My name is Rich Truesdell and I am an automotive writer and photographer. Many of you may have seen my work in [i]Cars and Part[/i]s magazine when it was still published.
I need help on two stories I'm working on. The first is the short-lived history on hardtop station wagons from 1956-1964 for my print-on-demand magazine, [i][url= http://www.amazon.com/Automotive-Travelers-Classic-Car-Premiere/dp/1496198379/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400783647 ]Automotive Traveler's Classic Car[/url][/i], available from Amazon. To my knowledge AMC was the first with this body style with the 1956 models. I know a limited number of 1956 Nash Rambler hardtop station wagons were built but would like to know if any Hudson Rambler hardtop station wagons were built? Can any one here tell me if any were built, the number and most importantly, have any survived? If any have survived, what is its condition and can the owner supply me with photos?
The second request can have the same car doing double duty in a book I have almost finished, a photo-history book on AMC, 1954-1987. Since the AMC Hudson years only span the 1955-57 model years, I really want to include an AMC-built Hudson model. It could be the above mentioned Hudson Rambler startion wagon or it could be a senior, full-sized Hudson built on the Nash chassis.
I realize that many of you don't consider AMC-built Hudsons as real Hudsons. The book will feature a two-page spread representing an AMC model from each year of production and I really want to include a Hudson from the 1955-57 era.
Can any one help?
Best wishes,
Richard Truesdell
I think you would definitely want to include the "full sized" Kenosha-bodied Hudsons because they were at least PART-Hudson (a number of styling cues continued from the Detroit days, and Hudson-engineered engines were used in the '55's I think). The Ramblers, on the other hand, were truly badge-engineered Hudsons.
You might want to add a photo of the 1955-57 Nashes as well, to show the difference between the two marques. They really did look different from one another but if a reader saw the Hudson only he'd probably assume that the Nash was virtually identical, which it wasn't.
They used Hudson engineered engines in both 1955-and 1956, in both the Hornet and Wasp.
For the book I will probably use a Hudson-powered full-size Hudson.
Do any of you know if any Hudson-badged Rambler hardtop wagons were produced and if any survived?
Best,
Rich
RICHARD
I OWN THE LAST S/N HUDSON CAR BUILT S/N Y14205* IT HAS AN ASTRICK ON THE VIN PLATE THAT DENOTES IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST 3 CARS TO LEAVE THE PLANT THIS WAS IN EARLY 1958 MY CAR HAS SOME THINGS MISSING ( BLACK STEERING WHEEL , HEAD LINER, POWER BRAKE PEDAL) IT IS A HOLLYWOOD HARDTOP ALL BLACK I'VE BEEN TOLD IT WAS THE ONLY ALL BLACK CAR.THE CAR IS RESTORED AND LOOKS AND DRIVES GREAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO USE IT WE CAN WORK SOME THING OUT
HUDSONLY
PAUL
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