NASCAR fans will recall the furor that Hudson Motor Co. stirred up in the 1950s with the Hudson Hornet. The Hornet won more than 60% of NASCAR races in 1952-54. Perhaps lesser remembered was the Wasp, which rode on a shorter wheelbase and used a less powerful inline-6 engine. The seller has a 1954 Wasp 4-door sedan, produced in the year that Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors. In good running condition with decent cosmetics, this buzz of a car is available in Tappan, New Jersey, and here on craigslist for $9,500. An attaboy goes to T.J. for the cool tip!
The Wasp was in production across two generations from 1952 to 1956. They were totally different cars in layout, so the later Wasps were nothing like the earlier ones. The seller’s 1954 edition is from the final year of the first generation. The 1955 and 1956 Wasps continued to be sold as Hudsons as AMC began to wind down the Hudson and Nash makes. A 232 cubic inch I-6 powered the Wasp, while the Super Wasp got 30 more cubic inches. No mention is made of the seller’s car being a Super. A “3-on-the-tree” manual transmission should be part of the package.
In 1954, a Hudson Wasp was one of 85 out of 150 automobiles that finished the tough Carrera Panamericana endurance race that covered more than 1,900 miles in less than 24 hours. This was a testament to the durability of these Hudson products. Production numbers for the 1954 Wasp range from 11,600 to 17,800 units (maybe model year vs. calendar?). The seller’s blue ’54 looks pretty good overall with 62,000 miles to its credit. The paint job is a redo from the 1970s.
We’re told the auto runs well and has new raised white letter tires (which makes it look tougher than a 4-door sedan might otherwise appear). The brakes are also new. A supply of replacement and extra parts reside in the trunk to help you keep this vintage orphan running. The solid condition of the car, which has unibody construction, might be credited to undercoating from its early days. How about getting your “Buzz” on with this 72-year-old Wasp!
I would imagine that the Wasp two door coupe or the Hollywood Hardtop would be the more desirable models, but this could be a nice buy for an orphan car fan at a price that won’t break the bank. These step-down Hudsons have always had that reputation of being well-built.
Even though it is a 4 door I would cruiser around in this one and the price seems fair.
4 doors is the way to go…too bad it’s too many miles away!!!
Al, is that Edsel yours? Its absolutely beautiful!!! About the 4 doors. I always tell people…. The view out over the hood from the drivers seat is EXACTLY the same in a 2 door as it is in a 4 door!!! I’d be happy with a 4 door at this point in my life.
And why do we have a picture of your car here?
Yes ..it was for a few years..was asked to bring it to Iola car show a few years back when theme was American Grafitti..It was about a match for the car Cindi Williams drove in the movie and I was lucky enough to get photos with her in the car and she signed my visor..great gal but she passed away 6 months later…been intrigued with other orphans like the Edsel so I sold this “58 last month and now have 3 Studies: a “49” and 2 bullet nose 51″s…still have a “59 and “60 Edsel
Your ex-car. Even more off topic on a post about a Hudson.
The temporary theme there was 4 door cars. Thanks for the pics Edsel Al! I appreciate them.
Huge fan of Hudson. My mechanic’s shop is named WASP AUTO, after the Hudson Wasp. I’m guessing a personal favorite of his.
I’d love to have this. But not in the cards right now. These were well built solid cars. And are still a dream to drive the highway today. Although nothing like a Jag. They both do have their own unique driving feel and experience. If timing was good, this would be in my driveway tomorrow.
Before my time. My father used to buy a new Hudson every three years.
jwaltb: I belong to another car club’s website, and some snot-nosed person like you groused about another member’s waxing nostalgic about a different vehicle than that which was being discussed. Perhaps all you did was to offend “Edsel Al” and perhaps he may never contribute to this group’s discussions in the future. I hope not. There are a lot of us out here that are old enough to accept conversation in the spirit of camaraderie. If you want to be obnoxious, go write on the men’s room wall.
Some of us old timers know when to blow someone off by not responding …I’m not going anywhere..:<)
Thank you so much for your education about manners, Mal. I will certainly try to conform to your ideas about how things should be, since you expressed yourself so graciously.
Today is the day for all the viewers to consider a reasonably priced drivable entry into the old car hobby. This vehicle is a head turner / conversation starter at any local show or Cars and Coffee..
I’d love to have it. New Jersey is not all that far away. But I couldn’t move on it right now. Hudson’s 1954 attempt to bring the “step-down” into the fifties in styling was a failed ugly duckling — but it somehow looks appealing now. And a number of readers here know that I happen to LIKE four doors; thank you! But I would LOSE those lettered tyres immediately!
Would love to be driving this buggy, 4 drs and all. Nice looking sedan. Simple flathead and a 3spd, yup. Wonder if it would stand up to daily use? Only an hour away, might have to give it a look this weekend if it is still available.
I also wonder if it has overdrive. If so, then it will cruise all day at legal speeds.
I also wonder if it has overdrive. If so, then it will cruise all day at legal speeds.
The authors posts are always spot on, and just happens to call attention to what most common views are. Like Corvair/Nader,,and Hudson/race history, etc. While there is no denying Hudsons glorious race history, for the record, it was short-lived, and they had some of the best drivers piloting them. The new fangled V8s left them in the dust, sadly. The Packard V8( 1955) was too late and Hudson was doomed anyway. That race history seems to take away from what great cars they actually were. They had safety features nobody else had, and by rights, a merger with Hudson and Nash, also a great car, should have made AMC the best. I feel, they were. These weren’t necessarily beautiful cars, and the name seemed old fashioned, but anyone in the 1950s knew the name Hudson was the epitome of quality, way before it’s race history. I don’t recall anyone saying they didn’t like their Hudson, even though they were long gone by my time.
I lived alot of Hudson after they were gone. (I was born in ’53) Uncle Smitty had a fleet of Hudsons up until about 1975. I drove many and rode in many of them for vacations. They were roomy, got good fuel economy and reliable. Seems like Dad and Uncle Smitty were always swapping vehicles for vacations. (Never really understood why) I ended up with a ’46 Club Coupe as a second car to my ‘ 55 Chev convertible while in high-school. And only drove it a couple of times before Uncle Smitty arranged a sale to someone who would restore it properly. Which made some money for me. But I really wanted a step down car. But never got around to buying one . (It would not have been cool in the school parking lot. I would have had to park next to the black and pink (more pink than black) Studebaker Supercharged Comander.)
Is it just me or does anyone else think this would look nice channeled with frenched headlights and tailights, possibly a judicious bit of lowering to give it a slightly aggresdive stance?
It is best LEFT ORIGINAL, as with ALL decent running condition old cars. If you want to “French” or “chop” or “hot-rod” something, find some solid surface-rusted and baked body in the dry southwest, and re-make it to your hot-rod heart’s content! But let these still-functioning originals REMAIN ORIGINAL!!!
Easy Harrison ….
Are we to disallow imagination?
I’m with Harrison on this one—there are plenty of “old” cars that never will look like they did new….these are the ones that can be somebodies dream build- the way they want to and I’m fine with that..But to find a real , unmolested origional, it deserves to be origional so as to show people what it looked like when built…
These were solid well built cars, either you love them or hate them but at this price for a 72 year old classic running and complete is a great deal. You won’t see that many of these circulating as with all orphan cars they are distinct, rare and desirable by more people than we think, body looks solid with some money this car has the potential to be a real head turner although will be demeaned by those who only prefer two doors….
I’m sorry: I just get upset when someone eyes a well-preserved original running car, a survivor, and immediately imagines how to change it into a custom job and put in a different power-train, and be able to do 125 m.p.h. in it. There are plenty of junkyard treasures in dry places for just such projects: you have a solid body and frame, but nearly hopeless mechanics and interior: you can re-make it into whatever you want. But fewer and fewer original survivors still exist — especially on models that only sold in limited quantities to begin with. When was the last time that you saw an all original and running driveable 1940 Graham? It is emotional for me, because, when I was a child, 1920s cars were still quite common on the roads, also the occasional teens car, and the rest were 1930s. I was buying phonograph records of popular music by 1948. So, to destroy one of these cars, or to think of doing so, is like cancelling a piece of who I have been. I suppose, had I been born 30 years after I was, it would not be such a tender spot for me. Again, I am sorry if I upset anyone. I always have disliked hot-rods, I suppose, because the teen-agers who drove them often were the very same bullies who beat me up in school. So I have bad associations with them, and I hated their loud straight pipes with no mufflers. I did not know it then, but I am Autistic; so I was a natural target to be assaulted and bullied in school — and so often male teachers cheered-on my attackers, because I was tiny and birdlike also, the very opposite of overtly masculine and athletic. Little children especially liked me, but girls anywhere near my own age laughed and scoffed at me. And I was beaten at home because my father could not stand me and my mother would not stick up for me. I understand now why they (and my frustrated siblings) reacted as they did; however, I did not have that intuition as a child and adolescent. Anyway, hot-rods are a reminder of all of that, and I to this day can’t stand seeing one. Maybe I should have built a hot-rod at some point, to gain empathy for their owners’ thrill over individual creation of something the auto industry had never thought of. Such a project would be way out beyond my capacity at this point. All of my adolescent tormentors have long since passed away, and I tread quite carefully now and have to prepare myself psychologically to climb a flight of stairs. I marvel at how my great uncle, at my age, scampered up stairs with such youthful agility! I am grateful to still be alive and to have beat the odds on that. Again, sorry for any hot-rodders I offended.
Understood. You are not alone.
No offense taken, and I’m sorry to have brought up bad associations for you. I do understand your point.
That’s okay, Chad: how were YOU to know? Perhaps I should have kept that part quiet.
Sorry Harrison, but for me it’s all about how I can make something better. (IMHO) And yes, I did move to where rust is a foreign word. Just so I could start with something that wasn’t molested by the tin worm. Sometimes I see something done in a taste that is not mine. My dentist has an “art car” that he takes to Burning Man every year. It’s not my style, but I do appreciate the love and labor that went into it. But in Nevada we say “You own it, you can do anything you want with it”. MANY OF COOL THINGS AND IDEAS HAVE COME FROM A VISION THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS HAD. JUST BECAUSE IT OFFENDS YOUR PRECONCEIVED IDEAS. DOESN’T MEAN IT’S A BAD IDEA. When you buy something, it is now yours to do what ever you want with it. We all have our own tastes. You and I have agreed on many things in the past. But that doesn’t mean that you want to ride with me at 10/10ths down a rally stage at night. And I appreciate your sense of self preservation. I grew up restoring Gen 1 Corvettes with a Dad who was a hot rodder heart. So I grew an appreciation for stock and modified. For me, vehicles are here for my enjoyment. Whether that means I thrash them on a rally stage, or bend them in a demo derby, or just to appreciate the body style of an XKE or GT40. They are here for my enjoyment however I decide to enjoy them.
Sorry Harrison, but for me it’s all about how I can make something better. (IMHO) And yes, I did move to where rust is a foreign word. Just so I could start with something that wasn’t molested by the tin worm. Sometimes I see something done in a taste that is not mine. My dentist has an “art car” that he takes to Burning Man every year. It’s not my style, but I do appreciate the love and labor that went into it. But in Nevada we say “You own it, you can do anything you want with it”. MANY OF COOL THINGS AND IDEAS HAVE COME FROM A VISION THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS HAD. JUST BECAUSE IT OFFENDS YOUR PRECONCEIVED IDEAS. DOESN’T MEAN IT’S A BAD IDEA. When you buy something, it is now yours to do what ever you want with it. We all have our own tastes. You and I have agreed on many things in the past. But that doesn’t mean that you want to ride with me at 10/10ths down a rally stage at night. And I appreciate your sense of self preservation. I grew up restoring Gen 1 Corvettes with a Dad who was a hot rodder at heart. So I grew an appreciation for stock and modified. For me, vehicles are here for my enjoyment. Whether that means I thrash them on a rally stage, or bend them in a demo derby, or just to appreciate the body style of an XKE or GT40. They are here for my enjoyment however I decide to enjoy them.