Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 58
1929 Hudson Model L Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton Coachwork by Biddle & Smart Chassis no. 45088 Engine no. 600355
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Lot 58
1929 Hudson Model L Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton
1929 Hudson Model L Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton
Coachwork by Biddle & Smart
Chassis no. 45088
Engine no. 600355
Coachwork by Biddle & Smart
Chassis no. 45088
Engine no. 600355
288.5 Cubic Inch F-Head Inline-Six Cylinder Engine
92bhp at 3,2000rpm
Single Marvel Updraft Carburetor
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Solid Front Axle, Semi-Floating Rear Axle, Semi-Elliptic Springs
4-Wheel Bendix Mechanical Brakes
*A rare and stylish Hudson with adventurous custom coachwork
*One of 7 survivors from approximately 17 built
*Award-winning restoration
*Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Full Classic®
THE 1929 HUDSON
Hudson surprised its loyal customers in 1929 when it abandoned the famous "Super Six" moniker for the new model range. Now called "The Greater Hudson," the new name reflected the confidence and optimism of the pre-Depression era. Hudson was highly regarded in the mid-priced market, delivering value, performance, and quality in spades. For the 1929 model year, Hudson divided the range into two lines – the Model R with a 122.5-inch wheelbase chassis, and the prestigious Model L on a 139-inch chassis. The latter was the flagship of the range featuring semi-custom bodies supplied by Biddle & Smart exclusively. Hudson's sprightly 92 bhp F-head 'six was the only available engine, providing ample thrust in the well-sorted chassis, which had double-action dampers and powerful Bendix brakes. Sales soared as Hudson made more than 71,000 deliveries to dealers in 1929, putting the plucky independent firm in an impressive third position on the annual sales charts behind Chevrolet and Ford.
THE CAR OFFERED
For the flagship Model L, Hudson pulled out the stops and offered four different semi-custom bodies built by Biddle & Smart, with the prestigious Murphy Coachbuilders providing valuable design collaboration. The sole open design was the beautiful Dual-Cowl Sport Phaeton, as offered here. It is believed that only 17 Phaetons were built, and of those, a mere seven survive.
This example has been fastidiously restored to an award-winning standard, finished in an eminently charming two-tone yellow and orange livery, as seen in a period color advertisement in the Saturday Evening Post. Like many rare and significant Hudson automobiles, this car was previously owned by marque devotee Eldon Hostetler, who acquired it in 1992 from Jack Miller, the last ever active Hudson dealer. Hostetler commissioned the Appenzeller Bros. to perform the initial restoration, completed in 2002, and proudly displayed it in the Hostetler Hudson Museum until its closure in 2018. The consignor acquired the Sport Phaeton directly from the Hostetler sale and handed it to the renowned restorer Stephen Babinsky and his team at Automotive Restorations in Lebanon, New Jersey. There, the restoration was freshened—with invoiced totaling over $40,000, and the car extensively detailed for concours events and tours. Since then, it earned significant accolades including a perfect 400-point score at the 2020 AACA Grand National meet at Gettysburg, and a Best in Class at the 2020 Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance. It was shown at The Amelia and driven with confidence on the Amelia Tour. The car is complete with copies of its service records both from its current and former owner, a fitted California Car Cover, the original vacuum tank, an extra original—and rare—hood mascot, and a framed copy of the March 1929 Saturday Evening Post ad featuring the Model L Dual-Cowl Phaeton in the same colors as the offered machine.
Exuding Jazz-Age splendor and vibrancy, this delightful coach-built Hudson represents a one-off opportunity to acquire what is surely the finest surviving Model L in existence.
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