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History Mystery of the Shrunken Hudson

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by AmericanSportsCars, Aug 11, 2023.

  1. Have a friend who has a unique and killer custom 48 Hudson that we are looking for who was the builder. So Cal based car.
    upload_2023-8-11_16-4-31.jpeg

    Appreciate any help!

    History:

    100” wheelbase, chopped, and sectioned 1948 Commodore 4 door sedan. 1972 car sold in Buena Park where Jim Brucker of Cars of the Stars bought as it appears in these pics at Brucker’s hanger at Santa Paula airport in 2005.. The one with me standing with it is from 2013 when I finally had it after years of chasing it.



    Started with a 1948 Commodore 6 4 door sedan. 124” wheel base.

    Doors and fenders, hood and trunk off. Unit body transverse cut twice at rear seat footwell and two foot section removed. Welded body back together with some reinforcing plates to give 100” wheelbase. This gave a standard coupe door opening upload_2023-8-11_16-4-31.jpeg length. Original roof not cut remove section but to allow allow mild 1-1/2 to 2” windshield chop without adding roof material as usual in a chop and leaving back window and rear quarter windows unaltered.

    Firewall sectioned, body connections cut near floor, and rear of body cut to section 4”. The four doors were cut vertically and horizontally. The front half of the front doors were welded to the rear half of the rear doors to use stock hinges in front and latch at rear and have a coupe door length but shortened to accommodate the section. The hood and trunk are largely original. The fenders were bolted to the body shell and cut off at the bottom edge to accommodate the sectioned skeleton change.

    The two pictures attached of the unit body skeleton profile and the green taped cut lines illustrate this.

    The work was not beautifully finished but an amateur fabrication job. The visual conception was fantastic. In the current build, much of the crude finish has been improved in a more professional way. Hope this story helps find some enthusiasm to chase the origin of the car’s build and identify the builder.
    upload_2023-8-11_16-5-12.jpeg
    upload_2023-8-11_16-5-36.jpeg
     
  2. PackardV8
    Joined: Jun 7, 2007
    Posts: 1,280

    PackardV8
    Member

    Amazing work. Boggles the mind why it ever seemed like a good idea, but please tell us theres a 7X engine and a Hydramatic waiting to pull the front stance right.

    jack vines
     
    winduptoy and tractorguy like this.
  3. fuzzface
    Joined: Dec 7, 2006
    Posts: 1,809

    fuzzface
    Member

    Isn't an Ernie Adams car by any chance? He built dwarf cars and have been on My Classic Cars a few times. He was in Az. he can be found on youtube too.
     
    rockable and Dan Hay like this.
  4. fuzzface
    Joined: Dec 7, 2006
    Posts: 1,809

    fuzzface
    Member



    That should be a link to Ernie that built some dwarf cars.
     
  5. Stan Back
    Joined: Mar 9, 2007
    Posts: 2,501

    Stan Back
    Member
    from California

    It sure looks better than what Hudson did with the Jet.
     
    patsurf likes this.
  6. twin H with and automatic. My friend owns a real 7X that was the inspiration for Doc Hudson. Pixar mapped the body and sounds. He is the real deal when it comes to a Hudson cars.
     

  7. Seen those before. I was amazed by the merc and was wondering how many hours went in to making. They are a scale down cars. I wonder if that builder might know the origin of the shrunken Hudson? This is more of a section and shorten. I am amazed at how the roof and fender lines work on this custom. The body work is coming together to make a one of a kind beauty in my mind.
     
    Tim likes this.
  8. Terry Buffum
    Joined: Mar 20, 2008
    Posts: 306

    Terry Buffum
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Oregon

    Ivan, do you now own it, or does your friend still hold the title?
     
  9. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 10,665

    BJR
    Member

    That's what happens when you wash them and put them out in the hot sun...... They shrink!:p
     
    VANDENPLAS and Okie Pete like this.
  10. I am helping Ivan research this car. I will ask him.
     
    iwanaflattie likes this.
  11. Ivan owns it on non op.
     

  12. Engine—Hornet 5” stroker with speed equipment. Aftermarket head; probably Clifford, maybe Edmunds. Clifford Weber side draft carb set up. No room for air cleaners with TwinH!!! 7X cast iron exhaust w twin outlet. 7X rear axle assembly with big axles and bearings and a new limited slip.
    Borg Warner T86 trans from 53 Hudson with column shift.. Not sure if there is enough length for overdrive.
     
    Hillbilly Werewolf likes this.
  13. confirmed not the dwarf car builder. The search continues. Thanks for the thought:
     
    egads and Okie Pete like this.
  14. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,475

    verde742
    Member

    Ernie DOESN'T sell his cars !!!!
     
    AmericanSportsCars likes this.

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