A piece of living history

This week, while in Auburn, IN, we stopped by the movie theater to see what was showing.  Boy, did we get a show!  We forgot all about watching a movie and circled the "main attraction":  A 1947 Hudson Commodore eight!

None of us had ever seen one of these in person, so seeing it in a parking lot was quite a thrill.  We spent some time just looking at this beautiful automobile: It's a piece of living history.

The first thing I thought of was the character of  "Doc Hudson," from the movie Cars. But then I thought about how seldom I see any Hudsons on the road, and I decided to do a little digging. 

I discovered that the Hudson Motor Car company was started in 1909 in Detroit, MI by Joseph L. Hudson, founder of Hudson's Department store.  He provided the capital, and thus the car company was named after him.  Eight Detroit businessmen formed the company with the goal of producing a car that would sell for under $1,000.   The Hudson 20 was one of the first lower-priced American cars and sold 4,000 the first year. 

The Hudson claims a number of "firsts," including a balanced crankshaft, which allowed the Hudson straight-six engine ("super six")  to work at a "higher rotational speed while remaining smooth, developing more power for its size than lower-speed engines."  (Thanks Wikipedia!)  Hudson also was the first  to introduce dashboard warning lights for oil pressure and generator (alternator).  Dual brakes were also first introduced on the Hornet.  Hornet also made innovations in the shifting system, introducing the "electric hand," an electro-mechanical automatic shifting mechanism, and an optional vacuum-powered automatic clutch.

And then, of course, there's racing.  In 1948, Hudson introduced their famous "step-down" bodies, which sat below the level of the chassis, allowing passengers to sit inside the frame.  This was much safer, and provided a lower center of gravity and much tighter handling.   Thus, the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, with a smooth six-cylinder engine, competed with eight-cylinder models and won. 

Hudson also gave an opportunity to the first American woman automotive designer.  Betty Thatcher Oros, a graduate of the Cleveland School of Arts, designed exterior trim with side lighting, interiors, trim fabrics, and the instrument panel on the 1941 Hornet.

At the start of World War II, Hudson stopped producing cars and began to produce parts for airplanes, including the "invader" engine, which governed landing gear.  I also found a wonderful site with a vintage advertisement detailing Hudson's contributions to the U.S. Army's Marauder Bombers, which were famous for not being shot down. The ad was titled "Nazi's shot her up, but they couldn't shoot her down!"

Cars were produced under the Hornet name from 1910 to 1957.