Bob and Becky Cunningham’s 1946 Hudson Pickup
Believe it or not, Bob and Becky Cunningham had already logged 7,000 miles on this 1946 Hudson pickup between the time they debuted it at the 2022 Boise Roadster Show in March through early September when they brought it to the Goodguys 2022 Colorado Nationals. That included a road trip in the summertime from their Idaho home to the Goodguys Heartland Nationals in Iowa. That level of road tripping not only demonstrates the “ya gotta drive ’em” dedication of the owners, but also the real-world reliability crafted into the truck by the talented team at Kenny’s Rod Shop.
The project started simply enough, at least according to Bob, who says his wife Becky “always wanted a pickup and a Hudson.” The couple could get a two-for-one with a Hudson pickup, which were built from 1929 through 1947. The Cunninghams found their ’46 on Facebook Marketplace and it ended up being just six miles from their home!
A multi-year build at KRS ensued and started with a custom-built frame that incorporated an Art Morrison front suspension, four-link rear, coil-over shocks, a Winters quick-change rearend, Wilwood disc brakes, and 19-inch Billet Specialties wheels. With future road trips in mind, a powerful and reliable LS3 crate engine was selected for motivation and equipped with Borla eight-stack EFI, Holley valve covers, an Eddie Motorsports accessory drive system, and Ultimate headers. The 4L65E transmission is actuated with an electric push-button shifter.
The crew at Kenny’s Rod Shop also handled the metalwork on the body, which included rust repair and the general massaging required of 70-year-old sheet metal, plus mods like a custom tailgate, rolled rear pan, ’37 Ford taillights, and a custom bed that includes a trunk compartment from the wheel tubs forward. Shawn McNally at Regenerated Rides then took over, finalizing all the bodywork and applying the PPG single-stage black finish.
Interior Revolution took it from there, using cream and light tan leather upholstery as a nice contrast to the dark body. The leather covers a Bowen bench seat, custom door panels, and a fabricated center console holding controls for the Vintage Air and the Rockford Fosgate stereo. Classic Instruments restored the gauges in the modified stock dash, and an American Autowire harness was used to connect all the electrical components.
It’s refreshing to see a high-quality build like the Cunninghams’ Hudson getting driven and enjoyed, and it’s a great testament to the parts and teams that built it. Even better, Bob says, are the relationships the couple has built with Kenny’s Rod Shop, Regenerated Rides, and Interior Revolutions, all of whom have become friends.
Photos by Damon Lee
