It's an Art Deco-mino!
Before the Chevy El Camino and Ford Ranchero became the de facto car-based pickup trucks, Hudson had already taken a shot at this market with the Hudson Truck. Based on the Hudson Super Six, Hudson's pickup truck was produced from 1942 until 1947, but in that time, fewer than 3,000 of these trucks were ever made. This 1947 Hudson Truck is a final-year example of this truck, and it's ready to join a new collection.
The Hudson Motor Car Company might be best known for its big, bold art deco designs, and this pickup truck was more of the same. On the outside, the front end was identical to the Super Six sedan with its massive hood, bold chrome grille and those big, curvaceous fenders. The basic design of the bed was just flat sheet metal, but rounded fenders match the front fenders and the fenders are tied together with full-length running boards.
Inside, this truck is even more beautiful with a massive two-spoke steering wheel and a rounded dash painted to match the body color. The symmetrical layout of the dash features the speedometer on the driver's side and a clock bezel on the passenger's side, but it's the cutout in the middle of the dash for the AM radio that is the most stylish element of this Hudson's cabin. Under the hood, this truck uses Hudson's 212 CID straight six engine paired to a three-speed manual transmission with a column-mounted shifter.
This truck was fully restored about 20 years ago, and while the overall condition of the truck is very nice, the wooden bed slats definitely shows the restoration's age. According to the listing, the two-tone paint is "presentable," while the glass and chrome are in good condition.
This 1947 Hudson Truck is believed to be just one of 2,174 examples of this truck that were ever made, and this one is being sold by the Volo Auto Museum in Volo, Illinois. The rare truck is currently priced at $31,998, but you can click HERE to make an offer.
