Maine Classic Car Museum wins national acclaim for rare 1954 Hudson Italia

ARUNDEL, Maine — The Maine Classic Car Museum won a national award this month for a 1954 Hudson Italia car shown at the 30th annual Amelia Concours d’Elegance show at the Ritz Carlton Hotel at Amelia Island, Florida.

“We’re delighted to win the prestigious Petersen Award at one of the country’s top classic car judged shows at Amelia,” said Andy Reid, collection manager at the museum. “There were over 250 cars exhibited at the show and more than a dozen in our judging class. So, there was stiff competition from cars exhibited by museums from around the country at this show.”

Shown by invitation only, the show attracts some of the most iconic and beautiful motor vehicles, including motor sports, European and American classics.

“Our 1954 Hudson Italia is one of America’s rarest limited production cars,” said Museum President Gene Prentice. “It’s never been repainted or restored— that’s why we call it a preservation car.”

“A car is only original once,” explains Reid, “and our Hudson Italia has a very special story to tell. The car has been in New England since new, one of just 26 cars produced by Hudson, an independent car manufactured in Detroit. In the mid-1950s, the rise of the Big Three car companies— Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler— made it difficult for smaller companies like Hudson to survive.”

Needing a bold move, Hudson teamed up with a special design house in Italy to craft and hand build the Italia car, meant to spark publicity and demand for their new cars produced by American Motors.

The museum acquired the car last year from the collection of Wayne Carini of Connecticut, the long-time host of “Chasing Classic Cars,” a popular reality TV show for many years.

“I worked on this car as a teenager when the original owner brought it into my father’s shop,” said Carini. “I was proud to have it in my collection for many years. Now, I am so pleased that my friends at the Maine Classic Car Museum are the new stewards of the car, and it is staying right here in New England.”

“One of the highlights of the show was meeting with a special youth judging panel,” said Reid. He met with the Junior Judging team, comprised of more than a dozen mostly pre-teen enthusiasts, who each had a scorecard to evaluate cars in their judging class.

“The Maine Classic Car Museum has a strong tradition of engaging young people, especially our student internship program,” said Prentice. “So getting a chance to participate in the junior judging was a natural for our team at the show.”

The Maine Classic Car Museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the winter, and daily starting in the spring. Admission is free for children ages 7 and under, and all other visitors pay $12 per person. For more information, call 207-602-6620 or go online to mainecarmuseum.com.