Coach Built & Lost

[Ryan]

Remember Geoff Hacker? He's the crazy guy that found the tear drop car not too long ago. Well, I got another email from him the other day and it seems as though he has some other interests as ...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[Engine Pro 5X]

When I keep seeing post from way back of these and the designs that were out there it makes me wonder what Tucker would have came up with if he were to have continued and built something beside the family based car. Like maybe in the mid fifties>>>>.

[Chaz]

Not all of Tuckers designs were family cars. Here's one that never made it to assembly.
These old streamlined cars are fascinating. They were designed with a heavy dose of Buck Rogers rather than wind tunnel testing. If you can only remember the times, these were truly futuristic. In hindsight they appear gawkish, but in their day.... Oh, wow

[dv8]

I just met Geoff this past weekend...Nice guy, with a ton of cool, old, rare, and odd-ball cars! He seems to find the cars he is looking for as well!

[mcload]

Interesting cars, Geoff....clearly European design influenced. Wish I could help.

Chaz, are you inferring the car in the picture you posted was designed by Tucker?

Patrick McLoad

[dv8]

Chaz! Don't answer that! It's a trick!

[Engine Pro 5X]

Ryan. It seems like you have a great interest in the early road race cars. See if you can dig up anything on the two corvette chassis cars that Carroll Shelby sent to Scaglietti to be outfitted. The shit hit the fan and the project was dumped but the cars were to be finished and I never heard what happened to them>>>>.

[autobilly]

Sorry Geoff, no leads on those 40's So. Cal. custom roadsters here.
But, that Tucker hard top is something else, fantastic photo too. That guy (Tucker) was one way out kat!

[hotrodladycrusr]

I will show those two photos to my Dad tomorrow and see what he says about them.

[pimpin paint]

Hey,

The two cars pictured sure have a Coachcraft coachbuilder vibe to
them.....

Do you know who actually built them? Jimmy Summers didn't work
in aluminum, did he?

Swankey Devils C.c.

"Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted Pork"

[pimpin paint]

Originally Posted by Engine Pro 5X

Ryan. It seems like you have a great interest in the early road race cars. See if you can dig up anything on the two corvette chassis cars that Carroll Shelby sent to Scaglietti to be outfitted. The shit hit the fan and the project was dumped but the cars were to be finished and I never heard what happened to them>>>>.

Hey,

You're not talkin' about the Gary Laughlin Scaglietti bodied Corvettes,
are ya? Scaglietti would build three of these before Enzo said" No
Moe''!

Swankey devils C.C.

"Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted pork"

[Engine Pro 5X]

Originally Posted by pimpin paint

Hey,

You're not talkin' about the Gary Laughlin Scaglietti bodied Corvettes,
are ya? Scaglietti would build three of these before Enzo said" No
Moe''!

Swankey devils C.C.

"Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted pork"

I think those would be the ones. Shelby was at chevy trying to work a deal and the rug got yanked everything went in the toilet and here came A-C Bristol and Ford>>>>.

[G. Hacker]

I'm still working out the history on the cars...they have been incorrectly identified with Coachcraft since the 1940's (confirmed this with Rudy's son, Bill last year). I'm assembling the full history for Ryan so he can publish on HAMB soon. I have articles about them as well, and now am trying to find out what happened in the 1950's and 1960's in their history. Thanks for your interest....Geoff

[Ryan]

Updated with some incredible new images:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=2129

[G. Hacker]

HotRodLadyCrsr...
Thanks for showing the photos to your father. You're in Detroit, so he may remember something about the cars. Much appreciated..

Geoff

[hotrodladycrusr]

Originally Posted by geoffrey@grhacker.com

HotRodLadyCrsr...
Thanks for showing the photos to your father. You're in Detroit, so he may remember something about the cars. Much appreciated..

Geoff

At the local cruz night last night I pulled up Ryan's blog to show Dad and a number of the older hot rod guys there and none of them recognized either of the cars. Dad made the comment that it would have been unusal for a car like that to be seen out and about since there were not car shows or cruz like events. The cars that they saw were the ones that were actually out racing on Woodward, Gratiot, Telegraph or Fort St. or hanging out at their local gas stations.

I'm going to print the photos and stuff and will ask both Bill Whetstone and this other older guy with the last name Bowman the next time I see them.

When I look at the ones with the awings on the houses/buildings, that reminds me of the type of "accessories" the houses and business have on the eastside of Detroit such as the Grosse Point area and that area is still one of the upscaled communities around here. The high scrubs and hint of a two story house also lead me to believe the Jefferson Ave area north of Detroit along the river.

[G. Hacker]

Hi Denise..

Thanks for your follow-up and interest. I may place a picture ad in the Detroit newspapers soon with the same information. This might help too. Did you see the extra pictures I posted of the car? I think so, but not sure.

Also..thanks for taking the time to show to Bill and Bowman soon. Perhaps they will know more.

Thanks again for your help...

Geoff

[hotrodladycrusr]

I did see all the photos and so did the guys. I really love the last two AND the ones of him washing the car.

I'll tell you what, if you make up a one page "looking for info" flyer and send it to me, I will print it here at work and pass them out at the local cruz nights and car events. I hit at least a couple every week, along with lots of shows in the midwest and would be happy to help you find out more information.

I will also be attending a concourse type event at the Edsel Ford Estate (located on Jefferson Ave and the Detroit River) mid-June and while I can't pass out flyers there, I can certainly talk to people and show them the photos.

Denise.Sheldon@mybrighthouse.com

[G. Hacker]

Denise...

Sounds great and thanks for the help :-) I made an ad for you to download and put pictures of each car and other history for you here:

http://www.grhacker.com/images/Lost_Coachbuilt_Customs/

Let me know if this downloads for you. I'll e-mail you this information too.

Thanks again...

Geoff Hacker
geoffrey@grhacker.com
813-888-8882

[hotrodladycrusr]

Got it, printed it, looks good. I'm heading to the RM Auction on Saturday, I'll start there.