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	Ken Cates' Hudson Stepdown Restoration Resources

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Klassic Concepts Consulting

Klassic Concepts Consulting is owned and operated by Ken Cates.

Ken is a retired engineer who is a lifelong Hudson owner. His interest in Hudsons stems from childhood exposure to the marquee when his father owned multiple Hudson Stepdowns as family vehicles. Ken's first car was a 1953 Hudson Jet 4-door. The ravages of operation of that Jet on salted winter roads in New York were obvious from the failed rear quarters to the weak and missing pieces of floor panels. With all these environmentally induced ills, Ken still spent hours polishing what chrome and paint remained. This car was destined to be sold to a high school friend who, by his statement.. drove the doors off that JET! The car began to fall apart from all the rust damage. The last this car was seen it was resting in a Schoharie County NY farm yard sans wheels and tires and much of the lower body panels.

Ken left NY when he joined the United States Air Force. During his Air Force years, Hudsons came and went. One, a 1939 CC6 was found in Fremont NE, and later traded for a well-worn 1953 Hornet that possessed a freshly built Hydramatic... that transmission replaced the Borg Warner in a low mileage 1954 Hornet. 1954 was bartered for another 1954, a Wasp Club Sedan that became a daily driver for five years. Sold in 1980, the car was found in 2010 and re-purchased after 30 years. That 1954 Wasp Club Sedan now resides in Waco with Ken.

During the 1980s USAF orders brought Ken and his family back to Texas. Since arrival back in Texas, multiple Hudsons have come and gone except one, a 1953 Wasp Sedan. That sedan, purchased in 1983, still resides in Ken's garage. Retirement from the USAF brought stability and the ability to establish a new hometown. With this change, Ken moved his young family to Waco, Texas. Other than a short three-year period when the family moved to southern California, He and his family have lived there ever since.

Recently, in August 2016, Ken bought yet another 1954 Hudson, this one a Super Wasp Club Sedan. This is a Wasp model Ken has wanted to own for decades. Throughout all the Hudson experiences one thing was always true, Hudson owners were always a friendly helpful lot which has made being a HUDSON NUT - FUN! Ken and his wife Yolanda are members of the South and North Chapters of the Hudson Club. Ken is the secretary, webmaster, and editor of the South Texas Chapter newsletter.

Ken and his wife enjoy the camaraderie of the Hudson chapters of Texas and regularly attend meetings across the great state of TEXAS.

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This page was updated February 2023