Moebius Models 1/25 1952 Hudson Hornet Convertible Kit First Look

By Ken Kitchen, Front Range Auto Modelers (FRAM)

First Look

When the Moebius 1953 Hudson Hornet Coupe was first introduced I could hardly contain my excitement. Finally we get a 1950’s automobile subject that hasn’t been done to death. It’s not just another tri-5 Chevy. It is a truly new subject, a unique and important part of automotive history. However there was concern also. I mean who had ever heard of Moebius Models? Well I don’t think anyone in the serious modeling community is going to be asking that particular question anymore. Not with the homeruns they’ve come through with.

The 53 Hudson Hornet Coupe was quickly followed by a 52 Hudson Hornet Coupe in Tim Flock NASCAR livery and now a 52 Hudson Hornet Convertible. Clearly Moebius has done their research. They have selected a subject matter that appeals to the “Lunatic Fringe” and one that lends itself to multiple variations from the same basic tooling. With this business plan in place I hope we see many more kits of unusual subject matter from them.

Moebius has taken the art of packaging model kits to a new level. Most importantly the clear and chrome parts are bagged separately to prevent scratching in shipment. For the chrome even though they have two trees in one plastic bag they have taken the added step of placing a piece of tissue between the trees. This may be a small thing but it shows the thought and care taken in designing the packaging for this kit.  Then there’s the box art, I thought the art for the 53 was period perfect. It shows the coupe sitting at the pumps of a 50’s era gas station. For the 52 Convertible the focus is on the car itself with the background in soft detail of what might be a cruise ship. 

The color choice for the box art model is what sells the kit for me. When I build this kit, and I mean WHEN, I will build it like the box art. It’s a perfect choice for this car. And it’s not just the box top, the rest of the box is excellent. The ends replicate the box top but the sides show different views of a very well built model.

Now to what’s in that excellent box. As is standard the parts are spread out over several sprues of light gray plastic. As previously mentioned there are two chrome trees separated by tissue and bagged together. Windows are included on one set of clear plastic, along with a small tree of tinted clear for taillights. As would be expected four tires are included. They are a soft rubber with beautifully tampo printed white walls. There is also a solid metal axle for the rear, a small decal sheet, and a very well done instruction sheet.

The engine is probably the best part of this kit. It consists of nearly 30 individual parts and can be built up and easily detailed to be an incredible model all of its own. In fact it would be a shame to install the engine in the body. Glue the hood shut and display the engine on a stand next to the model.

The parts breakdown of the interior consists of a floor pan, a one-piece back seat (properly narrowed for a convertible), multipiece front seat (with separate grab handles on the seatback), dash, steering column, steering wheel, and side panels. The side panels have the correct pattern for 52 and the doglegs for the convertible interior.  One shortcoming of the kit in my mind are the decals. That’s not to say the decals are bad because they really are excellent. They include all the correct markings for the gauges and body markings. It’s just that, that’s all we get. I’d have loved some other period correct decals.

This is a beautiful kit of an important car, and we are very lucky to have it available now. The 52 Hudson Convertible is nicely molded and has plenty of detail and provides an excellent platform for both the novice and expert modeler to build upon.

Highly recommended!

My sincere thanks to Moebius Models for this review sample!

For a look at this kit built-up, go here.