49 Hudson Nailhead Build

Hey ya.

So recently I picked up a new project now my 52 Buick is complete – a 1949 Hudson Super.

Story goes I was browsing auctions with no intention of buying anything just cyber tire kicking so to speak.
“Hey a cool old barn find car has surfaced 45 mins away. Want go take a look?” i ask my better half.
With a promise that we would go get something tasty for lunch we pile in the old 52.

Walking up to it & seeing the fastback shape and roof that looks chopped straight from the factory the better half mutters “I wont say no if you want to buy it”

^^ what more can i say… talked the price down for cash & shook hands with plans to pick it up the following day.
Next day swapped the fat wad of bills for the original registration papers, original ownership papers showing two owners (father then son), a few old photos from 1962 and a set of keys to a car that hadn’t been started for 47 years.

Now I already have a Straight 8 in the Buick and not really interested in another inline. Fabulous Hudson Hornet NASCAR history or not. Saying this im not into chevy swaps. I do like Buick Nailheads… rare here in New Zealand and always catch my attention when dressed up. I look at the Husdon, scratch the ol chin and go “yus sir that would be mighty fine”. Nailheads have an old school look that would suit that engine bay mighty fine.

Images from the Auction & First Look.

So what the old timer said was wrong with it:
Fuel tank out as he has had it patched n cleaned cus had a few small leaks.
trunk floor has a split where fuel tank mounts. guessing due to weight & old NZ roads being not the best etc
small patch rust on left rear skirt.
patch rust on right front panel.
front right door pillar has a split at bottom. apparently he use to chat to people leaning on the open door and thinks this might of been the issue.
brake Master cylinder needs put back in as it and all the drums have been redone.
Water pump is at a shop getting redone.
Rats have nested in seats.
All easy stuff really. the splits are clean stress splits with no rust or nasty stuff to be seen.

Still trying to figure out my build. Any help or ideas are most welcome. I do know the history of Hudson and NASCAR etc but I already have a hotrod looking restored car and dont want another. im after a more custom look. I haven’t been in a Hudson moving under its own power so im unsure of many things like suspension etc.

Plan so far:
worked 401 Nailhead. (hard to get here so may need import)
Worked 700R4 trans
rewire using American Autowire highway 22kit.
Wilwood disks all around.
Media blast.
Shave the handles. French the lights. and do all the normal custom shiz
Change up the grill.
Lower it.
new interior.
Thinking 9 inch in the rear to handle the Nailheads torque and power. Not sure what ratio.
Not sure for front end. I read how great the near 70 year old front end was. Maybe new hubs for disk brakes and a thicker swaybar. But then i think why not just throw in a jag IFS. comes with disks, power steering etc and is cheap here in New Zealand (cheaper than reworking the old hudsons setup)
Driveshaft – unsure. one or 2 piece…

So ideas? Suggestions?
This will be an expensive project for me. Being at the bottom of the world/New Zealand means expensive shipping. We have a lot of Holdens here and a fair few Euro cars.
after a old school look & sound with if possible a more modern handling.

Thanks guys

Alex

So planning of my build is still ticking away.

Although i have started ordering the easy bits like all the rubbers, seals, window channels etc

Since the old water pump is still getting fixed im flushing the clutch slowly. rotating it every day as it sits with kerosen. with luck it will free the clutch if its stuck (not sure that it is but will soon find out) have ATF to pop in when im ready.

As for the planning of the build.
Decided i want Power steering to make the missus happy and to make life and the ride that lil more enjoyably.
Also have decided that since i want to lower it and also want disk brakes all around that I will just buy a Fatmans Sub. Get a RH Power rack, sway bar & setup for Air bags.
Link to Fatmans Front Sub

as for whats happening out the back.
im thinking Moser 9inch houseing & axle package along with a ford 9inch.
or maybe a currie setup.
ideas, suggestions from any who have used would be great.
also confirmation on length. 49 Hudson rear is 55inch?
Link to Moser Houseing & Axle package
Link to Moser center/third member
Link to Currie Housing & Axle

Then im looking at RideTechs triangulated 4Link rear with bags.
Link to RideTech 4Link

Has anyone used this? Being such a well known brand im taking the build quality and weight is good? will be fine for a hudson?

with these changes to front and rear popping on Wilwood will be no issue. Would like a break booster but unsure of placement/room issues with the 401 thats already taking up space with PS, Alt and god knows what.
Unsure as yet about drive shaft. guess i will have to get everything in to figure that out.

Trans will be Monster Transmisions 700R4 conversion package. rated up to 600hp. Nailhead will only be 400ish. comes with all the extras I will need other than adapter.
Link to Monster package

Radiator advice?

Also going to start a new thread asking people to post pictures of there interiors so i can get ideas.

So ya. advice please! Its going to be an expensive build and need as much advise as possible.

So got the old beast going today and went for a drive. handling is horrible but that was expected lol.

Vid showing it running.
Smoky as its exhaust pipe is only like 3 feet long and in the middle has a big hole. Click below for youtube vid.

And a walk around the old Hudson. orgional colour was Blue. someone painted it mid 60s. a bit of surface rust but on the whole its in pretty good condition. Click image for vid.

So the engine and everything under the hood will be up for sale soon once i rip it on out. Heck pretty much everything under the car will be for sale.

Any restoration guys after parts let me know i guess.

Alex

Well haven’t updated this for some time. Yet on that note i haven’t done much to the car really until now.

Up until this point I got it going on its old motor, gave it a bit of a drive about. took a few vids for proof that it moves & stops under its own power etc for when i would sell the heart of the old beast.

And affectionately dubbed the car “Crudson” due to its ratty & oily crud smell.

Well i guess that wasn’t the full extent of my endeavors to date. I have gone and spent a fair bit of wedge on the mechanical side of things. Raiding the cosmetic budget (paint n panel, interior etc) to get the car setup solidly underneath where no one will likely ever see. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Said parts have enjoyed a lovely cruise on a ship around the world from the states to New Zealand then been fumigated & inspected by NZ customs and finally released for pickup tomorrow. Will do a few pics etc of whats to go in the car and my experience with the vendors once i have the goodies here and inspected. I will say Kiwi Shipping who freight forwarded nearly a tonne of parts to me was great to deal with and would go back to them any day. The shipping part (not customs etc) was only $665NZ($470USD) what i thought was bloody good seeing it had to go half way around the world & that i normally pay half that per order from Summit etc

Happy as this certainly made me i suddenly realized i hadn’t even started pulling the car to pieces to slip in my new found treasures.

There is a certain joy in the freedom of not giving a fek about the parts you rip out of a car. Often for me its “ohhh i should keep this just in case…”. But seeing everything under the car etc will be replaced i haven’t had those moments and i have had great fun ripping everything out. Few choice words have been spoken yet a fair many beverages consumed to date.

Making it better my Better half has been right besides me the whole time learning whats what and how a car goes together hands on. Got to love a girl who not only loves lipstick n heels but also lets me store parts in the spare bedroom.

So im rambling. Heres the progress made today with various tools of destruction.

– started with screw drivers & sockets but soon progressed to wire cutters followed by a hammer or two then for the finale saws etc.

Shrunken Head was one of the first to go but he will be back.

Hood off and ready for destruction!

Electricals, Rad, Bumpers, Lights and other junk out ready to unbolt the anemic inline.

One thing i like about these old Hudsons is the large Engine/Trans/Drive shaft access panel. Lift the carpets and unscrew a dozen bolts on the front floor gains you easy access with no need to raise the car.

Engine unbolted and ready to go.

Tell ya engine levelers are great if you dont have one get one!

Garage Kitty El Spokecamino (so named due to his ripped up ears and he can be a mean lil b@$#ard) supervised under Kreeps our 52 Buick for most of the time.

have been asked via PM a few times about my choice of front ends etc and thought i would quickly post a quick rant on it.

So yes. For its day 70 odd years ago the old Hudson had state of the art suspension that helped the Hornets win so many NASCAR races over so many years back when it was done on dirt tracks.

I had seriously thought about keeping it and reconditioning what i had then updating it with disk brakes, larger sway bar and power steering.
The center point steering coupled in with issues installing airbags, decent brakes, finding a PS system and then clearances with the nailhead soon turned me off.
If i was going to spend alot of wedge i would rather get an updated system.

Looked in to Jag IFS – similar weight cars. still would need rebuild and would need change up the rails due to the old unibody chassie.

So i would have to cut up the front end rails no matter what i would fit in. Looking about I saw Fatmans Fab did a full front clip. weld in jobbie that had all the holes in place for panels, rad etc etc.
Problem was they seem to fail NZ cert so much. My local Certifier wasnt keen so no point wasting the time and effort bring one in from the states.
Also note Fatmans no longer sells to NZ or Aus due to our vehicle regulations and they dont meet the standards. So if you are after some junk from them then send it to a freight forwarder state side.

So started looking closer to home. Holdens HQ- HZ looked like a good option. Started searching for a HZ as they had slightly better suspension (RTS) compared to HQ. A wrecker i have alot of time for told me he new of a HZ 1 tonner with PS up for grabs. Excellent i think. problem solved. Take it away and unload it. Then on close inspection i notice the front suspension dosnt look right. turns out it was a HQ ute. Took it back and started looking again.
Soon found out they can be a bitch to bag and shockwaves just wont fit in them as they are to wide (6.5inch wide). weight wise the front clip may not handle the job either.
Cross off Holdens and mutter a few choice words.

Now by this time I had been trying to figure out the front end for near on two or three months and was starting to get a tad pissed at my seemingly lack of any solid progress and constant setbacks.

hmm i should also mention one bright side I had. That coming in a package of a Hotrod builder and ticketed welder with decades of experience on a huge range of cars. Better yet it was the certifier who recommended him(anything he says i do pretty much as he is god in the end).
Wayne Flockton hence forth and forever more dubbed “Flockie”. He has had cars featured in a number of magazines including Hotrod. His shed is a vehicular wonderland of awesome. Chassis in various stages with all kinds of parts grafted on to them. Airbags, Engines, custom grilles all sit amongst pickups and hotrods that he is building for people and himself.
Options, ideas, suggestions and everything happily supplied.
One being Rods by Reid. A NZ hotrod shop ran by John Reid. Making NZs only pre approved for cert front end. Also a life time honorary member and top ranked man in NZ cert crowd. Also had many mag cars along with winning rides at a number of yank events like Goodguys.

So after talking to him i settle on the LO-RIDE 3 with wilwood & bags made to my ride height, weight, width etc

http://www.rodsbyreid.co.nz/front_suspension.html

Flockie will be cutting off the old hudson front clip and welding in a new one with the above setup.
Exciting times.

God I hope thats the end of the nightmare the front ends been. But I have a sinking suspicion that was the easy bit and the real hard stuff is only about to begin. ><

Anyone here used a Rods by Reid IFS?

Alex

Well it seems i have swapped clouds of dirt & dust for paint spray mist and vapors. Really need to upgrade my mask i think. Still a happy trade i must admit – was getting sick of the dirt, oil n rat shit.

Before i get ahead of myself i should do a quick splat on whats what regarding the new heart of the beast.

1965 Buick 401 or as most affectionatly know them by a “Nailhead”
Came out of an Electra or Wildcat i think.
Sonic tested prior to any work being done.

Had huge issues finding one that was in decent shape here in New Zealand – ones i did find hadn’t been turned over for 15 – 25 years or had been in parts for about the same amount of time.

Price to get one of these old things back in shape soon made me look to the states. I could get one already tested, worked and landed here in NZ for cheaper. Now i use to run an online business and brought most of my products in from the states so already had my customs client codes and was familiar with the process etc. So naturally i tracked down a good builder with a reputation to suit and went from there.

And the work done by Dual Quad Dave reads as:
1965 Buick 401 core
Bored .060 over to 413
Decked .020 to compensate for modern head gaskets(original gaskets were .017 thick, new ones are .045 thick. You lose .5 point of compression if you do not cut the deck to compensate)
New cast pistons
New Hastings moly rings
Balanced
Rods resized w/ ARP rod bolts
Crank turned .010/.010 and polished
Oil galley plugs converted to screw in(factory are press-in)
New Melling oil pump
New Melling cam/lifters
New Melling valve springs
Heads rebuilt w/ new valves, new iron guides, cut for Teflon oil seals(factory had no oil seals), milled .010 to ensure excellent seal
New freeze plugs
Updated to modern silicon front/rear oil seals
Good used timing cover
New timing chain
New water pump
Included pulleys& alt/ps brackets.
Included stock exhaust manifolds
Stock Power steering pump.
New Powermaster 1wire alt.
Stage 1 porting.
Polished chambers.
cleaned up castings.
Adjustable pushrods.
Stock 4brl Intake
Media blast & prime.
think thats about it. no doubt i missed stuff. I will blame the multi coloured paint boggers clogging up my brain. Dave who built up the donk was great. Gave lots of performance options and stages. Answered all my questions well and gave options. Gave free shipping to the docks. Inspected everything – found a small crack on one manifold after sandblasting so popped on another but didnt have time to blast that. Sent another box of stuff separate to NZ.

Now i know what you are thinking… Cam.

Its on the list to down the track. The nailheads came out with for the day a rather aggressive cam – today i guess it would be classed as mild but still decent. First i want to drive it and hear it. if i want a more lumpy cam then no problems. if im happy with it but would like a different tone to the sound then i will fiddle with the exhaust.

Also another large factor was the porting. Nailheads main issue is breathing. Heck its why they are called nailheads as the valves are like nailheads. I could pick a cam up easy enough but to get porting done by someone who is experienced on the old motor here in NZ would be harder. So put my cash towards porting. Should help it breath a lil better.

Power wont be an issue no matter what cam i use. The old Nailheads are known for torque. heck Buick use to lable the engines by the torque rateing not HP and they listed some impressive numbers from the factory floor.

Currently its sitting about 360-370HP and 475-485lbs add another 20HP with the Eelco 2×4 intake when it arrives then another 20-30hp from headers i should be up around 400HP or 1HP per cube. Obviously a cam will push these higher if I feel I need more power.

Some pics of the engine:

As you can see the old Nailheads are semi hemi.

and loaded up in the states:

Yesterday we masked it up, took off the intake and exhaust manifolds etc.

gave it a bit of a sand and another prime then sprayed it Gloss Black.

Still unsure what color we will paint the car whats been a big issue. Originally satin black with pinstriping, then dark red or purple, then white with tinted windows. Already have a matte Black car. White looks good next to it but still unsure. Ideas?

Anyway we figured black goes with anything and would look good with the finned accessories etc.

Engine will be out again once we have done the mock ups. when we strip it down and do the panel n paint. So if needs be can repaint it again then.

Will get some pics of the engine latter in its current black state.

Im off to chase up my new intake then watch some custom car shows online.

post ideas for paint!

ohh and post some good hotrod, custom etc car shows.
like Fast n Loud, Counting Cars, RoadKill, Full Custom Garage TV etc

As often is the way~ life and work are getting in the way of what i really want to be doing: saving this heap of steel from restoration.

Time of the year i guess with Christmas fast approaching and clients suddenly deciding its the end of the world if XYZ isn’t done like yesterday.
i just stand there baffled as there mouth is moving wondering to myself “yes all very good and nice but come on surely they must agree the old car is more important… LEADSLED GOD DAMN IT!!!!”
Its really starting to get out of control. I take it for granted its completely normal and sane if not even healthy for a guy to dream of cars n shift like that. But my dearest the other morning commented she is dreaming of cars. Cool i think to my self but whats that say about us o.0 – should note here we do live in a Bogan town so this may be common with in the local female populace..(you yanks think redneck i guess just dont youtube Bogan please)

Anyways with said working life getting in the way i haven’t done sweet jack all.
Popped on the Trans adapter, ordered a few small parts i needed is about all.

Dropped more stuff off to Flockies Chassis Shop. Some of the projects the maestro is tinkering away on:

Not much room at the moment but with luck he will have some of the projects cleared soon and the Hudson chassis etc on its way.

Alex