The Hudson Pacemaker was the cheapest car in the Hudson range, offered for one year in 1939 and again from 1950 to 1952. The postwar Pacemaker used a shorter wheelbase than the rest of the range and a flathead 232 cu in six, and its engine later became the base unit of the Wasp.
Hudson Pacemaker at a glance
| Maker | Hudson Motor Car Company, Detroit, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Production | 1939, then the 1950–1952 model years |
| 1939 role | often seen as the replacement for the Terraplane |
| 1939 wheelbase | 118 in |
| 1939 engine | 212 cu in six-cylinder |
| 1950–52 wheelbase | 119 in, five inches shorter than other Hudsons |
| 1950–52 engine | flathead 232 cu in six-cylinder |
| Range position | the cheapest Hudson in each of the three years |
| Successor | the Wasp, whose base engine from 1953 was the Pacemaker’s 232 |
| Model years | 1950, 1951 and 1952 |
English Wikipedia has only a short article on the Pacemaker, so this page is based on one source.
History of the Hudson Pacemaker
1939
The Pacemaker was introduced in March 1939 and is often considered the replacement for the Terraplane. It sat on a 118-inch wheelbase and used a 212 cu in six-cylinder engine. It was not carried over into the 1940 Hudson range.
1950–1952
The name returned for the 1950 model year on a 119-inch wheelbase, five inches shorter than that of every other Hudson of the time, and it was the cheapest model in the range in 1950, 1951 and 1952. Power came from Hudson’s flathead 232 cu in six. When the Pacemaker was discontinued the Wasp took its place: the Wasp arrived in 1952 with the 262 six, and from 1953 to 1954 the base Wasp used the Pacemaker’s 232, while the 262-engined cars were called Super Wasp.
Design and features
- Lowest price: the entry model of the Hudson range in each year it was sold.
- Short wheelbase: five inches less than the senior Hudsons of 1950–1952.
- 232 flathead six: a simple side-valve engine that later served as the Wasp’s base unit.
- Terraplane successor: the 1939 car took over from Hudson’s low-priced make.
Hudson Pacemaker versions
- 1939 Pacemaker: 118-inch wheelbase, 212 cu in six, one model year only.
- 1950 Pacemaker: the first of the postwar cars.
- 1951 Pacemaker: unchanged in its role as the cheapest Hudson.
- 1952 Pacemaker: the last year, after which the Wasp replaced it.
The Pacemaker was the entry point below the Commodore, and it succeeded the Terraplane in the 1939 range. More Hudson models are in the Hudson collection.
Video: MVI 2247 1950 Hudson Pacemaker Brougham.
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Hudson Pacemaker, English Wikipedia: all facts on both periods
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