1911 Hudson Model 33 Mile-A-Minute Roadster Re-Creation

This 1911 Hudson Model 33 is said to have started its life with Torpedo touring coachwork before its rear bodywork was reportedly converted to a pickup bed as a means to qualify for a World War I trucker’s fuel ration. In the 1960s the car underwent a refurbishment that included the installation of a reproduction exposed-cockpit Mile-A-Minute Roadster body, after which it is said to have seen touring and show use before being purchased by the selling dealer a year ago. Finished in matte gray, the car is powered by a 226ci L-head inline-four that features a single updraft carburetor and Bosch duplex ignition. Additional equipment includes a three-speed manual transmission, rod-actuated rear drum brakes, 26” wood-spoke wheels with demountable rims, a monocle-style windscreen, seating for two trimmed in black upholstery, a disconnected acetylene spot lamp and headlights, and a wood storage trunk. This Mile-A-Minute Roadster-style Model 33 is now offered with spare removed manifolds, a wheel wrench, a pair of driving goggles, a water bag, and a clean Missouri title. The Hudson Motor Car Company was founded in early 1909 and within five months began producing its first automobile, the Model 20, of which it sold approximately 4,200 units for a then-record in first-year sales volume. The higher-powered Model 33 platform was introduced in 1911, and in 1912, expanded its range to include a runabout-style Mile-A-Minute Roadster named for a speed rating that Hudson’s advertising claimed it could exceed. This chassis reportedly left the factory in 1911 with Torpedo coachwork that was modified into a pickup configuration before being replaced with its current body replicating that of a 1912 Roadster. The bodywork wears older matte gray paint that has worn thin in various areas and is accented by number 33 graphics on each side of the centrally hinged hood as well over the radiator fins. C.M. Hall acetylene headlights and an American Lamp Company cowl-mounted acetylene spotlight have been disconnected from an acetylene bottle mounted behind the left fender, while additional features include a kerosene taillight and cowl lamps, a driver-side monocle-style windscreen, running boards with branded step plates, a cylindrical fuel tank with an Ethyl decal, and a wooden storage trunk. Wooden artillery-style wheels feature demountable rims wrapped in 34×4 BFGoodrich Silvertown tires, while two spare rims wearing Firestone rubber are secured to the rear of the car. Stopping is handled by rear drums with rod-actuated externally contracting bands supplemented by internally expanding emergency shoes. The open-sided cockpit hosts a pair of bucket seats trimmed in black pleated leather, while wood boards line the floor. Features include a right-hand gated shifter, a pyramid-texture metal foot plate, a central accelerator pedal, and a bulb horn. The wood-rimmed steering wheel is situated at the right-hand side of the cockpit and hosts spark and throttle controls. Instrumentation includes a New Haven Clock Company clock, an engine oil-flow sight glass, and a Stewart 60-mph speedometer. The four-digit odometer shows 5,500 miles, approximately eight of which have been added under current ownership. True mileage is unknown. The 226ci inline-four was manufactured for Hudson by the Continental Motors Company and features a monobloc cylinder and head casting, an alloy crankcase, side valves, a single updraft carburetor, and a magneto and coil unit. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a non-synchronized three-speed manual transmission. Suspension incorporates solid axles with semi-elliptical springs up front and three-quarter-elliptical springs at the rear.