The Hudson Hornet is a full-size car manufactured by Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, from 1951 through 1954 model years. When Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson merged in 1954 to form American Motors Corporation (AMC) the Hornet continued to be marketed under the Hudson Division of AMC through the 1957 model year.
The first-generation Hudson Hornets featured a functional "step-down" design with a dropped floor pan and a chassis with a lower center of gravity than contemporary vehicles, which helped the car handle well — an advantage for racing. The Hornet's lower and sleeker look was accentuated by streamlined styling, sometimes called "ponton" styling.
Following the merger that formed AMC in 1954, the Hudson and Nash dealer networks were initially retained; however, Hudson car production was consolidated at the Nash facility. The Hudson models shared common designs and components with the Nash Statesman/Ambassador unibody design. All second-generation Hudson Hornets were restyled Nash automobiles that were badge engineered as Hudsons.
First generation
The Hornet, introduced for the 1951 model year, was based on Hudson's "step-down" design introduced on the 1948 Commodore. Unlike a unibody, the design did not fully merge the body and chassis frame into a single structure. However, the floor pan footwells recessed down, between the car's chassis rails, which were, in turn, routed around them – instead of a conventional floor, sitting on top of straight ladder frame rails – a body-on-frame design that later became more widely adopted, and known as a perimeter frame. Thus, one "stepped down" into a Hudson. The step-down chassis and body meant the car's "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."
1951
The new Hudson Hornets were available as a two-door coupe, a four-door sedan, a convertible, and a two-door pillarless hardtop. The models were priced the same as the Commodore Eight, which ranged from $2,543 to $3,099.
All Hornets from 1951 through 1953 were powered by Hudson's high-compression straight-six "H-145" engine. It was based on Hudson's previous "Super Six" that was not only bored and stroked to increase displacement, but "thoroughly over-engineered in the Hudson tradition. a high-chromium-alloy block and other premium features." An electric clock was standard.
A factory-optional "Twin H-Power" featured twin one-barrel Carter carburetors with greater throat area and improved fuel distribution. This upgrade was first available in mid-1951 as a dealer-installed option at the cost of $85.60 (~$ in ). At , the L-head (flathead or side-valve) design was the largest displacement six-cylinder engine used in mass-production cars at the time. The twin carburetor version produced at 3800 rpm and of torque.
The engine was also capable of far more power in the hands of precision tuners, including Marshall Teague, who claimed he could get from an AAA- or NASCAR-certified stock Hornet, as well as Hudson engineers who developed "severe usage" options (thinly disguised racing parts). The combination of the Hudson engine with overall road-ability of the Hornets, plus the fact the cars were over-designed and over-built, made them unbeatable in competition on the dirt and the very few paved tracks of the 1950s.
Hudson Hornet 1951 model year production totaled 43,666 units.
1952
The 1952 model year included the "Twin H-Power" engine as standard equipment, featuring dual single-barrel carburetors and a dual-intake manifold. Dubbed "H-145", the engine was rated at with a 7.2 to 1 compression ratio. An aluminum head and an available iron-alloy head with compression ratios of 6.7 or 7.2 were available at no extra cost.
The 1952 Hornets received only minor cosmetic enhancements and still closely resembled the 1948 Commodore.
The Hornet proved to be nearly invincible in stock-car racing. Despite its racing successes, sales began to languish. Hudson's competitors, using separate body-on-frame designs, could change the look of their models every year without costly chassis alterations, whereas the Hornet's modern, sophisticated unibody design was expensive to update, so it was essentially locked in and suffered against the planned obsolescence of the domestic Big Three (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) automakers.
A total of 35,921 Hornets were produced for 1952, with approximately 2,160 hardtops and 360 convertibles.
1953
The 1953 model year brought minor changes to the Hudson Hornet. The front end was modified with a new grille and a non-functional air scoop hood ornament. four different body designs: two-door club coupe, four-door sedan, Hollywood hardtop, and Convertible Brougham.
Hudson Hornet 1953 model year production totaled 27,208 units, of which around 910 were the Hollywood hardtops. An 8-tube radio was a $100 option.
1954
For the 1954 model year, the Hornet underwent a major, more square-lined redesign to match the look of the compact Hudson Jet introduced in 1953. This entailed extensive retooling due to the way the step-down frame wrapped around the passenger compartment. The front had a simpler grille that complemented the now-functional hood scoop. A new one-piece curved windshield replaced the dual unit, the sides gained period-typical fender chrome accents, and the formerly sloped rear end was squared off. The front to rear fender line was styled to make the car look longer. The taillamps were also redesigned. The standard functional scoop on the hood directed cold air to the carburetors and was considered "ventilation" in 1954, rather than ram air. In 1954, power output was increased from . However, the engine could be tuned to produce when equipped with the "7-X" modifications that Hudson made available.
The interior was also updated with a new dash and instrument cluster that "were surprisingly modern". An example is a Hornet owner writing for Popular Mechanics in 1999, noting that "the car's unique, low slung appearance and silky handling earned Hudson an image that — for many buyers — eclipsed luxury marques like Cadillac."
As with all previous model years, no V8 engine was available (similar to the Chevrolet models from 1918 to 1954), making the I6 standard in Hornets. It was rated at with the "Twin-H-Power" (dual one-barrel carburetors) optional. Both versions operated on regular-grade gasoline featuring an aluminum cylinder head with a 7.5 to 1 compression ratio as standard and an optional cast-iron head with a 7.0 to 1 ratio. A 7-X version of the engine was offered as a factory option, producing over using a high compression head, special camshaft, and other "severe usage" parts designed for racing. The engine was more powerful than the contemporary low-priced competition (the Chevrolet I6 and Ford V8) and was close to the V8 engines offered by the medium-priced competition (Oldsmobile and Buick). The Hornet's performance delivered up to and "quasi-thrifty" fuel economy.
The updated Hornet Brougham convertible, the only open-top body design available from Hudson was considered attractive, but was evaluated as overpriced at $3,288 (~$ in ) for a six-cylinder car in 1954. This top-line model included hydraulic window lifts and leather upholstery in either blue, maroon, or green and the fabric tops available in either maroon, black, or tan. A total of 540 convertibles were built.
Although the Hornet's redesign positioned it on par with its contemporaries in terms of looks and style, it came too late to boost sales. Hudson's financial difficulties were overshadowed by negotiations about a merger with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors Corporation. Hudson's board of directors approved the merger on 14 January 1954. This was ratified by shareholders on 24 March 1954, thus forming the new American Motors Corporation on 1 May 1954. Further production of Hudson cars was to be in Nash's Kenosha, Wisconsin, with the last Detroit-built Hudson being built on 30 October 1954.
Hudson Hornet 1954 model year production of all body styles totaled 24,833.
Customized hardtop A 1954 Hornet two-door hardtop was customized by Harold Du Charme of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, who was a major stockholder in the automaker. He disliked the redesign of the 1954 cars. He proposed changes to improve Hudson's flagging sales. Modifications included a top chopping and channeling the midsection as well as repositioned headlamps in an egg-crate grille, twin hood scoops, extended rear fenders with Lincoln taillights, and a continental kit.
NASCAR fame
Hudson was the first automobile manufacturer to get involved in stock car racing. The Hornet "dominated stock car racing in the early-1950s, when stock car racers actually raced stock cars."
During 1952, Marshall Teague finished the 1952 AAA season with a 1000-point lead over his closest rival, winning 12 of the 13 scheduled events. Hornets driven by NASCAR aces Herb Thomas, Dick Rathmann, Al Keller, Frank Mundy, and Tim Flock won 27 NASCAR races driving for the Hudson team. In total, the Hudson Hornet won 48 first place finishes and came in second 23 times in 1952.
In the AAA racing circuit, 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%.
Overall, Hudson won 27 of the 34 NASCAR Grand National races in 1952, followed by 22 wins of 37 in 1953, and captured 17 of the 37 races in 1954 — "an incredible accomplishment, especially from a car that had some legitimate luxury credentials."
The original Fabulous Hudson Hornet can be found today fully restored in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, a facility that was formerly home to Miller Motors, the last Hudson dealership in the world.
Second generation
The second-generation Hornet was produced by the newly formed American Motors Corporation (AMC). Following the 1954 merger of the Hudson Motor Car Company and Nash-Kelvinator, Hudson's Detroit manufacturing facility was closed, and Hudson car production was shifted to Nash's Kenosha, Wisconsin, assembly lines. No longer built on the "Step-down" platform, all Hornets were now based on designs and components of the large (senior) Nash Statesman/Ambassador models. They were badge engineered with distinctive Hudson styling themes. To help differentiate the consolidated models, the Hudson straight six was retained as an engine option.
1955
The 1955 Hudson senior models were built on the Nash platform with styling themes by Pinin Farina, Edmund Anderson, and Frank Spring. The cars featured a front end that was originally designed by Spring and the Hudson stylists for an updated 1955 version of the 1954 Hudson "Step-Down" platform.
The new models were delayed to a January 1955 introduction, "as American Motors engineers work out the problem of making two completely different looking automobiles with identical body shells."
As the first entirely new car from American Motors, the 1955 Hudson emerged conservatively styled compared to the competition. The 1955 Hornet was the cleanest model with a broad egg-crate grille and distinctive two-toning. Sedan and hardtop body styles were offered, but the coupe and convertible were no longer available. The 1955 Hornets shared the styling with the new Wasps, but featured a longer wheelbase.
The straight-six engine continued in or versions. For the first time, the Hornet could be ordered with a Packard-built V8 engine producing and Packard's Ultramatic automatic transmission. The rear suspension received a torque tube system for the driveshaft and coil spring rear suspension along with front springs that are twice as long as most other cars.