Hudson Hornet and Chrysler Turbine Car added to National Historic Vehicle Register

The Hagerty Drivers Foundation announced that the 1952 Hudson Hornet “Fabulous Hudson Hornet” and the Chrysler Turbine Car have been inducted into the National Historic Vehicle Register. They are the 31st and 32nd vehicles inducted into the National Historic Vehicle Register, which is the only federally recognized program to document the historical and cultural significance of the automobile.

“Featuring these historically significant vehicles and telling their stories at events throughout 2022 are ways we fulfill our mission to share and educate the general public about the cultural significance of the automobile,” said Jonathan Klinger, Executive Director of the Hagerty Drivers Foundation.

Known as the “Fabulous Hudson Hornet”, the 1952 Hudson Hornet raced in NASCAR from 1951 to 1955 and was driven by Marshall Teague, Herb Thomas and Dick Rathmann. It was race prepped by Smokey Yunick and Thomas drove the “Fabulous Hudson Hornet” to 78 podium finishes.

This is the only Hudson campaigned in NASCAR known to exist. The “Fabulous Hudson Hornet” is owned by Al Schultz and is on display at the National Hudson Motor Car Company Museum in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

With turbine jet engines and a Ghia body, Chrysler built 55 of these cars as part of the company’s effort to develop a mass-market gas-turbine powered automobile. The turbine cars were distributed to households across the U.S. as a consumer research project that ran from 1963 to 1966.

This is one of just nine cars from that program and is owned by the Stahls Automotive Collection. It’s on display at their automotive museum in Chesterfield, Michigan.

The “Fabulous Hudson Hornet can be seen at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance from June 3 to 5 in Greenwich, Connecticut. Both vehicles can be seen at Cars at the Capital at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The 1952 Hudson Hornet will be featured from Sept. 2 to 6, and the Chrysler Turbine will be featured Sept. 7 to 11.