1947 Hudson Big Boy pickup, a Roadster Show champion

Just after World War II, when U.S. farmers and trades people were clamoring for pickup trucks and automakers struggled to fill their orders, Hudson continued its lineup of stylish but expensive pickups with the evocative name of Big Boy.

The Pick of the Day is a custom 1947 Hudson Big Boy pickup, which turned out to be the last year of production because of slow sales, blamed on the trucks being pricier than the utilitarian pickups from other US manufacturers; what buyers were looking for was not style but simple work trucks. Fewer than 3,000 Big Boys were produced in their final year.

This isn’t just any Big Boy, though, but a unique creation that still accentuates the truck’s factory design.  Originally fitted with Hudson’s Super Six engine, the pickup has been updated and turned into a showpiece.

“This 1947 Hudson Big Boy is one of 2,917 Super Six pickup trucks produced by Hudson in 1947, is magazine featured and was the 2019 Grand National Custom Roadster Show Pickup winner,” according to the Orange, California, dealer advertising the pickup on ClassicCars.com. “This is a beautiful build all around.”

Keeping true to its Super Six heritage, the Hudson is powered by a Ford 300cid inline-6 with an Offenhauser intake manifold, 4-barrel Holley carburetor, split dual exhaust and an aluminum radiator.  Power is transmitted via a Ford 4-speed manual transmission.

The Hudson ad includes a gallery of artistic photos that show this truck’s fine rendering.

“The owner spent years tracking down this final-year Super Six, and a comprehensive restoration began with the goal being to preserve the original essence enhanced by sensitive customization,” the ad says.  “As you can see, he achieved his goal with eye-catching 2-inch lowering, filled seams, oak bed and trim, new shoes, and just enough metal flake in the Firethorn Red Pearl paint to accentuate the curves.

“Custom classic interior features stock Zenith tube radio and Commodore steering wheel. All this sits on steelies with baby moons on whitewall Coker tires that finish off the look just right.”

The seller notes that while the Hudson has been modified and modernized, the builder was able to emphasize the Hudson’s already slick design without adding too much customization.

“That this Hudson needed less in the way of adornment and mods to be a recent custom show winner only emphasizes how much more you got in 1947 with a pickup that was already a road-ready ‘factory custom’ the day it rolled off the Detroit production line,” the seller says.

The asking price for this unusual custom Hudson pickup is $85,000.

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