Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Two Rotund Convertibles, One Even More Compelling Than the Other

I don’t know if the composition of this shot of two rotund convertibles by Fred Oliver was intentional, but it’s sure working for me. The shape of their tops is almost identical, and there’s a few other similarities. Most of the rest of his shots are of the Hudson Hornet, but that alone makes a great subject, albeit one we’ve covered in much greater detail here.

Somebody should have made a Hudson front end kit for the VW, like all those mid-late ’30s Ford and R-R fiberglass front ends. Never mind…

I’ve long held a deep longing for a Beetle cabrio, but it would have to be a much earlier one, from the ’50s or ’60s. These just don’t do it for me, even if its nose is doing an imitation of the Hudson’s tail.

As is quite obvious, the Hudson’s windshield and header are just a cut-down roof of the coupe version. By the way, the convertible was officially called “Brougham Convertible Coupe”. The convertible coupe moniker was quite common back then, and it helps explain why the earliest hardtop coupes were sometimes called hardtop convertibles. Or maybe it doesn’t.

Convertibles invariably had leather upholstery back in the day, and it was tougher stuff than the material called “leather” nowadays. This stuff was like what they used in those grand old leather club chairs and such. Genuine American cowhide. And a genuine GM Hydramatic teamed up to Hudson’s legendary 308 inch³ flathead six. Does it have Twin-H power?

No sign of that legendary sign. But a most wonderful butt indeed. This is a convertible coupe after my heart, although my deep infatuation with the Hudson six-window sedans would probably win, if I had to make that fateful decision. But then…and this one is just in my kind of condition too.

Love that badge.

And it’s for sale. I bet it’s not dirt cheap, though.

 

My love poem to Hudson Step-downs:

CC 1951 Hudson Pacemaker: My Fluttering Heart Needs a Pacemaker