Terraplane Eight History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
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For 1933 Hudson offered an eight-cylinder Essex-Terraplane: the Model KT, fitted with a 244-cubic-inch (4.0 L) inline straight-eight rated around 94 horsepower, on the longer 113-inch wheelbase shared with the Model KU six.
In a light, low-priced body the straight-eight gave the Terraplane standout performance — its power-to-weight ratio made it a favorite for speed, and 1933 Eights gained a period reputation for being chosen by fast-driving outlaws of the Depression era. The Eight was a brief offering: once the 'Essex' name was dropped for 1934 the eight-cylinder engine was no longer offered, leaving the Terraplane a six thereafter.
In June 1933 driver Al Miller drove a KT Eight convertible coupe to the summit of Mount Washington with the gearshift wired into high gear, setting a hill-climb record that stood for over twenty years — one of the most celebrated performance demonstrations of any Depression-era production car.
Notable special editions & performance variants
Mount Washington Record Car
A stock KT Eight convertible coupe driven by Al Miller set the Mount Washington Hill Climb record in June 1933 with the transmission locked in top gear; the record stood for more than twenty years.
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