In 1911 Hupp became one of two automakers pioneering the use of all-steel bodies, joining BSA in the U.K.
Nelson approached Hale & Kilburn Company in Philadelphia looking for help with developing an all-metal body for the Hupp 32.
Hale & Kilburn had pioneered the replacement of cast iron with pressed steel for many parts for the interiors of railway carriages.
According to Nelson, “None of the Detroit plants would contract” to make an all-steel body for the Hupp 32.
Edward Budd and Joseph Ledwinka were employed at Hale & Kilburn at the time, Budd as the general manager and Ledwinka as engineer.
 Budd was interested in the project.
 Hale & Kilburn had built some body panels for King and Paige but Budd had grander aspirations the Hupp project would permit him to pursue.

Budd and Ledwinka worked with Nelson to develop means to manufacture Nelson's design for this body.
They devised a system where the body's numerous steel stampings were welded together by hand and supported by a crude system of angle iron supports that held the welded subassemblies together.
The disassembled bodies were shipped by rail to Detroit where they were put back together, painted and trimmed in the Hupmobile factory.
Both the touring car and a coupe were made by this process and even one Hupmobile limousine.
In 1911 no one, not Nelson, Ledwinka or Budd, thought to patent the process to manufacture all-steel bodies.

While the Hupp 32 bodies were in production, Budd and Ledwinka left and formed the Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company.
 In 1914, Ledwinka filed for and received a patent for the process of making all-steel bodies.
 However, Budd later lost a patent infringement litigation it brought against C.R. Wilson Body Company when the court held that the Ledwinka patent was invalid. "[
A]fter the art had developed...Ledwinka has endeavored to go back and cover by a patent that which had become public property.... [H]e is endeavoring to bring under his patent those things which belong to the public."
The court relied on the production of the Hupp 32 in 1911 as a major example of the prior art.
 The opinion does provide insight as to what was or was not novel about the process to manufacture the Hupp 32's body.

Several thousand all steel touring cars were made before Nelson resigned as Chief Engineer in 1912.
Hupmobile's commitment to this leading edge approach did not survive his departure.
The rest of the Hupp 32 production used conventional body assembly processes.
In 1911 Hupp became one of two automakers pioneering the use of all-steel bodies, joining BSA in the U.K.
Nelson approached Hale & Kilburn Company in Philadelphia looking for help with developing an all-metal body for the Hupp 32. Hale & Kilburn had pioneered the replacement of cast iron with pressed steel for many parts for the interiors of railway carriages. According to Nelson, “None of the Detroit plants would contract” to make an all-steel body for the Hupp 32. Edward Budd and Joseph Ledwinka were employed at Hale & Kilburn at the time, Budd as the general manager and Ledwinka as engineer.  Budd was interested in the project.  Hale & Kilburn had built some body panels for King and Paige but Budd had grander aspirations the Hupp project would permit him to pursue.
Budd and Ledwinka worked with Nelson to develop means to manufacture Nelson's design for this body. They devised a system where the body's numerous steel stampings were welded together by hand and supported by a crude system of angle iron supports that held the welded subassemblies together. The disassembled bodies were shipped by rail to Detroit where they were put back together, painted and trimmed in the Hupmobile factory. Both the touring car and a coupe were made by this process and even one Hupmobile limousine. In 1911 no one, not Nelson, Ledwinka or Budd, thought to patent the process to manufacture all-steel bodies.
While the Hupp 32 bodies were in production, Budd and Ledwinka left and formed the Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company.  In 1914, Ledwinka filed for and received a patent for the process of making all-steel bodies.  However, Budd later lost a patent infringement litigation it brought against C.R. Wilson Body Company when the court held that the Ledwinka patent was invalid. "[A]fter the art had developed...Ledwinka has endeavored to go back and cover by a patent that which had become public property.... [H]e is endeavoring to bring under his patent those things which belong to the public." The court relied on the production of the Hupp 32 in 1911 as a major example of the prior art.  The opinion does provide insight as to what was or was not novel about the process to manufacture the Hupp 32's body.
Several thousand all steel touring cars were made before Nelson resigned as Chief Engineer in 1912. Hupmobile's commitment to this leading edge approach did not survive his departure. The rest of the Hupp 32 production used conventional body assembly processes.
Hupmobile