting to make a lot of loud noises in Europe (again). Just like in an election year, folks tend to sit back and wait during times like that and see what develops. Which, of course translates into less new cars being sold, among other things.

Jon B

The economy was on the skids in both 1933 and 1938 and -- wonder of wonders! -- these were two of the worst years for the Hudson nameplate. (Fortunately they made a cheaper line of cars in those years; Terraplanes in 1933 and Terraplanes / 112's in 1938, which pulled them through.) The economy hit all manufacturers in these years. You don't see a whole lot of 1933 or 1938 Anythings at antique car shows.

oldhudsons

HET historians feel the introduction in '32 of the Essex-Terraplane in mid-'32 and the sales the '33 E-T 6 & 8 made saved Hudson from going under. '33 was the worst year of the Great Depression in terms of % of unemployed & only 2401 of the big Hudson were sold whereas over 38,000 of the E-Ts were sold which was enough to keep Hudson going. '34 much better sales.

oldhudsons

here's a VERY rare hood ornament

oldhudsons

and even MORE rare

oldhudsons

atho they look the same in the pics the Hudson is approx. 25% bigger (these appear to me to be modeled after an Assyrian god)

hudsonsoul

Could someone identify the exact model of the 38 Convertible at Gettysburg for me... Was it a DeLuxe Brougham or a Convertible Coupe? I want to get it right? Or was it a 6?
One other question is the lights on the fender only seem to be on English cars? Was this available here as an option?

Thank you
Todd

46HudsonPU

Hi Todd,
Here are pictures of the two '38 convertibles I saw at Gettysburg. Maybe someone more knowledgeable than I on these convertibles can answer your questions...

oldhudsons

Todd - the original green conv. is an 8 and a conv. brougham. I believe the fender lights were std. on the model 84 as are the "spears" on the front fenders; the lights optional on the less expensive models.
The 112 is a conv. cp., no back seat.

Park_W

Here's one a bit further away ... some 160 miles north of Moscow! Some of you met Andrey Laguzov at G'burg. He's in the middle of a full-up restoration of this car.

46HudsonPU

Actually Pete, that '38 112 Convertible does have a back seat. The 'top' fooled me on this - I've been told that it is a '38 112 Brougham (?) (I think - don't recall), usually they came with an opening in the back area of the 'sides' of the convertible top for the rear side windows, but you could get it 'either way' (?). Sort of hard for those riding in the back seat to see left or right, sort of 'boxed-in'...

There was some discussion on this '38 112 convertible in another thread by Dave Kastelic (who is restoring a '38 112 convertible of his own).

hudsonsoul

Thank you Pete, Rick, and Park! I just needed some clarification on the Green one. Love original preservation pieces that run!

Todd

hudnut1tmr

I'm hoping this works, Rich. I saved this image from the old forum and used it as a wallpaper for years. It is after Kelly did his magic.

Tim

Jon B

Andrey gave an interesting history on that '38 he's restoring. Supposedly, it was being used by the American ambassador to Germany and was seized (I'm guessing at the outbreak of WWII) by the German authorities. It was used by the Germans (Army?) until the end of the War at which point it was seized by the invading Russians (or maybe "a" Russian), who took it back home. I can't recall what's supposed to have happened to it at that point.

Park_W

We withdrew our Ambassador in late 1938, leaving only an embassy charge d'affaires, so the car may have changed hands then or soon after. Andrey has told me it's supposed to have gone at some point into the collection of big-time (and big!) car guy Hermann Goering.

Trevor J

Here is a picture of my 38 Terraplane in NewZealand.
Trevor

oldhudsons

'46 OK, I looked at the photos I took of at, but all from a distance, no shots of the interior, so having no sidecurtains, assumed it was a conv. cp.
sure an interesting story about the Russian '38
I have a photo of a '38 H8 conv. in Denmark which I will try to post after get problems with access to Picasa straightened out!

Jon B

Pete, that wouldn't happen to be the '38 cv. owned by Erik Bjerring? I met the fellow at the Hudson flea market in Carlisle (the one held just after Hershey) maybe 15-20 years ago and have been carrying his card around ever since. He was then with GM Danmark, and was looking for parts for his car.

oldhudsons

Jon - I don't know as received several photos of rare Hudsons in Scandanavia over the last few years, several in a museum in Denmark, but without attribution. The '38 photo was taken outdoors & appears to be black.

Jon B

Pete: is it this one?

Go to http://www.carsinbarns.com/new138.html and scroll down the page. This car is evidently in Denmark. The serial number identifies it as a Custom Eight, and it was registered (in the Club's "master list" of 5,000 or so cars) as belonging to Erik Bjerring in Helsinge, Denmark. Not sure when the photos were taken.

oldhudsons

no - when get Picasa straightened out will try & find it. Photo I have is of a nice one, obviously in running condition as out on a country road.

RL Chilton

There is another '38 112 CV in Europe. It's black, very pretty, has an odd turn-signal flag that pops out of the side of the body. It was listed on a site as being for sale a couple/few years ago. Might have been Denmark? There were several pics listed on the site, mostly of the car parked against a curb on a hilly street.

I looked the other day for a while to see if I could find it again, but no luck. This ring a bell with anyone?

I believe the pictures were copyrighted, and couldn't save one.

RL Chilton

Tim-

Thanks for posting!! Can you send me a full-sized copy of that pic, please?

HETrlchilton52@gmail.com (drop the HET)

Thanks!

oldhudsons

just posted to my website today: '38 Custom 8 Country Club sedan and a '38 Hudson-Terra. Big Boy PU

46HudsonPU

Thanks Pete, I'll try linking them here -

RL Chilton

Whew!! I like that Sedan.

oldhudsons

RL - I have 2 photos of the interior which was/is in perfect original condition (think it has the fold out table)

RL Chilton

Like to see it, Pete.

oldhudsons

OK, will do that tomorrow.

Jonas

Heres mine! Hope the link works..

4.bp.blogspot.com/-q7qV-U2WmzY/UA2a6Qp8CXI/AAAAAAAAAQw/VziOhPRzgnw/s1600/IMG_6204.JPG

Jonas

New try...

Jonas

Darn.. need to practice on this.

Sry all!

Huddy42

This one is in New South Wales Australia.

RL Chilton

Jonas-
Pretty car! Thanks for sharing.

hudnut1tmr

Russell, just saw your request. I will attempt to send you what I have.

Tim

oldhudsons

RL - I put the interior pics of the Custom 8 onto the website & with the pics of the car

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