Update 11/16/19 – After selling and making its way to Connecticut over a year ago, this Big Boy picked up a new grill and has been relisted here on eBay. Will it beat its last high bid of $5,400?
From 6/8/19 – America produced a few really unique and very stylish trucks during the ’30s and ’40s, and this Hudson pickup is one of them. Not so common to find, this particular example was in the process of being restored when it came to a halt. While this truck is fairly straight, there is still some needed work to make this a paint worthy machine. Thought to be complete, this truck has been bid up to $2,000.00. Take a look at this unique pickup here on eBay out of Stillwater, Minnesota.
With the neat reverse opening hood, you can see a relatively clean engine that was described as a runner by the previous owner. Otherwise the only definite information about the engine is that is does turn over. The engine bay itself has some mild surface rust, but there does not appear to be any rot.
Taking a look inside reveals an interior that has aged not too badly, but still needs some work. The headliner and carpet are long gone, but the door panels and hardware appear in fine shape. The seat looks to be recovered, and the dash is nice, although the speedometer portion has not been properly installed. The biggest concern with the interior is the rot in the floor along the driver side rocker area.
Some words have many meanings, and the word “restoration” seems a bit far for the condition of this Hudson. Granted this is a fine specimen, but there is some rot to contend with, and there may be some body filler found. The seller mentions that there are some visible patch panels, which may very well be true. Looking at the driver side there is something going on with the bottom of the door and the rear fender. To me, the rear fender looks to have either filler, or a poorly added patch panel. The bottom of the door looks like it has a skim of filler that wasn’t fully cured before priming. Also there is rot on the cab corner, and in the beds side wall. With all of that being said, this Hudson is a worthwhile truck to restore, as there just aren’t enough of these on the road. Although some patch work has been done, I think it can be easily reversed, and then remedied the correctly. Are you a fan of these unique Hudson Pickups?
I forwarded this to a friend of mine that lives in Minnesota. He is a truck, hot rod, rat rod guy. This one would be a unique attraction at car shows.
In a way, you could call this the first “car based pickup”. It’s a passenger car with a truck bed. Looks very worthy of restoring.
I see that the seller has another parked behind this one.
The other one is also available in a separate auction. This one is definitely the better of the two.
Fred check out the 37-9 Studebaker Express Coupe. I’m a Hudson guy but that Studebaker is a beaut. Was before Hudson came out with theirs
Lance, FYI, Hudson came out with their first pickup in 1929. It was branded as a Dover pickup and was a one-tear-only offering. After a few years (start of the Great Depression), another pickup was offered, this time in their lower-priced Terraplane marque. The 1934-37 trucks were sold as Terraplanes. Terraplane was “absorbed” as a Hudson model rather than a separate marque for 1938, so you’ll see those as Hudson Terraplanes. From 1839-1947, when Hudson stopped building commercial vehicles, the pickups carried the Hudson name. In addition to pickups, in various years Hudson offered utility coaches and utility coupes (with a pullout pickup-like bed in the rear), and even a few coach-built station wagons. All quite rare and very cool vehicles.
An Uncle of mine owned a wrecking yard in the 50’s near Red Bluff, California. His wrecker was a Hudson pickup from the late 30’s. I’m quite sure that place no longer exists, but it was full of cars and trucks from the 20’s even into the 50’s.
I am a truck guy, I Love trucks. Have two projects in front of me and a wife that has a health problem. She is sick of my passion for old iron.
That said, someone is going to have fun with this one.
I have a 1940 Hudson Big Boy, all original, parts reference catalog (put together by Hudson lovers) for sale. Diamond in the rough.
I like, nuff said.
These are great looking trucks. Lots of parts are shared with the sedans. For the ’40 the OD transmission is a one year only, not easy to come by. Lots of work to modify it for another year OD.
Looks like more work than I would be up for. Then again I am a four door sedan and wagon guy
Makes me wonder what kind of chevy engine the new owner will put into this Hudson when they restomod it.
These Hudson trucks cross so many divisions in auto debates.
Restore as original, a money loser, restore ratty lazy man who somehow have turned rust into patina, rat toddler who lacking inititive and imagination,love driving trash, and then the modernist that keeps original ( imaginative art) and updating to original body lines but drive as a new auto, so many choices.
This rig, in my worthless 2 cent opinion,looks to be a one man, with some handy beer buddies, project for bringing its oldness back alive with hard work and new modern tech.
I guess by cutting corners one could cheaply make pretty and turn a profit, but the rig deserves better.
After all it is part of at one time America’s great auto marques.
A friend of mine restored one of these a few years ago. The body and interior were done to original appearance other than the shifter. It got a Camaro front suspension, a Ford rear end, a 327ci Chev engine and Muncy 4 speed tranny. It was a gorgeous black with horse hair upholstery. He passed away several years ago and I don’t know what ever became of the truck. This looks like a great starting point for what ever the buyer wants to do. I just hope it’s treated right!
Did he replace the Hudson emblems with bow ties? He may as well have, seeing as how the end result was much more Chevy than Hudson.
You think the one you describe was treated right?
That’s NOT what the term “restored” means.
This is a crazy hobby. Vintage ( possibly non-operational) fuel injection units and rusty Mustang shells are selling for $10g’s, and the rarest of all pickups, can’t crack $3 grand. Maybe because, most people under 50 have no idea what a Hudson was. “Car pickups” never really caught on, because they did neither job well. These only made it a few years after the war, and I believe they dropped the “Big Boy” name. Quite a find, and this person has 2.
Actually, Howard there were two versions of the pickup before WW2. One was a stronger, longer bed version called “big boy” and the other was a slightly lighter version which was the standard. The term “big boy” is thrown around a lot by folks who really don’t know any better. Post WW2 they were all standards
quite amazing when done right
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/762867624355225389/
I would do a restomod on it with an overhauled Hudson hornet 308 engine twin carbs and maybe even a small blower. No goofy brand x engine either.
Ended: Jun 11, 2018 , 9:15PM
Winning bid:US $5,400.00
[ 67 bids ]
Over 7 days are left in the auction and the bidding has topped $4.500. I think that the truck should have no problem surpassing the previous bid of $5,400 when it was still in Montana. The replacement grill must have had something to do with it.
A replacement grille might have helped the bidding but maybe the fact that this classic pickup is now located in New England is prompting previously interested bidders who now don’t have to pay shipping costs from Minnesota. That and now interested parties up here in the Northeast can come and check it out.
Nice truck, sky is the limit as to what to do with the drivetrain, from stock right on up. I’m thinking something cool like a caddy or a buick nailhead done up with some vintage speed equipt. Anyway, will be cool when done. Good luck to the new owner.
Cheers
GPC
Friend of mine has one with a 308 twin H motor in it. Goes like stink. Hudson made some good steel.
This seller also has a Henry J gasser for sale. Check it out.
My Dad bought one of these when I was 7 or 8. I still remember how big that truck was.
Finished. Check out the new look, kept original drive train, runs great.
Love to see it. No link. Really happy you kept it original.