Hudson hasn’t built cars since the 1950s, so there are generations of people who don’t know about the company. It’s been so long since Hudson shut down that many of the people who were aware of Hudson have probably forgotten about it. But there’s some enthusiasts out there keeping the brand alive in their own ways. Jay Leno recently met two of them: Steve Stratos, president of Mobile One Inc., who spent three and a half years restoring a 1953 Hudson Hornet Convertible Brougham for its owner, Chris Duhon.

Hudson introduced the Hornet for the 1951 model year. In addition to serving as the foundation for sleek “Skyliner Styling,” the “Monobilt” steel unibody architecture also enabled Hudson’s “step-down” design, which made the Hornet roomy inside and a great handler on both roads and racetracks.

Duhon’s Hornet is more about open-air cruising, especially since the power soft top is still a work in progress. Everything else has been beautifully restored — no matter how difficult it was to get right. Not only is there a lot of chrome trim inside and out (310 pieces total), but it took Stratos and his team a year and a half to find the right materials when they switched the interior from two-tone to the current blue leather. Lining up the pleated sections on the sides required keen attention to detail — and patience. The tissue box and Bakelite trim add interesting period-correct touches.

Hudson may not have offered the Hornet with a V-8, but the 308ci I-6 with “Twin H-Power” (a pair of one-barrel carburetors) and a GM Hydra-Matic transmission enables Leno to drive the Hornet like a modern car in SoCal traffic.

None of this Hudson’s details were lost on Leno, a fellow Hudson owner and a man familiar with extensive restorations. It’s too bad that so many Hudson cars have been lost to time. Fortunately, this ’53 Hornet was saved and given a beautiful new life, thanks to two dedicated enthusiasts.