STEPDOWN RESTORATION AIDS

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Welcome: You will find this page is a living document that will grow as time passes. The information found here is the experiences and knowledge of many people like you. The readers and I would be pleased if you would not leave in silence. Please take the time to do two things: First share a tip you have learned that helped you maintain your STEPDOWN. ... Two: Enjoy!

Hudson Model Cars and information – Legends of NASCAR

Hudson – Original Advertisements for Hudson Stepdowns.

Gasket Making

Hudson gasket sets are often hard to find. When you cannot find a proper gasket one method for overcoming the immediate need is to make your own. One method often overlooked in the use of the original part to make your new gasket. There are several methods, but the following two methods have been used successfully.

One: purchase sheet stock gasket material of the same type as the original gasket being replaced. Cut a piece of gasket about 1-2 inches larger than the dimensions of the surface for which the gasket is to be placed once manufactured. Examine each half of the two surfaces to be gasket-ed, select the half that has the deepest inner cavity as a template /tool for making your gasket. Now while firmly holding your gasket material against the selected surface, use a small metallic tool to carefully tap around the edges of the object to be gasket-ed. Your will find that with care you will outline the part (template) and the gasket material will be cleanly cut. Continuing to hold the gasket in place, tap at the interior surfaces of the part, again the gasket should outline the inner edge. If your are successful a completed replacement gasket will be your reward.

Two: Again purchase a proper sized piece of gasket material as well as a stamp pad inking stick. Using the stamp pad stick quickly ink all of the surfaces of the part to be gasket-ed. Once ink has been applied, place that surface onto the gasket material, taking care to not smear your impression. Remove the part and you will have a gasket positive that can be cut out with a craft knife or razor blade.

These two methods have been used successfully on STEPDOWN WA1 carbs, 3 spd. and overdrive transmissions, Timing cover and valve cover gaskets, Rear end housings, and Water pumps.

Submitted by Ken Cates SANJUANA@aol.com

Radio Repair: The following information was gleaned from the Internet… as always your make the decision to follow the advice provided by fellow Hudson owners…

This info will help anyone interested in stepdown radios

The most unreliable part of the radio is the vibrator.These vibrators have a set of internal contacts that corode or burn.It is the tall round tin can looking thing inside the radio. These vibrators can be replaced by a modern plug in solid state type. Available from Antique Automobile Radio Inc 700 Tampa Rd. Palm Harbor Florida. Plug the new one in specific to your needs i.e 6 volt positive ground etc. If you have converted your vehicle to 12 volt negative ground as I have you will need to do the following. Purchase the 1015N model which is the 6 volt negative ground version. Then place a step down resistor in the supply line to the radio. I used 2 clarostat type resistors in parrallel that are large and come with a little mounting bracket making installation easy. Put these on the firewall under the hood and out of the way they are going to get quite hot as they drop the voltage to the radio keep away from flammables.Voila your done. I have about 80 of the clarostat?resistors if anyone interested. $2.00 ea you pay for mail.2 required for the job. Radio tubes are not that rare and if you watch ebay the tube numbers will come up from time to time or there are many sites for antique radio vacuum tubes. Or you could just take your radio and have it overhauled.Since I prefer to do everything from soup to nuts myself that was not an option. Hope this info helps someone out.

Vibrator Repair

Try this first. If it doesn't work you haven't lost anything. I have been sucessful in prying the top of the metal cover up until the vibrator is apart. Clean the contacts with a point file. After making sure it vibrates, put it back together, bend the top of the can down again and seal it with tub seal.

Stepdown Radio Repairman

Steve Engel, the club Radio spec has been restoreing tube type radios for 33 years and has done dozens of them for me, including safe 12 volt conversions. with one year full gaurantee from day of installation, can restore your radio to like new, with all new orig tubes, capacaters, etc. or change to 12 volt. He is in the roster or call 909 823 3811, TIP FROM: Bill Albright

HET PARTS

HUDSON PARTS INTERCHANGE MANUAL - Some what out of date information, but a GREAT starting point for your parts hunt. Please take the time to record and send me the parts interchange information you find so that I can post that information for the ones who follow your hunt!

Hudson Parts Dealer Contact information:

Bill Albright,

Vintage Coach

16593 Arrow Blvd.

Fontana, CA 92335

909-823-9168

albrighthudsons@msn.com

Hudson cars & parts '30's/'40'/'50's, many new, used & reproduction parts.

New, used and reproduction Hudson parts.

Tim Cheney & Dave Kostansek,

7902 Route 7,

Williamsfield, OH 44093

440-994-9173 or

440-293-4079

Ignition, electrical, fuel, brake, engine, chassis parts; new & rebuilt.

Stuart E. “Stu” Coleman,

Antique Triangle Auto

13 Cedar Lane

Livingston, MT 59047

406-333-4964

atascoleman@wispwest.net

Used Hudson, Essex & Terraplane Parts

Dale Cooper ,

Ace Auto Parts

7444 Vine & Paddock

Cincinnati, OH 45216-1712

513-821-6200

www.hudsonmotorcarco.com

Specializing in engine parts, gaskets, mechanical parts. Complete gasket kits for HET engine rebuilds.

Steve Engel

Engel Bros. Auto Radio

17355 Jackson Avenue

Fontana, CA 92336

909-543-6078

steveengel@adelphia.net

Antique auto radio sales & service

Ron Fellows

P. O. Box 453

Canutillo, TX 79835

915-877-9025

hudnutz39@sbcglobal.net

www.geocities.com/hudsonclutchman

Hudson clutch disks & clutch related parts, seals, etc.

Ray Klein

Nevada Hudson Parts

1266 N. Santa Barbara Drive

Minden, NV 89423

775-267-0121

hudson56@charter.net

Used HET parts, contact with needs.

Al Saffrahn,

32425 W. Nam Vo Road

Maricopa, AZ 85239

520-568-2911

520-568-2105 (fax)

Rebuilds engines, transmissions, overdrives, steering boxes, rear ends. Hundreds of parts including sheet

metal and chrome trim.

Dany & Kaylene Spring, - K-GAP

Phone # 951-727-0607

Fax # 951-727-0600

Mailing Address: PO Box 33360 Riverside, CA. 92519

UPS, Fedex etc address: 2713 Woodbriar Dr. Riverside, CA. 92519

kgaphet@aol.com

http://www.k-gap.com/

Rubber gaskets, suspension parts, runningboard mats, lenses, decals, door sill plates, and much more.

Joe Stinnett

7953 Stone Road

Apopka, FL 32703

407-222-0524

407-814-6969 (fax)

jastinnett@earthlink.net

Reproduction AC brackets, roof antennas, 12 volt conversions, battery tenders.

Lance Walker

999 Stafford Farm Rd.

Concord NC 28025.

704-792-9110.

hornetllw@yahoo.com .

Ranco heater control valve rebuilding, Stepdown parts.

Doug Wildrick

Wildrick Restoration Service

1459 E. 425 N.

Shelbyville, IN 46176

317-398-4163

drdoug96@comcast.net

www.vintageautorestoration.com

Complete Hudson Mechanical repair & restoration services, in -shop clutch repair including Hudson Multi -disk clutches.

Vintage Coach - Bill Albright, WORLDS Largest HET Dealer, Cars, New-Used and Rebuilt Parts and Full Service. 16593 Arrow Blvd. Fontana California. 714-823-9168

Al Saffrahn @ 520-568-2911 RUST FREE western sheet metal and tons of parts and cars, Makes his living restoring cars and the mechanics of Hudsons or all years. Al has an outdoor department store of Hudson parts!! -

Huge NOS Hudson Parts Stock: Contact Gene Eshelman - hundreds of NOS and used Hudson parts at reasonable prices. E-mail him your needs.

1000s of HET PARTS –Check with Ed Faust from Bolivar NY. I still have thousands of HET parts - NOS and used. It takes time to inventory. Call @585-593-1712 ( July 2004) Ed is a great fellow who collected a bunch of Hudson parts when dealers were going out of business. He has provided me with many NOS parts for my Hudsons. Ken Cates

Reproduction Vent widow Gears and rebuilding services for window gearboxes: email Gene Eshelman

Large stock of NOS and Used Hudson Parts: Ken Amman, 240 Raleigh Pl., Lennon, MI 48449 (810) 621-3665. NOS and used parts and some cars for sale.

Hudson Service Replacement Parts: supplier of fuel pumps, water pumps, brake parts, seals, carbs, hoses, thermostats, gaskets, ignition, electrical for most year HET cars. Dave Kostansek, 7902 Route 7, and Williamsfield, Ohio 44093 (440) 293-4079, until 10 p.m. EST

Hudson Essex Terraplane Club Store: Hudson manuals and some Hudson parts.
HET Club Store
Email: HETClubStore@hotmail.com

Restoration Resources: This listing compliments of Southern California HET Chapter

CARSON’S AUTO PARTS - 235 Shawfarm Rd, Holliston, MA 01746
Vintage Auto Parts 1915 Thru 1960's Mechanical, Ignition, Brake, Large Stock of Gaskets, Brakes, Cables Ignition, Standard Transmission Parts, Water Pumps, Fuel Pumps. 508-429-2269 FAX 508-429-0761

Windshield Wipers - Vacuum Repair and parts support: Ficken Wiper Service- vacuum wiper motor rebuilding service. 7 day turn around. Hudson motors rebuilt 54.00 plus 5.00 shipping in U.S. Large supply of wiper blades, arms, and etc. 132 Calvert Avenue, West Babylon, NY 11704 (631) 587-3332

Part Numbers for Hudson Wiper Parts – provided by Park Waldrop

1948-54 Hudson Windshield Wiper Transmission & Cable Assemblies

Note:    For a given model, Hudson part number pairs (for L and R side) start with the right
            side; the left side is one digit higher. Trico part numbers start with the left side;
            and the right side is one digit higher.

Trico Part #	Hudson Part #	L/R Side	Application
81351	213582	L	1948-50 all
81352	213581	R	1948-50 all

81351 - 1	225107	L	1951 except Hollywood
81351 - 1	225106	R	1951 except Hollywood

81351 - 2	228227	L	1951 Hollywood
81352 - 2	228226	R	1951 Hollywood

81351 - 3	230055	L	1952 (See note 1)
81352- 3	230054	R	1952 (See note 1)

81352 - 4	235786	R	1953-54 Jet (See below for LH side

81351 - 5	233501	L	1952-54 except Jet (See note 2)
81352 - 5	233500	R	1952-54 including Jet (See note 2)

Notes:

Cars with wiper motor mounted to the right of firewall centerline
1952s with wiper motor mounted to the left of firewall centerline

Windshield Wipers - Vacuum to Electric Conversion:

VACUUM TO ELECTRIC WIPERS NEW 2 Speed Electric Wiper Motor And Switch Conversion Kits FOR MOST CLASSIC VEHICLES AND YEARS Bolt In Job No CUTTING, $198.95.psh COMPLETE......EM mail to: FBOTTE@AOL.COM Or Check out the wiper motor Page... www.chevychevy.com/pages/35_64_Cars_Trucks_Wiper_Motors.htm

RANCO Valve repair: Lance Walker, of Concord, NC - Contact Lance @ mailto:hornetllw@yahoo.com (updated 9 July 2005)

Hoses for Oil Filters: Tractor Supply Company operates farm and ranch stores through out Texas, possibly other states too. This company regularly stocks a wide variety of pre made hoses of the type used to connect the Oil Filter on a Hudson to the engine block. The cost is in the neighborhood of $5.00 per hose. (Ken Cates)

Motor Mounts for Step-downs: Dave Sollon (Apr 1998 ) For mounts, you can use AMC 6 cyl front mounts that are available at NAPA MM-2280. They were used on Ambassador, Hornet, Javelin, Gremlin They are square, rather than round, but bolt up perfect and are stronger.

AIR CONDITIONING FOR ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE CARS - VINTAGE AIR

Get Certified by EPA to do your own Air-conditioning repairs and service - And LOTS MORE About auto air-conditioning

AMERICA'S CAR PART SEARCH - Search page for all of the USA for used auto parts

AUTO PARTS FINDER - Search page for all of the USA for used auto parts

ANTIQUE PARTS Listing- Search page for a variety of antique car part sources

ALLEN FLEMING ON LINE - HUGE American Motors web site - These folks know about Hudsons and parts

Cannon’s RESTORATION LINKS - The Web master states...Many of the following links may be helpful to your restoration (example: welding a panel on a GMC truck is similar to welding a panel on an MG Midget) I would say a HUDSON is the same as a GMC truck for metal restoration.... there is a wealth of info here.

CHAMPION SPARK PLUGS - spark plugs of course

CLIFFORD PERFORMANCE - 6=8 HUDSON Engine parts and technical information

DAVE SOLLON'S LINKS - Parts sources available for HUDSONS located on Dave's Home page

ELECTRIC'S REBUILDER: - Yesteryear- Antique Automotive parts 1920 - Present

"Specializing in Ignition and electrical supplies" Rebuilding services for 6 and 12 volt electronics

Egge Machine- The Parts House for Old Cars Listing ID 9159 Phone 800 866-3443; 562 945-3419 Fax 562 693-1635 Mail Egge Machine Company, 11707 Slauson Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 USA

GREENBAY PARTS WORLD : Owner offers one-step shopping for Hudson Engine parts ...Now, for the products that we can provide. We are specialized in supplying engine parts, and can obtain most gaskets and engine parts for all year Hudsons. Obviously, not all parts are available, especially the early cars, but we try our best. For some parts, we can have the customers parts repaired if no replacements are available. These items are cams, water pumps, oil pumps, and fuel pumps. These are sent out to a rebuilder and can take several weeks up to two months or more to rebuild.

HYDAMATIC TRANSMISSION REBUILD KITS & GASKETS - Online chart for gasket selection

Bill Hirsh Automotive Restoration Products: Our Mission "We have been in business for over 35 years and carry an extensive line of automotive restoration products. We stand behind every one of our world famous products and are confident that our experience, friendly service, and knowledge will best serve you in your restoration project.” Bill Hirsch Contact / Ordering Information Please contact us using the information provided below. You can call, fax, mail or e-mail us to place an order, request samples and receive information. Most of our orders are processed and shipped the same day. Telephone 800 828 2061 (International or NJ 973 642 2404) Fax 973 642 6161 Postal address 396 Littleton Ave. Newark NJ 07103

J.C. WHITNEY on line - My favorite spot to buy parts for HUDSONS during the 60-70s!

KANTER AUTO PARTS - HUDSON ENGINE PARTS - Also has other Hudson mechanical parts

MACS ANTIQUE AUTO PARTS - look at the links on this page many are needed to support HUDSONS

SEMA - Many Links to all sorts of automotive support use the search engine to find your needs.

SEALS - Parts House Search form for HUDSON SEALS

SHOCK ABSORBER COMPANY - MONROE

SUSPENSION PARTS Rare Parts, Inc. manufactures and distributes steering and suspension parts and components including the obsolete and hard-to-find suspension parts for domestic and import cars and trucks from 1930 to the current year. Rare Parts, Inc. sells worldwide to customers in the automotive trade from our location in Stockton California. Over 600,000 suspension parts in stock.

Step-down front springs: Coil Spring Specialties, in Kansas. They have all the specs, and are great to deal with. I think they can tell you what you've got (and if you need new ones, they're an excellent source). Phone 785-437-2025; email info@coilsprings.com ..........Park W.: 6/7/2001

Windshield Wiper parts - THOMAS J. SESTAK - TRICO & ANCO WIPER PARTS SPECIALIZING IN HARD TO FIND WIPER PARTS

Hemming Motor News: Hudson Cars and Parts

Steele Rubber Products 6180 Hwy 150 East Denver, NC 28037-9735 800-544-8665

We are the manufacturer and distributor of restoration rubber parts for antique and collector cars. Just call 800-544-8665 for a 440 page illustrated catalog. With same day shipping, excellent customer service and a 100% money back guarantee Steele is the perfect choice for your restoration rubber needs. Visit Us!

K-Gap Hudson Automotive Parts 1929-1957 Hudson, Essex, and Terraplane authentic reproduction weather seals, lenses and some accessory items. Call for catalog

Dany and Kaylene Spring
P.O. Box 720976
Pinon Hills, Ca. 92372
Ph/Fax 1-760-868-2284

METRO- RUBBER RESTORATION PARTS & WEATHER-STRIPPING -THE WEATHER-STRIP EXPERTS How to install the weather-strip on your car. Practical installation guide for the restorer. Call toll free with your order at 1-800-878-2237

High quality repro glove boxes - available in black cardboard, (flocked where necessary) ready for installation. Shipped from central Pennsylvania. 1936 through 1953. $25.00 plus $5.00 shipping to most everywhere - ask for shipping costs overseas. Contact Allan Minard at 749 Houtztown Road, Myerstown Pennsylvania 17067. Phone 717-933-5738 or E-Mail to minard@nbn.net

PARTS INTERCHANGE “POSSIBILITIES” FOR HUDSON STEPDOWNS

Use this information with care! ---------- CONTRIBUTE updates and new part numbers to this site mailto:sanjuana@aol.com

No Guarantees are made … Always compare the new part to the original

Brake Kit for Step-down. NAPA #80409 Dave S Hudson Chat

Hudson Wheel Bearings Here are the bearing cup and cone numbers, these are from the Hudson parts book and NAPA can use them to get you what you need as I just bought these same bearings for my car. Front inner cone Timken #15123, front inner cup NAPA #15245. The outer bearing numbers for good measure are cone Timken #09067, cup Timken #09195. A note on bearings the numbers are usually (but not always) stamped on the bearing and the cup, your parts house or a local bearing house to get you what you need can reference these. Also for good measure here is the NAPA seal number for you #16246. Check that the cups pressed into your hub have not `spun` in the hub as this is what happened to me and I’ve been told it is a relatively common occurrence. From the Hudson Chat Ted Parrott: 6/10/2001 - 1/1/1900 8:27:31 PM

Front Seal 51/52 standard transmissions NAPA for a National 6337 or Chicago Rawhide 13421 Dave S Hudson Chat

'53 Hydra Transmission seal, same as 57-61 Chevrolet turbo glide #46328- Dave S Hudson Chat

Hudson Axle Seals Dave Kostansek (440 293-4079) has all but the rear inners. For those, I don't know of a current equivalent seal available. Maybe someone else out there has found one. They're still showing up at flea markets within the club. The old NAPA number for rear outer was 49218; it's now CR 17310. Fronts are CR 15960 or National (?) 482253. Park (Dec 7 1999) Hudson Chat

51 Pinion Seal (Others?) NAPA 47897 or National 47331 Park: 1/14/00 – Hudson Chat

Hudson Windshield glass Lo-Can has repro new ones at about $275 inc. pack & ship.1800-889-3826 Larry Cramer (Jan 2 2000) Hudson Chat

Hudson Step-down Radiator: What radiator to use in a Hornet...1976 and up (not sure how far up Dodge full size Van with `360`and maybe the `440` engine. perfect fit, Just requires small relieving of the brackets. Hoses will line up. Just measure everything first to make sure. Press Kale has one of these on his 1948 Commodore with the Slant six engine. Dave Keister //// Hudson BBS....

Hudson Stepdown Radiator Replacement by: Richie Hodges – How to Install a Dodge B200 Radiator in a Stepdown

HUDSON SHOCKS : The Manual says the front shocks should be 7 3/4" to 12" and the rear should be 13 3/16 to 21 15/16" the following shocks were recommended by Chuck Fellows to meet these specifications:

Front: Gabriel # 82026 ( they measure 8-13") and are available from Auto Zone
Rear : Gabriel # 82154 ( they measure 13 11/16 to 22 11/16) available at Auto Zone
Rear: Gabriel # 81318 and # 73126 have the same measurements as the 82154)

GAS SHOCKS FOR HUDSONS:

Gabriel gas shock #s: front # 82028 & # 81147 for the rears. Just put on my `53 HH & are great. Pete Booz: 12/28/2000

Advance Auto Parts Gas Rear-PA 15740070 11.99 each Standard Front PA 15740132

NAPA- 94080 for rear,

Front shock support plates: available from Doug Wildrick @ 30.00 a pair.

Other Step-down Replacement Part Numbers

Standards Trans 53-54 Front Seal --national 473436
Standard Trans rear seal with overdrive --national 8160S
Drive shaft u -joints --NAPA 369
OD kick down switch--NAPA OD6287 (need 9/16 18 jam nuts to use)
Front hydro seal-- Victor 49721
Throw out bearing seal-- Victor 49100

Twin H Carburetor heat insulator gasket   Delco 3692799
Step-down tie rod ends     NAPA 269-2241 right, 269-2240 left,
Step-down drive shaft        U joints NAPA 36
front hydro seal                 Victor 49721
Pinion seal 52-54: NAPA 47559
Step-down brake Shoes     CAR QUEST - RS-263 and RS-9
Paper filters for twin H      NAPA 2110, AC A130C, Fram CA1-1PL, CARQUEST 87110, Motorcraft FA11,

Purolator A20021, WIX 42110
Drive shaft isolators NAPA-Belkamp 3-5090 or NAPA Walker 3-512
Wasp/pacemaker 53-54

drive shaft carrier bearing #FS 88107 also 88506
Fan belts all 1948-54 w/o power steering belt 41 and 3/16" x 3/4" wide 34degree angle; Gates 8370,

614 or 699, NAPA 349 will work. Cars with p/s Gates 8209 for gen/fan and Gates 8320 for

steering pump.
Gas tank brass float Ford dealer part #COAZ9202B

Electric fuel pump NAPA -Borg Warner #EP11 for 6 volt and EP12B for 12 volt
Overdrive kick down The Jeepsterman, 908-458-3966 part #649790 $18 , NAPA OD 6284, $15.40

CATERPILLAR PARTS INTERCHANGE FOR HUDSON - provided by: RUDY BENNETT

1B4109--STD-FLYWHEEL PILOT BEARING

4F2926--CENTER STEERING BEARINGS ( 2-required )

6D6306--12-VOLT OVER-DRIVE RELAY

7C9748--12-VOLT HIGH-FLOW FUEL PUMP (pulse-type )

9Y5011--OIL FILL PIPE FILTER

153-5690--6-VOLT BATTERY ( group-2 )

3H7927--1/2 STUDS FOR CLIFFORD HEAD

4B4314--BUTTON-HEAD RIVET ( fits under top of shift lever to column )

1P5121--7/16 WASHERED BOLTS, FOR OIL PAN-TIMING COVER. (ELEMENTS OIL LEAKS

2A4639--3/8 BOLTS TO HOLD THE PONTIAC CAM GEAR AND ADAPTOR TO CAMSHAFT.

NON-CAT PARTS

48474--NAPA SPEEDO GABLE FOR 48-51 STD.TRANSMISSION.

FUEL-PUMP KIT--781-335 1579, ANTIQUE AUTO PARTS.

RANCO HEATER CONTROL KIT 203-287 9830

CLASSIC CONCEPTS - INLINE 6 ENGINE CLUB MEMBER'S LINKS - Really large set of links for restoration needs

Classic Car Parts & Car Accessories - Index page with many links for the restorer

HUDSON CARS FOR SALE ON THE WEB - Classified ads

Listing of Junk yards across the USA indexed by State

TAYLOR'S AUTOMOTIVE TECH LINE - On line technical information about repair and maintenance of automobiles

Hudson – Picture Gallery – Online storage for a wide variety of Hudson related images

Original Literature - Walter Miller address: 6710 Brook lawn Parkway, Syracuse, NY 13211, Phone: (315) 432-8282, Fax: (315) 432-8256 - Dealer who has HUDSON literature 1909 to present 2 million pieces.

The following sections contain information that will assist you in the proper maintenance and the overhaul / restoration of STEPDOWN components. HOW TO DO information describes a way of accomplishing a task. The HOW to DOs may also include the "tricks of experience" learned by another STEPDOWN owner and passed on to you.

Technical and Informational Datasheets:

HUDSON TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS: The following links will take you to information Mr. Alex Burr has taken the time to make available to the Hudson enthusiasts. Provide your appreciation with an email to Alex or if you are interested in having this data on a CD he will provide it for a reasonable fee.

Direct Links to Alex Bur's Technical information page

SALES FACTS - Next 12 items

HUDSON Dealer Sales and Maintenance information

HUDSON GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS CHART 1950-1954

Hudson General Specs Click for printable chart

ENGINES:

At one time all you had to do was call up JC Whitney to buy a new HUDSON HORNET Motor...

One of the J C Whitney engines

Original J C Whitney Hudson engine ad

Letters from Bernie Siegfried

Renowned Hudson engineer and engine designer provides insights about Hudson and the development of Hudson automobiles.

Improving Hudson engine cooling

Rudy Bennett Texas Hudson enthusiast shares tips on how to maximize the cooling capabilities of a 232, 262 or 308 Hudson engine.

Hudson Extra Performance Camshaft Bulletin

Rare Hudson Cam: Email note from Rudy B.

Ken,

The Mystery Cam has been found and its # 309397 is cast between front lobe centers (not stamped) This is the one that Bernie (SIEGFRIED) asked were did you get that cam? It was one of a few that was made by Hudson but did not go into production. (it had a rough idle so Hudson changed it a bit and it became the 309742-flat-top. I wonder how many more are out there? Hudsonly Rudy.

Jack Clifford- Drag racing and Engine building article

Legendary Hudson modifier and Hudson Performance equipment manufacturer Jack Clifford is featured in an article that describes his Hudson and the engine modifications accomplished to win National Drag racing fame.

HUDSON TUNING TIPS

There are four basic engine series in the Hudson 6 line: 202, 232, 262 and 308 cubic inch. All of the Hudson 6 engines except for the 202 engine have interchangeable parts and can be exchanged from one to another. For example a 232 head or crankshaft can be used with a 308 engine and only the pistons have to be replaced with new ones having the correct height. The 1948-50 6 engines have parts that will interchange with the later wide block engines. Each of the rods and most of the common parts but not the heads. The 202 engine is completely different from the other Hudson 6 engines and does not have interchangeable parts with the larger Hudson 6s.

Limitation and Speed tuning hints for the 232, 262 and 308 engines

BORE LIMITS: All 48 -56 Large Block engines can be over-bored .060 inch safely with .125 inch being the maximum over-bore. Any engine with a .005 cylinder taper should be bored.

STROKING LIMITS: The longest safe stroke when using a 4.5 inch Hornet crankshaft is 5 inches and will fit the stock block without and modification. The absolute limit in a Hornet block is 5.25 inches but the block must be machined.

HEAD MILLING LIMITS: All new Hudson heads are 2 inches when new and can be milled .060 inches safely. Do Not exceed .100 inches.

When a head has been milled beyond .060 inches there will probably be problems keeping a head gasket from failing. The Hornet engine is 7 to 1 compression ration with a stock cast iron head and when a 232 head is installed the engine will have a new compression ration of 8.5 to 1 with out milling the head. The best max compression ratio for street usage is 8 to 8.25 to 1 and this can be attained by adding a 262 head to the 308 engine. The best max ratio for oval track usage is 10.5 to 1. The best max ratio for drag racing usage is 12.5-13 to 1. The only way to assure these ratios is to use a NEW head or filling a used head to attain the ratio. Engines with compression rations above 9-1 should use 7X block relief.

WEAK POINTS OF HUDSON ENGINE DESIGN

1. 7/16 inch diameter head bolts are too small for the 3408 engine because of the wide spaced head bolt pattern. To correct this problem the late 56 and 7X engines all use ½ inch diameter studs with nuts to hold the head in place. All 7X engines use a special washer under the nuts to spread the force across the head and gasket. These washers should be used for any serious racing applications.

2. Timing chain stretch is bad on all Hudson engines. A good pre-stretched chain is essential for any rebuild. The MORSE chain is the best available (1971) made for Hudson engines. Timing chains should be changed every 4000 miles. Racing a Hudson engine will wear out a chain in 500 miles or less.

3. All oil pump gears (brass) should be changed every 40000 miles. The gear can wear thin and if it fails brass chips will be spread through the engine.

4. Crankshaft breakage in the 308 engine is critical at 4900+/- 100 RPM. If the engine is run up to this RPM and allowed to stay at this figure for any time the crank will fail at the #6 Crankshaft journal. If you run above 5000 RPMs the engine will lose HP. The engines are designed for torque production and below 5000 RPMS is the best operational area.

5. The stock exhaust is a HP robber! At least 20 HP! Adding headers to the Hudson engine will bring the BIGGEST HP boost for the least money spent. Make the headers from 1 5/8 to 1 ¾ inch diameter tubing with lengths 36 to 42 inches long and then collect into two pairs of 3 pipes and the 3 into 1 venturi collector for proper scavenging.

BASIC STAGES OF TUNING FOR BALANCED POWER

STAGE 1 TUNING: Used for stock drag racing and street usage around 200HP

Bore engine .060 inch oversize, Use No. 311040 cam and new valve train, tuned headers and a 262 head

STAGE 2 TUNING: oval track and drag racing not recommended for the street around 250 HP

All of Stage 1 actions with hi lift cam and matching valve train, CLIFFORD Hi Compression head, ½ in studs, full 7X valve relief with 7X valves 1 11/16 inch Header pipes and more carburetion

STAGE 3 TUNING: All out racing around 275 to 300 HP

All of Stage 1 and 2 plus 3 15/16 inch bore and 5 inch stroke with fuel injection or triple Weber carburetion.

HUDSON CAM HISTORY: All Hudson engines come with the 306344 cam which became the standard low HP cam for Hudson in 1953. The 1954 Hudsons were delivered with the 309742 (7X) Flat Top cam and later in 1954 was replaced with the 306344A series cam. The 311040 cam (Super 7X high lift cam (.390 gross lift) came out in the fall of 1953 for all our Oval track racing and was listed as the severe use cam. The HP rating of the 308 standard engines equipped with twin H power and the 7.5 to 1 CR head using a 306344 cam is 155HP. When using the 309742 7x flat top cam the HP is 170 and when using the 311040 Super 7X cam the rating is 180HP.

Year	CU Inch	Bore	Stroke	Comp	Ratio	Valve	SIZE	Cam lift	Horse	power
				IRON	Aluminum	INTAKE	EXHAUST		Single Carb	Dual Carbs
51-52	232	3 9/16 inch	3 7/8 inch	6.7	7.2	1 13/16 inch	1 9/16 inch	.356	112	----
53-54	232	3 9/16 inch	3 7/8 inch	7.0	7.5	1 13/16 inch	1 9/16 inch	.356	126	----
51-52	262	3 9/16 inch	4 3/8 inch	6.7	7.2	1 13/16 inch	1 9/16 inch	.356	123	----
53-54	262	3 9/16 inch	4 3/8 inch	7.0	7.5	1 13/16 inch	1 9/16 inch	.356	1470	149
51-52	308	3 13/16 inch	4 ½ inch	6.7	7.2	1 13/16 inch	1 9/16 inch	.356	1475	----
	308	3 13/16 inch	4 ½ inch	7.0	7.5	1 13/16 inch	1 9/16 inch	.356	160	170
52-54	308 7X	3 13/16 inch	4 ½ inch	8.7	9.2	2.0 inch	1 11/16 inch	.356	-----	210
55-56	308	3 13/16 inch	4 ½ inch	7.0	7.5	1 13/16 inch	1 9/16 inch	.356	165	175

Note	Total head volume is made up of the relief, head gasket and head volume

ID Hudson Hornet engine year of build

On 1954 and earlier engines, the serial number is vertical on the front of right (passenger) side of block below head. 1955 and 1956 engines have serial number horizontal on left (driver) side. 1955 engines start with letter "F" and numbers 1001 and upward, 1956 engines start with letter "F" and number 8601 and upward. 1955 and 1956 engines also have 1/2" studs for head bolts. Earlier are 7/16" bolts.

Hudson Engine Heads: provided DJ Kava

The July 1951 Hudson Service Merchandiser notes the following about 1951 heads: "Beginning with the 1st production, an aluminum head of 7.2:1 compression ratio was standard. The marking on top of cylinder head was H-145 Super Power Dome-304632 (this is casting number). The optional cylinder head was of cast iron, 6.7:1 ratio, with marking H-145 Power Dome-304630.

Later, a cast iron cylinder head, 7.2: ratio, was used as standard-marking H-145 Super Power Dome-305923, and a metal tag with the imprint USE PREMIUM FUEL. The present and final change for standard head 7.2: ratio is of a new casting with marking H-145 Super Power Dome Use Premium Fuel-305854."

I went over this many years ago and the metal tag head was simply standard equipment.

Pictures of the machining process required to create a 7X engine; The pictures shown are the handy work of a Hudson Engine builder named Randy Mass.

LES P of California shared the following article...

HOW TO BUILD a "7X" ENGINE By Sloane F. McCauley

Note: Sloan died a number of years ago, but his talent and love for Hudsons lives on in this paper. He was A.H.R.A. National Record Holder Formula 4, B/A and D/A racing a Hornet powered Jet. The JET is enshrined in the Garlitts Racing Museum in Florida. The engine shown in the following picture is equipped with a set of Fisch carbs, Clifford head, separate intake manifold for each carb and the know how Sloane shares in the following article.

Sloan M Hornet - Jet

Sloan Hornet Jet 7x spec 308 engine

Dallas County Hudson Dealers... Sloans Racing Name

Most Hudsonites have heard of the magical 7X engine, but a great many of them do not really understand what it is nor what modifications have been performed to make it a true 7X In this article we will show you what is required to 7X your own 308 engine. Of course, it will be necessary to remove the engine from the car and completely disassemble it so at rebuild time would be a good time to 7X your engine. The basic differences in the 7X engine and the stock Twin-H power 308 are the larger valves, the wider and deeper relief area, the hot cam, the dual exhaust manifold, and the high compression head. The 7X engine has 2" intake valves and 1 11/16" exhaust valves. These valves can be easily installed in stock 308 blocks. The valve pockets must be enlarged and then hand ground to achieve the venturi /effect under the valve seat which is so important to obtaining max flow through the valves. These oversize 7X valves are available from Jack Clifford as is the 311040-7X cam, which is reasonable in price and affords a good performance boost over the stocker. The 7X cam is set at .016 H and the timing specs are intake opens 14 degrees BTDC, intake closes 62 degrees ABDC, exhaust closes 56 degrees BBDC, exhaust opens 20 degrees ATDC Gross lift is .390. The 232 head is used on the 7X engine, giving a compression ratio of 8.7 to 9.2-1, depending on the variance in hand machine work in the relief area. Horsepower of the 7X engine is rated at 180 and torque is 305 ft-lbs. at 3,000 rpm. The 7X dual exhaust manifold helps in the back pressure-relieving department but these are becoming very scarce items. The stock exhaust manifold can be split and dual exhausts installed if a genuine 7X dual exhaust manifold cannot be obtained. The stock Twin-H power intake system is also used on the 7X engine. Of course, the heart of any good 7X engine is the relief area. This is the area of the block across which the mixture must flow from the valves to the cylinder. This area must be deepened and widened to achieve full 7X status. The first thing to do is get a head gasket and some machinist's dye. Paint the block surface with the dye and put the head gasket on the block. Now take a scriber and scribe a line, following the head gasket. This will show you what must be removed in order to widen the relief area all the way out to the head gasket. Also, the edge of the relief area should be radiused where it meets the head gasket to afford greater flow. The relief area should be deepened right down to the edge of the valve seat and cut all the way out toward the bore. The counter bore that the valve sits in will be eliminated and you will have a flat plane surface from the edge of the valve seat to the cylinder. The best way to cut the relief area is to use a milling machine such as a Bridgeport along with an end mill tool. This is the easiest way to remove the bulk of the material and then the block can be hand finished and smoothed. It is possible to grind the complete 7X relief by hand, but I would not recommend it. I believe you would be better off paying a machinist even at $10/hour because the work is not precision type work and can be roughed out quickly and easily on the machine and then hand finished and polished. I would estimate that I have nearly 100 hours work in the block in my race car, mostly hand finished This is only my second block in five years of racing this car, and is far superior to The first one, which was lost when a piston exploded and the rod wiped out the cylinder wall and went right out through the side of the block. Needless to say, if my present block were damaged beyond repair, I would cry a lot. The block is the critical part of a flathead racing engine. Unlike an OHV, in a flathead, all the power is produced by the breathing ability of the block in which the valves are located, as opposed to the easily replaceable head of an OHV engine. One thing to remember, however, is that just because an engine is advertised as being a 7X does not mean that it really is. It has become fashionable to call any mildly souped 308 a 7X engine. In reality, the 7X engine was a dealer-installed option (which means built by the factory racing team) the specs of which were set forth in a Hudson factor3~ technical bulletin dated 2/2/52. The true 7X engines were generally hand built for racing purposes and it is doubtful that many of these original 7X engines are still around. A high altitude engine was produced by the factory, which included some 7X parts, such as the oversize valves, 232 head, and hot cam, but was not true 7X's in that the relief area was not deeply machined and hand finished. The later model '55 and '56 blocks have deeper stock relief areas than the earlier blocks which make them more desirable for a stock engine, but if the relief area is to be machined to 7X specs, it makes no difference which block you use. The second-generation 7X engines, such as mine, are also hand-built units utilizing Clifford parts. Don't let anyone pawn an engine off on you as being a 7X without First pulling the head and checking for sure, as a tremendous amount of hand preparation goes into creating a genuine 7X engine. Well I hope this gives everyone a general idea of what a 7X engine really is, and if you were planning on rebuilding that tired old 308 anytime soon, l'd definitely recommend 7X modifications, as the performance increase per dollar spent is fantastic. Now we will discuss how to 7X your block and we will delve further into proper block preparation as applied to a racing engine.

Correct block preparation is a very exacting science, the details of which are often overlooked by the amateur hot rodder. The major rule in block preparation is "cleanliness is next to Godliness." I assembly my engines in hospital like surroundings, and if you want your engine to last, I'd advise you to do the same. The first thing to do with an old block after disassembly is to have it placed in a hot caustic solvent tank to clean out the din and sludge The cam bearings must be installed after caustic cleaning because the vat would devour them for its dinner. The block should be milled about .020 to insure a straight and level deck. The top edge of the cylinder bore should then be chamfered in order that the rings will go in easily without breaking. Many hot rodders advocate align boring the main saddles of the block but I have found this to be unnecessary on the old Hudson blocks. The Hudson engine was a precision product and all tolerances were very closely held. Besides, align boring is a very difficult operation which requires extremely expensive equipment to perform correctly. Some of the cheaper align boring rigs are nothing but junk, and they can really butcher a block.

The lifter bores should be smoothed and polished with fine emery cloth. On other engines, a brake cylinder hone can be used for this job, but the Hudson lifter bores are too narrow. The head bolt holes in the block should be slightly chamfered at the top of the block surface to allow for any distortion caused when the head bolts or studs are torqued down. The block should be honed on a Sunnen CK-10 honing machine. The old hand-held drill-operated corncob hone is junk and can never deliver a professional ring seal. For best results, a honing jig should be made from an old head, which can be torqued down, on the block to distort the cylinders. The hone can then be passed through the holes cut in the old head and hone the block with it distorted as it would be with a real head installed. Cylinder wall distortion can and will run as high as .003 to .004 so this is the only way to get a topnotch professional quality ring seal. The block should now be completely de-burred and smoothed. All edges should be chamfered, the rough spots in the ports should be smoothed out, and any loose casting slag should be ground away. The inside of the Hudson blocks is already painted orange with special paint which is good, in that tiny nicks and cracks are sealed and the oil can flow back to the pan easier. The main oil gallery is plugged with Welch plugs at each end of the block. When oil pressure is raised above 50 psi. these plugs tend to go away, so the fix is to thread the oil gallery front and rear and install pipe plugs. This prevents any chance for oil leakage, and the pipe plugs can be easily removed for cleaning at rebuild time. Another little tip I can pass along to you is that the front main bearing cap should have another oil return hole drilled in it to allow for greater flow of oil from the timing cover back into the pan. I experienced an oil buildup problem in this area early this year due to increased oil pressure, which was causing the front timing cover seal to leak. After we drilled the second oil return hole on the other side of the main cap, we had no more problems. Now we come to the most important part of block preparation: cleaning. Simply vat cleaning the block is not good enough. The best way to really clean a block is to take it to the 25-cent car wash and soap the hell out of it. Stick the sprayer in all the oil gallery holes and blow detergent through them until the flow is clean. Also clean the entire block inside and out. Splurge and spend a couple of bucks here, as it will pay off in the long run. The next step is to get some small bristle brushes, such as gun cleaning brushes, and run them in and out of all the oil passages in the block and crank, using soapy water as a cleaning solvent. You'd be surprised how much dirt you can still get out of the block with these brushes, even after it has been cleaned in a vat and soaped at the 25-cent car wash. You will need to use an extension in order to pass the brush through the main oil gallery, which runs the length of the block. Brush all the oil galleries until they come clean, then rinse off the block and crank. You are now ready for assembly. I do not have the space to elaborate on proper assembly methods, as this article deals with block preparation. However, the main thing to remember is "keep it clean". This does not mean a disorganized, hurried assembly on a dirty garage floor. I like to assemble my engines on a pair of sawhorses upon which the block can be placed. This gets the engine off the ground and can easily be wrapped up in cellophane after assembly is completed to protect from dirt. Take your time in assembling the engine. Be sure all the parts are operating room clean and wash your hands often

Don't get in a big hurry, and above all - THINK!

Interchangeable Hudson Engine Parts: Alex Burr – Has created a Tech Bulletin that captures Sloan’s knowledge of interchangeable Hudson engine parts.

General Information:

From Kenneth Ufheil - Apr 14 1998

I wouldn't use 3 ring pistons on a street driven car if I wanted low oil consumption. The 4-ring piston has better oil control. The only pistons available cheaper would require a huge overbore (1/8''), which is not desirable for street and highway driven car (too much heat buildup due to thinner cylinder walls). I don't recommend a 232 head for street either, as it will ping like crazy, and yes it does increase the possibility of blown head gasket. If your 308 blocks isn't already fitted with 1/2'' studs, they are added insurance against blown head gasket. The 262 head will work Ok, maybe some pinging under load at normal timing setting. Be sure the head hasn't been previously milled more than about .040''. The ones milled .060'' and beyond will not hold a gasket well. The gasket should work with the 2'' intake valve. You get the 7X valves from Clifford's Inline Performance Products. Clifford also offers the double roller chain and sprockets ready to bolt on for about $230. The Pontiac 389 chain is a roller chain. It will NOT fit on to the stock Hudson sprockets as the Hudson Sprockets are for a Morse type chain. You would have to machine the Pontiac sprockets to fit onto the Hudson cam and crank, Clifford already does this work with his double roller chain kit I previously mentioned. Why don't you give Clifford a call or drop him a line, he can tell you all about this stuff better than I anyway. Yeah, it's not cheap to properly rebuild a Hudson engine. But the money spent on a good rebuild with good parts is well spent. I have seen several Hudson owners try to cut corners and then their ''rebuilt'' engine was reduced to ''junk'' in short order

Tips for Trouble shooting compression problems – (Park W. July 2004 – Hudson Chat)

Try a pressure test to see exactly where the compression is leaking: Take the plugs out, and put the one to be tested near top dead center on the compression stroke (just have the dist. rotor pointing to that cylinder's position on the cap). Then apply an air hose with a rubber tipped nozzle and about 40 psi pressure to the spark plug hole and listen for air leakage. You'll hear it out the adjacent cylinder spark plug hole (head gasket sealing problem), out the breather pipe (ring blow-by), through the carburetor throat (intake valve) or out the exhaust (exhaust valve). If the engine's cold, you'll usually get a little blow-by into the crankcase, audible at the breather ... to see how that normal leakage sounds, do the test on a good cylinder first.

Optimizing your timing to the operating altitude

From the Hudson Chat Page: Brad Gentner '70 Uncut and Bone Stock

Someone also asked about this tonight, but I deleted it before I thought to respond. I will describe how I timed my engine w/ a vacuum gauge. First, attach vacuum gauge to a source of manifold vacuum. With engine at operating temperature, idle set to specs. and vacuum advance line disconnected and plugged, advance timing by rotating distributor clockwise. Your vacuum reading should increase. You'll get to a point where further timing advances have no effect on vacuum reading. This is the timing that develops max. Vacuum. Now retard the timing until the gauge reads 1/2 in. Hg. lower than this max. Level. Tighten down Distributors hold down, and, voila, this should be the optimal timing for your altitude.

NEW OLD REPLACEMENT STOCK PARTS TO REBUILD YOUR ENGINE:

Dale Cooper: has an inventory of engine gaskets, seals and engine rebuild parts for a lot of engines 1914 to 1957. All gaskets are either new or N.O.S., all cork and paper gaskets are new manufacture. He has bearings, valves guides and springs, timing components, pistons and rings (some original pinned piston rings), lifters, oil pumps & kits, thrust washers and crank spacers for vibration damper 1931-56 6 and 1934-52 8. For snail mailed copy of catalog or order Dale Cooper, 7444 Vine and Paddock, Cincinnati, OH 45216-1712 or call (513) 821-6200 On-line catalog is viewable online at http://www.hudsonmotorcarco.com

Kanter Auto Parts: Hudson Engine overhaul components and gaskets

Egge Machine Company-The world's source for obsolete and hard to find engine parts. Stock to Hot-Rod, 1900's through the 70's. All Makes - All Models. Complete inventory of pistons, rings, bearings, gaskets, valve-train and timing components. Engine kits, Babbitt bearing service, and wheel cylinder and pump rebuilding. Retail and wholesale. Egge Machine Company, 11707 Slauson Avenue, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 310-945-3419 Catalog $2.00

Engine Overhaul and rebuilds by a HUDSON Mechanic - Contact Al Saffrahn @ 520-568-2911

Dany Spring - Racing Hudsons Dany builds Hudsons for street and strip use. Hot Rod Magazine has done a series of articles on his cars and modifications made to the engines and transmissions. Check these web connects for information.

Hot Rod article #1
Hot Rod article #2
Hot Rod article #3

HUDSON ENGINE High Performance Modifications: Steve F. a veteran machinist with Indianapolis and NASCAR racing is now offering Hudson engine and transmission upgrades. Steve says ...his modifications are taking the Hudson engine to the next performance level. The creator of the new "8X" engine and many new speed parts including headers, dry clutch conversions and electronic ignitions. Check his web site at http://www.uncommonengineering.com

21^st Century Hudson – Randy Maas Hudson parts and service – Primarily Stepdown era, for example: HUDSON ROLLER CHAIN- 1948-56 6 cylinder Hudson Timing chains. The new True Roller timing chains are avail. Includes new chain, gears, adaptor, new front seal, new timing cover gasket, and new front sleeve. Cost $185.00 post paid. Randy Maas 220 Glendale St. P.O. Box 589 Manito, Illinois. 61546 Randy Maas

Inliners Club: Information for the inline engine enthusiast.

TWIN H CARB ADJUSTMENT(Click on the title to see a Twin H Linkage diagram)

The key to a proper adjustment of a Twin H set up depends on several factors. The most important of which is that the system does not leak vacuum. This means the intake manifold is not leaking nor is the individual carburetors. A quick test to determine if the engine intake or carburetors are leaking can be performed with a vacuum gauge. Connect the vacuum gauge to the vacuum intake port on the intake manifold. The correct reading for a properly running Twin H car at seal level will be approximately 18 -22 inches of vacuum. A complete vacuum check of the engine should be completed and all other discrepancies corrected PRIOR to adjusting the carburetors. (A MOTORS or similar manual will provide you with pictorial and written explanation of how to run a vacuum check and interrupt your findings)

Assuming the vacuum check is complete you are ready to adjust the TWIN H carb set up.

To complete the adjustments shown in the mechanical procedures manual you will need a UNISYNC carburetor balance tool. Using the UNISYNC will the be the topic of a future update to this site...
Ken Cates July 2000

More on the Uni-Sync

Source for purchasing Uni Sync: 21^st Century Hudson carry them in stock $37.50 & postage – Randy Maas Hudson parts and service –Randy Maas 220 Glendale St. P.O. Box 589 Manito, Illinois. 61546 Randy Maas. Randy Maas 309-968-6157 or Russell Maas 309-838-5551

HEAD GASKET INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

PREPARATION

1. Clean Head and Block free from all carbon and rust with a medium grit emery paper. Note: Do not get the emery grit into the cylinders.

2. Run a tap through the head bolt threads in the block to remove all rust and thread sealant.

4. Clean head bolt threads free from all rust and sealant with3. Clean block and head with white gas or lacquer thinner to remove any dirt and grease before painting with aluminum paint.
(Editor’s note: this is an individual preference... I have used Copper Cote (trade name gasket sealant) with good success) wire brush on a bench grinder.
NOTE: as expensive as engine maintenance has become, seriously consider replacing the head bolts with the appropriate grade and size replacement bolt and reserve the removed bolts for spares or other use.

ASSEMBLY

1. Paint the head gasket (both sides) block and head with aluminum paint. (Use hi-temperature boiler paint if possible) See note above on Copper Cote. Assemble while paint is still tacky. (Hudson OEM Head gaskets were coated by the manufacturer to Hudson Specifications, the Hudson literature and Merchandisers advised against coating their gaskets,)

2. Coat the threads of the head bolts with non-hardening permatex gasket sealant.

Note: Torque readings may be affected if head bolt threads are coated. I prefer to coat the threads of bolts.

3. Lubricate the surface under the bolt heads with Bendix lube or lithium grease to reduce torque friction.

4. Torque the head bolts down to 60 foot pounds, then torque them to 65 pounds for a 7/16-inch bolt. The torque sequence should be in 10-pound increments.

5. For engines equipped with 1/2-inch bolts or studs the torque factored is 95 pounds, using 5-pound increment factors when going from 80 to 95 pounds.(Note Bernie Segfried - Hudson engine designer and mechanic once stated to the editor this torque factor was off by 10 pounds and the final figure should be 90 pounds, use this increased torque only on new grade 8 bolts)

TORQUE SEQUENCE

17-11-5-2-8-14-20
16-10-4-1-7-13-19
18-12-6-3-9-15-21

5. Start and warm the engine for 5-10 minutes. Stop the engine and re-torque engine bolts using step 4 sequence.

6. Do not use more than 1/2 throttle until the engine has been re-torqued three (3) times. Then check the head torque once a week until the gasket has been fully compressed... no change in torque detected.

NOTES:

1. Torque engines with aluminum heads only when the engine is cold after the first warm-up tightening. Cast Iron heads should be tightened only when the engine is warm.

2. All engines using studs instead of head bolts should chamfer the bolt holes 1/16 X 45 degrees on each bolt in the head.

3. CAUTION always match the head gasket to the engine block and head. Head gaskets are made for various engine sizes and head bolt sizes.

TIMING CHAIN CHECK and INSTALLATION

Submitted by Ken Cates sanjuana@aol.com

Gear indexing and Timing chain relationships
when installing a new timing chain in a wide block (1951>56) 232, 262, 308 engines.

FRONT CRANK SEAL LEAK REPAIR
Submitted by Ken Cates Sanjuana@aol.com

Sealing the front crank may require more than chang ing the timing the timing cover gasket and the crank seal. HUDSONcrank seals are known to cause groove cutting into the crankshaft spacer. The crankshaft spacer rides on the font of the crank just ahead of the crank timing gear sprocket. This spacer is what keeps the oil seal lip in place and the oil inside the timing cover. When replacing the crank seal remove and clean the spacer. It is a good idea to make sure you mark the side, which is toward the front of the engine when removing the spacer. Upon reassembly REVERSE the spacer so that a new and unblemished surface is provided for the crank seal.

SOME TIPS TO TRY WHEN THAT SUPER SIX or HORNET DECIDES NOT TO START - Collected from HUDSON CHAT and Help requests...

R.V.Blake provides a systematic set of checks to assist a Hudson owner diagnose and solve a starting problem with a Hornet engine

Now that we have established that the engine will crank freely, let's be sure of timing, first the valve timing, then the ignition. If the crank gear, timing chain and cam gear were not disturbed during your rebuild, then the valve timing should be O.K. any of those were apart, it's time to double check their relationships. The ignition timing would possibly be affected if you had the distributor out while doing the re-ring job. If not, there's really no reason for the ignition timing to be so far off that she won't fire, but check it as follows: With the plugs out, crank the motor while you keep a finger over the first plug hole. When you have compression, the air will rush past your finger. That should be when the timing mark shows in the flywheel peephole. It should also correspond to the rotor being just about under the #1 plug post on the cap. The fact that you have a weak spark sounds like either a bad coil or condenser, or even points really out of adjustment. Swap in another coil if you've got it, but remember the set up the positive and negative correctly (which is to say 'wrong') for the positive ground system. It's possible the coil wires got reversed if apart. Funny thing with my total rebuild, using all new ignition parts too, the d--- thing wouldn't start and it puzzled me for days. The new condenser was NG right out of the box. The old condenser went back it and she ran fine. Remember compression will probably not be peak until the rings re-set. I always start the balky ones with a 12-volt battery (set up with positive ground) and never have hurt the starters or any electrics. Once it starts, switch to 6 volts. You can use a jumper pack to get the same results, or just jump off a newer car. It sounds like an ignition problem to me from this distance, so just go through each item systematically and you'll have a running car again!

He continues:
Just one more area which you may look at. Is the distributor timed correctly? In relationship with the firing order? A quick guide find compression stroke set flywheel on marker at top dead center. (You can have top dead center on exhaust stroke. So be sure it is compression stroke) At this point rotor button should be pointing to no 1 lead on cap. If this is all correct. Turn on ignition loosen distributor and rotate distributor by hand in opposite direction of shaft rotation if all is correct there will be a discharge of current at the points at this position lock distributor if all is working it should start at that setting any further adjustment to timing can be done later. Some cars can be for what appears there is no apparent reason, very hard to start even when all is OK if this fails try 12 Volts or try starting whilst being towed. Good Luck.

The problem turned out to be a dragging starter that was found when 12 Volts was put to the starter... so it pays to look closely at the things we least expect to be at fault. NOTE ALL THE DIFFERENT TESTS that were recommended ... take the time to do all the tests thoroughly and REPAIR the items found defective... after all the last Hudson STEPDOWN was built over 46 YEARS AGO!

Red Engine Paint for Hudson Engines: (Lew M July 2004) Duplicolor Ford Red Number DE1605 Engine Enamel is the correct color

REMOVING EXCESS CLEARANCE FROM CENTER POINT STEERING

Submitted by Ken Cates sanjuana@aol.com

Repair can be pre formed on the car, but it is best to remove and inspect unit prior to repair. After taking proper precaution to jack and secure your automobile, remove the nut from the center point steering shaft. Remove the hard washer that the steering rides on. Use this washer as a pattern and trace it’s inside diameter and outside diameters onto a coffee can lid. Cut your spacer from the can lid. Reassemble the center point steering unit with the spacer installed on the NON PRESSURE side of the hard washer. If done properly the center point steering unit should be as tight as new.

Hudson Center Point Steering Repair

Via email from: Hugh Odom, Summerville, SC, 53 HH Club Coupe

Jack Clifford sells a fine replacement center steering pin for Stepdown Hudsons that can be used to replace your old pin if it's worn out. Jack's steering pin is machined from high-grade steel, which is very tough and probably more immune to breakage than the stock item. HOWEVER, the Clifford pin is not surface hardened like the original pin. If you do a lot of high effort, slow speed turning (like squeezing your Hudson into a tight garage for instance) the needle bearings will gall the shaft and cause excess wear. The needle bearing manufacturer's engineering data calls for a very high surface hardness for shafts to be used with them.

After I went to the expense to replace my old center pin only to have it wear excessively after ~6 months service, I did a little research and found this out. The best method I could find for avoiding it was to substitute bronze bushings for the original needle bearings. The softer bronze wears satisfactorily and won't gall the center pin. I can detect no increase in steering effort, so that's not a problem either. I was able to obtain correctly sized bronze bushings from a local bearing supplier very cheaply (< $5.00 for both bushings) so it's a cheap fix.

If you have an original unworn Hudson shaft, the needle bearings are fine, and they'll probably work fine with Clifford's shaft as long as you don't have to crank the wheel hard on a regular basis.

STATIC TIMING OF A STEPDOWN ENGINE

Note: This procedure requires a correctly installed flywheel.

1. Pull the plugs to take compression off motor.

2. Turn the engine by hand until the UDC 1-6 appears on the flywheel in the area where the timing pointed in installed on the engine. (Opening above the starter).

3. Clean and paint this area as it will be necessary to see to properly time your engine.

4. TOP DEAD CENTER is the next long line as the motor is turned in the normal direction of rotation. (Rotation is counter clockwise looking at the water pump on the engine). Each line represents approximately 2.8 degrees of advance in timing. For best performance of a stock engine 2 marks or ~6degrees advance is recommended.

5. When using a timing light to time your HUDSON, lay the light on top of the starter. If you don't use this method the sight angle will cause you to set time timing incorrectly. Peering over the top of the radiator will allow you to view the timing light flashing on the flywheel.

Repairing Center bearing cushions - severe use tip

Passed on from Bernie Siegfried

This procedure was used by Bernie to prepare HUDSON Stock cars and for severe use and drag racing applications. He once told me cars prepared with these cushion adapters NEVER experienced a failure.

Electric fuel pumps to assist mechanical to prevent vapor lock

The following information was shared via email - without name

Recently in the WTN magazine I saw an article on installing an electric fuel pump I though was way too complicated, so to make it simple I can say I have had an electric pump on my 1954 Hornet for over fifteen years, You can get this very small but powerful pump from J.C.Whitney for thirty five dollars. All you have to do is splice in to the gas line under the frame at the half way point frt. to rear attach the unit to the frame, and run your electric line up under the dash to an on and off switch

I start the car then turn it off after it runs a few minutes, or when you are running your air conditioner to prevent vapor lock it has worked for me for fifteen years without fail

SPACERS on Conventional Hudson Mechanical Fuel Pumps:

Hudson used a variety of fuel pumps to complete the fuel delivery to the various carburetion systems used. This variety and the need to use existing non-special parts created parts interfaces, which required the pumps to be "adapted" to the particular use. Adaptation takes the form of a gasket stack which spaces the fuel pump out or away from the block. These gasket stacks are usually misunderstood when the new Hudson owner is confronted with a fuel pump failure. If the owner is lucky they already know of the existing HETers who provide rebuilt pumps or kits to fix the failed pump. When the pump arrives it usually comes with a single fiber gasket, which can easily be MISTAKEN as the ONLY gasket needed to reinstall the new pump.

The owner can determine if the gasket stack is needed by a careful measurement of the fuel pump drive arm length. If it is the same as the length of the arm on the failed pump and a gasket stack was part of that installation... REPLACE THE GASKET STACK with the new pump. If the arm is about 1/2 inch shorter then the stack is not needed.

What is this all about?

The camshaft of the engine is used to drive the fuel pump. If the arm is improperly spaced it will in fact "go past" the cam (it is 1/2 inch too long/ the cam shaft eccentric is not engaged and the cam will push a minimum stroke on the fuel pump arm Vis a Vis the end. Improper installations will result in w