Managing to drive his Hudson Terraplanes most days, Ray Smith is very familiar with an old gangster’s favourite ride
Sporting whitewall tyres, Ray Smith’s cream-coloured 1936 Series 62 Hudson Terraplane convertible-coupé looks every inch the classic American sedan – except it was made in Brentford, west London.
Actually, make that ‘assembled’, because the cars arrived in the UK from the US in kit form as a way of avoiding import duties.
Smith has two Terraplanes: the one you see here, powered by a 2.7-litre straight-six Power Dome flathead engine, and a black US-spec 3.5 with a body made by Salmons & Sons, a coachworks that, in 1943, was sold and renamed Tickford.
That car was originally owned by artist Rex Whistler. It’s parked on Ray’s driveway at the moment, but in a painting Whistler did in 1942, two years before he was killed in action in northern France, you can see it parked on the driveway of Daye House in Wiltshire.
Ray’s interest in Terraplanes was ignited by the ex-Whistler car. “I was looking at it at an auction and got ready to buy it,” he says. “However, I quickly realised the rostrum was topping me up, setting the computer to keep bidding until it reached its reserve, so I pulled out. I rang back a couple of days later to be told they still had the car. I asked them how much they wanted for it and they said £20,000. I offered them £14,000 and got it!”
That was three years ago, time enough for Ray to consider buying his second Terraplane, which he did three weeks ago. “I had to crowbar it out of the seller’s hands and it cost me a lot of money. Like the black one, it was restored about 30 years ago but is in great condition,” he says.
“It has a fold-out, forwardfacing dickie seat at the back; only five were made with this. When I got it, it hadn’t been driven or washed for three or four years but what you don’t want to do with an old car is start tinkering with it straight away. Instead, drive it for 200 miles and let it settle itself in before you adjust anything. I’ve done 150 miles in it and already I can feel it settling down.”
For the UK market, the Terraplane’s styling, in particular the grille, was toned down. So that the car attracted less road tax, the 2.7 engine was detuned from 80hp to 60hp. Even so, says Ray, the car can still keep up with today’s traffic.
“It will do 80mph and cruises comfortably at 60mph. That said, the 3.5-litre engine in my other Terraplane is unrestricted and it accelerates faster. The six-cylinder 2.7- and 3.5-litre engines were better, smoother and more balanced than the more powerful 4.2-litre straight eight but a souped-up 4.2 could do 100mph and 0-60mph in 12 seconds. It’s why American bootleggers and gangsters drove Terraplanes,” he says.
His 2.7 may roll with the traffic, but in other respects it has some catching up to do: “It has power brakes but not power steering. At least if the brake servo fails, a Bendix cable pulls on the brakes when you push the pedal past a certain point.”
Remarkably, Ray’s Terraplanes aren’t garaged but sit on his driveway ready to be used. “I drive them most days,” he says. “I’m a semi-retired tiler and for work I have my 1946 Morris Y-Type van.”
