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The article about Breed racing the early Hudsons reminded me about Wizard Smith racing his Essex in the 1920s in Australia, and especialy the Adelaide to Melbourne time trial. This was a time when there were no bitumen roads, the highway passed through sheep stations where you had to stop and open gates. Wizzard had men ready to open all gates as he approached and even had a ferry waiting for him to cross the River Murray. I cant beat his time even in a modern car. Hope you enjoy the article. Regards, Barry Sweetman

HEThttp://www.nectarbrook.com/cars/index.html

Barry, thanks for posting the interesting article on Wizard Smith and the Essex. In the late 1940's and early 1950's I worked for a former Hudson dealer who extolled many times the virtues of the Essex 4. He told me that as late as the 1950's (perhaps later even?) that in Australia they were running highly modified Essex 4 engines in dirt track racing. I recall that he even showed me some photos of a few of those cars in action. I was wondering if you may have any knowledge of the Essex 4 in that role. D. Kruzan

Fred Huddleston, a long-time Club Member who lives in northern California, has a 1919 Essex 4 racer that has been in his family since the '20's. He regularly races it in "historic" races. It is still a very hot car. Sorry, I don't have a foe toe handy...

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HETfortyqtpi@earthlink.net (drop HET)

Oh, here's one of Fred in SX. Note cigar a la Barney Oldfield.

Attached Images

sxhuddle.jpg (18.8 KB, 88 views)

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HETfortyqtpi@earthlink.net (drop HET)

I have a picture somewhere of Fred coming out of a corner all crossed up at speed, NEAT NEAT. I thought he told me he built the car out of a junkyard car he bought in Mendoto, Ill. Anyway I am working on a story about Andrew Fulton and his exploits this last June in the Bejing to Paris rally in his 1919 Essex. He went over 7000 miles across the continent. Then drove the car home to Englang after the race. The car originally came from Altonna, Pa.

You could be right about the origin...I though Fred said most of the car was stored under the front porch of his grandfather's house. Anyway, if one is in a historic race on the dirt and motoring through at turn in say, a Porsche, and see's ol' Fred coming up behind you at about 80 mph, sideways, steering left to turn right, you'd have to have really big ones not to pull over and get the heck out of his way...

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HETfortyqtpi@earthlink.net (drop HET)

There was a local fellow who raced Essex 4's in the 1930's. His son told me about a race in West Liberty Iowa in which the car lost power, seems all the studs holding the block to the crankcase pulled out and the block was moving up and down with the pistons. He ran Hudson modified's in the 1950's and was winning all the races in a 39 coupe with a Hornet in it. Funny thing was he was a Pontiac/ Buick dealer in Washington. Iowa.