Lot #973 - Launched in September 1950 for the 1951 model year, the Hudson Hornet is likely the most famous of the landmark "Step Down" Hudson models, which debuted in 1948 and trumped Detroit's Big Three as one of the first new postwar American car designs to be manufactured. While Hudson was a relatively low-volume manufacturer by Detroit standards, the Hornet was a strong performer on the showroom floor, with brisk sales driven by the Hornet's utter dominance in NASCAR and AAA stock-car racing through 1954. In fact, Hudson was one of the sport's earliest and most enthusiastic participants, with young engineer Vince Piggins, the eventual performance-parts wizard at Chevrolet, placed in charge of the company's new Severe-Usage Parts program which designed and supplied Hudson racers with a host of upgraded competition-specification parts, cryptically designated as "Export" parts. Piggins and his team rolled out a quick barrage of bulletproof chassis and drivetrain pieces, plus the famous Twin H-Power factory dual-carb intake setup and then the mythical 7X racing engine, keeping Hudson's sixes ahead of archrival Oldsmobile's Rocket V8 in the growing early-1950s NASCAR arms race. An object of automotive desire from new, the Hornet's famous devotees have included legendary Hollywood icon and car guy, Steve McQueen. Of course, no car fan, regardless of age, can ignore legendary racer Paul Newman's portrayal of "Doc" Hudson in the smash animated movie, Cars. Offered from the Gordon Apker Collection and restored in honor of Marshall Teague's famous and all-conquering stock car, this 1953 Hornet features a rebuilt 308 Twin-H Power inline-6 engine, automatic transmission, AM radio, power steering and good chrome brightwork. The steel is reported to be in good shape.