H-E-T Club Southern California Chapter Newsletter - Awarded the Golden Quill April 2016 Exclusively for Fans of Hudson Motor Cars Bob Ross - Editor This year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Southern California Chapter of HET. Early Chapter Members & Their Cars · Eanest Major · Mr. & Mrs. C. · Phil Arana - 53 Hornet Sedan Mathure - 35 Hornet · Harlyn Ashenfelter - 54 Hornet Sedan · Nancy Booz- 54 Hornet Coupe · Elliott Meyerson - 53 Hornet Coupe · Pete Booz - 53 Hornet Convertible · Glen Neal - 47 Commodore 6 Coupe · Lindley Bothwell - original '17 factory · Bill Peck - 34 Hornet Convertible race car · Mr. & Mrs. R. Polese - 51 Hornet or · J. E. Butman. · H. J. Prescott · Sig Caswell -12 Model 33 Touring · Bill Preston T · Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Cook - 54 Hornet · Norm Preston Coupe · Bill Raley - 49 S6 Coupe · Fred Crassweller - 54 Italia · Bill Rankin · Bob Evans · Dan Rodriqez · Todd Galligher · Mr. & Mrs. Fred Roth - 52 Hollywood · Joe Graham - 53 Hornet Hardtop · George Hoody · "Butch" Smith flec · Sieba Ingram · Bernie Sufert - 51 Commodore 8 · Dave Johnson - 54 Hornet · Eldon Thompson - 46 Super 6 Pick Up · Jim Westbrooks - 29 Essex Coach E · Carl Kirnbauer - 52 Hornet Sedan · Gary Klann - 51 Hornet Sedan · Doug Williams - 22 Essex · Bob Kline - 54 Hornet Sedan · Robert Wood - 53 Hornet Coupe · Glenn Malme - 54 Hornet Sedan · Dave Wray - 53 Hornet Coupe · Glenn Malme Sr. · Bob Yates - 52 Hornet · Herb Malone - 53 Hornet · Terry Yates - 52 Hollywood Hardtop ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ April is Toyota Our Tour Chair, Carolann DeSelms, has arranged for a special tour at the Toyota Auto Museum at 19600 Van Ness udson r Ave., Torrance, on Saturday, April 16 at 10 am. This museum is open only by H special arrangement, and we have reserved it for that Saturday. They want a final count by Tuesday, April 12, so we will be taking reservations (323/750-1998 or [email protected]). the the The tour will begin at 10 am, so come by 9:45 for a little tire kicking before going in. CIC will be joining us. The museum even has a replica of the first Toyota from 1937! Of course, they showed up much later in the USA, in 1957. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ socalhet.org The First HET Chapter - 50 Years and Still Going page 1 Mark Your Calendar In the interest of continuing that legacy, I am 50 Years of Hudsons in Southern asking each of you to seriously consider California taking a position on the board, helping with the April 16 - Toyota Auto Museum, Torrance, planning, organizing and conducting our May 21 - West Coast All AMX Car Show, Montclair activities for the benefit of our larger June 2-4 - Western Region Meet, Crater Lake, NWC membership. The tasks are generally centered Host around our meets and outings. Give me a call June 12 - Annual Picnic & Elections, Cronks’ Host – I can explain the jobs, or you can find them June 25-July 1 - International HET Meet, detailed in our bylaws, published on our Chattanooga, TN webpage. July 4 - 4th of July Parade, Sierra Madre, Ross’ Host August - La Canada Early Rodders Meet That’s my pitch – all officer positions are up Sept. 29-Oct 2 - All California Meet, San Simeon, for election in June and I hope you’ll take up CIC Host the challenge. Oct. - Chapter Golden Anniversary Celebration See you at the Toyota Museum! Jon Nov. 5 - Laughlin Economy Run Dec. 11 - Christmas Party ------ +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Aug, 22-27, 2017 - International HET Meet, Poway ------ Hudsons Around the Southland 2018 - International HET Meet, Chula Vista Resort, Event Date - April 17, 2016. "Studebaker" Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin ------ Steve Broock is hosting an Orphan Car Show at the Pomona Swap meet and is Board Meetings are open to all members. Phone reserving 3 spots for Hudson vehicles. 805/987-8187 for directions. Want to be a host for an SCC Meet close to your Please contact Steve directly if you would home? Just find a park or other attraction with like to commit to showing your vehicle. parking and facilities. Then give Jon a call (805/987- [Steve is the fellow that has hosted the 8187) or Carolann 323/750-1998. Orphan Meet at the Irwindale Speedway] +++++++++++++++++++++ Steve may be reached at 909-973-6955 From the President’s Garage May 21 - West Coast All AMX Car Show, Montclair - All AMC Relatives are invited. Early Warning Department – I http://socalamx.net/carshow/index.htm will be stepping away from the Officers’ Table in June, so you will definitely have a new chapter president for the next membership year. I’ve been a chapter officer for nearly 15 of our 50 years and the time has flown by quickly. The HET Club’s oldest chapter has an amazing legacy and chapter members have been the Who’s Who of the international organization. socalhet.org The First HET Chapter - 50 Years and Still Going page 2 socalhet.org The First HET Chapter - 50 Years and Still Going page 3 socalhet.org The First HET Chapter - 50 Years and Still Going page 4 From the HET Historical Society for the advanced design as early as 1941. Had The Hudson Triangle Frank Spring been working for one of the majors such as General Motors or Chrysler, suffice it to The “All New Jet”: The car that killed say his name would have been a household Hudson? word among automotive enthusiasts, much like By 1952, with sales still sagging, and production Harley Earl, Virgil Exner, or Raymond Loewy. just slightly above the break even point, But, it’s been said that the greatest frustration for something had to be done. Was it time to move a designer, is when management takes the reins down-market once again? Barit and others in and tells the creator how his creation is to look. Hudson management had been eyeing the cute Sadly, such was the case with the Jet. Spring little Nash Rambler from its inception. Although got his wish as far as the “Step-down” part was the Ramblers sales numbers weren’t particularly concerned, but reportedly, not much else. The impressive, could Nash be onto something with new Jet didn’t seem to have the same their neat little compact car? Not only had Nash introduced the Rambler, but Kaiser had introduced the Henry J. By one source, sales for Kaiser’s entry were pretty impressive. The car was even sold through the Sears Roebuck catalog under the Allstate name. Then there was Willys. The company had not built a true passenger car in the fullest sense, since before the war, but they were making inroads with their little Willys Aero. Barit decided to pull out all stops and build a compact car. By all reports, when the first dealer brochures went out, the dealers fell in love with “personality” of the artist’s drawings in the everything about it, from its size, its beautiful brochures originally presented to the dealers. styling, and its technical design. It was to be of One of the major problems, Barit insisted that Hudson’s true “Step-down Monobilt” the roofline be raised a full two inches. On a construction, just like the senior Hudson, and small car, that’s a major change. The side view sport a scaled down Hornet engine. What more had some resemblance to the contemporary could you ask for? It appeared to be Hudson’s Ford, but on a compact, it just didn’t seem to fit. answer to slipping sales numbers. The car was boxy, stubby, and its added height Hudson’s own stylist, Frank Spring, who only made things worse. The final result; a designed the famed “Step-down” was design only a mother could love. By at least one commissioned, along with his staff, to develop source, Spring was broken hearted over the the new entry. Not much has been mentioned in finished product. this series about Spring. But Frank Spring was a That being said, the Jet was actually a good car. brilliant and talented designer, certainly ahead of From Hudson’s inception, the company never his time. The design of the “Monobilt Step-down” deviated from the original goals of performance, can attest to that. By some sources, it’s been service and value. The Jet was all that. It had reported that Spring did the initial design work the same “Monobilt Step-down” design as the socalhet.org The First HET Chapter - 50 Years and Still Going page 5 senior models, it had a scaled down Hornet About the Merger engine, and everything about the car was Sadly, Hudson lost a grand total of $10 million in quality. The handling was superb, and ’53. Reportedly, investment in tooling for the performance wise, it could almost keep up with new, but ill fated Jet was $6 million. The once the famed Hornet. advanced design of the “Step-down”, was now When the Jet was introduced in 1953, it received aging far beyond usefulness. It would take a mixed reviews. Although the handling and minimum of two years to retool for a new body, performance were superb, the lack luster styling and only if there was capital available. But the disappointed many buyers. But perhaps most money wasn’t in the coffers. Obviously, disappointing, was the price. The starting price something had to be done, and had to be done for a new Jet was well over $1,800 at a time quickly. when a buyer could get a new full size Ford or Shortly after the end of World War II, the far Chevrolet for not much over $1,500! What had sighted president of Nash-Kelvinator, George gone wrong? What was Hudson management Mason contacted A.