“The New Hudson. Now You’re Face To Face With Tomorrow!” That’s how Hudson described their radically restyled car in 1948 that set the automotive industry on its ear. As an old marketing and advertising guy, I get a kick out of studying vintage automobile sales brochures and ads. You see a lot of flowery words, exclamation marks, and exaggerations. But in the case of the ’48 Hudson, there was truth in their claims. With their innovative “step down” design that gave the new Hudsons a low, sleek look that couldn’t be confused with any other car on the road, the postwar car hungry American consumers took notice. Hudson sales increased 25% in 1948 and with very minor changes made for model year 1949, increased another 35% to 159,100 units sold. Here’s one of those ’49 Hudsons that is a highly-original survivor and looks to be in remarkable condition for its age.
The seller is, shall we say, rather scant in describing the Hudson or giving us any information about its history. All that is written in the ad is: “1949 Hudson 4 door sedan that is all 100% original and in great condition. Has steel belted radial tires.” Since Hudsons didn’t leave the factory with steel belted radial tires, it’s not 100% original, but could still be in the “highly original survivor” category. The photos aren’t the best, but the exterior looks to be in very good condition. The paint appears to be a dark maroon and still shines up nicely. There are some chips under the driver’s side headlight, but overall it looks like a rust-free, straight body with no signs of accident damage. It has the popular windshield visor as well as a driver’s-side spotlight (which may or may not have been a Hudson option in ’49).
And check out that swoopy rear-end treatment with the wraparound bumper and triangular, shield-shaped taillights. Even with new styling introduced from the Big Three for the 1949 model year, there was truly nothing else that looked like a Hudson. Based on the photos, it appears the car’s chrome, glass, lenses, and trim are all in good shape as well.
The comfortable, roomy interior looks well preserved. Even though low-slung Hudsons were only five feet tall, they advertised that their cars were “Wider inside as it is high! A full 66 inches of usable inside width.” and “has more headroom than you ever dreamed possible in a low car – a six-footer in a sombrero can set erect in the rear seat!” You gotta love those copywriters and their many exclamation marks.
Based on the photos, the tan broadcloth seats look good as do the cool door panels. I like the looks of that modern instrument panel with what Hudson called “two harmonizing shades of natural finish walnut grain” on it as well as the side window mouldings. I also like the 18″ plastic-trim deluxe steering wheel and old-school steering knob.
There are no photos or mention of the engine by the seller. Commodores could be ordered with either a 262-cubic inch inline-six or a 254-cubic inch inline 8-cylinder engine mated to a column shift manual transmission. The seller claims that 90,650 miles are on the clock. This ’49 Hudson is currently located in Castle Rock, Washington, and is for sale here on craigslist for $15,000. Thanks again for T.J. for finding this survivor and sending it our way. On the surface, this looks like quite a survivor, but the next owner will need to do their due diligence to verify it’s as original as advertised. A former boss of mine had a Hudson exactly like this and I’ll never forget my first ride in it. It was so smooth and low-slung and nothing like I’d ever experienced before (or since). I envy the lucky next owner.
Do we see hints of art deco in the dashboard? Too, that doesn’t looks like wood veneer..
You’re a lucky guy, Ron, to have gotten some ride time in one like this-and I’ll bet it was a shock to see that there was enough room for everyone in the office besides! The ad stuff of the time is always interesting to read.
Just curious-where’d you see this advertised?
Comparing this to the Nash we saw earlier, we can see the ride height difference, which must’ve made a big difference in handling compared to most of the other U.S. offerings.
Thank you. Yes, my boss and I are 6′ 2″ and we had plenty of head room, elbow room, and room altogether. The B-52’s should’ve changed their ‘Love Shack” lyrics to “I got me a Hudson, it seats about 20…” A great site for old automobile sales literature is oldcarbrochures.com. It’s a gold mine!
The early pictures of these cars racing on the Daytona beach clearly shows the difference of the Hudson handling vs. all the other makes running the races. Not sure about the power deferences but the old films show the Hudsons really making hay around the corners.
Ah, the ’49 Hudson memories. Going out for pizza in Dad’s Hudson. Circa 1964, My sister and I sitting in that cavernous back seat, with the giant armrest, acting like a table. My favorite car to pretend to drive, of Dad’s 6 six cars sitting in the driveway. Back when he owned a Sinclair station, and when guys couldn’t pay their bill, they’d offer him the pink slip.
Dean Moriarty drove one of these, according to Jack Kerouac…..
The only 4 door that I like over the 2 door. Would prefer a later Hornet though.
Yes, Dean, and his buddies, drove one across the country in 4 days, Jack in real life, and was depressed that that was “all there was” when he got to the Pacific. To a reasonably well read 16 year old, long before cable TV and the internet, it was the most exciting book I had ever read. Neighbor had one, rusted badly, tops of fenders above the headlights were first to go, stamping left sheet metal there very thin. Room in back for 7 or 8 of us teens, three in front, could have fit more in the trunk. Had to all get out once inside the drive-in which charged by the car, to avoid bottoming out on the drive-in’s little parking ramps. And, it smelled good, despite often being occupied by many teenaged boys. Why is there not more mention of car smells here? My ’39 MG smelled like gasoline, leather, canvas and wood. My aunt’s ’36 Chevy of gasoline and damp mohair. My uncle’s ’40 Ford of furniture polish and plastic, my father’s ’38 Studebaker of cigarette smoke and burning engine oil. My current Toyota and Audi do not smell of anything at all.
Yep there is a lot to be said how cars smell ……
My brothers car smells like fast food and farts
My aunt and uncle had one of these when we last visited them in 1952. They lived in Wichita Falls, Tx and owned a farm about 50 miles away. They would load the back seat and trunk with hay bales to feed the cows. The cows, for some reason, licked the finish off the trunk lid around the botom of the opening.
It was a very comfortable car.
There were a lot of those cars destroyed racing on dirt tracks around the country. I remember one local guy racing one with his left arm out and holding on to the door going thru the turns. Mostly he was in the lead.
Necker Knob!
Yep. You steered with your left hand using the necker knob. You had your right arm around your girl and she shifted the gears. Driving was something you did together, just like some other things you did together in the car.
I grew up in the back seat of a ’48. I remember standing up, hanging onto the coat strap that stretched across the back of the front seat so I could see. I thought driving with one thumb on the horn ring was the proper way to do it, since that’s the way my mom did it. She wanted to be ready if someone did something she didn’t like.
I don’t think that’s a Commodore. Maybe a Super six. It doesn’t have full hubcaps and the badge on the front guards says Hudson, should read Commodore.
It’s a Super Six, not a Commodore. The tail lights give it away. In 1948, there were 2 models, the super six and the commodore. Both were available with a 6 or 8 cylinder engine. Travelers were gone in 1946, leaving only 2