Must be the heat.

In August of 1939, Land-Speed record holder John Cobb, an Englishman, set a AAA Class C speed record at Bonneville, Utah, with a 1940 Hudson 8.

In August of 1954, Hudson ceased production of its exotic Italia dream car.

The Italia had been shown and promoted in August of 1953, when announcements were made of intentions for production.  Hudson was in dire straits, financially, at the time, and only months away from the merger with Nash-Kelvinator that produced American Motors Corporation.

photo from: velocityjournal.com

Though some Italias were produced in 1953, and there are cases of 1955 registrations, the car is essentially only a 1954 model, discontinued after some 26 units of production.  Looming over this project was the merger of two companies on the edge of survival, and some programs had to be pared off.

What an exercise in design.  The doors are not gullwing style, but extend into the roof like the Mercedes 300 to make entry room. Otherwise they are the same as normal Hudson Jet doors.

One of the more interesting of many interesting design exercises in The AMC Heritage…

-mike

Rambler Milestones for July

July stuff for AMC:

According to the 1969 American Motors Family Album by John Conde, the first Hudson was built July 3, 1909…

This is a picture of a 1906 Rambler Surrey Type Four, photographed
in July of 1907. From the 1969 American Motors Family Album, by John
Conde.

On July 15, 1912, Joseph L. Hudson passed away. At the time, Hudson was one of the leading U.S. Exporters of automobiles.




In July of 1967, a Rambler American 6 Cylinder sedan set a world’s record over the Tijuana-La Paz route on the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, in just 31 hours, just another day’s work for the ultimate race car.

The Rambler American’s potential as a race car is discussed on The AMC Heritage Forum here:

In 1969, AMC made an all-out assault on the Baja Peninsula, fielding 10 SC/Rambler Hurst rigs, some of them four-wheel-drive cars. The team was operated by A. I. R. Enterprises racing, owned by James Garner.

The Ramblers won their class, one of the four-wheel-drive cars finishing with three wheels. The Rambler American has proven its worth time after time.

A Discussion on The AMC Heritage Forum is here, referencing a magazine article archived at the Javelin Home Pages:

From the Route 66 Rambler News Archive:

July 31, 2007:

The AMC Heritage Forum has now expanded as a project, to
include an image host(RustBucket) and an archive system, to combine the
Rambler TimeLine and its components, along with the Open Library
Project, into the Forum/Gallery structure, to create a comprehensive
resource over the years.

Membership is now up to 77 members, ranging from age 16 to 74.

July 4, 2007:

I’ll tone down the colors somewhat from here on, and I’ll streamline the menus…

The menu system was never supposed to be so big. I’ll be streamlining and cutting down the menu system.

The AMC Heritage Forum is now up to 65 members, and still going right along. The Route 66 Rambler Report Blog should be receiving a new post at any time.

Updates to these entries:

The AMC Heritage Forum now has around 212 members, from every continent and culture. I did combine the archive into the forum, but now I have un-combined it. I toned down the colors, and I’m still streamlining the menus.

And the Rambler TimeLine marches forward…

-mike

June stuff for AMC:

Here’s a nice AMC -flavored June Magazine Article-
“1955 Nash Ambassador Pinin Farina Speciale”-
Collectible Automobile Magazine June 1995: