1951 Hudson Cars Described

1951 HUDSON CARS DESCRIBED

1951 HUDSON - GENERAL: There were some changes to the line to push Hudsons across a broader price spectrum. The Pacemaker continued as the lowest-priced Hudson model. This year there were only standard Pacemakers and the DeLuxe model was dropped. The Super lost the 8-cylinder version and a totally new model was introduced, called the "Hornet", intended from the start to be a performance model. It was 6-cylinder powered, however the engine was larger in displacement than the Commodore eight by over 50 cubic inches! A hardtop was introduced late in the model year, called the "Hollywood", and because of that, it did not appear in the Brochure. The Commodore soldiered along as before with its almost 20-year-old 254CID I-8 and the post war Super's 262 I-6. Body changes in the entire line were slight, most noticeably in the front fascia. The grille was changed to three horizontal blades. The top two blades were bowed downward to meet the bottom bar. A twin-strut triangle was inserted in the center, running much like a capital "A" from top to bottom. A new, rounded corner trapezoid shaped front center grille guard was seen on all Supers, Commodores and Hornets, but not on the Pacemaker.

INNOVATIONS: The Hornet L-Head Six. This engine would power Hudsons to numerous race wins and establish the Hornet as a true performance car. The engine was heavily reinforced in the lower end and the crankcase was widened to accept the new 4.5" stroke, and the bore was increased to 3.8125". It produced 145 HP and 257 ft. lbs. of torque at introduction. The notable statistic was the additional 50+ ft. lbs. of torque over the Super Six and Commodore Eight. Click HERE to learn about the Hornet L-Head six.

1951 HUDSON PACEMAKER CUSTOM SIX - SERIES 4A. On the Pacemaker, rectangular parking lights were now housed outboard of the main grille bars on either side. The lamp housings were slightly rounded where they wrapped around the Pacemaker body corners, and were not as square as those on the Super, Commodore and Hornet. The sides of Pacemakers were trimmed only by "spear tip" ornaments, without spears, and broad, lower sill panels that stretched from behind the front wheel opening to the extreme rear of the cars. Standard on Pacemakers were Twin-Contour wipers, gas gauge, "Teleflash" engine warning lights, water temperature gauge, windshield defroster vents, "Cushion-Action" door latches, theft proof locks, pushbutton door handles, windshield and side window reveals, dash ashtray, rear view mirror, twin sun visors, full opening crank-out rear quarter windows in club coupes and Broughams, twin stop lamps and tail lamps, front dome light, lockable parcel compartment, twin air horns, and illuminated grille medallion. Pacemakers had the rear ash tray in the front seat back and door pillar assist straps in Brougham sedans. Upholstery was gray special-weave cord with red and brown stripes and Durafab plastic trim.

1951 HUDSON SUPER CUSTOM SIX - SERIES 5A. For 1951, Supers also received the new front fascia treatment and utilized the same side trim that had been used on 1950 Commodores, except that bumpers did not have outer grille guards. Small hub caps were standard. The Super's standard equipment was identical to that of the Pacemaker, with only minor exceptions, such as rear ash trays housed in recess panels on the doors and inner rear quarter panels instead of front seat back. Supers had wing-type ventipanes for sedan rear quarter windows. Upholstery was tan Bedford cloth with brown and maroon stripes. A new "Hollywood" two-door pillarless hardtop model was introduced in September of 1951 as a late-year addition to the line.

1951 HUDSON COMMODORE CUSTOM SIX - SERIES 6A, and EIGHT - SERIES 8A. The Six Series Commodore was priced under that of the new Hudson Hornet line, while Commodore Eights were marketed at equal-to-Hornet prices, muddying this Series' role as the flagship of the Hudson line. Distinguishing features that separated Commodores from Supers and Pacemakers series cars were larger front fender nameplates, outer grille guards front and rear, metal hand grips on front seat backs, rear window reveal moldings and three- dimensional weave upholstery with stripes, and Antique Crush finish Durafab trim. The remaining equipment features were the same as found on Supers, however a 16-inch rear center arm rest could be unfolded to provide a two-person seating arrangement in the back. The Commodore convertible came in nine standard or four extra-cost colors with dark red or blue genuine top grain leather upholstery and harmonizing leather grain trim. Once again it had hydraulic window lifts and a hydraulic roof mechanism which could be covered in a choice of tan, black or maroon top material. A large, plastic rear window was optional—in place of the glass unit.

1951 HUDSON HORNET SIX - SERIES 7A. The famed Hudson "Hornet" was essentially a Commodore with a special high-performance L-Head Six fitted as well as distinctive identification and some appointment details. The special identification included a gold and chrome plated "Sky-liner Styling" hood ornament, chromed rocket ship-shaped "Badges of Power" at the front of the body side rub moldings and on the trunk. These logos showed a rocket piercing two vertically angled bars, with "Hornet" lettering inside - turning them into a letter "H". Inside, there were pillar-mounted assist straps in coupes and sedans, DeLuxe robe hanger, hand grips and tailored pockets on back of the lounge-wide front seat, "Hornet H-145" medallions in each front door valance panel, indirectly-lighted precision instruments set into a polished chrome dash housing on a leather grained panel with non-glare Durafab top. Upholstery was the Commodore type and came in Tan-Brown with gold stripes or Blue-Gray with blue stripes. Antique Crush type leather grained Dura-fab trim combinations were installed. The high-compression, aluminum 'Power-Dome' cylinder head was standard on the Hornet engine raising the compression to 7.2;1, but the regular iron-alloy low compression 6.7:1 head was a no cost option. Motor Trend and Mechanix Illustrated magazines determined the top speed of the stock 1951 Hudson Hornet at 97 miles per hour - fast for its day.

Continued –

MODEL/ENGINE I.D. DATA:  Pacemaker Custom serial numbers. Pacemakers were numbered from 4A-1001 to 132072.   Super Custom serial numbers. Super Sixes were numbered from 5A-1001 to 132246.   Hornet serial numbers. Hornet Sixes were numbered from 7A-1001 to 132915.  Commodore Custom serial numbers. Custom Commodore Sixes were numbered from 6A-1001 to 132586. Custom Commodore Eights were numbered from 8A-1001 to 132028. Serial numbers were on the right door post. Hudson did not provide body code numbers. In the production chart, the first two symbols comprise the series/model codes, followed by a group of numbers beginning at 1001. The first two symbols were "the series" in 1951: "4A" = Pacemaker; "5A" = Super; "7A" = Hornet; "6A" = Commodore Six; and "8A" = Commodore Eight. The following group of numbers designated production sequence, e.g. "7A-132800". Engine numbers were the same and were found on a boss near the top left side of the cylinder block as well as between the first two manifold flanges.

BODY PAINT CODE/COLORS:  K-5 Black  B-59 Pacific Blue  C-66 Dark Platinum  G-40 Northern Gray  H-27 Texas Tan  H-58 Dark Maroon  J-45 Bali Blue  M-28 Revue Red  M-64 Toro Red  N-37 Cornish Cream  P-63 Naples Green  Q-61 Newport Gray  R-72 French Gray  S-62 Jefferson Green

HUDSON ENGINES:

 Pacemaker Series Six: Inline L-head six-cylinder. Chrome alloy block. Displacement: 232 CID. Bore and stroke: 3.5625" x 3.875". Compression ratio: 6.7:1. Horsepower: 123 @ 4000 RPM. Torque: 175 @ 1600 RPM. Four main bearings. Solid valve lifters. Carburetor: Carter one-barrel WA-1 type Model 749S.

 Super and Commodore Series Six: Inline L-head six-cylinder. Chrome alloy block. Displacement: 262 CID. Bore and stroke: 3.5625" x 4.375". Compression ratio: 6.7:1. Horsepower: 123 @ 4000 RPM. Torque: 195 @ 1600 RPM. Four main bearings. Solid valve lifters. Carburetor: 2-barrel WGD Type Model 776S with L-shaped air horns.

 Hornet Series Six: Inline L-head six-cylinder. Chrome alloy block. Displacement: 308 CID. Bore and stroke: 3.8125" x 4.5 inches. Compression ratio: 7.2:1. Optional Compression ratio: 6.7:1. Horsepower: 145 @ 3800 RPM. Torque: 257 @ 1800 RPM. Four main bearings. Solid valve lifters' Carburetor: Carter two-barrel type WGD model 776S.

 Custom Commodore Series Eight: Inline L-head eight-cylinder. Chrome alloy block. Displacement: 254 CID. Bore and stroke: 3.00" x 4.50" inches. Compression ratio: 6.5:1. Horsepower: 128 @ 4200 RPM. Torque: 198 @ 1600 RPM. Five main bearings. Solid valve lifters. Carburetor: Carter 2-barrel WGD Type Model 773S with L-shaped air horns.

CHASSIS:  Wheelbase: Pacemaker 119.875", All others 124.875".  Overall length: Pacemaker 201.50" All others 208.09".  Front tread: All 58.50".  Rear tread: All 55.50".  Overall width: Pacemaker/Super: 77.063" Commodore/Hornet: 77.656".  Tires: Pacemaker 7.10 x 15 All Others 7.60 x 15.

POWERTRAIN OPTIONS:  Overdrive transmission ($100).  Drive Master for Pacemaker or Super only ($99).  Super-Matic automatic transmission for all except Hornet ($158).  Hydra-Matic for Commodore or Hornet ($158).  Available rear axles included 4.55:1, 4.10:1, and 3.58:1 gear ratios.  A "Power-Dome" high compression cylinder head was optional on lower series at extra cost. The standard lower compression cylinder head was optional on Hornets at no extra cost. SIGNIFICANT OPTIONS: Optional on Pacemaker

 Foam rubber seat cushions.  Front bumper outer guards.  Mechanical or electric clock.  Rear wheel covers (fender skirts).  White sidewall tires. Standard on Commodore and Optional on Super -

 Front bumper outer guards.  Foam rubber cushions.  Hydraulic window lifts for Super convertible.  Side ornamentation.

Continued –

Optional All Series -

 Convertible Brougham top rear window glass.  Directional indicators.  Heavy scale front and rear springs.  Police and Taxi equipment including large clutch, heavy rear springs, 11" brakes and heavy construction seats.  Radio.  Tires: oversized 7.60 x 15 tires, and extra-ply tire construction. Convertible Broughams came standard with 7.60 x 15 tires.  Three-quarter leather grain trim ($25-$41 or $32-$53 per body style).  Weather Control heater ($64).  Weather Master heater ($50).  Wheel trim rings ($13).  Whitewall tires.

HUDSONS IN RACING: Hudson knew that their low center of gravity was a boon to road and circle track racing. And while many brands after the war might tout a race victory, Hudson may have been the first company to realize the "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" marketing rule. As such, the Hornet model would be active and successful in racing from 1951 through 1954. The Hudson factory actively supported the Hornet in stock car racing by providing thinly disguised racing parts under the shroud of special "export" and "severe usage" parts. A special dual carburetor induction package called "Twin H Power" would be an option to the public in 1952, though it was available over the counter in late 1951. It added to peak power, and though no HP numbers were published for this feature, a modest 20 HP gain was accepted as the figure. A Twin-H-powered Hornet helped Marshall Teague take a checkered flag in the second Southern 500 Race, at Darlington, S.C. in 1951, with an 86.21 miles-per hour average speed. In 1951, Hudsons won 12 of the 41 NASCAR Grand National contests—a huge accomplishment. Top Hudson Hornet drivers included Marshall Teague, Herb Thomas and Jesse Taylor, with Herb Thomas capturing Top Driver honors on the NASCAR circuit in this season. Click HERE to learn more about Hudson's stock car victories.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: The 1951 Hudson line was introduced in September 1950 and continued in an extended model year production run all the way through January 1952. Labor unrest and delays in getting government authorization to raise prices due to the Korean Conflict were responsible for the slower business year. A loss of $1,125,210 was reported on sales revenue of $186,050,832.

PRODUCTION: Model year deliveries hit 121,408 units. Hudson dropped to 15th in the American auto industry. See attached chart for production numbers.

Continued –

CAR IMAGES:

1951 Hudson Hornet Convertible Brougham. It had looks, power, and performance. The Hornet's 308 CID I-6 had 10 more HP than the famous "Rocket" 88! 551 were sold.

1951 Hudson Hornet Club Coupe. The coupe's production figures were melded into the 4-door Sedan numbers but are estimated to be around 12,000.

The 1951 Hudson Hornet 4-door Sedan. Good guestimates say that about 29,000 of the combined Hornet 4-door/2-door's 41,014 production were 4-doors.

Continued –

CAR IMAGES Continued

This 1951 Press Release photo of the Hudson Hollywood Hardtop is one of the few factory images of the late release car. Even with the January 1951 release 2,101 were sold.

1951 Hudson Commodore Custom Convertible Brougham. 181 8-cylinder and 211 6-cylinder convertibles were produced. The Hornet made this car redundant.

1951 Hudson Commodore Custom 4-door Sedan. Still available in Six or Eight-cylinder power, it amounted for about 18,000 of the 29,342 2 and 4-door Commodores produced this year.

Continued –

CAR IMAGES Continued

Like the 1951 Hudson Commodore 4-door, the 2-door Coupe was still popular with a calculated 5,800 sold in that year. Two door Hollywoods were also produced in the Commodore line – with a total of 1,488 in both engine sizes.

1951 Hudson Super Custom Convertible Brougham. Supers were limited to the 262 cid I-6 in but were well received. The convertible did well with with 464 sold.

1951 Hudson Super Custom Club Coupe was part of the combined 2- and 4-door totals of 20,968. A 2-door Brougham sedan was also available. The Hollywood 2-door hardtop was offered too late in the year to appear in any brochures or ads. Even so, 1,100 were delivered.

Continued -

CAR IMAGES Continued

1951 Hudson Super 4-door Sedan. Still popular, it was still a large part of the 20,968 Supers produced that year.

1951 Hudson Pacemaker Custom 2-door Brougham was one of the 2-door Pacemakers offered that year. It was a healthy part of the 34,495 Pacemakers sold in '51.

The 1951 Hudson Pacemaker 4-door Sedan was the stalwart member of the line.

Continued –

CAR IMAGES Continued

1951 Hudson Pacemaker Custom Club Coupe was reasonably priced at $2,145.

NOTE: The 2-door Pacemaker Convertible (not shown) sold well with 425 produced.

STYLING CHANGES FOR 1951

Again, for 1951, the Hudson front end "look" was changed subtly but clearly. The top grille bar now curved down to meet the lower bar, and only one center bar remained, rather than two. It also curved down to the lower bar. All were much thicker – many called the look a "frown" though it did clean up the busy grille area. The center bumper guard was more massive and now a single, connected unit. Parking lights were larger and squared of – clearly attached rather than part of the lower grille bar.

The 1951 Pacemaker adopted the look of the senior series, however the parking lights, that now were at the end of the lower grille bar instead of in the body, were smaller and reflected a pointed rather than square look. All else, other than the grille, was unchanged.

Continued -

STYLING CHANGES Continued

The Hornet, Commodore, and Super side trim added a chrome strip that mimicked the body cutline about 9" below it. The Pacemaker omitted this trim. All senior cars had the model name at the end of the chrome strip, with the Hornet having the distinctive, large rocket rather than a simple nameplate. The Pacemaker did have a larger "arrow tip" at the end of the cutline. All had the chrome rocker panel, though the senior cars used a larger, more distinctive piece.

INNOVATIONS FOR 1951

Big news for 1951 was the new 308 CID Hornet powerplant. It developed 145 HP, but more important – 257 ft. lbs of torque, easily outdistancing the Eight and Super Six by over 50 ft. lbs. This accounted for the tremendous performance increase. Mid-year, the "Twin-H" two carb option was released as over the counter. Power went up by about 20-25 HP with this setup.