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It’s hard to believe that Pixar’s Cars franchise is almost 20 years old; the toys are still on the shelves and the Hudson brand is still more than a simple footnote in automotive history. Contrary to what people may think as a result of the famous film, not all Hudsons were Hornets, but hot rodders could bestow Hornet performance and more on the lesser models, often using factory parts. This Pacemaker received the full treatment.

The seller points out that this Pacemaker spent its life in Pennsylvania, so several pictures of the undercarriage are included to show how solid it is despite its origins. Anyone who has spent time underneath a ’50s car will recognize the years of minor oil leaks coating the components. In this picture, you can see the exhaust header splitting into dual exhaust pipes.

That’s because this Pacemaker has been upgraded to NASCAR Hornet specs. It has a 7X engine bored to 339 cubic inches, with a sportier Isky camshaft, a recent valve adjustment, a new clutch, and more. According to the owner, everything works, including the horn and heater.

The interior shows a little bit of wear on the door panels and it looks as if it could use a pair of door seals. All of this verifies the seller’s claim that it was restored about 40 years ago and maintained since then.

At that time, a 1953 Super Wasp interior was swapped in, along with the Hornet upgrades. The seller believes that the 82,000 miles on the odometer is accurate.

Overall, the presentation shows an older restoration that is ready to enjoy right now. Since it’s such a solid car, a drive-as-you-go refurbishment could settle any minor flaws (or you could just leave it as is). The seller says “the bodywork is not up to showcar standards on a black car,” but not all of us care to drive around in a show car. The red wheels certainly say “NASCAR,” but I might paint them black and change the tires to blackwalls.

I was happy to see the long defunct Hudson name boosted by a modern movie. For an independent to recognize that racing could sell cars, and then go out and engage in that competition successfully is worthy of the Hollywood treatment. This one adds a little old-fashioned hot-rod mystique to the story everyone knows, and it’s for sale on eBay with a current high bid of $10,100.