Hudson Centennial; THE BIG THREE SQUEEZED OUT THIS EARLY PIONEER.(NEWS)

Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON

Founded in 1909, Hudson Motors has been out of business longer than it operated. But that isn't stopping enthusiasts of the marque (and its Essex and Terraplane affiliates) from celebrating its centennial. Hudson will be featured at the 13th-annual Ypsilanti Orphan Car Show on June 7 (www.ypsiautoheritage.org), and that's only a prelude to what's planned for the annual meet of the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane (HET) Club in Detroit, July 13-17.

The company's founders were prominent in Detroit business circles. Several experienced engineers who worked at Oldsmobile united to produce a mass-market-oriented car to be priced at less than $1,000. The name came from J. L. Hudson, a department-store magnate who put in the biggest share of the initial investment. The other founders were H. E. Coffin, Roy D. Chapin, R. B. Jackson, Hugh Chalmers, F. O. Bezner, J. J. Brady and Lee Counselman.

The initial Model 20 of 1909 cost $900, only $50 more than the Ford Model T, and it had a sliding-gear transmission. At the time, Hudson was more productive than Ford and outsold the Model T, with more than 4,000 Model 20 units in the first year. Over the next several years, as Ford concentrated on production efficiencies, Hudson focused on improving the cars engine efficiency and smoothness and reduction in chassis and body weight. The Model 33 of 1911 had cylinders cast en bloc, and the engine, clutch and transmission were assembled as a unit before installation, both leading developments.

Interest in smooth operation and quality construction led Hudson away from Ford's approach, and by 1914, the company was using six-cylinder engines exclusively, the first offered in the affordable market segment. The introduction of relatively high compression ratios and the invention of a counterweighted crankshaft saw Hudson's six leap from 48 hp to 76 hp mid-decade. Hudson also pioneered with the first entirely closed cabin in the mid-price class.

In the late 1920s, Hudson developed a straight-eight, but when the Great Depres-sion arrived, there was more interest in the smaller Essex line, especially ...