History Searching for 1948 Tucker photos

thank you very much gentlemen... I have learned quite a bit from this thread.

 

This tread is really fascinating, thank you all for the contributions.

For quite some time I am planning to visit the Tucker in Bebedouro- Brazil, but it is quite complicated, considering that it is once again closed to the general public in an improvised storage area.

A few months ago some facts came up surrounding the history of the Tucker in Brazil, to make a long story short, here it goes:
The Tucker was originally purchased new by a businessman in SP and he used to travel a lot, taking the car all around the world, in the 60's he passed away and had no kids, the closest was a woman formely known as Ms Reuters. She took care of all his inventory and the car remained abandoned until the 70's, when she went to check the Mr Reuters house the car had already gone and was somehow sold by the family chafeur, at the moment she had no interest on the Tucker since it was rotting in a garage and it was a 20+ years car.
History tells that the car was sold without the engine to another businessman from a very wealth family called Matarazzo and then finally to Roberto Lee, who died in 1975.

Untill 2011 due to a family dispute, Roberto Lee private museum where the Tucker was sitting and rotting, have been pilled up, it's a shame because most of his cars had been severely damaged and others like a rare racing Fiat, Alfa or Bugatti(I don't recall) was all made of aluminum, it was all strip down and sold for the weight.

Another interesting story is that when Mr Reuters owned the car he removed the engine to install it on a powerboat and another one is that Matarazzo sold the car due to constant electrical failures and the risk of fire.

Here is a picture of the Tucker cruising in Brazil, some say that it was in Rio and others in Santos or Guaruja(Sao Paulo seashore)

 

Wow. TuckerFan. I'm guessing that Nelson's input is the kind of material you were looking for when your first posted. Awesome pic, IMO, Nelson!

 

Just to be clear, i don't own the rights or anything for picture of the tucker cruising, it was published in a magazine.

Below you will find some prints for the official dealer/importer of the Tucker in Brazil - São Paulo







Mr Lee widow with the car in an Expo a couple of years ago

 

Whoa, hold on just a minute before someone believes that story. There is no truth to a businessman buying the car new and traveling around the world. Tucker #1035 was sold to Jaime Gantmanis who was the Tucker distributor for Brazil. Their was no Reuters or car sitting in a garage. The ownership from 1948 until now is completely documented.

Tucker #1035 is in Caçapava S.P. Brazil. For the past two year I haved worked with my friend, Atos R. Fagundes at Classic Show Magazine to completely document the history of Tucker #1035. So far the story has covered 10 issues of the magazine and nearly 75 pages.

The car was owned by the Matarazzo family and was sold to Roberto Lee who was married to Maria Pia Matarazzo at the time. They had a daughter Mariangela. He later divorced her and remarried.

In 1975 Lee was having an affair with Elza Leonet do Amaral. They had a daughter which Lee refused to acknowledge. Elza shot and killed Lee. The two heirs to Lee's property were Mariangela and the daughter he had with Elza. A long 30+ year battle began over the property. The Matarazzo family refused to negotiate. They were one of the richest families in Brazil. Things changed by about 2008 when Mariangela had missmanaged the families fortune and left them near broke except for the property Lee once owned. They now were willing to negotiate and settled the estate. The City of Caçapava received all the cars remaining at the Lee Museum including Tucker #1035.

The above photo was taken in 1950 just outside Copacabana Palace. They were selling raffle tickets to win the Tucker. (note the sign on the windshield)

I'd suggest anyone wanting the story on Tucker #1035 to read the last 10 issues if Classic Show magazine. It is in portuguese but the entire history of the car is there including many photos.

 

That is his daughter, Mariangela

 

Yes, if it was true. The photo was posted on this thread back on page 6, post #103.

 

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Thank you Tucker Fan.
I have already seen that article, but I was wondering if there were any radical changes on the interior or suspension, they seem to have lowered the car.

Marcelo, the guy who moved the 1035, from the Museum in Cacapava and was one of the sources for the Classic Show Magazine said that it was Buick underneath it and not a Cadillac, can you confirm that?

Yesterday I did some research over the Reuters name and so, and the history is mixed up, when in fact "Mr Reuters" is Joseph Molitor.

Tucker Fan, who was the owner of 1035 that installed the Cadillac(or Buick?) chassis and engine? This could be very clarifying over another theory on how Matarazzo and Roberto Lee got the car.

Are you aware that the car is registered to the Eduardo Andrea Matarazzo Museum? Patricia Matarazzo claims that they have the title for it.

Now changing the subject, what happened to the 1051 1/2, that Ricardo was building?

Best regards

 

You are getting some really bad information.

The frame and uncarriage is a 1947 Cadillac Series 62. Dashboard shots clearly show that.



Interior of Tucker #1035



Interior of a 1947 Cadillac Series 62


Not sure where you found this Mr. Reuters story but it is all garbage. The car was never left to a servent and sold by who knows who. It just didn't happen.

Molitor had the car converted around 1955. He continued to own it for a few years after that.

It was sold to Eduardo Matarazzo in 1962. He sold it to Roberto Lee in 1968.

As for 1051 1/2, last I heard it had been cut up and is rusting away.

 

Please don't get me wrong I am just trying get the facts straight, it is not everyday that we got the chance to talk with someone that knows the history behind it, but being a local and knowing how things work around in Brazil it is never too much to hear both side of stories.

There is one thing that I learned with time, that you should never stop searching, even if there is the smallest chance of it being true or right...With that in mind we were able to prove that my grandfather was the first surfer in Brazil, for more than 70 years history was proven to be wrong, and possibly because he was an American, going against fake testimonials and other evidences during the years.

Have you got the contact on Ricardo? I have tried to send him a PM at Tucker Club, but never got a reply. My email is [email protected]

Best Regards

 

If you have not read all 10 Tucker issues of Classic Show you should. They covered it all with photos, documents, statements, and even family histories of all the owners.

Ricardo moved to someplace in the middle of nowhere where he is the only resident of the town. He said there was no phone or internet. That was a couple years ago. I guess he is off the grid.

 

Tucker #1003 will be up for auction with RM at Amelia Island on March 9th 2013.

Estimated price is 1.5 to 1.9 million dollars. The car has been nicely restored with no expense spared. If you are looking for a nice Tucker this would be one to bid on.

 

Some sad news for Tucker lovers today. David C. Cammack of Alexandria, VA passed away on Sunday April 7th. Dave was the owner of three Tuckers, #1001, #1022, and #1026. Dave had his own private Tucker Museum in Alexandria. It was the largest collection of Tucker items under one roof. He loved to open it to small groups and tell them the story of the Tucker.

Dave donated his Tuckers, upon his death, to the AACA Museum in Hershey PA. Dave even gave them the money to build a large wing on the museum to house his collection.

Dave Cammack will be sorely missed.

 

About the Barney Jr "all makes all models 1948 cars". Right after the war cars were in short supply and price controls were in effect. Dealers were limited to a ceiling price. It was fairly common to go around and order a car from several dealers. When one came in you could sell it to a used car dealer for a profit. It could then be sold as a used car which did not come under the price controls. This is how he could advertise all makes all models of current year cars. You could get them right away but you would have to pay a high price.

This ended by late 1948 or early 1949. By that time the backlog of orders was filled and there were no longer waiting lists for cars.

 

That is a very generous donation that thousands of people will now get to enjoy these cars. We go to the museum a few times a year, but with Hershey right down the street everybody who comes to the swap meet can see them. That will make 5 Tuckers in Centrel PA (Does the Swigart Museum still have two?)...

 

Which Tucker was once pink and white?

 

Tucker #1043 was actually painted Tropical Rose and Snowshoe White. It sold last year for 2.9 million dollars.

 

Check out my album. Havant been able to bring the pic up on the feed

 

Interested in a Tucker vintage 1/24 scale model kit still in unwrapped box?
Only $15, less than it cost new. [email protected]

 

No photos, but there is a tucker on display at the Wisconsin Automotive museum. Its a small, quirky, and entertaining auto museum in hartford Wi.

 

I was there a couple years ago. That is Tucker #1048. It has had a few embellishments over the years but is in good shape.

 

As i may have told you in an earlier post. My father J. W Tallent worked for Tucker. He was a Regional Sales Manager. He relayed a story to me ages ago about a Tucker that Preston drove. He said the car had a neon sign in the back window that said "You have just been passed by a Tucker". He told me this story several times. I thought maybe it was just Tucker lore be he said not. Dad ended up owning #1024.

 

There were a few of the signs that survived

 

Tucker Fan, I'm assuming the Hemming's article is about you? Sounds like a real adventure. Thanks for your knowledge that you've shared here. Will you be putting a book together of the trip? If so, mark me down for one. I'm sure that everyone that follows Tuckers knows that David Cammack died recently and his Tucker collection is supposed to be headed to the AACA museum. They are supposed to be there before Hershey show in Oct.

 

Here are some I discovered yesterday at a local diner. Never have seen these shots before.....