Thou shalt low end TORQUE!

Beforemytime

I can think of no better place to express my appreciation for the low RPM torque the Hudson 212 engine produces. I've driven my new to me Terraplane about 45 miles, mostly in town and short jaunts around the countryside. Unlike modern multiple gear manual transmissions with high-winding engines in mid weight card the 3100 lb Terraplane with the 212 is content with only 3 gears with the engine's ability to make monster slow speed torque. It's perfectly content to idle along in top cog at 20mph then accelerate smoothly without protest. Some of this is no-doubt due to a numerically high axle ratio but I haven't checked it yet. Driving a car with good torque characteristics is easier on the driver. I traded off my first new manual transmission vehicle in 1990 after only a few months and a few thousand miles because of the 5 gear transmission and the seemingly endless need to be changing gears. Had it been adorned with a 3 speed and the low speed torque of the 212 I might have kept it. So three cheers for the 212 and three gears. I (heart)my Terraplane!
David

37 CTS

Your comments match with what I was thinking as I drove my 1941 Super Six today,  Its so fine to enjoy driving a Hudson without all that shifting that other cars require.  I had to " gear down" my mind as based on other cars I felt like shifting when because I was driving a Hudson I did not need to shift.

Val

I too enjoy driving my 39 with a 212 3 speed. But I do have an O/D which makes it nice for long trips. 

MikeSheridan

Back in the '30's, most state highways were 45mph. A few were 55mph. So the need to travel at today's high speeds just wasn't there. Most car companies, Hudson included, wanted to put as small an engine as possible for better gas mileage. With a high numerical rear end, the salesman could tell someone on a test drive, to step on it from a stop sigh or stop light. It would push you back in your seat, due to all the torque multiplication. And people would say " Oh, that is a powerful car! Pushed me back in the seat!" Wasn't true, but made for good marketing. Today, those cars only want to go 45 or 50 mph. Not up to todays needs, even on back roads.

terraplane8

The top gear performance of these engines is pretty good even today. My '36 212 does 30-50mph in 7 seconds flat in top: it's standard apart from a 112 head giving 7.3:1 or so compression. It'll climb extremely steep hills in top on the 4.1:1 axle.

KustomKreeps

torque.
One of the reasons I got rid of the Hudson 6 and got a Buick Nailhead.

Kdancy

KustomKreeps said:

torque.
One of the reasons I got rid of the Hudson 6 and got a Buick Nailhead.

Get rid of the nailhead and get a 392 hemi. Then you'll have some torque!

1958kiwi

I have a Nail head and it says 465Ftlb of torque standard. 392 Hemi is not much different and does not look like a work of art. Get rid of the Hemi and get a nailhead Cheers

Kdancy

Nothing says HP and torque like a hemi! Looks to kill !