Hudson Super Six 1949

7000 USD

CAR DESCRIPTION FROM SELLER
Yes, it’s true. I’m selling this running, driving ’49 Hudson Super 6 mild custom with a $1 starting bid. No hidden reserve, no shill bidding by my buddies, no games. The price it brings in this auction is what it sells for. I lost my job of 27 years to current economic conditions, and the car has to go. I’m not stopping the auction if the price is too low. I’m not entertaining any offers to quit the auction on the side. The car is not for sale locally on CL or Facebook, although I have a CL ad pointing people to this auction. The price you see is the price you get. But because I’m being straight up with you, I’m asking that you be straight up with me. This means:-If you can’t afford to pay for the car within 48 hours of the auction end, DON’T BID!!!-If you aren’t positive you’ve got a way to transport the car home safely from Minneapolis, DON’T BID!!!-If you’re not prepared to drive, repair, maintain and store a 70 year-old car that doesn’t drive like a new Camry, DON’T BID!!!-If your wife will be furious when she finds out you emptied the checking account so this thing can take up her car’s garage space, DON’T BID!!!Hudson Motor Car Company was an independent company that made cars in Detroit from 1909 through 1954. They merged with Nash in ’54 to form American Motors Corp. When this body style came out in 1948, it stood the postwar American automotive industry on it’s ear, because no one had mass produced an American car that was this low and streamlined. It was called the “step-down” design, because you actually had to step down into the car from the curb. Even though other companies began using similar body styling the next year, Hudson was one of the first American companies to offer a unitized (“Monobuilt”) body and frame. They moved the frame structure out far enough that the passenger compartment could be snuggled inside of it. The car is channeled down between the frame rails, rather than sitting on top of the frame like everyone else was making. This gave a radically lower center of gravity, which is why Hudson dominated Grand National stock car racing in the early 50’s. A number of famous car customizers in the 50’s got their start by lowering the rooflines (“chopping the top”) on cars made by the other companies, to achieve a similar low-slung appearance. Hudson offered this "chopped" appearance right from the dealership floor. Head room is surprisingly generous, despite the radically low roof line. Most modern passenger cars still use this reinforced passenger “cage” construction to this day. THE GOODThis car is basically turn-key. It starts easily, runs smoothly, and drives fine. As far as I know, I could start it up and drive it to either coast. It gets driven 90 miles each way every spring and fall for storage, in addition to summer cruising. It has been a regular at the annual MSRA Back to the Fifties show in St. Paul for over 20 years. The (non-original) ’49 262 flathead straight 6 was freshened up with new bearings and seals 7 or 8 years ago. The electrical system has been converted to 12V negative ground, and ignition is from a reworked ’75 Chevy 6 cyl HEI distributor. That means tune-up parts are available at your favorite local auto parts store, coast-to-coast. I’ve also added a Jet-Hot coated Clifford single-outlet header and 2-1/2” custom exhaust. It sounds throaty and authoritive without being obnoxious. The original cast aluminum intake has been polished, along with a custom-fit C&R aluminum radiator. The starter has been expertly rewired for 12 volt operation. It has an electric fuel pump located back near the tank. The stock thermal choke works fine. The heater, defroster and wipers work fine. A voltage reducer was installed for the heater blower motor. 90% of the wiring has been cleanly replaced and wiring blocks were added, making any wire or circuit tracing easy. The 3-speed manual overdrive transmission works fine, which means it cruises comfortably at 65-70 MPH. Gas mileage is around 20 MPG give or take, depending on how you drive it. Rear end is the original 4:11 Hudson-made unit. Brakes are original type, and work OK (more about that later). Tires are P235-60-16 BF Goodrich radials, on 16x7” Colorado Custom “Cimarron” billet wheels. The North Dakota body on this car is solid. Rust-free rear quarters and rocker panels were swapped in. I did all the body mods myself in steel. There are no holes filled with Bondo on this car. Bring a magnet to verify for yourself. Body mods include shaved door handles, hood ornament and trunk handle. The rear license plate is sunk into rear of the car, along with ’49 Hudson Commodore taillights.The trunk locks with a key latch behind the flip-up rear plate. A ’50 Buick front bumper and grille unit was narrowed 12” and integrated with pieces of the original grille. Rear bumper overrides were also removed. I added a slight bulge to the underside of the factory fender skirts to clear the wide rear tires. The body has been stripped to bare steel and painted with flat black sealer, which means no rust has appeared anywhere in over 20 years of cruising since I did the bodywork. The car has been stored inside during the winter the entire time I’ve owned it. Six sets of lap belts have been added for safety.THE BADThe only gauge on the dash that works reliably is the temp gauge, along with the OIL and AMP warning lights. The speedo quit working last year, and the electric clock runs slow (worn out). I have a used (untested) speedo that can go with the car.The fuel gauge kinda works, which means it probably just needs a new float on the sender. Steering is stiff and sloppy. Steering effort is high when the car is sitting still, but it’s fine once the car is rolling. It wanders a bit on the highway. Brakes don’t leak a drop, but they like to pull left when cold. These are NOT 21st Century power brakes. You need to keep your eyes open and plan ahead when stopping. The Overdrive doesn’t appreciate sitting abandoned in a cold shed all winter, but starts working fine once the car is driven a bit. The engine smokes a BIT under hard acceleration, as it still has the original rings. It also leaks oil a bit. The clutch chatters a bit, but the clutch parts were all replaced 7-8 years ago. The wipers are engine vacuum operated, which means they all but quit under acceleration. A small vacuum reserve tank with a check valve would greatly improve that. The car overheats if it sits idling in stop-and-go summer traffic, but it’s an airflow issue. It will idle all day and not get hot if I open the hood. A fan shroud or electric fan should solve this. The brake lights are dim, and should be augmented with something like a center unit in the rear window. The turn signals work fine, but are are not self-cancelling. The radio doesn’t work, as it’s designed to work on a positive ground system. I’ve swapped out two of the fancy chrome tire valve stems, because they tend to leak.The only significant rust on the car is right behind the rear bumper on the underside of the car. It’s only visible on a hoist. Critically, the rear subframe and all the Monobuilt structure are solid, straight and sound. The floorboards and trunk floor are solid as well. There is no provision for opening the doors from outside the car, so you must reach in from an open window to open them. In the rain I just leave a front wing window unlatched, since most people under 40 don’t know they swing open anyway. THE UGLYThe car was T-boned in the driver’s door 20 years ago while I was driving it. (The other car was totaled. I escaped without injury.) I had a reputable shop splice two doors, the center door post and a fender back in from another North Dakota donor car, and they verified that the frame and body structure are straight and true with a frame rack. However the panel and gap alignment of these three body panels is poor. The rattle-can flames and hand pinstriping are showing their age and should be redone. The Buick bumper teeth are a bit dented and rusty, but the Buick "bullet" lights work great. The car has suffered some minor dings here and there over the years since I did the body work, and the primer/sealer has been touched up in spots. The interior is presentable but ratty. The dash woodgraining and chrome are surprisingly nice. The door upholstery is particularly shabby, and door seals and windlace are in tatters. The headliner is presentable, but is coming loose along the sides of the rear window. At least the interior is complete, allowing use of the existing pieces as a pattern. These cars didn’t have front carpeting from the factory, but the car would benefit from having something done there. The early custom-fit seat covers look right at home, and the seats are comfortable. If you’re looking for a unique, running,50’s-style custom that’s big enough for the whole family and generates smiles and questions everywhere it’s parked, bid soon and bid often. Doc Hudson would approve! I’ve tried to be up front about every aspect of the car. I’ve done most of the hard work for you. You can cruise with it the way it is, or blow it apart and make it really nice. If you show up with proper transport, I’ll throw in a truckload of spare parts as well. 3 engines (including a 308 CID “Hornet”motor), 3 low-mileage transmissions, a more modern (Ford Maverick) rear axle/differential, body parts, chrome, a beautiful spare woodgrain dash, stock steering wheel, chrome steering column, and boxes and boxes of glittering Hudson widgets I’ve pulled from junkyards and swap meets around the region that are now long gone. Here's your chance to buy an affordable 50's cruiser. Think it over, then let’s do some bidness!

CAR DESCRIPTION FROM SELLER

Yes, it’s true. I’m selling this running, driving ’49 Hudson Super 6 mild custom with a $1 starting bid. No hidden reserve, no shill bidding by my buddies, no games. The price it brings in this auction is what it sells for. I lost my job of 27 years to current economic conditions, and the car has to go. I’m not stopping the auction if the price is too low. I’m not entertaining any offers to quit the auction on the side. The car is not for sale locally on CL or Facebook, although I have a CL ad pointing people to this auction. The price you see is the price you get. But because I’m being straight up with you, I’m asking that you be straight up with me. This means:-If you can’t afford to pay for the car within 48 hours of the auction end, DON’T BID!!!-If you aren’t positive you’ve got a way to transport the car home safely from Minneapolis, DON’T BID!!!-If you’re not prepared to drive, repair, maintain and store a 70 year-old car that doesn’t drive like a new Camry, DON’T BID!!!-If your wife will be furious when she finds out you emptied the checking account so this thing can take up her car’s garage space, DON’T BID!!!Hudson Motor Car Company was an independent company that made cars in Detroit from 1909 through 1954. They merged with Nash in ’54 to form American Motors Corp. When this body style came out in 1948, it stood the postwar American automotive industry on it’s ear, because no one had mass produced an American car that was this low and streamlined. It was called the “step-down” design, because you actually had to step down into the car from the curb. Even though other companies began using similar body styling the next year, Hudson was one of the first American companies to offer a unitized (“Monobuilt”) body and frame. They moved the frame structure out far enough that the passenger compartment could be snuggled inside of it. The car is channeled down between the frame rails, rather than sitting on top of the frame like everyone else was making. This gave a radically lower center of gravity, which is why Hudson dominated Grand National stock car racing in the early 50’s. A number of famous car customizers in the 50’s got their start by lowering the rooflines (“chopping the top”) on cars made by the other companies, to achieve a similar low-slung appearance. Hudson offered this "chopped" appearance right from the dealership floor. Head room is surprisingly generous, despite the radically low roof line. Most modern passenger cars still use this reinforced passenger “cage” construction to this day. THE GOODThis car is basically turn-key. It starts easily, runs smoothly, and drives fine. As far as I know, I could start it up and drive it to either coast. It gets driven 90 miles each way every spring and fall for storage, in addition to summer cruising. It has been a regular at the annual MSRA Back to the Fifties show in St. Paul for over 20 years. The (non-original) ’49 262 flathead straight 6 was freshened up with new bearings and seals 7 or 8 years ago. The electrical system has been converted to 12V negative ground, and ignition is from a reworked ’75 Chevy 6 cyl HEI distributor. That means tune-up parts are available at your favorite local auto parts store, coast-to-coast. I’ve also added a Jet-Hot coated Clifford single-outlet header and 2-1/2” custom exhaust. It sounds throaty and authoritive without being obnoxious. The original cast aluminum intake has been polished, along with a custom-fit C&R aluminum radiator. The starter has been expertly rewired for 12 volt operation. It has an electric fuel pump located back near the tank. The stock thermal choke works fine. The heater, defroster and wipers work fine. A voltage reducer was installed for the heater blower motor. 90% of the wiring has been cleanly replaced and wiring blocks were added, making any wire or circuit tracing easy. The 3-speed manual overdrive transmission works fine, which means it cruises comfortably at 65-70 MPH. Gas mileage is around 20 MPG give or take, depending on how you drive it. Rear end is the original 4:11 Hudson-made unit. Brakes are original type, and work OK (more about that later). Tires are P235-60-16 BF Goodrich radials, on 16x7” Colorado Custom “Cimarron” billet wheels. The North Dakota body on this car is solid. Rust-free rear quarters and rocker panels were swapped in. I did all the body mods myself in steel. There are no holes filled with Bondo on this car. Bring a magnet to verify for yourself. Body mods include shaved door handles, hood ornament and trunk handle. The rear license plate is sunk into rear of the car, along with ’49 Hudson Commodore taillights.The trunk locks with a key latch behind the flip-up rear plate. A ’50 Buick front bumper and grille unit was narrowed 12” and integrated with pieces of the original grille. Rear bumper overrides were also removed. I added a slight bulge to the underside of the factory fender skirts to clear the wide rear tires. The body has been stripped to bare steel and painted with flat black sealer, which means no rust has appeared anywhere in over 20 years of cruising since I did the bodywork. The car has been stored inside during the winter the entire time I’ve owned it. Six sets of lap belts have been added for safety.THE BADThe only gauge on the dash that works reliably is the temp gauge, along with the OIL and AMP warning lights. The speedo quit working last year, and the electric clock runs slow (worn out). I have a used (untested) speedo that can go with the car.The fuel gauge kinda works, which means it probably just needs a new float on the sender. Steering is stiff and sloppy. Steering effort is high when the car is sitting still, but it’s fine once the car is rolling. It wanders a bit on the highway. Brakes don’t leak a drop, but they like to pull left when cold. These are NOT 21st Century power brakes. You need to keep your eyes open and plan ahead when stopping. The Overdrive doesn’t appreciate sitting abandoned in a cold shed all winter, but starts working fine once the car is driven a bit. The engine smokes a BIT under hard acceleration, as it still has the original rings. It also leaks oil a bit. The clutch chatters a bit, but the clutch parts were all replaced 7-8 years ago. The wipers are engine vacuum operated, which means they all but quit under acceleration. A small vacuum reserve tank with a check valve would greatly improve that. The car overheats if it sits idling in stop-and-go summer traffic, but it’s an airflow issue. It will idle all day and not get hot if I open the hood. A fan shroud or electric fan should solve this. The brake lights are dim, and should be augmented with something like a center unit in the rear window. The turn signals work fine, but are are not self-cancelling. The radio doesn’t work, as it’s designed to work on a positive ground system. I’ve swapped out two of the fancy chrome tire valve stems, because they tend to leak.The only significant rust on the car is right behind the rear bumper on the underside of the car. It’s only visible on a hoist. Critically, the rear subframe and all the Monobuilt structure are solid, straight and sound. The floorboards and trunk floor are solid as well. There is no provision for opening the doors from outside the car, so you must reach in from an open window to open them. In the rain I just leave a front wing window unlatched, since most people under 40 don’t know they swing open anyway. THE UGLYThe car was T-boned in the driver’s door 20 years ago while I was driving it. (The other car was totaled. I escaped without injury.) I had a reputable shop splice two doors, the center door post and a fender back in from another North Dakota donor car, and they verified that the frame and body structure are straight and true with a frame rack. However the panel and gap alignment of these three body panels is poor. The rattle-can flames and hand pinstriping are showing their age and should be redone. The Buick bumper teeth are a bit dented and rusty, but the Buick "bullet" lights work great. The car has suffered some minor dings here and there over the years since I did the body work, and the primer/sealer has been touched up in spots. The interior is presentable but ratty. The dash woodgraining and chrome are surprisingly nice. The door upholstery is particularly shabby, and door seals and windlace are in tatters. The headliner is presentable, but is coming loose along the sides of the rear window. At least the interior is complete, allowing use of the existing pieces as a pattern. These cars didn’t have front carpeting from the factory, but the car would benefit from having something done there. The early custom-fit seat covers look right at home, and the seats are comfortable. If you’re looking for a unique, running,50’s-style custom that’s big enough for the whole family and generates smiles and questions everywhere it’s parked, bid soon and bid often. Doc Hudson would approve! I’ve tried to be up front about every aspect of the car. I’ve done most of the hard work for you. You can cruise with it the way it is, or blow it apart and make it really nice. If you show up with proper transport, I’ll throw in a truckload of spare parts as well. 3 engines (including a 308 CID “Hornet”motor), 3 low-mileage transmissions, a more modern (Ford Maverick) rear axle/differential, body parts, chrome, a beautiful spare woodgrain dash, stock steering wheel, chrome steering column, and boxes and boxes of glittering Hudson widgets I’ve pulled from junkyards and swap meets around the region that are now long gone. Here's your chance to buy an affordable 50's cruiser. Think it over, then let’s do some bidness!

BASIC CAR INFORMATION
Price:	7000 USD
Make:	Hudson
Model:	Super Six
Year:	1949
Mileage:	120000 MI

CONTACT SELLER

Hudson Super Six 1949

See also

1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 2.8 6 cyl 2 Door Coupe

1969 Ford Torino

1969 Chevrolet Blazer

1931 Chevrolet Bel Air/150/210