46 Super Six Coupe

Tanner · Commodore Joined: May 14, 2009 Posts: 34

Just found this site. I have a 46 coupe and I am going to be doing a complete restoration on this car myself. This is my first Hudson so I will have loads of questions.

Hope you can bear with me and help me out. Razz

51hornet · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 7:58 am Post subject: Re: 46 Super Six Coupe

Hey welcome to our Hudson corner of the Internet. 46 Super Six coupe that will be a nice ride when you are done. I like those cars. What kind of resto are you doing. How is the project? rust, dents drive train work? what kind of use will you have for the finished car?

Lots of questions there and yes we will be happy to help in any way we can. Lots of links to parts and resto services in the Links section here. Join in and enjoy Hudsoning with us.

Tanner · Commodore Joined: May 14, 2009 Posts: 34

Thanks for the Welcome.

Good news is all the parts are on the car. Bad news is everything needs restoring.

Body is in great shape the frame is good. Front floor boards have rust through.

Engine turns over but no use starting it has sat for over 25 years so needs complete rework.

I want to restore to close to factory as I can and only upgrade stuff that makes it safer to drive a lot. I certainly want to cruise a lot make some longer trips. Want to get seat belts in there maybe look at brakes.

Any advice would help. I really like these big fender cars with that long hood that opens forward that is cool.

51hornet · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 8:49 am Post subject: Re: 46 Super Six Coupe

Hey Tanner, took the liberty of updating your avatar to a super six. This I think is my idea example of a 46-47 Super Six. With the skirts on it balances the front and rear proportions and paint colour is critical to making the lines stand out. In my opinion this red is nice, the darker greens and the darker blues. So for colours I would choose (of course this is just me you don't have to listen LOL)

Red
Peacock Green
Broadway Blue or darker

Skirts are a must on this car to make the lines flow from back to front as are wide white walls.

The old rusting front floor boards. Usually the car sits the door weatherstrip shrinks and water gets in and pools in the floor board area. Don't know if you want to fab new ones yourself or get them made. I will pm you the contract info of a guy who makes replacement floorboards that are perfect he can also make you a set of those fender skirts.

Good you are restoring to factory. In my book doing some safety upgrades is a must if you want to drive on longer trips. Seat belts are a must and when you have the car apart you can install them nicely to blend in. I would rather be held in place then tossed around in a crash. If you are not planning long trips and only drive to local shows then the stock brakes are fine or you can update them to the big drums off of a Stepdown Hornet and they will look stock to most everyone. If you want more stopping power I am an advocate of discs up front and drums on the back are fine. Richard Pridemore makes a kit that will fit nicely and I have seen some 46's with disc brakes. Talking to the owners they say braking is night and day over stock. Again it is all dependent on what you are doing with the car. If I was not driving on long trips I would keep the car totally stock as there is no point upgrading for an occasional driver to local shows. Just keep the stock parts in top repair drive slow and you will be fine.

If you plan cross country trips with your family in there as well, do some upgrades for safety but keep that engine Hudson.

How much of the work can you do yourself? what will you farm out. That helps you make choices. My advice from personal experience is try not to say I will be done next year. Setting a time limit is hard. Take the time you think it will take and multiple it by three and you might be close.

Tanner · Commodore Joined: May 14, 2009 Posts: 34

Lots of good suggestions Laughing

I was thinking dark blue but now I see that red 46 I am leaning to red. Though I may have to let my wife decide. She is good with color.

I have no time line. I can only work on it when I can. Got the car of my friends Dad it has been sitting on the farm since the 80's.

I want to do as much work as I can myself. I am taking a welding course in mig and tig at the local college. Everything else I will learn as I go. They have a basic body work and panel beating course I will take that as well if I have the time.

For sure with the seat belts with the kids I will need those if we are to travel to shows and stuff. The brake mods sound good I will ask more when I get to that stage. Rght now I am getting ready to disassemble the car. Any advice?

51hornet · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 5:17 pm Post subject: Re: 46 Super Six Coupe

Any advice? thats a loaded question....Yes lots LOL

I will put together a series of posts with what I think is a good method for pulling the car apart in a fashion where you can actually put it back together.

So to help others who may come with the same questions I will create a thread in Service Department ----> Restoration when you look at the forum index that way others can reference it as well.

Any questions you have you can still put here and we can discuss anything said in the restoration thread. How does that sound?

Hope you have access to some wood working tools to make a body jig or maybe you can make one at your welding class. Anyway we can discuss that when we get to it.

Tanner · Commodore Joined: May 14, 2009 Posts: 34

Thanks that would be great.

Tanner · Commodore Joined: May 14, 2009 Posts: 34

Update.....Haven't done a thing to the 46 yet. Its summer the kids are home we are out at the cabin every weekend so I guess the 46 wants until autumn.

51hornet · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:48 pm Post subject: Re: 46 Super Six Coupe

Enjoy the summer I have been swamped and have not finished the restoration guide yet either. Might as well enjoy summer while we have it.