Heroshot

1953 Hudson Hornet

Club Coupe
Multiple records set at Mecum Indianapolis 2021
Friday, 14 May - Saturday, 22 May 2021
$44,000
Sale Price
$35,000 - $50,000
Est. Range
No
Reserve
22 May 2021
Sold Date
F219
Lot Number
#3+
Older restoration
Mecum Auctions
Auction House
Chassis no. 236797, Cream over green cloth, 308/210hp six, Twin H-Power, column shift 3-speed with overdrive, wire wheels, whitewalls, sun visor, amber fog lights, heat and defrost, tinted glass, pushbutton radio.

Evaluation: From the Charlie Thomas Estate collection. Used but reasonably tidy and all correct engine bay. Decent old chrome, but the rest of the brightwork looks a bit tired and the spears down the body sides don’t fit flush. Imperfect panel fit. Decent older paint. Older restored underneath. The dash looks original and solid, while the upholstery and headliner look newer. A neat, honest, well-equipped step-down Hudson.

Bottom Line: Hudsons look more modern and sleeker than many other postwar American cars thanks to their “step-down” chassis, which features a recessed floor pan allowing passengers to step into the car rather than climb into it. That low center of gravity and Hudson’s potent “Twin H-Power” six allowed the Hornet to compete and win on the NASCAR circuit despite the lack of an overhead valve V-8 like much of the competition. Hornets captured dozens of wins in the 1952-54 seasons. But despite their good looks, their race history and their popularity with Steve McQueen (he owned several), Hudsons come from a long-defunct brand and they aren’t particularly valuable. This same car sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2017 for $33,000. Early ’50s American cars didn’t exactly become the next big thing in the four years since, so this result at Indy is a very strong one.

by Andrew Newton
29 May 2021

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