HVPR

Mr. & Mrs. Al Brenneman's 1952 Hudson Hornet Sedan was the dash plaque's featured car the year!

In HVPR's annual tradition, hand-crafted participation awards and dash plaques were given to 136 vehicles attending this year's show.

This year's participation award was a replica of a vintage "Flying A", gravity fed, gas pump. Constructed of wood, washers, plastic pipe, it was hand-crafted by several talented club members. Each driver was given this participation award, a tradition with HVPR for the past 32 years !

As always, we wonder what next year's award will be, but knowing the talented minds of many of the club members, it will probably represent another car-related item of an era gone by!

Interesting information on the Brenneman's 1952 Hudson Hornet:

This four door sedan's paint color was called TorRed. It was one of 35,921 Hornets built that year. The car was equipped with the Hornet Six engine, L-head configuration with a displacement of 308 C.I. rated at 145 HP at 3800 RPM. A General Motors "Hydromatic" transmission handles the shifting operation and it had a base price of $2749.00

1952 was the 5th year of their revolutionary step-down construction, a unitized body a "d" chassis. In November 1947, Hudson was able to beat the big three to the punch and get the first new post-war model into the hands of an eager market. General Motors and Ford released their new models in January 1949, while Chrysler finally released their vehicle in March 1949.

The Hudson had minor trim changes, but the big news for 1952 was the availability of the Hudson "Twin H", performance package. This consisted of a high compression cylinder head and 2 carburetors. This coupled with the manual overdrive transmission made the Hornet a barnburner. That big Hudson was the terror of the track.

In the 1952 NASCAR season, Hudson won 27 of the 34 Grand National races including the race at the Old Daytona Beach course. The legendary Tim Flock won the NASCAR Championship that year driving a Hudson. In those days the cars were stock, unlike today where all parts had to be available to the general public from the dealer.

The last true Hudson was built in 1954 and was still based on the 1948 body style. On May 1, 1954, Hudson officially became part of American Motors Corporation. In October 1954 the model year ended and the Detroit plant was closed. In 1955 all Hudsons were then built at the Nash Plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Basically after 1954 you got a badge engineered Nash with a few Hudson parts. Ironically, the 1955 Hudson Hornets were still available with the "Twin H" Hudson 308 C.I. engine that was rated at 170 HP, along with Packard's Ultramatic transmission. Unfortunately, it was a doomed program. The last Hudson was introduced on October 25, 1957 with a total of 4,108 units rolling off the Kenosha, Wisconsin assembly line. In 1958 American Motors dropped Hudson as well as Nash to concentrate on their new Rambler.

Al has been a member of HVPR since 1970, follows in his father's footsteps as a Hudson Man. He tells us that he has most always owned a Hudson with his first being a 1941 two-door sedan, in which he courted his future wife Delma. He continued to drive Hudson's, including a 1942 Commodore overdrive coupe, a 1951 Pacemaker and a 1952 Wasp loaded with a Hudson "Twin-H" engine. He bought a 1955 Hornet in the mid-60's for his teenage daughter. In 1957 Al bought his first new car a shiny new 1957 Plymouth. It was in January 1972 when he acquired the 1952 Hudson. Just because American Motors quit on Hudson, Al didn't.

His Hornet is a magnificent vehicle having only 43,000 miles that have rolled under the wheels in the past 49 years. This car is an original car with one repaint in 1975. The interior is lavishly appointed with chair high seats, beautiful walnut wood graining. Looking beyond a deep gorgeous walnut wood-grained dash is a two-pieced curved windshield. All four door jams have the neatest courtesy lights recessed into them.

In addition to this vehicle, Al owns a 1952 Hudson Commodore Eight, four door sedan. The last year of those Hudson Eights and one of only 3,125 produced.

The 32nd Annual Fall RoundUp took place at the Newport News Park again this year. This new location has proven to be a wonderful site for our annual car show. Here is a glimpse of some of the activities before and during the event