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A Picture Review of the Hudson
A Brief History of American Motors
American Motors was in the
beginning stages back in 1878 when Thomas B. Jeffrey built and sold
Rambler bicycles in Chicago. He was the first of the three key players
of the companies that created American Motors in 1954.
The other two were Charles Nash and Joseph L. Hudson.
Charles Nash started Nash Motors in 1916. He along with David Buick started building automobiles in 1903.
Two years later he headed Buick but Oakland Motor Company, Olds Motor Works and General Motors Trucks. In 1912 he became president of General Motors.
In 1916 he purchased Thomas B Jeffrey's company, in Kenosha and changed the name to the Nash Motors. The next year the first Nash was built.
During the First World War he became the largest producer of trucks in the USA. In 1919 the company bought half interest in the Seaman Body Corp. During the 1920's he continued to expand, buying LaFayett Motor Corp. and the Mitchell Motor car Company.
By 1928 Nash Motors production exceeded 138,000 cars.
The years 1935 and 1936 brought new spirit to the automotive industry. Nash offered its "sealed-in" engine in 1935, an arrangement that had the intake manifold case into the block.
In 1936 Nash acquired full ownership of the Seaman Body Corp.
In 1938, Nash introduced the first "conditioned air" heating and ventilating system.
In 1940, Nash again scooped its competitors with the "600" series, unit-bodied car which pioneered mass-produced unit construction. At the age of 72 he directed the merger of Nash and Kelvinator who's president George W Mason became president of the new company, Nash-Kelvinator and Nash became chairman of the board. He served in this position until his death in 1948.
Thomas B. Jeffrey built and sold Rambler bicycles in Chicago from 1878 to 1900. He was one of America's first men interested in automobiles in the late 19th century, and in 1897, he built himself a motorcar.
In 1900 Jeffrey bought a plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he planned to manufacture automobiles on a large scale. This plant is where the Rambler started its live. Jeffrey died in 1910, and his son Charles took over.
Jeffrey had brought out a four-wheel-drive "Quad" truck in 1911, and this proved very popular with foreign governments for military use During World War I.
The
Hudson Motor Car Company, founded in 1909 and building its first cars in
1910, when Joseph L. Hudson and seven business associates began
producing a motorcar called the Hudson.
J. L. Hudson died in
1912 and Roy D. Chapin headed the firm.
He stayed with Hudson until
his death in 1936.
During the First World War, Hudson became the world's largest manufacturer of six-cylinder cars. Jeffrey (soon to be Nash), became the world's largest producer of trucks.
In 1917 Hudson organized the Essex Motor Car Company, which from 1919 until 1932 built light, spirited models.
In the early years of the depression Hudson developed the long-lived Hudson Super Six and straight-eight engines.
During the Second World War both Nash and Hudson were busy in the nation's defense effort. It wasn't until 1948 and 1949 that Hudson and Nash brought out new designs. Hudson's famous "step-down" unibody and big-bore Six made their appearance in 1948. Nash brought out its "Airflyte" models the next year.
By 1950 the name Rambler meant a new small car in 1950. It marked the dawn of our present compact era.
The Nash-Healey, a forerunner of today's sports models, was brought out in 1951. In the same year Hudson brought out the thrifty Pacemaker and peppy Hornet. In 1952 the Hudson Jet made its appearance.
The merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motorcar Company created American Motors in 1954.
One of AMC's first projects was the Nash Metropolitan the Austin-engined, British-built cars sold over 90,000 until 1962.
The names Hudson and Nash finally disappeared in 1957. All models from that point on called Rambler. The popular Rambler American, was introduced in 1958.
In the very early sixties, AMC started having its cars assembled in foreign plants - New Zealand and Australia, the Middle East, South America, Mexico, South Africa and Belgium all had AMC-assembling plants, and the Taiwanese Police were even outfitted with Ramblers.
American Motors lasted thirty years. Then, poor product planning such as the seven-year lack of a four cylinder engine for the Gremlin and millions of dollars on development money wasted on poorly conceived models lineup ruined the future for AMC. They never recovered.
By 1987 a trail of red ink followed behind a stumbling and eviscerated company, and Chrysler Motors purchased it for a fire-sale price.
