Dody Franklin fell in love with Terraplane automobiles when she saw one at a car show. Husband Mick took a rusted shell and built her this stunning 1935 Terraplane street rod featuring 100-spoke chrome wire wheels.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Resplendent in Mayan Gold over Prowler Orange, Mick Franklin's 1947 Hudson Super Six Coupe shows how perfectly vintage styling and modern technology can be combined. The car is still powered by a 6-cylinder engine, but it is a Camaro V-6, not an in-line flathead.
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The Franklins' 1946 Hudson 4-door often does duty as a wedding/prom car, thanks to the wide, rear-opening "suicide" doors in the back.
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Power for the Terraplane four-door is generated by a Chevy 350 smallblock V-8 bolted to a Turbo 350 automatic transmission. Final drive is supplied by an 8-inch Ford rear end.
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The Terraplane is outfitted with a pair of Nissan 350Z bucket seats in gray cloth with embroidered rose logos, all done by Creative Customs by Cathy in Salina.
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White-faced aftermarket gauges and a custom Grant banjo-style steering wheel are used in the Terraplane; note the air conditioning vents incorporated into the "glove box" to balance the overall dash panel.
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The Terraplane's back seat continues the gray suede theme in the rear, also accented with Doty's red rose logo.
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Even the underside of the deck lid is finished off with a red rose emblem, this one with the phrase "Driving Miss Dody" added.
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All four doors on the Terraplane are of the `suicide' variety, opening rearward for ease of access to the spacious interior.
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`I like showing 'em ... he likes driving 'em,' says Doty, who spends countless hours detailing her 100-spoke wire wheels for car shows.
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The Terraplane is a "humpback" model, with a small, but stylish, trunk compartment tucked tight to the rear of the bodywork.
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The Terraplane emblem is distinctive, but often overlooked by car enthusiasts who confuse the car for just another Hudson model. Begun as an Essex model, Terraplane became a separate make of the Hudson Motor Car Co.
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Mick Franklin was able to painstakingly save the beautiful vertical grille insert, but the twin horns on either side had to be handcrafted by an aftermarket artisan.
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The Franklins' son, Mark, a skilled painter, came up with the two-tone paint scheme on the big '47 coupe. He has painted all of his parents' classic street machines.
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Mick Franklin says the power plant under the forward-tilting hood of the '47 coupe is no show-winner, but the super-reliable 3.8 liter V-6 he transplanted from a 1996 Camaro provides plenty of power and excellent fuel economy, approaching 30 mpg.
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Finding modern street rod wheels with the correct offset to clear the rear fenders on the '47 Hudson was a challenge, but with the help of Bosley Tires, the right rims were finally located.
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What at first glance appears to be the correct stock gas cap turns out to be, in fact, the horn button from the original '47 Hudson steering wheel cleverly grafted to fit the filler cap of the '96 Camaro tank.
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The Camaro donor car not only gave up all its running gear and suspension to the '47 Hudson coupe project, it supplied most of the interior as well, including these high-back bucket seats upholstered by Creative Customs by Cathy.
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The stock rear seat in the Hudson coupe was matched to the rest of the upholstery, including the Hudson logo.
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The coupe's door panels are covered in a subtly checked cloth that picks up the orange exterior, separated from the darker lower panel by a bold black swoosh. Billet door and window controls are used.
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A 3-spoke Grant steering wheel on a tilt column overlooks the Camaro instrument bin artfully grafted into the Hudson coupe's dash panel.
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A floating Hudson logo against an upholstered inner deck lid sets off the trunk area of the '47 Hudson.
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With the trunk wall removed, the storage compartment of the Hudson coupe reveals the tool and jack storage, as well as the air compressor for the rear air bag system.
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Basically an overstuffed sofa on wheels, the back seat area of the 1946 Hudson four-door reveals why it is a hit with brides on their wedding days -- the most elaborate dresses can be accommodated with no trouble.
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