1929 Hudson Model L

The Hudson Model L was available in five different body styles, all having four doors with seating ranging from four to seven passengers. All of the bodies were created by coachbuilder Biddle & Smart, rested on a wheelbase that measured 139 inches, and were powered by a six-cylinder engine offering 92 horsepower. The Hudson Company claimed to have a list of 64 improvements for 1929. Some of the more significant improvements were hydraulic, double-action shock absorbers and 'silenced roof construction.'

Hudson introduced its new 1929 models in January of that year, with the Model R using a 122.5-inch wheelbase while the Model L had a larger platform. The Murphy Coachbuilding firm had created designs for Hudson in previous years, and the body styles of 1928 were mostly carried over into 1929. The 288.6 cubic-inch F-head inline six-cylinder engine had mechanical valve lifters, four main bearings, a cast-iron block, and with a single downdraft carburetor, it developed 92 horsepower at 3,600 RPM (19.4 HP N.A.A.C.C. rating). It was backed by a three-speed manual transmission, and four-wheel Bendix mechanical drum brakes provided the stopping power. Standard equipment included five wire wheels, large diameter headlights, a higher radiator, rearview mirror, windshield wiper, electro-lock anti-theft device, and electric gas and oil gauge.

The most expensive body style in the Hudson model catalog for 1929 was the Sport Phaeton, priced from $2,200 and described as 'semi-custom' coachwork crafted by Biddle and Smart. Like many of Hudson's bodies, its styling was profoundly influenced by the company's collaboration with the renowned Murphy coachbuilding company of Pasadena, California, where eventual Hudson design head Frank Spring was employed. Other body styles in the Model L lineup included the club sedan priced at $1,850, the seven-passenger limousine at $2,100, the seven-passenger phaeton at $1,600, and the seven-passenger sedan at $2,000.

The company produced 71,179 vehicles during the 1929 calendar year, an all-time record for the Hudson marque, earning it third place in the sales ranking.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2009