Highway 61 1:18 1952 Hudson Hornet #92- Herb Thomas

In 1948, Hudson made the automotive world take notice with their all new Commodore that featured radically new "Step-Down" styling dubbed "Monobuilt" and frame construction. With the floorpan sitting below the frame, passengers had to step down to enter. It was a semiunibody construction with body and chassis welded together. Owners enjoyed the head and legroom this style offered. With the lowest center of gravity available, the car was lauded for its great handling and roadworthiness. Stock car racers embraced these Hudsons and christened them with the "Fabulous" prefix that followed this line through its days of track dominance that continued to 1954. The only complaints recorded about this new step-down styling was that it was more difficult to clean out dirt from the floor.

Committed to the L-head engine design over the OHV, Hudson continued to develop their line of six and eights, ultimately dropping the eight and increasing the original 262 CID 121bhp Six to the 308CID Six which was rated at either 145hp or 160hp with the twin carb "Twin H-Power" setup. Hudson had since 1951 offered "severe usage" parts for their cars which were specifically designed for racing. By 1953, the special 7-X race engine option yielded as much as 210hp. Highway-61 has converted their stock Hudson line to represent Herb Thomas' 1953 Hornet NASCAR racer. It has been fitted with the proper grill and hood ornament for '53. The skirts have been cut out and the fuel filler door has been removed as well as the full wheel covers which are now red painted steel wheels. The original single exhaust has been replaced by a new system that splits after a small muffler and exit from the passenger side just behind the door. The backup lights above the tail lights are also missing, but I think that may have been an option that year.

This racer is resplendent in bright, crisp livery that are not tampos, but are actually transfers. The finish of the car is rich and smooth from a thick application of clearcoat. When the light hits the finish just right, you can just make out the carrier film surrounding the various graphics. This is not meant as a criticism as this is virtually invisible. The chrome on this car is very nice and has a realistic "Nickel'd" look to it. The foiled window and drip sill trim, however, is the poorest example I've seen from H-61. It was very wrinkled and with it's bright finish, these imperfections really standout. The one other change to the exterior that I do fault is the fresh air cowling vent that is modeled in the open position. This was accomplished by fabrication a separate part to show the lid and a simulated (by applique) screening. Two holes were punched into the original site and the part was made with two locator pins. My example was affixed with about 2 mm of clearance above the cowl supported by the locator pins. Unable to properly seat this part, I cut the locator pins off and directly glued the open vent part to the site... and it still didn't seat. It seems that both the cowling AND the bottom of the part are slightly convex so unless you carve a concavity in the part to match the car's convexity, it will not lay flat. It would have been better not to make this alteration at all.

Although the interior was all new for 1953, H-61 did not change the interior on this model. The rear seat has been removed, and this has been replaced with what feels like a thermoformed featureless plastic insert that is covered with the same flocking that simulates the carpeting and rear window ledge. I'm not sure that old Herb would have gone through that much trouble to create this seamless esthetic solution to the void left by removing the rear seat. Also, oddly, the way this diecast has been designed, their really isn't any "step-down" at all as the floor is virtually flush with the door sill and only slight depressions are modeled directly in front of the split bench seats on either side of the transmission hump. The seat upholstery and door panels are molded in dark blue/gray plastic with the contrasting pale blue/gray accents done in transfer applique which on my example was misaligned on the seat cushion and somewhat wrinkled. The NASCAR mandated driver's seatbelt is modeled as two strips of material that originate from the seat crack and disappear down the front of the seat with no buckles. There are to photoetched pieces placed in the middle of each length of belt that appear to have no function at all. If they are meant to be pulled together to buckle (which would make an "X" pattern), then they are both males. The dash is identical to the 1952 stock version down to the medium brown color, and although nicely done, I cannot verify that it is at all correct.

The engine bay as with all H-61's Hudsons is just beautifully done, missing only brakelines and heater hoses (if there indeed were not pulled from this race version). The complicated hinging and folding support system is worth the price of admission alone. The whole setup appears identical to the stock version, but this is definitely one diecast you want to display with the hood popped. The trunk opens to reveal a flocked liner and an empty spare tire well. All the operating panels are well executed, shutlines are tight and alignment is exact. The undercarriage is reasonable well modeled, but those four large receptacles for the screws that affix the diecast to the display base are way too obtrusive. Outside of that poorly conceived and executed vent, quality control is pretty darned good. There is one glue smudge on my example from affixing one of the wipers. The real villain again is the use of metal foil for selected trim. Poor alignment and multiple folds and wrinkles really mar the look of this otherwise impressive looking beast. On the plus side, if you can't find or afford the legendary Smokey's FM diecast, be of good cheer. H-61 evidently paid the freight and the Smokey's logo is prominently displayed on the front fenders. If you're looking for historical accuracy, this diecast falls a bit short. If you're looking for a high quality image of those great and legendary Hornets, I'd say the stock versions are better done. Viewed entirely on its own, I'd have to give this piece 3 of 5 stars. Having already seen and appreciated the best features of H-61's Hudson lineup, I may be dwelling too much on this particular models shortcomings.

New News  ·  List & Reviews  ·  Legacy Motors  ·  Auctions  ·  Forums  ·  Polls  ·  Features  ·  Register  ·  FAQs  ·  Clubs

Copyright © 2007 Priva and Diecast Zone