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- <h1>How to Start and Drive a Hudson Hornet</h1>
-
- <p class="description">
- My understanding is there are a lot of people out there for whom driving
- a car from the mid-20th century is an oddity, a curiosity, or a life
- experience they can't relate to. This is for the non-experts, and
- non-Hudsonites to get an idea of what it's like.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- There are some significant differences between driving the Hornet and
- most other cars you come across today. Some of them are just because
- there are sixty-six years between the Hudson and the 2019 model year.
- Others are Hudson-specific. Many people who I've talked to have said
- that they would feel intimidated driving my car (whether that's because
- of its perceived complexity or obvious value to me). So, for those who
- just want to know how it's done: here is how you start and drive a
- Hudson Hornet.
- </p>
-
- <h2>The Gauge Cluster, Switches, and Controls</h2>
-
- <p>
- Open the door, slide onto the bench seat, and sit behind the [massive]
- steering wheel. For those who haven't experienced it before, it feels
- like you have a whole lot of room at your disposal, almost like there
- <em>should</em> be more matter occupying the space around you. In front
- of you is probably the shiniest dashboard you've ever seen. It's simple,
- and probably slightly familiar.
- </p>
- <p>From left to right above the steering wheel you have:</p>
- <ul>
- <li>
- A speedometer that tops out at 120 mph (with 99K odometer inside)
- </li>
- <li>
- Fuel and coolant temperature gauges (and two dummy lights; more on
- those later)
- </li>
- <li>A clock</li>
- <li>An AM radio</li>
- <li>A glove compartment</li>
- </ul>
-
- <p>From left to right under the steering wheel you have:</p>
- <ul>
- <li>A 2-speed wiper control knob</li>
- <li>A weather control (heater) temperature slider</li>
- <li>A 2-speed weather control fan knob</li>
- <li>The ignition barrel</li>
- <li>A headlight switch</li>
- <li>
- A cigarette-lighter (the owner's manual calls it a cigar lighter!)
- </li>
- </ul>
-
- <p>
- Also, underneath the dashboard on the left there is a parking brake
- handle and hood latch release and on the right there is an arm which
- raises and lowers the fresh air cowl vent. Think of it as "recirculate"
- in more modern vehicles. If you're looking for the turn signal lever
- it's the tiny stick to the left of the steering wheel. The indicator is
- the little yellow light on the far left of the dash. There's only one so
- it flashes when you're signalling left or right. We also added our own
- air conditioning system, something Hudsons never came with from the
- factory.
- </p>
-
- <h2>Dual-Range Hydramatic</h2>
-
- <p>
- The first thing that might confuse some folks when they first see the
- car running is the shift lever. Many Hornets came with three-speed
- manual transmissions that were shifted from the column (overdrive was an
- option). However, lots of owners paid extra for the optional "Dual-range
- Hydramatic", a fully automatic transmission from General Motors. Truly,
- this car has a 4-speed automatic that requires no manual shifting during
- normal use, making it that much easier to take a boatload of people to
- get milkshakes.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Behind the steering wheel is a shift indicator that deviates from the
- "PRNDL" pattern most folks are familiar with. From left to right (shift
- arm fully at the top to arm fully towards the bottom), the 'gears' are:
- </p>
- <ul>
- <li>N (Neutral)</li>
- <li>4-Dr (Drive, all four speeds)</li>
- <li>3-Dr (Drive, three speeds only)</li>
- <li>Lo (Low gear)</li>
- <li>R (Reverse)</li>
- </ul>
-
- <p>
- Neutral isn't just a mid-way point between reverse and drive in this
- car. It's a necessity. With automatic Hornets (and Hydramatics in
- general), neutral is used to start the car. There is an electric lockout
- preventing the car from being started in any gear but neutral, so you do
- have to put the car in neutral before you turn the key (if you're on a
- hill put your foot on the brake or engage the parking brake).
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Drive is split into 4-Dr and 3-Dr, which basically decides whether the
- transmission utilizes high gear. In the owner's manual, Hudson
- recommends using 3-Dr for driving around town (as the low RPMs delivered
- by high gear means unnecessary shifting in and out of 4th gear) and 4-Dr
- for highway driving. It really depends on what speed you're going to be
- driving at but there isn't anything wrong with driving around in 4 all
- the time. I typically leave it in 4th at sustained speeds above 45MPH.
- You can switch between these gears any time while moving.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Low gear basically locks the transmission in 2nd gear so you don't spin
- the wheels. The owner's manual says this is for pulling out of sand or
- dirt if you get stuck.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Reverse works just about how you might expect but with an added catch:
- if the engine is off it acts as park. That's right. When you turn the
- car off you can put it in reverse and the transmission will engage a
- lock pin to prevent the car from rolling. You can't start the car in
- this gear because of the lockout however so you have to shift into
- neutral to start the car. So for starting, put it in neutral, for
- stopping, put it in reverse.
- </p>
-
- <h2>Choke and Gas</h2>
-
- <p>
- For cold starts, our Hornet (and I believe this was common for other
- Hudsons of the time) is equipped with an automatic 2-stage choke. Push
- the pedal all the way to the floor once to set the choke. After the car
- has started and has warmed up, kick the gas quickly to the floor and
- release to cancel the choke.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- For warm starts the engine doesn't need the choke but likes to be given
- just a little bit of gas while cranking.
- </p>
-
- <h2>The Keys, Ignition, and Warning Lights</h2>
-
- <p>
- Hudsons like mine come with two keys. The octagonal one is for starting
- the car, it's used in the ignition. The round one is used for the door
- and trunk locks (and I believe in my case the glove box). My
- understanding is this is actually reversed from the majority of Hudsons
- and is due to a locksmith error at one point or another.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- The ignition switch sits so that the teeth of the key enter vertically.
- Turning the key left powers accessories like the radio. Turning the key
- right once switches the car to "ON" which will allow the engine to be
- started and remain running.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Here's where some things may vary depending on the year of the car. For
- '51 Hornets, there's a separate starter button located all the way on
- the left control pod. For these cars, you put the key in and turn it to
- "ON", and then press and hold the button until the car has started up.
- For '52 Hornets onwards, the ignition switch also activates the starter
- if you turn the key past "ON" (like in most modern vehicles).
- </p>
-
- <p>
- If you turn the key to "ON" you'll see two red warning lights appear on
- the dash next to the indicators marked "AMP" and "OIL". These are
- [alternator] charging status and oil pressure status lights. Our car is
- equipped with a 12-V alternator system so the AMP light really comes on
- if there is low voltage while the oil pressure light comes on when
- there's low oil pressure. These lights will only appear with engine off,
- key "ON" or if something has gone very wrong.
- </p>
-
- <h2>Starting and Driving</h2>
-
- <p>
- So now that I've gone over the basics of all the components, here is the
- normal starting procedure. It actually varies depending on whether the
- engine has been warmed up. That's life with carburetors.
- </p>
-
- <h3>From cold:</h3>
-
- <ul>
- <li>
- Put your foot on the brake, and shift the lever into neutral. Just
- push it vertically, pulling towards you slightly if you need to.
- </li>
- <li>
- Push the gas pedal all the way to the floor once and let your foot
- back up again to set the choke.
- </li>
- <li>
- Put the key in the ignition and start the car (the "AMP" and "OIL"
- lights should switch off.
- </li>
- <li>
- Wait for the engine to smooth out so you know that it's warm enough to
- cancel the choke, and kick the gas pedal once to cancel it. (If the
- RPMs are still higher than idle then it's not quite at operating
- temperature yet)
- </li>
- <li>
- Pull the shifter down into 4-Dr or 3-Dr (or R), and release the
- parking brake by twisting the handle towards the steering wheel
- </li>
- <li>Let off the brake and you're off!</li>
- </ul>
-
- <h3>From warm:</h3>
-
- <ul>
- <li>Put your foot on the brake and shift into neutral.</li>
- <li>
- While giving just a little bit of gas, start the car. Both warning
- lights should disappear. When the engine fires up you can let off the
- gas and let it idle.
- </li>
- <li>
- Pull the shifter into 4-Dr or 3-Dr (or R), and release the parking
- brake by twisting the handle towards the steering wheel.
- </li>
- <li>Done.</li>
- </ul>
-
- <h2>Stopping and Parking</h2>
-
- <ul>
- <li>
- Hold your foot on the brake and twist the parking brake handle towards
- the door of the car, and pull it towards you
- </li>
- <li>
- When you're ready to shut off the engine, you can shift it into either
- neutral or reverse and turn the key off. Shift it into reverse if you
- haven't already to lock the transmission.
- </li>
- </ul>
-
- <p>
- Note: I usually engage the parking brake AND put the car in reverse,
- just to be safe. If you had to pick one however I would use the
- transmission in case you're on a steep hill and your brakes fail for
- whatever reason.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- And there you have it! Not much is different from most cars around today
- but there are one or two quirks (more about old cars than about Hudsons
- in particular). The only major thing to keep track of while driving is
- that you have no power steering, so get ready to anticipate turns sooner
- and use more of the wheel with every turn.
- </p>
- </article>
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