Both Hudson and Studebaker were innovators in engineering and styling. The following are just a few examples of this:
Hudson invented the step-down floor. This made the floor lower than the door sill.
Hudson was the first car to have a balanced crankshaft in the engine.
In spite of the massive appearance, the Hudson sedan weighed only 3800 pounds, which made it lighter than cars of similar size.
In 1953 Studebaker designed the Loewy coupe, and the average man could at last see over the top of the car!
Studebaker put hill- holders and self-adjusting brakes in the cars.
Studebaker was the only manufacturer that cast engine blocks and then put them out in the weather for two years, to ensure that the blocks were completely stress relieved before starting any machine work on them.
NASCAR and Hudson
Hudson dominated NASCAR from 1951-1954.
Andy Granatelli and Avanti
Andy Granatelli took five Avantis to Bonneville Salt Flats in 1963. He set 27 new speed records with Avanti.
World War II Contributions by Hudson and Studebaker
Both Studebaker and Hudson made substantial contributions to the war effort. The following are a couple of their contributions:
Hudson made the 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun.
Studebaker built the Curtis engine for the B17 bombers.
Personal note: when I visited the Lone Star Flight Museum, located near Moody Gardens, in Galveston, Texas, I had the opportunity to talk with a retired B17 bomber line mechanic. He told me that the line mechanics preferred the B17 Curtis engines built by Studebaker.
Studebaker and the Budweiser Commercial
Studebaker built the big wagon pulled by the horses in the Budweiser commercials. The Studebaker brothers originally made wagons in 1852 in South Bend, Indiana.
And lastly,
Studebaker produced many more vehicles than did Hudson.
Will
Hudson invented the step-down floor. This made the floor lower than the door sill.
Hudson was the first car to have a balanced crankshaft in the engine.
In spite of the massive appearance, the Hudson sedan weighed only 3800 pounds, which made it lighter than cars of similar size.
In 1953 Studebaker designed the Loewy coupe, and the average man could at last see over the top of the car!
Studebaker put hill- holders and self-adjusting brakes in the cars.
Studebaker was the only manufacturer that cast engine blocks and then put them out in the weather for two years, to ensure that the blocks were completely stress relieved before starting any machine work on them.
NASCAR and Hudson
Hudson dominated NASCAR from 1951-1954.
Andy Granatelli and Avanti
Andy Granatelli took five Avantis to Bonneville Salt Flats in 1963. He set 27 new speed records with Avanti.
World War II Contributions by Hudson and Studebaker
Both Studebaker and Hudson made substantial contributions to the war effort. The following are a couple of their contributions:
Hudson made the 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun.
Studebaker built the Curtis engine for the B17 bombers.
Personal note: when I visited the Lone Star Flight Museum, located near Moody Gardens, in Galveston, Texas, I had the opportunity to talk with a retired B17 bomber line mechanic. He told me that the line mechanics preferred the B17 Curtis engines built by Studebaker.
Studebaker and the Budweiser Commercial
Studebaker built the big wagon pulled by the horses in the Budweiser commercials. The Studebaker brothers originally made wagons in 1852 in South Bend, Indiana.
And lastly,
Studebaker produced many more vehicles than did Hudson.
Will
