Photo: cabriolet_1/eBay
When it comes to affordable vehicles from the 1930s, the Ford Model B is regarded as one of the most beautiful. It's a classic I'd definitely park it in my garage, especially in two-door coupe or roadster form. However, I'd choose the 1934 Hudson Terraplane over a Model B any day of the week. Because it's arguably the most stylish low-priced vehicle of the era in my book.
This Business Coupe model recently surfaced on the Web looking for a new home and caught my attention. It's one of the finest examples I've seen in a while, and it still runs and drives after precisely 90 years since it left the assembly line. And it comes with 60,300 miles (97,043 km) on the odometer, an impressively low figure given its age.
The Terraplane appears to be complete inside and out and looks gorgeous from every angle. The black paint enhances the vehicle's sleek appearance, while the red accents and the white-wall tires give it a dash of elegance you'd typically see on expensive Pierce Arrow and Packard rigs of the era.
But while the exterior seems flawless at first glance, the interior needs a bit of work. The upholstery shows wear and tear in places, while the bottom of the seats looks like rodents have chewed on them. That's a sign this Hudson spent some years in storage. And it also appears that while the exterior was repainted, the interior retained the original upholstery.
The seller doesn't say much about the engine, but the photos confirm it's the inline-six Hudson offered at the time. All 1934 Terraplanes came with a 212-cubic-inch (3.5-liter) powerplant rated 85 horsepower. Given the low mileage and the condition of the car, it may very well be the original straight-six.
So, what exactly is a Terraplane? This orphan car brand was built and sold by the Hudson Motor Car Company between 1932 and 1938. It was introduced as a successor to the Essex brand and a more affordable alternative to Hudson products.
Available in all common body styles, the Terraplane was sold with both straight-six and inline-eight engines. The latter, which provided the highest horsepower-to-weight ratio of any US automobile at the time, made the Terraplane popular with gangsters like John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson. The Terraplane was the perfect getaway car.
The short-lived sub-brand was rather successful. Terraplane sales exceeded Hudson's output in the mid-1930s, helping the company survive through the Great Depression. Hudson discontinued the marque in 1938. Hudson itself disappeared only 16 years later following a merger with Nash-Kelvinator.
The 90-year-old coupe you see here is being auctioned off as we speak. Bidding has reached $25,600 with five hours to go, but the reserve is still in place. If you want to bypass the auction, the buy-it-now price is $32,500.
The Terraplane appears to be complete inside and out and looks gorgeous from every angle. The black paint enhances the vehicle's sleek appearance, while the red accents and the white-wall tires give it a dash of elegance you'd typically see on expensive Pierce Arrow and Packard rigs of the era.
But while the exterior seems flawless at first glance, the interior needs a bit of work. The upholstery shows wear and tear in places, while the bottom of the seats looks like rodents have chewed on them. That's a sign this Hudson spent some years in storage. And it also appears that while the exterior was repainted, the interior retained the original upholstery.
The seller doesn't say much about the engine, but the photos confirm it's the inline-six Hudson offered at the time. All 1934 Terraplanes came with a 212-cubic-inch (3.5-liter) powerplant rated 85 horsepower. Given the low mileage and the condition of the car, it may very well be the original straight-six.
So, what exactly is a Terraplane? This orphan car brand was built and sold by the Hudson Motor Car Company between 1932 and 1938. It was introduced as a successor to the Essex brand and a more affordable alternative to Hudson products.
Available in all common body styles, the Terraplane was sold with both straight-six and inline-eight engines. The latter, which provided the highest horsepower-to-weight ratio of any US automobile at the time, made the Terraplane popular with gangsters like John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson. The Terraplane was the perfect getaway car.
The short-lived sub-brand was rather successful. Terraplane sales exceeded Hudson's output in the mid-1930s, helping the company survive through the Great Depression. Hudson discontinued the marque in 1938. Hudson itself disappeared only 16 years later following a merger with Nash-Kelvinator.
The 90-year-old coupe you see here is being auctioned off as we speak. Bidding has reached $25,600 with five hours to go, but the reserve is still in place. If you want to bypass the auction, the buy-it-now price is $32,500.
Google News