1951 Hudson Hornet Used To Be a Camper, Now It's a Strange Four-Door Pickup

1 month, 3 weeks ago - 28 October 2024, autoevolution

Introduced for the 1951 model year, the Hudson Hornet was a groundbreaking automobile. Based on the company's "step-down" design and featuring a sleek body and a low center of gravity, the Hornet became the car to beat in NASCAR until 1954. The car's smooth ride and handling rivaled the more expensive luxury models from Cadillac and Lincoln.

But that didn't last long. The first-generation Hornet was discontinued in 1954 when Hudson and Nash-Kelvinator merged to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). The nameplate returned for 1955, but it was an entirely different rig.

AMC dropped the "step-down" platform and produced the second-gen Hornet using the senior Nash platform. The legendary 308-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) inline-six engine was joined by V8 powerplants. The Hornet was discontinued for good in 1957 when the Hudson brand was also retired.

Once an innovative and race-winning vehicle, the first-gen Hornet is now largely forgotten. And even though it's far from rare, at 131,628 units built (1951-1954), Hudson's most iconic model is a rare sight nowadays. And that's mostly because many examples were left to rot away in junkyards and barns.

The 1951 four-door you see here is not a rust bucket, but it had a rough life. Now residing in a building in Ida Grove, Iowa, this first-year Hudson was converted to a camper by a previous owner. The roof was chopped off behind the B-pillars, and wooden boards were added to square off the sleek rear section, thus making it suitable for a camper top.

There's no info on whether it was a home-built project or a professional conversion, but the camper section has since been removed. The interior was also gutted, with only a pair of spare tires occupying the space behind the front bench seat. The Hornet now looks like a four-door pickup contraption, a rather strange appearance for a classic with NASCAR-winning heritage.

The vehicle is otherwise in decent condition. Sure, there's some rust, the paint is weathered, and the cabin is a mess, but the Hornet is a suitable project car. And surprisingly enough, the original powerplant is still under the hood.

The first-gen Hornet was only available with a 308-cubic-inch inline-six. Thanks to a two-barrel carburetor setup, the high-compression unit delivered 145 horsepower and 275 pound-feet (373 Nm) of torque. Output was increased to 170 horsepower for the 1954 model year. Transmission options included a three-speed manual and a GM-sourced automatic.

Whether this Hornet is suitable for restoration depends on how much you're willing to invest. Fixing the cabin and giving the sedan a proper makeover will cost more than the average price of 1951 Hornets in Excellent condition (more than $50,000). If you want to give it a go or simply use the four-door as a donor car, the seller wants only $1,700 to part ways with it.