HomePick of the DayPick of the Day: 1956 Hudson Hornet, rare Hollywood hardtop

Pick of the Day: 1956 Hudson Hornet, rare Hollywood hardtop

Tri-tone muscle car is equipped with a Packard V8

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Detroit’s Hudson Motor Car Company was one of the first auto manufacturers to participate in stock car racing, and its Hornet model was the star racer.

The Hornet dominated the racing scene in the early 1950s, winning 66 NASCAR races between 1952 and 1954 with such famous drivers as Marshall Teague, Herb Thomas, Dick Rathmann, Al Keller, Frank Mundy and Tim Flock.

Although a winner on the track, sales for the Hornet were declining, and in 1956 the model was given a facelift shortly after Hudson and Nash merged to form AMC.

The Pick of the Day is a 1956 Hudson Hornet Hollywood hardtop boasting AMC’s new styling efforts from automotive designer Richard Arbib, which included tri-tone paint scheme and V-shaped elements throughout.

1956 Hudson Hornet

Unfortunately, the bolder design didn’t impress buyers, and only 1,640 Hollywood hardtops were sold.

This example advertised on ClassicCars.com by an Orlando, Florida, dealer is finished in black and red accented with gold-colored inserts on the rear fenders and a white hardtop.

“Big whitewall tires and a continental-kit spare tire give real character,” the dealer says.

Another distinctive feature is the large V-shaped grille underneath two prominent “V” emblems, one gold and the other chrome.

1956 Hudson Hornet

“The interior is just as handsome with red-and-silver upholstery and a dashboard that has just as much style as you could ever want,” the dealer adds.

“On top of all the luxury appointments from the factory, this Hornet has additional modern creature comforts such as Vintage Air and sound-deadening material in the floor and ceiling.”

1956 Hudson Hornet

Making this Hornet even rarer is the Packard V8 engine under the hood that’s paired with an automatic transmission. This 320cid V8 producing 208 horsepower was only available to Hornets in the first half of 1956 before the engine was replaced by AMC’s new 250cid V8.

1956 Hudson Hornet

This 1956 Hudson Hornet is offered for $93,000.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Racheal Colbert
Racheal Colbert
An experienced writer and editor, Racheal brings her enthusiasm for collector cars to her role as the Content Manager of the Collector Car Network. Former Content Writer and Marketing Manager in the tech and publishing industry, Racheal brings a fresh perspective to the Journal and the automotive world.

7 COMMENTS

  1. Great car.. been for sale for 2 years. According to any value guide I know of it’s at least 50-60k too high. But it’s sure fun to look at.

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