Terraplane deserved more than 7 years
In 1932, the Ford Motor Co. introduced a sensational new V-8 engine, bringing eight-cylinder power to the low-price field. The new V-8 quickly became so famous for its smooth, spirited performance that it overshadowed an even faster car, Hudson’s Essex Terraplane.
Hudson Motor Car Co. was founded in Detroit in 1909, financed by department-store magnate J.L. Hudson, so his name went on the cars. Hudsons soon established a reputation for good, sturdy (although somewhat expensive) cars.
To broaden its market, Hudson entered the lowpriced field with its Essex in 1918. It proved very successful, particularly the inexpensive closed, two-door coach that was the pioneer in converting the industry to closed cars.
During the 1930s Depression, all automakers suffered plunging sales, and Hudson countered this by freshening up its low-priced model to better compete with the Big Three’s (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler) popular-priced Chevrolet, Ford and Plymouth. The result was the new 1932 Essex Terraplane, a name chosen to emphasize its performance and distance it from the Essex six’s spotty reliability.
Hudson already had a reputation for fast cars, holding many speed and endurance records. It had competed in the Indianapolis 500 several times, and Hudson’s engineers welcomed the opportunity to make the Terraplane an outstanding road performer.
They chose the usual route: a powerful engine in a light car. Since Hudson couldn’t afford a new engine, it upgraded the Essex six with a chromealloy cylinder block, downdraught carburetor and 295-cc more displacement, bringing it to 3.2 litres. Horsepower went from 60 to 70, five more than Ford’s V-8.
To reduce weight, the Terraplane received a kind of semi-unit construction by bolting the body and chassis tightly together. This extra structural rigidity meant the lightest Terraplane weighed just over 907 kilograms, 91 kg less than the lightest Ford. It claimed the highest production-car power-to-weight ratio in the world.
To emphasize the “plane” connection, the first Terraplane built was presented to aviation pioneer Orville Wright. After aviatrix Amelia Earhart christened the new model, she received the second one. Its advertising jingle became: “In the air it’s aeroplaning, on the sea it’s aquaplaning, but on the land it’s Terraplaning.”
To gain publicity, Hudson pursued a performance reputation for the Terraplane, and by the end of 1933 it held 50 hill-climb records, the flying-mile record at 137 km/h and the standing mile at 110 km/h.
A six-cylinder Terraplane broke the Pikes Peak record in 1932, and in 1933 the new eight (the lowest-priced straight-eight available) broke the six’s record. Some marks stood until 1951.
Terraplane’s image grew so strong that the Essex name was downplayed, then dropped altogether in 1934 to became just the Terraplane.
The eight-cylinder engine was discontinued for the restyled 1934 models, replaced by an 89.5-horsepower six, only 4.5 less than the eight. It established 72 new American Automobile Association hillclimb and acceleration records in the United States and Canada.
Terraplane’s new “Axle-Flex” front suspension replaced the solid front axle’s centre section with two parallel steel links, sharing with General Motors the big automotive story of the year: independent front suspension.
For 1935, Terraplanes got pre-selector “Electric Hand” shifting in which ratio changes were initiated by moving a small gated fingertip lever. The shift was completed by dipping the clutch, causing solenoids and vacuum cylinders to move the gears. It proved complex and was not a lasting success.
For 1935, the standard six-cylinder engine went from 80 to 88 horsepower, with the high-performance version developing 100.
Terraplane grew larger and roomier for 1936, when it became essentially a Hudson. Now heavier but with the same power, performance suffered. Hudson gave Terraplanes fail-safe “DuoAutomatic” brakes that year, a system combining four-wheel hydraulic plus two-wheel mechanical actuation.
The 1937 Terraplane was even larger and heavier, with “true six-passenger seating.” Still virtually Hudsons, a significant price increase brought them into competition with cars such as Pontiac and Dodge.
This would be the final year the Terraplane name stood alone. The 1938s were Hudson Terraplanes and it would be their last year, killed by Hudson’s new low-priced Hudson 112 model priced $100 below the Terraplane.
The Terraplane, one of the fastest American cars of its era, was gone after only seven years. It had established many speed records and, like the Ford V-8, became a favourite with bank robbers.
It even inspired an international hybrid, the Terraplane-engined English Railton, when Reid Railton, land-speed-record car designer, became involved in building them in 1934 in Cobham, Surrey.
Terraplanes and Hudsons were also assembled in Canada by the Canadian Top and Body Company Ltd. of Tilbury, Ont.