Dare to be different! Gorgeous 1935 Hudson Terraplane street rod. Aluminum 215 cubic inch Olds V8 with 4-speed manual. Bucket seat interior. Great stance. Drives very well! An unusual street rod that will always stand out at shows!
If you are tired of looking at generic mid-30s Fords stuffed with Chevy engines, this 1935 Hudson Terraplane is for you! A great-looking cruiser from an orphan brand, this Hudson shows you what you can do if you're willing to color outside the lines a bit. Finished in a handsome shade of turquoise blue with subtle pinstripe accents, it has a classic look that will still be in fashion years from now. There's a subtle top chop and a custom Rootleib side-opening hood, so it definitely has the hot rod look, but the unusual details will make it stand out. Dig the recessed grille, the skirted fenders sitting low over the tires, and the built-in trunk out back, just below the split rear window. As a result of all this, the Terraplane will make a lot of folks do a double-take when the see it, and you can spend a lot of time looking it over and still not see all the cool tricks. It's all steel, of course, and retains a lot of the original car's charm with a few modern twists. You get blue dot taillights, a recessed license plate frame, and color-matched side mirrors, all of which add to the cohesive look. Someone had a clear vision when they built this Hudson!
The interior is simple tan fabric over buckets from a late-model, but it's comfortable and spacious. Plush carpets are installed over sound-deadening materials, so it's comfortable and quiet inside, and with a tilt steering column, it's easy to slide in and out through the suicide-style doors. You'll note immediately that this is not your average street rod, thanks to a 4-speed manual shifter on the floor, giving the Hudson a sporty edge that many hot rods paradoxically lack. There's a fat leather-wrapped steering wheel with a custom Terraplane horn button, a full set of retro-looking gauges from Classic Instruments, and a funky Pioneer AM/FM/CB radio over where the glove box used to be (right below the "Dare to be Different" plaque). Matching door panels and headliner give it a finished look and there's a spacious back seat that's big enough for real-sized people, so bring some friends along! The trunk is where the gas filler cap, power antenna, and battery are stashed, but there's still quite a bit of room for gear on a road trip.
The "Dare to be different" theme continues under the hood where you'll find a super-cool 215 cubic inch Oldsmobile V8 made entirely of aluminum. Only offered from 1961-63, it was state-of-the-art for GM in the '60s and provides a fantastic alternative to the garden-variety small block Chevy that you expected to see. Fitted with HEI ignition and a 4-barrel carburetor, it runs great, starting easily, idling nicely, and pulling the Terraplane around with a nice, fat torque curve that makes this car feel quick. There's plenty of competent engineering under the hood, including a massive radiator, stainless firewall, and hydraulic cylinders for both the brakes and clutch. Turn the key and it fires easily, and as long as you've driven a 4-speed before, this one offers no new challenges. The chassis is basic, including a tubular dropped front axle on leaf springs and a Ford 9-inch out back, but the ride and handling are capable and user-friendly. Steering is manual but effort is commendably light, and the 4-wheel drum brakes are certainly up to the task of keeping this one pinned down. There's no evidence this was ever a rusty car and the floors are in excellent condition, so no worries there. Out back, a custom fuel tank holds enough gas to make road trips a pleasure, and the dual exhaust system has a pleasing V8 burble that never gets annoying. The stance is exactly right and it sits on 15-inch aluminum wheels with staggered 205/60/15 front and 235/70/15 rear BFGoodrich radials.
Documentation includes a nice build book full of photos of the entire project, start to finish.
If you're like us and prefer your cars to be unique, this Hudson Terraplane should speak to you loud and clear. From the beautiful look to the unusual powerplant, someone took the road less traveled during the build and that makes this car special. It's totally ready to enjoy right now, or could be treated to some upgrades to make it really spectacular. Either way, you're going to love being different. Call today!
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