THE HUDSON TRIANGLE Exclusively for members of the Hudson Essex Terraplane Historical Society. Awarded the OCW Golden Quill A 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization Volume 18 Issue 1 Herb Thomas’s No. 92 Photographed at the 2009 50th National HET Meet in Pontiac , MI Winter 2016 http://heths.info/ HET Historical Society - Moving Forward AACA Library NHMCC Museum Hudson Triangle “Doc Hudson” Media Library Departments The Starting Line 2 From Where The Coyotes Call 3 The Starting Line ___________ 2016 - another year to explore the history History of our favorite marque which is spread Herb Thomas’s No. 92 Front Page around the world. Fortunately, nowadays, Torture Test 5 we have the internet that helps us access Hudson at War Part 3 8 information that we did not even know existed. And National Historic Vehicle Register 12 with the internet, it is not always necessary to sit down and write a letter requesting information and Historical Society, Inc. waiting weeks or months for the answers. Board of Directors 15 Now the challenge is to collect that information and artifacts and preserve them for our education and Membership future generations. In Memory 3 Jack Miller Award 4 The pool of knowledge in our museum and library Membership Application 5 also serves as resource for the members of the HET Eldon Hostetler 6 Club and other HET owners and automobile Member Activities 7 historians for model identification and maintenance Click, On Line 7 questions. This, if for no other reason, makes the How to Reach Us 15 quest of the HET Historical Society an important ___________ mission. And we have a fresh new year for our task. So if you have a rare Hudson document, book, photo or artifact that would help us in our task, please keep HETHS in mind. Something for you Calendar - Editor July 3, 1909 - First Hudson "Model 20" driven from the plant at Mack & Beaufait Avenues, Detroit. Dedicated to Preserving the History of Hudson Motor Car Company © 2016 Page 2 http://heths.info/ Winter 2016 HET Historical Society - Moving Forward sure she had plenty of blankets and an ice From Where The Coyotes Call chest for the unpredictable changes in temperature. I am convinced that by now, most of the people that made I am happy to say that the HETHS is starting New Year's Resolutions have off this year with a balanced budget. We been like me and broken have a great group of officers and directors them. That is why you make that are working hard to make certain that it them, is it not? Who needs to stays that way. lose that much weight anyway? I am also hoping that 2016 will be our most Wasn't 2015 a great year? It was great for me profitable year with the greatest increase in in many ways. Texas saw record breaking our membership. I believe that everyone rains. My stock tanks have been filled and wants to preserve the history of our great overflowed twice! I know many young drivers cars. We can do this with your help. Tell a that actually did not know how to turn on their friend about the Historical society and sign windshield wipers. There were also many them up. Tell everyone about Doc Hudson drivers that found themselves waiting for help and the attention he is getting from everyone while standing on top of their vehicle or while wherever he goes. Contribute to Doc's holding on to trees. There were also those medical fund. Visit the museum in Ypsilanti, that were not so lucky. Please teach your MI. You will be glad you did! children to turn around and don't drown. Right now I am searching for a thief. I want to Calvin know what happened to my calendar. I could have sworn that just last week I was making my reservations for our trip to Colorado Springs. Today, I am working on our trip to In Memory of ... the Annual International HET meeting at the We have lost some members. Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel in HETHS has received donations in Tennessee June 26 - July 1, 2016. (I actually their memory. made our reservations while still in Colorado Glen Hartong Springs. I had heard a rumor that the hotel Burl Gingerich was filling up quickly.). Where did the time go? Jim & Sandy Boyle I envy those of you that were able to visit with Nelson & Carolyn Creasy Heidi Hetzer and her great 1930 Hudson, Dick Teeter Hudo, during her drive through North America Janet Kale in 2015. She has to be a very smart Buzz & Pam Stahl lady. She chose to make this trip around the Eldon Hostetler world in a HUDSON! I wish she could have fit Calvin &Virginia Buchanan Texas in her schedule. I would have Larry & Sue Kennedy recommended to her that she should come to Texas in November. But, she needed to make Winter 2016 http://heths.info/ Page 3 HET Historical Society - Moving Forward “Friend of Automotive History” success on America’s stock car tracks. Society of Automotive Historians In 1995 Jack and two friends founded the 2015 Award YPSILANTI AUTOMOTIVE HERITAGE MUSEUM with an addition to the original Jack C. Miller of Ypsilanti, Michigan is this Hudson dealership year’s recipient of this building which showcases prestigious award Ypsilanti’s rich automotive which is presented heritage including the annually in recognition “Ace” car, Kaiser-Frazer, of outstanding GM’s Hydra-Matic contributions to the field Division, Chevrolet of automotive history. Corvair, Ford’s Parts & As the son of Electric Division and the Ypsilanti’s Hudson Tucker car. Preston dealer, Miller’s life-long Tucker’s home is located interest in the Hudson near the museum. Motor Car Company by The Ypsilanti Orphan maintaining the Car Show which is the dealership displaying museum’s big annual Hudson cars in its event was founded 18 original building and years ago by Jack Miller recognized as the and Randy Mason to feature the “Orphan world’s last remaining Hudson dealership Car’s” not present at most car shows. selling parts and providing information for Hudson collectors worldwide. The 2015 “Friend of Automotive History” award was presented at the Society of Jack Miller wrote articles for the Hudson Essex Automotive Historians banquet held at the Terraplane Club’s “White Triangle News” Hershey Country Club, Hershey, becoming its editor and publisher for 14 years Pennsylvania on October 9, 2015. Jack Miller beginning in 1984. Jack also served as editor is a member of the Henry M. Leland Chapter of the “Dover Delivery” the Michigan chapter of the greater Detroit area of Society of news bulletin until recently. Jack Miller has Automotive Historians. authored and published “Total Domination”, the story of the Hudson Hornet’s amazing Remember to renew your annual donation to HETHS and help the advancement of our goals Page 4 http://heths.info/ Winter 2016 HET Historical Society - Moving Forward from Jack Miller $_______ LIFE Member $1,000 or more $_______ CONTRIBUTING Member $100 $_______ ACTIVE Membership $40 1937 Hudson Eight & Terraplane $_______ GIFT in Honor or in Memory of “Torture Test” was conducted under the supervision of AAA. AAA officials selected __________________________________ a Terraplane (model 72) Brougham and a $_______ General Donation Hudson Eight (model 74) Brougham from _________________________ the production line and then disassembled the cars at the Hudson plant to check all $ ________ TOTAL funds enclosed. specifications for production stock. The cars were then reassembled and driven to Name: the Bonneville Salt Flats, UT where they were subjected to two “Torturous Days” of Address: testing. The star performer was the Hudson Eight Phone: which shattered the 24 hour record for unlimited closed cars by covering 2,104.22 Email: miles at an average speed of 87.67 mph for 21 hrs., 04 min., 22 sec., also breaking Please make payment by check, or money order every timed record ( from 6 – 24 hrs.) and payable to HET Historical Society, Inc., in US set 23 new Class C records, ( 1 – 24 hours Dollars, and mail to: and 10 – 2,000 miles). Cheryl Holz, 13270 McKanna Road Minooka, IL 60447 Equipped with the optional “Electric-Hand” shifter the Terraplane accelerated from 0-50 Thanks for your Support! mph in 10.4 seconds and the Hudson Eight did the 0-50 mph test in 9.4 seconds. The Terraplane (model 72) traveled 1000 miles in 24 hours with an average speed of 86.54 mph and the Hudson Eight (model 74) traveled an average of 88.49 mph for the 24 hour time. Winter 2016 http://heths.info/ Page 5 HET Historical Society - Moving Forward Eldon Hostetler, noted Hudson automobile collector, inventor and philanthropist dies at 93 Middlebury, IN teen and later joined the Mennonite Church. Eldon Hostetler, noted Hudson automobile He became an inventor with over 65 patents collector, inventor and philanthropist passed issued to him. In 2005, he and Esta donated away Friday, January 8, 2016, in Middlebury, much of their collection of Hudson autos to the IN at the age of 93. Eldon was born on city of Shipshewana, IN to create a museum. Christmas day, 1922 in Shipshewana, IN, the Author Laurie Oswald Robinson, who eldest of 13 children, to the late Lizzie and interviewed Eldon for a fall 2014 article in The Mahlon Hostetler. Mennonite magazine, said Eldon had been, “Eldon became an icon in American “Blessed to blaze new trails.” automobile history, a giant to the collector car Eldon often shared the story of how as an hobby and a hero to his local community,” said Amish boy he first became interested in cars at Michael Spezia, long-time friend and Executive 14.