One more thing about the Hudson Jet convertible story
Monday-June 21, 2010
It’s a great cover story (Cars & Parts, July 2010). You don’t often read about Hudson prototypes, and it’s nice to see something positive about the Jet, the car that sank Hudson.
However, it seems to me that writer Bob Stevens buried the lead. It seems like he spent a lo-o-o-o-o-ong time setting up the story. I love auto history, but the story might have been more engaging if the history of the Jet had been arranged in graphic sidebars. That way, Stevens could have told us about the Jet convertible prototype much more quickly. After all, that’s the story that the magazine’s cover promises us.
Also, I would have loved some quotes from Virgil Boyd, an actual historical figure in the story. Oral history is almost always more engaging than historian history. It’s more authentic. (Full biased disclosure: I videotaped an interview with Virgil Boyd at his home in Sedona, AZ, in 2000. I wish I’d known about the Hudson convertible. I would’ve grilled him about it.)
However, once Stevens gets to the prototype’s story, I thought it was a great read. Kudos to Cars & Parts for a great Archetypal Prototype story. Joseph Campbell would be very proud.
However, it seems to me that writer Bob Stevens buried the lead. It seems like he spent a lo-o-o-o-o-ong time setting up the story. I love auto history, but the story might have been more engaging if the history of the Jet had been arranged in graphic sidebars. That way, Stevens could have told us about the Jet convertible prototype much more quickly. After all, that’s the story that the magazine’s cover promises us.
Also, I would have loved some quotes from Virgil Boyd, an actual historical figure in the story. Oral history is almost always more engaging than historian history. It’s more authentic. (Full biased disclosure: I videotaped an interview with Virgil Boyd at his home in Sedona, AZ, in 2000. I wish I’d known about the Hudson convertible. I would’ve grilled him about it.)
However, once Stevens gets to the prototype’s story, I thought it was a great read. Kudos to Cars & Parts for a great Archetypal Prototype story. Joseph Campbell would be very proud.