Chassis No.
50490375
| Santa Paula, California
Hudson’s ‘Step-Down’ cars for 1948 marked a new direction for the company. The partially unitary design placed the floor pan on the bottom of the frame rather than the top, making one literally step down to enter a Hudson. There was an all-new six-cylinder engine, but the legacy straight eight, which was continually being updated since its introduction in the 1930s, was still carried over. Its low center of gravity made for excellent handling, for which Step-Downs are still revered.
This rare Hudson Commodore has been the recipient of a restoration completed in phases over the course of the last decade. The body was repainted in a pleasing deep blue metallic, which is nicely contrasted by a brand new, freshly installed red leather upholstery. A black canvas top completes the package. Brightwork was selectively rechromed; the result is a Hudson with plenty of eyeball. The engine is understood to have been previously rebuilt by Knighten’s Machine Shop, while a new wiring harness was installed.
The Hudson is equipped with a power top, power windows, directional signals, a sun visor, a radio, a heater, and Borg-Warner overdrive.
The Commodore Eight convertible Brougham was the most expensive Hudson in 1950, with a listed price of $2,893, it was comparable to that of a Series 61 Cadillac. Hudson experts estimate production at 425 cars, making this not only the most desirable but also the rarest of Hudson products that year.
