ClassicCar

Hoseman

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/3466079182.html

commodorecollector

that would be such a cool project! Is it true only 67 commercial vehicles were produced that year?

Uncle Josh

There are 7, 42 Pickups in the HET registry. Probably another 15 out there somewhere. Interesting that they had the same triangle in the hood as the cars, given that they dropped it in 46,47

hudsontech

commodorecollector posted - Is it true only 67 commercial vehicles were produced that year?

That's what Hudson shipment records say. Probably most were pickups, but it's hard to say. Research says commercial offerings in 1942 were pickup trucks, utility coach and coupe (probably with the sliding box), station wagon and for those needing a specialty truck you could get a pickup with no bed.
The station wagon's were built by Cantrell - there are a couple known to exist.

1/2 ton pickups were offered in the Model 20C Business line and Model 28 Big Boy line. Station wagon in the 20P Deluxe Six line. Utility Coach and Coupes were offered in the 20T Traveler Six line. Truck chassis only was offered in both 20C and 28 lines.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

commodorecollector

There is a 42' Hudson Coupe listed in California:
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/3428663703.html

cargray

That is a 46 or 47 COMMODORE hood on the pickup

RL Chilton

Concerning the "67" commercial Hudson products for 1942: I've often wondered about the large percentage of '42 Hudsons that were used by the Gov't., but not considered as commercial vehicles. This would make the 67 published units as somewhat academic, I would think. Of course, many of those gov't. vehicles were sedans, as opposed to regular, "commercial" vehicles.

oldhudsons

there is a '42 C8 cp. in Wash., restored.
I think the sedan is a Super Six as does not have the Commodore fender lights.
the PU also has Commodore trim on the doors

lostmind

There was a fellow in Ohio that turned his 46 pick-up into a 42. If you want a 42 , be sure to check the serial number.

maasfhcenturylinknet

I would like to buy a 42 coupe 8. Had one once a let it get away. Sorry since.
If you have one and will part let me know.
Randy Maas
maasfh@centurylink.net
1309-267-6158

hudsontech

Russell, the production line shut down in February 1942 as the plant shifted over to war production. Any cars or commercial vehicles the military got were most likely manufactured prior to the production line shut down.

I'm sure that a few 1942 models already in dealers hands were slipped out to preferred customers on black market deals. Especially in small towns - this is one explanation if anybody ever comes across a "1943 or (even rarer) 1944" registration slip. Hudson dealers wouldn't be the only ones to do this, I'm sure. Good dealers "took care of their customers" knowing full well that when the war ended that this customer base was going to remember the dealer who provided them with a new car when you couldn't get one.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

DocHubler

We have a member in NW with a '42 Hudson Business Coupe (Deluxe); he's in Puget Sound area, and car came from Oregon. Not as rare as the pickups for sure, but any 42 vehicle is rare. Will be posting some pictures and description in the upcoming newsletter.

Regarding the 67 pickups for 1942, I read that out of Butler's book as many of us have. If you read carefully, I think it states during 1942, not 1942 model year; so does that mean January 1 to end of production i February? It's very hard to say as there weren't very good records for the previous year's commercial vehicles either, and there were about 800 total of those (including service vehicles such as cars made out to be ambulances, taxis, etc). How many pickups were there for sure in 1941? Don't know; frankly I see more 1/2 Pickups in 41 than the Big Boy 3/4 trucks during 1941. You can be sure anything prior to the war got used long and hard over the years and many didn't survive in very good shape. Actually, when you look at 1941, by far the rarest one would be the one year All Purpose Van that was made to replace a regular sedan delivery model. I've heard of only one of those surviving in Oregon somewhere. But that's just a rumor.

hudsontech

There is a picture floating around somewhere that shows factory workers holding up a sign that, in effect, says the car they are in front of is the last model before changing over to war production.
This from a google search ( http://ucapusa.com/car_spotters_guide_usa_1942.htm ) - Hudson stopped production of civilian cars on 5 February 1942. Most of the brightwork had austere paint finish.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

oldhudsons

for a rare '42, how about a Commodore 8 convertible? Here's me driving the one I had.
It was sold in '43 (long story, got it from original owner), now restored & belongs to an HETer in Mich. (see if I can find the photo of it I have).

oldhudsons

or a '42 wagon?

oldhudsons

haven't got more time to look for the '42 C8 conv. restored but will try later today

hudsontech

I think Kelly Hinegardner had a '42 convertible (six) at some time or other. Or maybe not.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

lostmind

Pete, I saw the Convertible photo on the storage sight you posted earlier.

oldhudsons

good, won't bother to look for it again, LOL!

RL Chilton

Isn't this it, Pete? Last I heard the engine was being re-built. Should be done by now, I would think.

RL Chilton

Wow . . . Don't know what I did wrong, but it's BIG!! click on the smaller image, maybe that will work better.

RL Chilton

Alex-

TK did. It was a Super 6 that he stuffed a Chrysler V8 into while he was driving it. I understand he saved the original engine on a stand.

RL Chilton

DocHubler-

There is a '42 Business Coupe in San Antonio, TX, as well. The owner (not a club member) unfortunately believes he is sitting on a pot of gold. He had the "67" figure given to him and he mistakenly thought that was total production for Hudsons in '42. He believes there couldn't be more than a handful left in the world, and nothing I could produce would change his mind. The car languishes in the corner of a shop, as it has for the last 3 or 4 decades.

hudsontech

Russell - that's a great picture and a 1942 convertible deserves a large picture!!
I was thinking TK had stuffed a Mopar under the hood of his '42 Cv - he was partial to Mopar motors. At least Mopar turned into a kissing cousin of Hudson when Chrysler bought AMC.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

RL Chilton

Yep, if I didn't have the '52, I'd have a '42. OR, my NEXT Hudson is gonna be . . . well, you know the rest.

Really don't know why I like the '42's so much more than the '46-'47, either. Must be the rarity.

oldhudsons

RL - I'm sure that's it.
When I got it it didn't have the original '42 8 engine in it. It was a high mileage car but with very straight rust free body. As I recall the original owner bought a new block after the war. He owned a string of drive-in movies between L.A. & Seattle so put a lot of miles on it.
It was found sitting in a garage on one of his drive-in movie properties in L.A. area.

DocHubler

Wow, just love those '42s! I just recently bought a '42 myself, only not a Hudson. It is a DeSoto club coupe. The only production car prior to WWII with hidden headlamps besides the 36-37 Cord 810/812. There were a few show cars that had hidden headlamps just before that time such as the Chrysler Thunderbolt and the Buick Y-Job. My DeSoto has Simplimatic Drive, which is a vacuum operated semi-automatic drive with electric kick down switch located on teh carburetor. Very unusual!

hudsontech

Now that's a make you don't hear much about - DeSoto. Not high on the collectors list, I'd say. Main claim to fame was the Cunninghams in Happy Days had a DeSoto, but, as I recall, you never saw the car.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Clutch guy

That looks like the '42C8 that Bill Souers owns. He had purchased this car from my parents in or around 1976. It looks like it is sitting in front of the old farm house on Ind.Hwy.5 .

James P.

There was a very rare 128' wb '42 Custom Commodore 8 (or maybe it's Commodore Custom) sedan at French Lake Auto Parts (junk yard) the last time I was there, maybe five or six years ago. It had (at that time) been recently acquired from a man who hoarded many dozens of great old cars, refused to sell them and instead let them sit out in the tall grass to rust. The car was mostly complete at that time, but would have taken a rust free parts car and a life time of ambition to bring it back. I don't know if it's still there, or what's left of it, if it is. French Lake is one of Minnesota's two giant vintage junk yards. Windy Hills being the other. For what it's worth, I'll include their link for anyone interested.

http://www.frenchlakeautoparts.com/

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