Prewar 212 Super Six
prewar eraYear/application dependent
Long-stroke Hudson flathead-six family
Hudson 212 Super Six enginePhoto: Christopher Ziemnowicz (CZmarlin) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hudson · Pre-Step-Down Flathead Six
Hudson 212 Super Six
The long-stroke flathead six that powered Hudson's immediate postwar cars before the Step-Down era.
212
Cubic inches
The 212 was Hudson's familiar pre-Step-Down six and delivered its torque with an unusually long five-inch stroke.
Key variants
All variantsPrewar 212 Super Six1946–1947 Super Six
Displacement
212 ci
Bore
3"
Stroke
5"
Years
Prewar–1947 core era
Key Takeaway
The 212 Super Six used a cast-iron L-head inline-six with a narrow 3.00-inch bore and extremely long 5.00-inch stroke. The three-main-bearing, side-valve design prioritized low-speed torque and smoothness over high-rpm airflow.
Technical Specifications
- Compression
- 6.5:1 in documented 1946 specification
- Horsepower
- 102 hp @ 4000 rpm in documented 1946 specification
- Torque
- 168 lb-ft @ 1200 rpm
- Architecture
- L-head inline six
- Block
- Cast iron
- Cylinder heads
- Cast iron
- Valvetrain
- Side-valve L-head, mechanical lifters
- Aspiration
- Naturally aspirated
- Fuel delivery
- Carbureted
- Firing order
- 1-5-3-6-2-4
- Main bearings
- 3
The 212 Super Six used a cast-iron L-head inline-six with a narrow 3.00-inch bore and extremely long 5.00-inch stroke. The three-main-bearing, side-valve design prioritized low-speed torque and smoothness over high-rpm airflow.
Internal Specifications
Variant-specific values are labeled. Engine families that span multiple years or RPOs can have different heads, cams, induction and rotating parts, so the exact code/year always takes priority.
Identification & Output
- Engine codes / RPO
- Hudson 212 Super Six — pre-Step-Down identification relies on engine serial/model-year application rather than a single modern RPO-style code
- Casting numbers
- No single universal block/head casting is retained here for the full prewar–1947 212 run; verify casting/date, 3.00 x 5.00-inch dimensions and engine serial together.
- Power rating
- Period brake horsepower / SAE gross-era rating
- Horsepower RPM
- 102 hp @ 4000 rpm in documented 1946 specification
- Torque RPM
- 168 lb-ft @ 1200 rpm in documented 1946 specification
Operating Specs
- Production notes
- The postwar 212 retained a 3.00-inch bore and very long 5.00-inch stroke. It was replaced as Hudson moved into its Step-Down generation and the newer 232/262 engine family.
Compatibility Notes
- Pre-Step-Down 212 hardware should not be assumed interchangeable with the later 232/262/308 wide-block sixes; block dimensions, mounts, induction and external parts differ.
- Verify model year and serial before ordering pistons, bearings, head gasket, water pump or transmission-interface parts because Hudson six-cylinder families overlap historically but are not one universal design.
Notable Applications
Hudson Super SixHudson Commodore SixHudson commercial models
Strengths
- Excellent low-speed torque
- Simple flathead construction
- Strong period originality
Weaknesses / Watch-outs
- Only three main bearings
- Extremely long stroke
- Limited breathing and rpm potential
Common Upgrades
- Electronic ignition conversion
- Carburetor restoration
- Cooling-system refresh
Racing History & Legacy
The 212 belongs to Hudson’s earlier Super Six lineage, but the company’s famous early-1950s stock-car dominance came after its production run with the larger 308 Hornet. The 212 is therefore best treated as an important predecessor rather than the NASCAR-winning Hornet engine.
The 212 carried Hudson’s long-stroke Super Six tradition into the immediate postwar era and preceded the wider-bore Step-Down sixes that culminated in the 308 Hornet.
References & Image Credit
Engine image: Christopher Ziemnowicz (CZmarlin) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Classic Car Database — 1946 Hudson 212 specifications
period spec
1946 Hudson brochure — engine specifications
manufacturer brochure
1954 Hudson technical data — six-cylinder firing order and ignition specifications
factory technical reference
Wikimedia Commons — 1946 Hudson Super Six engine-bay photo
licensed media
Key Factory / Build Variants
1946–1947 Super Six
1946–1947102 hp @ 4000 rpm representative
Final pre-Step-Down version before the 262/232 generation
Engineering Notes Worth Knowing
01
212 cu in / 3.5 L with 3.00 x 5.00-inch bore and stroke.
02
Cast-iron L-head inline-six with mechanical lifters.
03
Carbureted and naturally aspirated.
04
Documented 1946 output: 102 hp and 168 lb-ft.
History · context · related reading
The Story Behind Hudson 212 Super Six
The 212 was Hudson's familiar pre-Step-Down six. Its five-inch stroke delivered the low-speed torque Hudson buyers expected, but the design clearly belonged to an older generation than the wide-block engines that followed.
TorqueList Garage Reference Series
See this engine inside the full Hudson reference catalog.
The same Engine Library data now powers a more detailed mobile-friendly catalog with technical specs, variants, engineering notes, history and related stories.