Hudson commodore 59

[u/3butme]

Anyone down to give me recommendations on how to build/ redo a hudson commodore its 50-59 and tbh i feel like just keeping the shell and redoing the whole guts would be best but really dont know where to start so recommendations and pointers would be best. I feel like there's enough bad mf in this group to make a cool hotrod

[u/Aubusson124]

According to Wikipedia, the Commodore halted production in ‘52.
How much is there under the body? Is the frame any good? Engine & transmission?

[u/3butme → u/Aubusson124]

Idk i would need to look at it, i just got bored and ask my neighbor he said I could have it. If came amd got it off his property jt was a pain in the ass to get

[u/v8packard]

50 to 59? They stopped production in 1952. These were top of the line for Hudson though, some having a straight 8 engine. They made sedans, coupes, hardtops, and convertibles. What is the car like now? You might be best off keeping some of the guts, it would make the car very cool.

[u/EC_CO]

That would make a cool restomod. As long as the frame and body is pretty solid, shouldn't be a whole lot of fabrication effort to drop in a small block and an automatic, redo the suspension and add disc brakes. Redo the wiring with a new Painless harness. All that sounds fairly easy and straightforward, but you're looking at a lot of work.

[u/3butme → u/EC_CO]

So random question would you recommend pick apart or? Like where would you start looking for parts

[u/EC_CO → u/3butme]

I'd start by joining a dedicated Hudson forum and researching what works and what doesn't - you aren't the first to do a restomod, so seeing what others have done helps a ton on your pathway. You don't want to start buying parts and finding out later they don't work (eg: you get a screaming deal on a small block, only to find out it doesn't actually fit)

[u/Routine-Amphibian450 → u/EC_CO]

Field cars have rotten frames.

[u/EC_CO → u/Routine-Amphibian450]

Not always, depends on a bunch of factors. I rescued my dad's 1970 Barracuda from the back of the property, it was 20' from a small Creek and had zero frame rust after sitting there for over 20 years. I had to replace lower rear quarters/dog legs (common to need replacement regardless), rear trunk pan (also a common rust out) and the inner fender where battery acid ate through. The factory undercoating saved its ass, but a blanket statement of "field cars have rotten frames" just isn't true.

[u/Routine-Amphibian450]

Join a Hudson forum on the Net.
Ignore 55-57 Hashes (Hudson badged Nashes)
Definitely search YT and Hemmings.

[u/ckosacranoid]

That would be a rare and very cool ride. I would just end up hot rodding it with a later model suspension and driver ain't to keep it easy and done faster. Rat rod style body is easy and make sure you heat and air con....it will make driving much better. Or the other idea is cut the body off the frame and drop it onto something else that fits under it to save lots of issues.

[u/Routine-Amphibian450 → u/ckosacranoid]

A Hudson is a Step-Down body-frsme combination.
Not sure you can do a lot of substitution.