Hudson motor cars were built in Detroit Michigan, U.S.A. from 1909 to 1954, moved to Kenosha and ceased production in 1957.

 

The company was started by Roy Chaplin and Howard Coffin both ex Oldsmobile employees; they were funded by J.L.Hudson, head of the Detroit department store. ​In 1913 the company introduced a six-cylinder engine into their cars and in 1914 were claiming to be “The world's largest producer of six-cylinder automobiles” with production figures of over 10,000 vehicles.

 

The Six-Forty was a lighter version of the first cars produced until 1916 when the Super-Six was introduced.

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This car LO 5916 has a six cylinder engine of 288.5 cu in or 4-3/4 Litres capacity, driving the rear wheels through a three speed gearbox. The car is fitted with a 'Delco Starting Generating & Ignition Device' and an 'Autovac' petrol feed. It is a series 'G' and was built between July 1915 and June 1916.

 

The car's early history is vague. It was found in Nebraska in 1990 and its licence plate seemed to indicate that it had been off the road since 1919. The speedometer then showed 36,000 miles. The paintwork appeared to be original but Hudson cars for the home market were painted blue with black wings. Why the car was painted grey all over and was off the road after only fours years remains an unanswered question.

 

Hudson supplied the army with vehicles during the war so was this a demonstration car offered to the military, or perhaps used by a local garage without a licence? The name 'Mannings Auto Services' is painted on the back together with the address 110 West Front Street and HUDSON is painted on both sides.

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After it was discovered, the car was offered in Sotheby’s sale in 1990 and since then has had three owners, being sold to the current owner in 1998. It had larger tyres fitted to the back wheels to improve the mileage. In 2005 the engine block was found to be cracked, requiring the engine to be completely stripped and rebuilt between July 2005 and January 2006. Since then the car has been used extensively, being driven to meetings and rallies across the South East.