The Hudson Jet was produced for two years, 1953 and 1954,
by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan.
1953
In 1951, rumors whirled through the auto industry that "Hudson is working on a car about the size of the Ford." "Hudson is putting step-down principles into a lighter car." "Hudson is preparing a smaller car and will revive the Essex name for it." Well two of the three rumors were true. Without responding in the press columns, Hudson was indeed developing a smaller car. In 1952, trade journals carried advertising that boasted of the current Hudson’s, while brief space was given to the "new low-price wonder car" that was coming. Illustrated was the shrouded form of a car indicating more pleasing proportions than the Jet had. The ads invited applications for the Hudson dealer franchise. Results increased the dealer network to 1,975 by Jet launching time. The selling organization also had 11 distributors and 20 sales zones.
The year 1953 brought a shifting attitude in the leaders of the Hudson Motor Car Co. and an upswing in the business of America's motor vehicle industry. While Hudson's top executives pondered the company's decline and what to do about it, industry productivity escalated with the national economic growth despite any short labor disputes that caused parts shortages. In contrast to the downward slide of the previous two years, the calendar year total of passenger cars built was a wide margin of 41.3% above the 1952 volume.
Probably much of the financial loss was due to the thoroughly new Hudson Jet, which cost over $12,000,000 to put on the market.
From the beginning, the Jet project was hampered by Hudson President A.E. Barit, who insisted that the compact Jet offer full-size amenities. While designers attempted to form a car that was lower, wider and proportionally sleeker to the dimensions of a smaller compact car, Barit would not back away from features such as chair high seating for passengers, and a "tall" greenhouse and ceiling that would allow riders to wear their hats while in the car. Barit also decided that the Jet's rear design would incorporate Oldsmobile's high rear fender and small round tail light design. The design was further changed to accommodate the personal likes of Chicago, Illinois Hudson dealer Jim Moran, whose dealership regularly sold about 5% of Hudson's total production. Moran fancied the 1952 Ford's wrap around rear roof, and Barit ordered a like design for the Jet.
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The arrival of the first production Hudson Jet at the end of the line was a big moment for A.E.Barit, Hudson's president. This was the culmination of the first phase of a program he had set in motion and given his influence to the character of the car. The second phase was (hopefully) to strengthen the company through sales in a lower price field. But within six months after this proud handshake with H.M. Northrup (right), vice-president in charge of operations, Mr. Barit would seek to sustain Hudson by merger. The No. 1 car is a Super Jet.
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Reportedly, Barit's decision to produce the Jet was encouraged by Hudson dealer requests for a compact car. Reflecting input from others as well, the Jet turned out too high for its size, and at a time when other makers were beginning to reduce height noticeably. It lacked the low step-down look that the big Hudson’s had made famous. In general, Jet styling was not as attractive as the 1953 Rambler and Willys displayed.
Of typical Hudson bedrock sturdiness, Jet Monobilt construction was stronger than necessary, and much too heavy and costly for a compact car. Bodies were built (without glass, paint or trim) by Murray Corp., the first outside supplier of domestic Hudson passenger car bodies since the early 1930s. Jet wheelbase and overall length were 104 3/8 and 180 11/16 inches, respectively. Compared with bigger Hudson’s (shown in parentheses) and given as inches are the front track 54 (58 1/2):
rear track 52 (55 1/2); maximum car width 67 1/16 (77 5/32 average); overall height loaded 60 7/8 (60%) and unloaded 62% (61 7/8).
The Jet's basic suspension and chassis features were similar to its bigger brothers but scaled down to Jet size requirements. A notable omission, however, was a reserve mechanical-action system for the hydraulic brakes. The L-head 6-cylinder engine was new, physically smaller and having only minor parts interchangeable with the others. The bore and stroke were identical to the discontinued straight-8, but pistons and connecting rods were not the same. Outdoing Rambler and Willys, it provided 104 to 114 horsepower. The 114 gave the Super Jet 4-door one horsepower for 23.68 pounds, bettering the Hornet Club Coupe's one-to-24.34 ratio. The Jet was said to hit 100 m.p.h. (in tests), but none hit the stock car racing circuits.
Dealers and the press previewed the Jet and other 1953 Hudson’s in September, 1952. Unfortunately, problems developed in body die try-out and some fabricating operations, and Jet assembly didn't start until January. This set the Jet's national debut back to March 13, but in time for the spring selling season. Sales were not brisk, however. The weighty bedrock solid Jet required a much higher price than its compact size should sell for. Its beefiness and power (more than its rivals had) were expected to be sales assets, but the buying public was not convinced. Only 21,143 "wonder cars" were produced by July 29, when 1953 model production ended with a total of 66,143 Hudson's of all sizes.
For its introductory year, the compact Hudson was marketed as two series. The standard Jet, designated the Series 10, started with serial number 203865 and was the 4-Door Sedan model only. The Super Jet, Series 20 beginning with serial 203543, started with a 4-door and added a 2-door Club Sedan. Unlike the aging step-down bodied Hudson full-size cars, the Jet was designed as a true notch-back. The car was powered by Hudson's inline L-head 202 inline six, which produced 104 hp at 4000rpm. Standard appointments included heater, theft-proof locks, rotary door-latches, defroster vents, dual horns, full-wheel covers, ash tray and a lighted ignition switch. Twin H-Power, HydraMatic and overdrive were among many options for the Jet.
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The only model offered as a standard Jet was the 4-Door Sedan, which weighed 2,650 pounds and had a factory price of $1,858 when built without extras. Standard Jets differed from Super Jets in the hood ornament, rear fittings, and in the absence of side nameplates, vent-panes in the rear doors, and bright-work around the windows. The standard interior was also fitted in a more simple manner. Jets and Super Jets featured a single piece of glass in a wraparound rear window. Also a moderately curved one-piece glass for the windshield.
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The Super Jet 4-Door Sedan was a 2,700-pound car with a $1,954 factory price. Extra-cost were the whitewall tires, wheel trim rings, rear wheel cover panels,
radio, and 2-tone paint. This car was a pre-production prototype without bright-work between the rear door and the back window, trim usually seen on this model. On the small Hudson’s, door
handles were an independent type, separated from the pushbuttons below them. Added late in the model year was the Super Jet Club Sedan, a 2-door car weighing 2,695 pounds and priced at $1,933.
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This shows regular Super Jet trim except for a Twin H-Power
nameplate above the centerpiece on the trunk lid, which opened at the straight line below the curved
crease-line. The bright trim just above the bumper provided for optional backup lights at the corners. Super Jets had 6.40 x 15 tires, the optional size for standard Jets, which normally used 5.90 x 15 shoes. The spare wheel stood against the right rear wheel-housing in the small Hudson’s. Access to the fuel filler cap was a panel door at the left of
the central location of the license plate.
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The angle at which it was photographed slightly exaggerates
the point, but the small Hudson was too high for its width and length. Its appearance was as sales-retarding as its price, which was well above standard models of Ford, Chevrolet, and Plymouth (much larger cars.) And the buying public was unwilling to pay the price for the extra performance, sturdiness, and numerous quality features these Hudson’s offered in the compact size class. The hood
of this Super Jet was not tightly latched down to the chrome trim of the grille.
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Built with typical Hudson emphasis on safety and sturdiness through extraordinary strength, the compact Hudson's featured Monobilt construction similar to that of their big brothers. According to experts in automotive structures, many members of the Jet's skeleton were of heavier gauge steel than a car of its size (primarily the length) would ever require for controlling distortion. this unit structure gave the Jets extra ruggedness, but it was achieved at a penalty of extra manufacturing cost that helped prohibit competitive pricing.
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The Jet's all-new L-head six was built in four power versions:
Single carburetor and 7.5:1 (standard)or 8.0:1 compression, and Twin H-Power (shown) with 7.5 or 8.0 compression. In that sequence, brake horsepower outputs were 104, 106, 112 (approximately), and 114 at 4,000 RPM.With bore and stroke of 3 x 43/4 inches (respectively), displacement was 202 cubic inches. The 4-bearing counterweighted crankshaft included a vibration damper. The engine was designed for the Jets, with few parts interchangeable with other Hudson power plants.
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Utilizing an amazing 86% of overall width for interior space, the compact Hudson's had seat hip-room measuring 58 inches across and were classified as 6-passenger cars. Seating posture was comfortable, legroom was not cramped, and headroom was quite adequate. The instrument panel was conveniently organized. Trim and fittings had a quality appearance, especially in the Super Jet (shown). Wide-opening doors allowed fairly easy access. These cars were called step-down Hudson's, but the floor was not depressed as much as in the larger models.
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Some police departments chose compact Hudson's, which offered four rear axle ratios as well as four engine choices. Here the chief of police (above) at Peru, Indiana, is shown taking delivery from the local Hudson dealer. For such cars, the front and rear springs, shock absorbers, clutch, generator, battery and front seat cushion springs were heavy-duty design.
Since Jets could deliver as much as 18 miles per gallon of fuel in dense city traffic, they were also chosen for taxi service. Reportedly, Jets could average 31 mpg at 30 mph.
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| This Super Jet made a run from New York to San Francisco in 3 days, 8 hours, 15 minutes. Taking the route of the famous Hudson Super-Six run of 1916, it beat the Super-Six record by two days while held within speed limits and driving rules. Its drivers were radio broadcasters Claire Emory (in car) and Dorothy Mignault. In conjunction with Hudson's safedriving pitch, their return to New York was an on-the-road survey of public driving habits. Another Jet promotion, the "Teacup Test", invited the public to test economy with a teacup of gasoline. |
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The lowest-priced Hudson of the year was the Jet Family Club Sedan, which didn't make its appearance until April 12. Its factory delivered price of $1,621, well below other Jets, was $71 above the Nash Rambler it was aimed at. The 2,635-pound car was like the Jet Utility Sedan, but without the latter's utility conversion features. The Family Club Sedan was one of several additional models with which Hudson hoped to improve its sales position this year. Among options for the standard Jet model was an automat c transmission and Twin H-Power. |
Hudson resorted to a variety of marketing ploys to get consumers interested in the Jet, including the "Tea Cup Test". The "Tea Cup Test" utilized special kits comprised of a glass cylinder, valves and rubber hoses that Hudson dealers attached to test cars. The glass cylinder was mounted to the inside of the front passenger door, with the hoses feeding into the engines fuel lines. And amount of gasoline equal to the amount held in a tea cup was added to the glass cylinder, and the car was driven away by the potential customer and salesperson that monitored the cylinder, to prove how far a jet could travel on the miniscule amount of gasoline. However novel, the Tea Cup Test failed to convey the Jet's value as an economical car.
1954
Hudson was the first U.S. auto manufacturer to place 1954 models on the market, doing so on October 2, 1953. At the bottom of the price scale was the basic Jet, which started with two models and added another one several months later. The Jet was the Series ID with serial numbers beginning with 1269062. The Super Jet offered two models and was the Series 2D numbered from 2269060 up. The top line of this compact size Hudson was the new Jet-Liner Series 3D produced in two models and starting with serial 3269070. A total of 14,224 Series 1D, 2D and 3D Hudsons were built. These were much the same as the 1953 models. The wheelbase remained 104 3/8-inches and the engine was again built in versions turning out 104 to 114 horsepower. To wipe out the extravagant Hudson compact car venture, AMC spent about $11,000,000 in liquidating about 150 contracts for components.
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The Hudson Jet Utility Sedan was a new model with utility conversion adaptability reminiscent of Hudson-built utility coaches of 1934 to 1942. By removing the rear seat and folding the hinged trunk divider partition forward onto the rear seat riser foundation, "carry-all" space was available from the rear of the trunk to the front seat. This standard Jet was advertised as a car for sports, business, and farm use. The 6-passenger 2-door compact Hudson balanced the weight scale at the 2,715 pound mark. Its price was $1,837 at the factory.
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Hudson considered the production of a Jet-Liner convertible and built one prototype. No photograph exists that I could locate, so I did this creative photoshop rendering based on information. Developed from a Club Sedan configuration, the car probably had reinforcements in the framework to compensate for the loss of strength of a steel roof structure.
FOUND IT!!
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Without any funds to update the senior Hudson line, Barit convinced the Board that a merger into Nash-Kelvinator represented the best chance of protection for Hudson's assets. Barit hoped that the Jet would survive the merger as the new American Motors focused on the niche market of selling smaller cars.
Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson Motor Car Co. combined on May 1, 1954 to form American Motors Corporation. This merger was viewed as a Nash takeover of Hudson. It was a short time before Hudson production was moved from Detroit to Kenosha, Wisconsin and Nash-Healey production ceased. Henceforth, Hudson dealers would have a badge engineered version of Nash's Rambler to sell as a Hudson product.
For the period January 1 through April 30, Hudson Motor Car Co. lost $6,203,585. Beginning with the May 1 date of merger, separate Hudson financial status was not reported by AMC. Hudson operations continued in Detroit through 1954 model production with frequent shutdowns but no strikes. Falling sales caused 15 closings totalling 48 days to adjust car stocks. Other closings were for materials coordination, eight days; parts shortages, two days; inventory, five days. The 1954 production run began on August 5, , 1953, and the last Jet rolled off the line on October 29, 1954 with a total of 14,224 units built for 1954.
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Illustrated with wheels prettied up at extra cost is the Hudson Jet 4-Door Sedan. When built without any extras, this model weighed 2,675 pounds and was factory-priced at $1,858. Consistent with the exterior, the interior of this car was nearly identical to its 1953 counterpart. Outside, the 1954 difference was on the grille, where a center medallion was flanked by raised ribs on the main crossmember. As in 1953, standard Jets were fitted with a fairly simple hood ornament, not the simulated airscoop seen on its costlier compact brothers.
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Reminiscent of the early 1930s and beyond is the outside spare wheel. It was creeping into the industry as an option called a "continental spare." Some buyers chose it for distinctive or sporty appearance, others liked the additional luggage space without a wheel in the trunk. The Jet-Liner 4-Door Sedan weighed 2,760 pounds and cost $2,057 without extras. In all compact Hudsons, rear seat passengers had two more inches of legroom this year. The cars were said to be lower, but overall height (loaded) was given as 60%-inches, as in 1953.
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