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Hudson Hornet

Hornet
Vehicle Model

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A car produced by Hudson from 1951-1957.

The Hudson Hornet dominated three years (1951-1953) of NASCAR Grand National racing (the series that would eventually become Sprint Cup), a series of accomplishments that was depicted by the Doc Hudson character in the animated movie Cars.  Driving Hudson Hornets, Herb Thomas won two Grand National championships in 1951 and 1953, while Tim Flock won the Grand National championship in 1952.

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History

The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Hudson Hornet page on 10 December 2016, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

The Hudson Hornet is an automobile which was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, between 1951 and 1954 and then by American Motors Corporation (AMC) in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and marketed under the Hudson brand between 1955 and 1957.

The first-generation Hudson Hornets featured a functional "step-down" design with dropped floorpan and a chassis with a lower center of gravity than contemporary vehicles that helped the car handle well – a bonus for racing. The Hornet's lower and sleeker look was accentuated by streamlined styling, sometimes called "ponton" styling. The car's "unique, low slung appearance and silky handling earned Hudson an image that – for many buyers – eclipsed luxury marques like Cadillac."

The second-generation Hudson Hornets was a restyled Nash that was badge engineered as a Hudson.

First generation

The Hornet, introduced for the 1951 model year, was based on Hudson's "step-down" design that was first seen in the 1948 model year on the Commodore. The design merged body and chassis frame into a single structure, with the floor pan recessed between the car's chassis rails instead of sitting on top of them. Thus one "stepped down" into a Hudson. The step-down chassis's "lower center of gravity...was both functional and stylish. The car not only handled well, but treated its six passengers to a sumptuous ride. The low-slung look also had a sleekness about it that was accentuated by the nearly enclosed rear wheels."

Second generation

In its final three model years, the Hornet became a product of the newly formed American Motors Corporation (AMC). Following the 1954 merger of the Hudson Motor Car Company and Nash-Kelvinator, Hudson's Detroit manufacturing facility was closed and production of Hudson models was shifted to Nash's Wisconsin factory. No longer built on the "Step-down" platform, all Hudsons were now based on the senior Nash models, but featuring distinctive Hudson styling themes.

Legacy

The 1951 Hudson Hornet was selected as the "Car of the Year" in a book profiling seventy-five years of noteworthy automobiles by automotive journalist Henry Bolles Lent.

For the 1970 model year, American Motors resurrected the Hornet name for their new compact that replaced the Rambler American.

In 2006, a small, front-wheel-drive concept car called Hornet was designed and developed by Dodge.

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Photographs

	Subject:  "Doc Hudson" Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2010 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a Hudson Hornet - 4,358KB
	Subject:  "Doc Hudson" Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2010 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a Hudson Hornet - 3,772KB
	Subject:  "Doc Hudson" Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2010 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a Hudson Hornet - 4,366KB
	Subject:  "Doc Hudson" Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2010 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a Hudson Hornet - 4,395KB
	Subject:  "Doc Hudson" Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2010 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a Hudson Hornet - 3,902KB
	Subject:  "Doc Hudson" Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2010 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a Hudson Hornet - 3,894KB
	Subject:  "Doc Hudson" Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2010 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a Hudson Hornet - 4,093KB
	Subject:  Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2012 Remember Our Heroes Car Show View photo of Hudson Hornet - 3.8MB
	Subject:  Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2012 Remember Our Heroes Car Show View photo of Hudson Hornet - 2.5MB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet, 4,467KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 2,854KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 3,101KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 3,005KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 3,434KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 3,840KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 3,386KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 3,239KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 3,154KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 4,172KB
	Subject:  1951 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2008 Gary Lang Auto Group Car Show View photo of a 1951 Hudson Hornet - 3,461KB
	Subject:  1952 Hudson Hornet Hollywood coupe Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2006 Morris Lions Fall Classic Car Show View photo of a 1952 Hudson Hornet - 559KB
	Subject:  1952 Hudson Hornet Hollywood coupe Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2006 Morris Lions Fall Classic Car Show View photo of a 1952 Hudson Hornet - 547KB
	Subject:  1952 Hudson Hornet Hollywood coupe Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2006 Morris Lions Fall Classic Car Show View photo of a 1952 Hudson Hornet - 379KB
	Subject:  1952 Hudson Hornet Hollywood coupe Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2006 Morris Lions Fall Classic Car Show View photo of a 1952 Hudson Hornet - 287KB
	Subject:  1952 Hudson Hornet Hollywood coupe Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2006 Morris Lions Fall Classic Car Show View photo of a 1952 Hudson Hornet - 383KB
	Subject:  1952 Hudson Hornet Hollywood coupe Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2006 Morris Lions Fall Classic Car Show View photo of a 1952 Hudson Hornet - 380KB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Advertisement Source:  The Saturday Evening Post, 14 February 1953 View 1953 Hudson Hornet Advertisement - 2.1MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Location/Event:  2012 Classic Plastic Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 2.1MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Location/Event:  2012 Classic Plastic Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 1.8MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Location/Event:  2012 Classic Plastic Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 2.3MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Location/Event:  2012 Classic Plastic Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 2.2MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2013 Attack of the Plastic Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 3.6MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2013 Attack of the Plastic Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 3.6MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 2.1MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 1.9MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 2.3MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Model Car - 2.2MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Stock Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Stock Car Model Car - 2.2MB
	Subject:  1953 Hudson Hornet Scale Model Stock Car Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info:  Mobius kit View photo of 1953 Hudson Hornet Stock Car Model Car - 2.1MB
	Subject:  Hudson Hornet 1:18 scale die cast Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  October 2006 Meeting of C.A.R.S. in Miniature View photo of a Hudson Hornet - 254KB
	Subject:  1954 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1954 Hudson Hornet - 2,902KB
	Subject:  1954 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1954 Hudson Hornet - 2,213KB
	Subject:  1954 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1954 Hudson Hornet - 1,944KB
	Subject:  1954 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1954 Hudson Hornet - 2,342KB
	Subject:  1954 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1954 Hudson Hornet - 2,171KB
	Subject:  1954 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1954 Hudson Hornet - 2,662KB
	Subject:  1954 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1954 Hudson Hornet - 2,342KB
	Subject:  1954 Hudson Hornet Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Event:  The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1954 Hudson Hornet - 2,496KB
	Subject:  Hudson Hornet Advertisement Source:  The Saturday Evening Post View Hudson Hornet Advertisement - 23.3MB

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