1938 Hudson Terraplane Pick-Up
Engine: Inline 6
Displacement: 212 Cubic Inches
Horsepower: 102 BHP
Cost New: $952
         Originally introduced as a lower-priced model under Hudson's Essex line, the Terraplane was a great success and eventually replaced the Essex altogether. The Terraplane became so popular that in 1938, the year this very distinctive and rare pick-up was built, Hudson added its name to the Terraplane lineup. This was the only year that both Hudson and Terraplane were used together as the company combined both under the Hudson name in 1939. The Terraplane pick-up featured a very dependable engine and rugged chassis with four-wheel hydraulic brakes that were particularly suited for carrying loads. While this was the last year any Hudson carried the Terraplane name, the line left its mark on the industry, including being immortalized in son. Bluesman Robert Johnson recorded "Terraplane Blues" in 1936 in San Antonio, Texas. In the song, a Terraplane car became a metaphor for sex. In the lyrical narrative, the car will not start and Johnson suspects that his girlfriend let another man drive it when he was gone. In describing the various mechanical problems with his Terraplane, Johnson creates a setting of thinly veiled sexual innuendo. The Hudson-Terraplane pick-ups were produced in very small numbers and this is believed to be one of fewer than ten still remaining.