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Moebius Models 1/25 1953 Hudson Hornet

By Sean Brian Kirby

History

The Hudson Motor Car Company was founded in 1909 by eight Detroit businessmen, and named for its major backer, department store owner J.L. Hudson. Young automotive executive Roy D. Chapin organized the company, which wasted no time in producing their first low-priced automobile, which proved to be a great success. Hudson made 4,508 units for 1910, the best first year's production run for an auto company up to that time. Hudsons were innovative, offering the first emergency brake system in the industry, oil pressure and electrical system warning lights, and the industry's first balanced crankshaft, on their 1916 Super Six, which allowed for higher RPM, smoother operation, and greater power for its displacement. Most Hudson automobiles relied on straight six power.

Continuing their tradition of straight sixes was the great Hudson Hornet, which debuted for the 1951 model year. Based on the Hudson Commodore, it featured Hudson's trademarked "step-down", semi-unit body construction. The way the frame encircled the passenger compartment made the cars lower, safer, lighter, and lowered the center of gravity, resulting in a vehicle with excellent handling. Streamlined styling visually lowered the car further.

All Hornets featured the high-compression H-145 flathead straight six. Factory rated at 145hp with 275 lb-ft. of torque, these engines could really be made to sing by expert tuners. Hudson engineers also offered thinly-disguised racing parts; the Twin H-Power option (represented in this kit) was dealer-installed, beginning in November 1951, and could be had for $85.60. Twin H-Power became standard equipment on Hornets in 1952. It featured two big single-barrel carbs, and increased horsepower to 170hp. Further options could increase output to 210hp.

The Hornet's place as a NASCAR legend is assured. The smooth-handling cars were virtually unbeatable in their day, even against the new overhead valve V8s of their GM counterparts. In spite of their racing dominance, sales slipped through its production run, largely because it still closely resembled the original 1948 Commodore, with its same unit body construction. By comparison, its industry competitors, with the bodies of their cars mounted atop their frames, could easily retool freshly styled bodies between years.

A racing heritage can secure an automobile's place in peoples' hearts. The Hudson was so great in its day that it was a necessary addition to that great car-guy movie, Cars, being further immortalized by the late Paul Newman's turn as Doc Hudson, a long-retired "Piston Cup" champion who helps coach the film's hero, Lightning McQueen.

The Kit

Car modeling enthusiasts know how long we have waited for this offering, Moebius' first foray into the world of 1/25 scale plastic automobiles. Those who waited patiently for its release are in for a treat. Not only do we now have a new styrene model of this significant and legendary machine, but what lies within the standard-form car model box is a thing of beauty, obviously very seriously thought out from conception to execution.

One's inspiration to buy and build begins with the box art, an excellent balance of a very attractive artist-rendered painting on the top and ends, and photographs of a strikingly well-built box art model on the sides. The modeler's assurance that quality lies within begins here.

What is found inside the box is even more exciting. The body is a one-piece affair with separate hood. We waited a while for this kit, and it would seem that part of the reason was Moebius' conviction to get this first car model of theirs absolutely right. They initially, from what your author has read, had a body with very good proportions, but went back and tweaked the tooling to make it even better. It is hard to argue with the results, which look spot-on. The petite "Twin H-Power" script on the trunk looks like it will disappear under a coat of paint, a common problem with model car kits, where scale fidelity must often result in invisibility. A nice touch is the separate little hornet on the chrome tree, which is to be positioned just above and to the right of the aforementioned faint script. There are techniques, involving pre-foiling, to address trim that may be excessively fine, and one suspects a photoeteched set will be on its way that could also be used to tend to the matter.

There are fine mold-separation lines on the body, which can easily be treated with a sanding stick and perhaps Mr. Surfacer or the like. The hood is adorned with a beautifully-molded hood ornament on the chrome tree, which has fine separate teeth. This part alone is impressive. What ejector pin marks reside along the headliner are commendably minimal, and should be readily taken car of with a few quick strokes of sandpaper or a tiny bit of your favorite filler. The inner fender wells are molded to the body, as well as the radiator shroud area.

A separate battery, simple but nicely molded, affixes to the driver's side inner fender well. The grille, tail lamp trim piece, headlight bezels, windshield wipers, side mirrors, rear view mirror, backup light bezels, and bumpers are brightly-plated chrome pieces. There are even separate molded hood props and hinges, which will permit the modeler to display the hood open in a most realistic manner. Separate pieces which attach to the firewall include a couple of diagonal braces, two wiper mechanisms and motor, and two horns. There is even an optional visor to mount above the windshield.

The engine is a 30-piece rendering of the H-145 Twin H-Power straight six. The level of detail and engraving is very high. The block/transmission assembly splits down the middle, and many parts are separate, including a crankcase ventilation tube. A one-piece throttle linkage setup connects to the twin carburetors; most of the time, if we want linkage detail, we have to rely on etched metal aftermarket parts, or cobble something up ourselves. This detail will satisfy all but the most finicky. The big air cleaner canisters are well-represented, consisting of three parts each. These are augmented, after painting, by 'Twin H-Power' decals. The radiator hoses are separate. The engraving quality and number of individual components make for an impressive assembly, to which the addition of wiring and plumbing can make for an exceptional engine.

The frame is molded apart from the floor pan, and features separate lower A-arms, sway bar, tie rod, and molded plastic spring detail up front, separate master cylinder, two-piece rear-end through with runs a brass rod for the rear axle, a pair of shocks, a nice looking set of leaf springs with molded-in shackles, and a rear swing arm. The one-piece exhaust pipe and muffler is separate, and the drive shaft is of special note, with all three universal joints displaying subtle but impressive detail. Brake backing plates feature simplified detail - but are there, which is more than can be said for many car kits. They were careful not to get ejector pin marks on the engraved radiator faces. There's even a fuel-fill pipe attached to the frame rail. A bit of attention paid to painting and whatever level of weathering you prefer will be rewarded by the detail in evidence here.

The tires have pre-painted (or Tampo-printed?) whitewalls, into which one inserts the chromed hubcaps. The hubcaps look accurate - and they're attractive caps - but there could be one niggle here, and that is that these cap/wheel inserts are just that - inserts. They get stuffed inside the tire, as opposed to being the normal two wheel halves with a hubcap, or a wheel back with separate hubcap half on the facing side. The tires themselves are soft rubber, and when first seen, the first thought was, "Those look pretty big." Upon inspection of photographs, though, these tires look to accurately depict that with which these big, fast beauties were shod. There is no sidewall lettering in evidence, but what can we expect these days?

Upon the aforementioned floor pan, which faithfully replicates the Hornet's step-down interior wells, go the twelve other pieces which comprise the interior. Even here, the engraving and level of detail are worthy of remark. There is a one-piece dash, under which we find a heater; the three pedals are molded as one piece, and are nicely engraved. The vent found atop the dash obviously uses slide-molding, as its details are deeper than what one would expect here. The seats, front and back, are separate, and represent the deluxe rolled and pleated interior. Each interior sidewall is one piece, with very satisfying levels of detail. The backs of the front seat have molded-in pockets and separate grab arms. The pockets alone are engraved to impress. The steering column has an integral turn signal stalk and shifter. The steering wheel is found on the chrome tree. Nicely-rendered decals represent the gauges and various details of the dash, as well as the emblem on the horn knob. Careful finishing here will result in a highly convincing interior.

The clear pieces include a windshield, greenhouse with rear side windows, headlamps, front turn signal lenses, back up lights, and vent windows. The tail lamp lenses are molded in clear red plastic. These look to be a bit light in color, but feature nice engraved detail. Whether the builder opts to darken these a bit with clear red paint will be a personal choice.

The instruction sheet far exceeds ordinary expectations. It is printed on glossy paper, with boldly-lettered guiding texts and clearly drawn assembly pictures with numbers and parts name call outs on one side. Flip it over, and there are bright full-color photographs of yet another beautifully built kit (the one on the box-top being blue with a white roof, and the one on display in the instructions sporting bright red paint and a cream-colored top), which show decal locations as well as parts locations on the finished engine - on both sides. These photos will do wonders in guiding the modeler in finishing their kit. Interestingly, it looks like the aforementioned trunk script on the box-top model didn't quite make it, while we see this same script sitting proudly on the back of the red model in the instructions, either foiled or brightly painted. So, as they say, your mileage may indeed vary.

There is also a list of suggested paint colors to aide the builder in the coloring of the various components, along with their own research, and something that will no doubt be highly appreciated, a guide for accurately coloring one of the three available interior color combinations, as well as a complete list of 1953 Hudson paint colors, matched to Hudson and Ditzler paint codes, along with another chart showing what two-tone color combinations were available, using these same codes. The "Thank You" at the end of the instructions reads like a Who's Who of the plastic model industry, and shows just how very, very serious and dedicated Moebius was in making sure they gave us the best representation possible of this important and beautiful 1950s icon.

Conclusion

If you are a car modeler, with even a passing interest in American automobiles of the 1950s - and really, who among us does not love the cars of this era? - get this kit. It is guaranteed not to disappoint. The level of engraving and detail is first-rate, with individual pieces where we like to see them. One also can see people buying scads of these as parts kits, with rat-rodders wanting the flathead six and others going for all those cool detail parts. Customizers will surely also try their hand at chopping, sectioning, and otherwise tweaking this machine - an exercise far more recommendable in 1/25 scale than full size. There is also this: Moebius put a great effort into this, and a Chrysler 300 is due next. They obviously want to keep doing this. This modeler wants to see them do a '53 Buick Roadmaster to this standard. So it's hoped this terrific new Hudson Hornet sells like hotcakes.

Something else that has to be noted is that Model King will be releasing this kit as an earlier Hornet, with decals to depict early NASCAR champion Tim Flock's mount. At least a couple parts that pertain to this kit are in evidence on the sprues, a couple molded plastic straps that probably hold down a plastic hood and plastic trunk. So that is exciting news.

One other quick note: reviewers often do not address price. This new offering by Moebius retails for under $30. Its price is comparable to that of a similar Revell kit, and about $20 less than one of Trumpeter's car kits, which often have infuriating accuracy issues. We don't know what Trumpeter is thinking much of the time, but it's eminently obvious that the heads and hearts at Moebius are in the right place. They have executed and priced these models to sell. Let us hope they do just that.