1936 Hudson Custom Eight Convertible 🇺🇸

The Depression hit the independent automobile manufacturers very hard.  Hudson managed to survive the worst of it by producing a new low cost car called the Essex Terraplane. Introduced in the 1932 model year, sales of the low cost Essex kept the company alive but just barely.

With the worst of the Great Depression now behind them, Hudson redesigned their cars for 1936. Adopting a more modern look,  the cars got longer and wider. The bodies got noticeably more rounded. The front fenders got taller with a more domed appearance. Most notably, the grille was redesigned in the ornate late art deco style of the period. The outward appearance was a dramatic change from the 1935 cars.

The changes did not stop with the styling. A new hydraulic braking system with a mechanical back-up function was fitted to all cars. Feeling pressure from General Motors adoption of independent front suspension, Hudson devised “Radial Safety Control”. This front suspension system utilized a solid beam front axle with the ends controlled by radius arms affixed to the frame. This allowed the use of softer springs which improved both the ride and handling.

Hudson also offered the option of a “preselector” transmission, called “Electric Hand”. Shifting was done by moving a small lever mounted on the side of the steering column into the driver’s  chosen gear before depressing the clutch pedal. The actual shift happened on its own when the pedal was depressed.

All the updates to Hudson products made a big impact on  sales. Combined Hudson and Essex production for the 1936 model year climbed to 123,266, a level not seen since 1930 but still well below the peak of over 300,000 cars in 1929.  Despite the improved sales, Hudson fell from seventh ranking in the US industry to eighth place with Buick surpassing them.