The name "Hudson" came from Joseph L. Hudson, a Detroit department store entrepreneur and founder of Hudson's department store, who provided the necessary capital and gave permission for the company to be named after him. A total of eight Detroit businessmen formed the company on February 20, 1909, to produce an automobile which would sell for less than US$1,000. One of the chief "car men" and organizer of the company was Roy D. Chapin, Sr., a young executive who had worked with Ransom E. Olds. (Chapin's son, Roy Jr., would later be president of Hudson-Nash descendant American Motors Corp. in the 1960s). The company quickly started production, with the first car driven out of a small factory in Detroit on July 3, 1909.The company had a number of firsts for the auto industry; these included dual brakes, the use of dashboard oil-pressure and generator warning lights, and the first balanced crankshaft, which allowed the Hudson straight-six engine, dubbed the "Super Six" (1916), to work at a higher rotational speed while remaining smooth, developing more power for its size than lower-speed engines. Most Hudsons until 1957 had straight-6 engines. The dual brake system used a secondary mechanical emergency brake system, which activated the rear brakes when the pedal traveled beyond the normal reach of the primary system; a mechanical parking brake was also used. Hudson transmissions also used an oil bath and cork clutch mechanism that proved to be as durable as it was smooth.The car you see here is a beautiful 1940 Hudson 2 Door Sedan. Finished in a Pearl Peach, the paint looks great. The paint is shiny and bright with no notable imperfections with the exception of the front of the hood where the paint shows dimples up close inspection. The chrome on the front of the Hudson is also pitted but still shows well. The back bumper has some minor scratching and pitting but the chrome down either side of the car has a bright luster and appears to have been rechromed. Inside, you will see that the interior is original. The seats are dark red and in good condition. The carpet and headliner are also in good condition with only minor sagging in the headliner. The dash is also original and looks great. Under the hood, you will find a beautifully dressed up Chevy 350 with an Edlebrock carburetor, HEI ignition, headers and an extremely clean engine bay. Attached is an automatic 350 Turbo transmission. This Hudson does have AC. Putting the power down to the ground through a stock rear end are a set of Boyd Coddington wheels wrapped in good tires with plenty of tread left. This Hudson does not have power steering or power brakes, however, the brakes have been upgraded with a modern dual reservoir master cylinder. The VIN on this car is 4056763 and the mileage currently shows 81,260.