History Searching for 1948 Tucker photos

There is a guy that owns the Penguin Speed Shop in the UK that is already working on one. They plan to use a Franklin engine of some sort. Should be an interesting project.

exwestracer, Did you know the owner of the Tucker Dealership in Latrobe? It was owned by M.R. Prusack and was located at 2300 Ligonier Street. Curious as to what is there now. Google Earth hasn't driven by yet!

 

this picture is on my phone for some reason.... (secret reason)



I believe the tucker one of those things that intrigues all of us in one way or another, not because of its technological advancements of the time, but rather the idea of it. bright idea to design to production then an abrupt and (while very factual) mysterious end.

as a designer, i believe that its the spark of imagination and the american dream that was tarnished with the loss of the tucker corp.

the other side of it, the research is fun and interesting, and i find that whenever my vintage cars come up in conversation, people that have no interest in cars are captivated by the story of the 48 tucker.

lets keep this going.

 

HA! Fantastic. So they want a minimum of $35 for info that for some reason "isn't in their written/logged records" (<----paraphrasing) when the car has been there for ______ years and it HAS to be written or logged in somewhere? I could understand them wanting to "weed out" BS but it isn't like you asked the current tire pressure or sent them all over the museum to look for Sir Walter Raleigh in a can!!

 

Arrived in 1958

 

Wow. Since '58? It's hard to believe that in that many years, not one person who has cleaned it, dusted it, moved it, or seen it for that matter has taken note of how many miles are on it....isn't it?

 

I have great faith that either "Painkiller" will have an answer for us today on the mileage or we'll have to take up a collection to bail him out of jail for being arrested at the Henry Ford for stepping over the barriers.

 

I asked at the desk if I or if someone could check the mileage. No one was "available" to help me today.

I leaned way over the barrier with my flashlight,but from the passenger side I couldnt see it.

My wife would have been really PO'd if i stepped over the barrier and walked around the car to look. Didn't really want to ruin the rest of the day.


I was very surprised/dissapointed they weren't a little more accommodating.

 

They most certainly have records of that acquisition somewhere at Hank. In my vol. stints at Eastman House, I've been able to check the data on every piece of photographic equipment in their huge collection. They have info on what it is, when it was acquired, from whom, and the specs. If cameras had odometers, that info would be on the cards as well. Somebody at Henry Ford may have a call-your-doctor hard on for Tuckers and is being an ass about it.

Either that, or the curator is sneaking the car out on weekends for street dragging and doesn't want to get busted by someone checking the odo.

Frank C.

 

Here is that same car in color

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Did plans call for removable roof? This design, with few changes, could be relevant today. Instead of the Franklin boxer, a Detroit V8 and 5-speed transaxle, and modern rubber. Oh, wait a minute:
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/deronda-sports-car/1031321/
Looks like somebody owes the Tucker Estate some royalty money.

Frank C.

 

How much can I believe? What are the facts as you know them?

Frank C.

 

Body #1057 was missing for several years beginning in the mid 50s. Alex Tremulis, the Chief Tucker designer had modified this body with changes to be made in the 1949 model year. The car was seen by several people after the plant closed up until about 1955 when it was sold. It reemerged in 1966 in Michigan and later it showed up in the 80s with a Wisconsin collector. This body, if it were still intact, would be the only 1949 Tucker in existence and would be worth millions today. Unfortunately it has been chopped up and made into a tribute car.[/QUOTE]

How did the "1949" differ from the '48?

Frank C.

 

Another recollection from the 1984 Tucker club convention surfaced. One of the members, whose name escapes me now, showed me his binder with pics of the extant cars, or at least as many as he'd been able to get up 'til then. He showed me a photo of a Tucker body shell he identified as "Body 55" which was sitting out side somewhere. It was just a bare body, no chassis, interior or drivetrtain. It had a big dent in the roof like something heavy had fallen on it.

That's all I know. I wouldn't be shocked to learn someone rescued it and built a complete car out of it. Ring any bells, Tucker Fan?

Frank C.

 

Just before the movie Tucker was released I was at George lucas's film making facility in San Ramon "Skywalker Ranch". My Gaffer and I were leaving and I looked over and saw in a small grove of trees the nose of what I thought was a Studebaker. I told him to stop as I wanted to check out the car. I walked to the small clearing in the middle of the trees and couldn't believe what I saw. About 45 Tucker cars ranging from pristine to badly decayed including the 24 hour roll over car as seen in the movie. But I thought they were real. I let out a scream! My Gaffer asked what the F was wrong. I could hardly talk but tried to explain that they only made like 50 Tuckers and they're all right here. "Christ, Lucas must love Tuckers to have collected the whole lot." Then I started to look inside the cars and saw LTD and Thunderbird logos on the sterring wheels. I felt up under the fender of one and could feel the shards of fiberglass. "wow, these are all fakes! Lukas must REALLY love Tuckers to have spent the money to have these recreations done!" Weeks later I read in Variety that Coppola had just wraped principal photography on Tucker. Like going into King Tuts tomb and finding a bunch of Betty Boop stuf!

 

I don't know if this was posted before but, Drager'sInternational classicsales.com has on his home page Tucker#1010 in a video of them taking it out of a barn to transport to BJ for their auction next week..........

 

It was in Wellington KS and was hit by a tree. It was cut up after that and some parts salvaged. The body was in real rough shape after sitting outdoors for 20+ years with no paint on it.

 

How did the "1949" differ from the '48?

Frank C.[/QUOTE]

The 1949 body would have had a larger back window. Here is probably the best picture of it. You'll notice it has a roof!

 

The 1949 body would have had a larger back window. Here is probably the best picture of it. You'll notice it has a roof!

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Awesome, thanks! That, combined with a one-piece curved front windshield, would have made the car viable for another 5-6 years, had not Uncle Sammy put the screws to the whole deal.

What's the context of that photo? Military brass checking out the plant? What for? Is that Brockleman driving the cart?

Frank C.

 

When I was at the Tucker convention in 1984, I saw Coppola listed as a TACA member, but he wasn't at the affair. There was plenty of talk about him making a movie about Preston Tucker (Coppola owned 2 of the cars back then) and I thought "Yeah, sure, he is, keep dreaming." Oh, me of little faith.

Frank C.

 

Awesome, thanks! That, combined with a one-piece curved front windshield, would have made the car viable for another 5-6 years, had not Uncle Sammy put the screws to the whole deal.

What's the context of that photo? Military brass checking out the plant? What for? Is that Brockleman driving the cart?

Frank C.[/QUOTE]

The War Assets Administration owned the plant. This was after Tucker was shut down but before the auction. I would imagine they were there to look over the building for possible uses. Ford ended up getting the building and built aircraft motors there. I have no idea who was driving the cart. I doubt it was anyone from Tucker. It could have been a trustee or someone from Winternitz.

 

Frank or TF48, I figure if anyone knows, it's you guys...

Was there ever a Tucker that ran at Bonneville or El Mirage???

 

Good question. There has been a story floating around about a Tucker that made three runs at Bonneville. This took place in 1948, 1950, 1951, 1952, or 1954 depending on which version of the story you believe.

Over the past several years I've placed several postings and sent many e-mails in an attempt to verify this story. I contacted SCRA to see if they had records. Recently I discovered the location of many of the records for the AAA Contest Board which sanctioned races and timetrials in the US until 1955.

I've personally talked with every Tucker Historian that has any record of information relating to the cars. I've reviewed every mention of the event that was published in magazines or books.

All of this has lead me back to the same place. There is no documented proof at this time that this event ever took place. The first reference to the story appeared in late 1950 in a letter between two Tucker owners. I have been unable to find out how the person would have known about this test since he clearly wasn't there and lived thousands of miles away. The story appears to have been passed from owner to owner until it became legend. The only other explanation would be if there were some article in a newspaper or magazine about it. Searches for that have found nothing.

While it is not impossible this happened there is no evidence at this time to confirm it. If someone can find something that proves it happened I'd love to review it.

 

Wait a minute. Are you saying that it would be worth it to buy #1057 in it's current state and build it back as a '49?

 

It probably would have been but it's been pretty chopped up now. It was the only body that was changed with the 1949 modifications. The body is documented by the chief designer as having the 1949 changes.

I guess it would come down to if someone thought having the only documented 1949 Tucker was worth more than having a tribute car that was built 60 years later by chopping up a bunch of Tucker parts.

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfwxA6dKR0/TFWGzGAWnwI/AAAAAAAAFjA/jkLngHfiRd4/s1600/Tucker+1948.jpg


this one is in the auto museum of cacapava

 

Dzus, Do you know where #1057 is?

 

Body #1057 was sawed up and made into a tribute convertible.

 

There is a very recent update on Tucker #1035 here:

http://www.tuckerclub.org/bbs3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1989&sid=f730ff10a25ecce01849c4a7ac408507

 

Here is an old one...

 

Taken at the 1953 Oakland Roadster Show. The Tucker was a featured vehicle.