People always think of Steve McQueen when they see the Bullitt ’68 Ford Mustang Fastback and the Porsches from Le Mans. But he drove this 1952 Hudson Wasp to the airport, church, and for other things all the time. The car has been at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles since 2006 and is now on its way to an RM Sotheby’s sale. Even though it has a celebrity link, the car is beautiful and has many unique design features. The full name of the car is the 1952 Hudson Wasp Twin H-Power Two-Door Brougham. It will be sold at the Sotheby’s Hershey sale in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on October 9. You can bid on it online or over the phone. Yes, that’s the chocolate factory. Lot 246 is for sale for between $40,000 and $60,000 if you’re interested. Hudson Wasps that are in good shape usually sell for between $20,000 and $40,000, but this one would be very hard to find. A few years ago, I watched Vehicles 1 over someone else’s shoulder on a seatback screen while traveling. Since then, I haven’t thought much about Hudson cars. The Wasp and the Hudson Hornet had a lot in common, even though “Doc Hudson” in the movie was a Hudson Hornet, which is a bit longer. Other than that, the style is excellent. This is a great example of the famous diner streamliner style from the 1950s. The covered rear wheels make it stand out even more. However, the big bumpers make it look almost practical, which improves the design and makes it feel very real. The cockpit looks like a fancy diner, and the couch that’s been turned into a bench seat looks like a great place to enjoy a nap. The engine is a straight six with a Power Dome cylinder head and a Twin-H Power carburetor setup. It has a Hydra-Matic Drive gearbox and a column shifter. You can see that the car is clean in the pictures, but it’s not spotless. For a car from the 1950s, it has 63,537 miles, which is a lot! There are a lot of rust bubbles and dents. The paint on the roof is completely damaged. It looks great that it’s been lived in, so I would leave it the way it is. Although I’m not particularly a fan of McQueen, I’d still enjoy taking a spin in his classic ‘Sunday-go-to-church’ car.
