Hot Rods Help me decide: Which engine for my project?

All right, now that I've finally got some power in the garage and my project is back on line, I need to make a decision and it's proving difficult.
I'm building a 28(ish) Essex coupe. The plans are (hopefully) a well executed traditional fenderless hotrod I can squeeze my ass into that will haul balls on the street. Pretty simple really.
I have acquired 2 fabulous vintage engines over the last two years. A 1951 308 Hudson Hornet flat six with the Twin-H, and a 1953 276 Desoto Firedome Hemi.
Both need to be rebuilt. Both are oozing all kinds of cool vintage potential. Both have a great story to tell about how they were brought out of the woods with good friends, blood and beer. Both are beautiful (at least to my greazy eyeballs).

Why the Hudson? Well, I have heard many stories about how great these engines are, how the Hudson dominated early Nascar with these engines for a few years, and some firsthand experiences from some old dirt trackers. And I thought it would be cool to keep the whole car sort of "in the family" as it were, you know, Essex, Hudson and Terraplane. 6=8, and then some. You don't see a 308 very often.

Why the Desoto Hemi? Hemis are cool. My friend Steve helped me haul this puppy out of the woods and will be present for the first part of the build before he moves off to get his PhD, and I think he would be more involved if we built up the engine he helped haul out of the woods. Hemis are cool. They are starting to make more speed parts for these Desotos and parts aren't as scarce as they once were. And Hemis are cool.

I don't intend to go all crazy and stroke and blow these engines. Of course they will get a few speed goodies like lumpier cams and maybe a little stroke etc., but full race is out; I can't afford it, and I want to be able to drive this thing anywhere.

So what would you do if this was your build? Run the Hornet or the Firedome? Whichever one does not get chosen for this project will be given a liberal coat of oil and hidden for a future project, but I need to focus all of my resources into ONE of these engines and which one I pick will dictate a LOT of how the car is put together.

Thanks in advance. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Maybe some real world power/torque ratios and the like...

 

In the current push to "Keep a Ford in a Ford" (or a Yadda in your Yadda), I'm still torn between your two choices. Essex was an offshoot of Hudson, and the Hudson mill would easily rekindle the emotions of yesteryear.

But Hudson and Nash both got swallowed up by that nasty conglomerate American Motors (AMC), which then gobbled up Kaiser Jeep, and then in turn got gobbled up by Renault and eventually (and remarkably) Chrysler, whose divisions USED to include Dodge (I'm sorry, are we supposed to say "Ram" now?). So I could go with either the Hudson or the Mopar engine under the hood, but my heart is pushing for the earlier Hudson example.

 

Both are good for cool factor. I would go with the Hornet. Something different out of the ordinary. Hemi's are very cool, but to a degree done to death. If I had those choices I would prefer the Hornet.

But I still want a Hemi.

 

A small essex coupe would do well with the hudson powerplant. And would stand out just as well as a hemi on the cool meter for this car. Save the hemi for later on...John

 

Two great choices, but I voted for the Hudson too.

I'm sure neither of those engines will be exactly cheap to build or modify, but I would assume (there's that word!) that the Hudson build probably won't put you in debtors' prison quite as fast!

Good luck, whatever you choose!

 

Yeah, I don't think either would be "cheap" to build, but that's life I guess.
I'm pretty sure the 308 wouldn't put me out of house and home, whereas the sky is the limit with a Hemi build.
The guys at uncommonengineering.com do some absolutley insane shit with the Hudson motor, but I don't think a 7x or a 9x is what I'm looking for.
The complete stock rebuild kit for the Hudson is around $1300. The stock kit for the Desoto is comparable, but considering all the mods (cam, multi-carb intake, larger forged pistons, etc.) that price just skyrocketed.
But, assuming (there's that word again) money wasn't the only issue, I'm kind of leaning towards the Hudson, but I'm STILL NOT SURE.
I could have worse problems, that's for sure!

 

any thing as long as it NOT a small block chev!!!!!

 

build the 308 Hudson, it'll be way cool

 

What's there to decide? Without question Hudson.



Hudson 7X Uncommon Engineering Style (above & below) Sports "One-Off" Three Duece Tripower, Uncommon fabricated Headers, Uncommon Converted MSD Ignition, Modded ATI Balancer, Along with all the usual goodies, hard ex seats, Manley Stainless Hi-Flo's, Forged Pistons, ARP rod bolts & head studs, Crane springs & retainers, Mopar lifters, Trick Street Grind Cam, degreed Tru-Roller Timing Set, 100 AMP alternator, Topped Off by a one-of-a-kind "Factory" look Uncommonly fabricated air cleaner setup.

4-71 Blown Hudson Hornet 308, Uncommon Engineering Custom Fabbed Intake & Blower Base, Carb Plenum, Drive, Electronic Dist, Forged Pistons, ARP Bolts​

 

You might want to visit this thread also.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=391692

 

Post #236

Hey Friends.
New to the Hamb.
Heres a couple of pics of my Hudson powered A model ford with hand made tri carb manifold. Goes hard and sounds awesome. Had lots of drama fitting it in but notice the shortened body to get the engine to fit. Why are ford flats so popular when hudson got it right....... The engine came from my 49. hudson super six.
My dad has a 34 hudson terraplane coupe with twin carbs on a 37 power dome engine which goes very nicely also.,
cheers
Deano
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See this link for building info and additional links.

http://www.hudsonmotorcar.org/News/article/sid=7.html

 

Man, you guys are driving a hard bargain. The things uncommonengineering do are just scary cool... and expensive.
Believe it or not, side by side, the 308 damn near dwarfs the Hemi in size. It might look more at home in the larger, wider Essex body. Man oh man.
It's funny that no one who voted to go the Hemi route has chimed in with any thoughts.
Thanks for the links guys.

 

I am a Die Hard DeSoto Hemi Fan ......

But for the car your building there is no choice .. HUDSON !!

Quit Waffeling & get that Twin H mounted up !!!

 

Yeah,what he said. x2

 

Wow, De Soto - if anyone would cheer for the Hemi, I was damn near sure it was you. Way to remain objective!

 

The Hudson. I grew up around a family friend who raced Hudsons on the local dirt tracks for years. True that the engine kits are about the same for both engines but you also shouldn't have to buy many external goodies for the Hudson and that will save in the long run plus done right they will run down the highway with the best of them and run most rigs into the ground.
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the hudson engine would be awesome

 

Either engine would be a good choice. Before you decide, go to http://www.uncommonengineering.com/.
It's very interesting.

Mike

 

Hudson - no question about it. Hemis are not baaaad but Hudson is pure cool....

 

Maybe you've already seen these clips on you tube, but they get my motor runnin', and may have helped me make the decision on what motor I want to put in my '47 Hudson coupe. Maybe they'll help you too. The one from "Cars" with Doc Hudson obviously uses a real Hudson motor for the sound-effect...it's just a freakin' cartoon, but it still does somethin' to me. Good luck on your decision and the build, dude. - Rick​

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YjrHhXrV8o​

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y8-0XHWA2I​

 

I am putting a Hemi in my 30 Hudson Coupe, check out my album

 

Anytime there is the option to run a Hemi...it should be a no-brainer....

 

Truthfully, hemi's are quickly losing there cool factor for me (and I own 2 of them). You mentioned that they're cool at least 3 times, when something becomes that universally cool, it ain't cool anymore.
The Hudson, on the other hand, IS cool, it's pretty much a certainty that you won't be parked next to another hot rod with one of those in it, and for a straight flat 6 they run like a raped ape!
Hemi will get you more attention from the masses, but if it were me, I'd do the Hudson.

 

Finally, some proponents for the Hemi speak up.

roddinron - I'm not too concerned about attention from the masses. If I were building the car for them it WOULD be a no-brainer. But I respect HAMBer's opinions and appreciate their thoughts one way or another, because it isn't a no-brainer for me. I'm genuinely torn.

 

Personally, I love to see something different.....and a lot of people are running hemis nowadays. That hudson engine is just plain cool.

Could anyone post a wave file of a Hudson 6?? I've heard they sound good.

 

Build what ya like... I'm a Hemi guy but I have fond memories of those old Hudsons, too.

With that light car you don't need all that fancy speed equipment... save yourself a couple thousand bucks and do a stock rebuild on the 308.... plenty of power to make you shit your pants.

 

"The Hudson has passed the Desoto, and is now pulling away!!!"......"He's way out ahead, folks!"......"Just look at 'im go!!!"......"The crowd is on their feet!!!"......"The roar of the crowd is deafening!!!"......

 

I to say build that Hudson!

 

Yeah, I do appreciate your dilemma, and it's easy for me to say what I'd do now, but in truth it wouldn't be that easy if I were in your shoes. One thing that I haven't seen anyone touch on is resale value, if it's a concern for you, then I think I'd go Hemi. Because of the Hemi's mass appeal, it should bring you a better price and sell quicker, if that time ever comes.
Truthfully, you could probably just toss a coin and be happy either way.