Hudson is said to have built around 30,000 commercial vehicles, including pickups, in its entire run of 48 years of making vehicles. That isn’t a lot, considering that was around one month of production for Chevrolet’s commercial vehicles during the decade of the 1940s. This 1947 Hudson Cab Pickup can be found here on eBay in Demotte, Indiana and the bid price is $8,000, but the reserve isn’t met.
It’s a toss-up for me as to what the most beautiful pickup was, at least one made in the 1930s and/or 1940s: the Studebaker Coupe Express, such as this one that our own Adam Clarke wrote up here on Barn Finds last fall, or the Hudson Cab Pickup as seen here. Lots of folks prefer the Studebaker, but for me, it’s like choosing your favorite child, or even more important, your favorite motorcycle.
The Studebaker is a bit sleeker in the rear than the squared-off Hudson is, but from the front, I prefer the Hudson. They were made from before WWII until 1947, and the 1942 through 1946 Cab Pickups were based on the pre-war Super Six cars. These pickups are often known and badged as Super Six, and in early 1942, civilian production stopped. They were only made for three years after the war and by 1948 they were gone. The hauling bed looks solid and this truck appears to have been debadged, maybe when it was repainted at some point in the 1970s.
The seller bought this truck in 2007 and they say that it’s been stored in a climate-controlled facility since then. It’s said to be wearing all of its original body panels and has the original glass. The interior looks pretty nice overall, but peeling back the floor covering reveals what the future owner will be spending some time on, fixing that rust on the floor pans. Our own Jeff Bennett showed us a ’47 Hudson pickup just a few weeks ago here on Barn Finds.
The “Big Boy” designation was reserved for the 3/4-ton pickups before the war and that name was dropped when production resumed in 1945, as were the 1/2-ton trucks. They would all be 3/4-ton pickups until the end of the run. The engine should be standard fare for Hudson in this era, a 212-cu.in. L-head six with 102 horsepower and it sent that power through a three-speed transmission via a column shifter to the rear wheels. The engine turns over but isn’t currently in running condition. What do you think is the best-looking pickup from the 1930s or 1940s?
Love these trucks!
Looks like it’s been brush painted.
I also brush painted a truck back in the 70’s. It looks good from 100’. Har de har har
I had 1947 with a 1954 Wasp engine. Silver exterior , red interior, red wheels with small hub caps and beauty rings. These trucks didn’t come from the factory with a rear bumper. Very heavy duty 3/4 ton pick up that still rode like a 4 door sedan.
A handsome front end! Might check to see if the logo on top of the grille is wired to light up. I’ll bet those horns would surely move traffic along too.
A Hudson Ute.
I dont know about calling it the best looking pickup , Its just a car with a bed, just like the later Rancheros and El Caminos – maybe the best looking Ute ?
It does have a separate bed and a ¾ ton rating, so not really the same thing. The Studebaker Champ was similar in that it was a pickup chassis that was updated by dropping a Lark body on it.
Anyone remember the Hudson service station in Venice Ca that had a blue Hundson pickup like this?Always loved it and still do..great looking UTE
My Dad bought one when I was about ten years old. What I remember most about it was how enormous it seemed. This appears to be a nice truck.
The floors are rusted on both sides and there are NO pictures underneath. Be afraid, BE VERY AFRAID!
’39 Ford pickup. Nothing like it before, or after. “Best-looking”?? The eye of the beholder. But “striking”, definitely!
That clunky rear bumper is not original. I don’t think the pickup had a rear bumper.
From the looks of the one Jeff Bennet showed us, they didn’t have a back bumper because “Jeff’s” has a homemade trailer hitch type rear bumper. I really like the looks of this “truck”. As Bone said, it looks like “the first El Camino” Kinda. Comparing this one with “Jeff’s” I like the steering wheel in this one better. Would look a lot nicer in a shortbed. I know people are gonna get mad at this but it would be real nice with a set of 50’s and 60’s tires on Crager SS 8″s and 10″s. put an LS under the hood and some suspension work so it could be my daily. Would be cool and I would use it every day as opposed to restoring it and letting it sit somewhere waiting for the next car show. My way it could be showed every day and I guarantee it would take at least twice as long to get where you’re going with all the attention you’re going to get. Either way it’s a real nice truck
The best looking pickup is the Dodge WM300/PW126 hands down.
I love these and would love to have one. I had a 1947 Club Coupe for awhile and this is the same front end.
Auction update: this Hudson sold for $16,100!