1-of-4: 1948 Tucker 48
Preston Tucker was a man who divides opinions. Some view him as a visionary with a realistic goal of breaking the stranglehold enjoyed by Detroit’s “Big Three” on the American vehicle manufacturing landscape. Others see him as little more than a smooth-talking snake oil salesman who liberated many people of their hard-earned cash for a venture that was doomed to failure before it began. Whatever your view, his company’s one and only model generates plenty of interest on the rare occasions one crosses the auction blocks. This 1948 Tucker is the rarest of the rare, and its presentation is hard to fault. It recently went under the hammer here at Mecum Auctions in Kissimmee, Florida. It has found a new home, but it is still worth viewing the listing to appreciate how stunning this car is.
Many people have aspired to produce cars from a company bearing their name, and the automotive history books are filled with failures. The Tucker Corporation was one of the more spectacular, collapsing under the weight and costs of legal actions that proved unfounded. Preston Tucker aimed to produce a distinctive and modern car that was dripping with features that made it the safest production car that money could buy. The concept was called the Tucker Torpedo, but recent history meant he scrapped the name due to the adverse reaction it might provoke. He eventually settled on christening his new model the 48, referencing the year it hit showroom floors. Its development was frantic, and the prototype could barely move under its own power when unveiled at the company’s sprawling factory in Chicago, Illinois. However, that proved to be the tip of the iceberg. One of the strategies used to raise funds was the Tucker Accessories Program. This allowed potential buyers to purchase the car’s optional features in advance, guaranteeing a high spot on the Waiting List. However, this caught the attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which commenced court actions against the man and his company. The trial could be considered one of the most fascinating in legal history. Every piece of evidence provided by the prosecution during the trial was discredited under cross-examination, leaving the case in tatters. When the time came to mount his defense, Tucker refused. He stated there was no need to conduct a defense when the evidence had been effectively destroyed, proceeding immediately to his closing argument. The strategy was successful, with the court dismissing all charges. However, the negative publicity surrounding the case pushed the company into bankruptcy. Only fifty Tucker 48s ever left the factory, along with one prototype. This is the rarest of the rare, being one of only four produced in Code 100 Black. It has received one repaint, although areas like the door jambs are untouched. It retains all the hallmarks of careful preservation, making it easy to see why it attracted such intense interest at its recent auction.
The failure of the Tucker Corporation was not an isolated occurrence, with the American post-war landscape littered with manufacturers that failed to make an impact in the market. It is fair to say that the Tucker 48 had virtually faded into obscurity during the decades following the company’s demise, and it was possible to buy a pristine example in the early 1980s for around $40,000. However, the man and company had a strong ally in Francis Ford Coppola. The legendary director produced a 1988 movie called “Tucker: The Man and his Dream.” The script had some poetic license, but it firmly brought the 48 back into public view. This car starred in that film, with the interior receiving a light restoration in its original Beige cloth to guarantee it presented at its best. It remains in good order, with no significant wear or damage and no aftermarket additions. The wheel is particularly noteworthy because these are prone to cracking. This one is in excellent order, as are the gauges, switches, and AM radio. The focus on safety is apparent when we examine the dash. There are no sharp protruding switches, and the structure below the pad is limited to the area housing the gauges and radio near the steering wheel. The passenger didn’t face tangling with a dash fascia or glovebox if things went wrong, and the windshield was designed to pop out on impact, reducing the chance of occupants being injured by glass shards.
Tucker’s innovative approach to vehicle design was evident when we examine the mechanical configuration of the 48. The Big Three continued pursuing the conventional front-engine layout, but Preston placed his engine at the opposite end of the car. The initial powerplant was a mammoth 589ci flat-six that Tucker envisaged would send the drive to the wheels via individual torque converters. However, the engine proved troublesome and noisy and required enormous power to crank into life. The man didn’t entirely abandon this philosophy, adapting a 334ci six, produced by Air Cooled Motors, to fit into the 48. Preston was so pleased that he purchased the company to guarantee engine supply. This motor sends 166hp and 372 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels via a four-speed pre-selector transmission. Those figures were far superior to those produced by the opposition, and while the 48 tips the scales at 4,235 lbs, it could comfortably top 120mph. Another innovation was the mounting system for the engine and transmission. These were attached to a subframe that was retained by only six bolts. Tucker claimed that dealers could swap in a “loner” drivetrain if an owner struck engine or transmission issues in around thirty minutes to minimize inconvenience. He staged a demonstration proving it was possible, and had the company survived, it may have forced its competitors to pursue a similar strategy.
One of the biggest questions posed by the Tucker Corporation and the 48 is whether it would have survived without the unfounded legal issues that plagued its short history. A definitive answer is impossible, but history suggests it probably would have collapsed or merged with other manufacturers during the 1950s. The 48 was designed to be affordable, but its sticker price was four times higher than initially projected. This made it a luxury purchase, competing head-to-head with Cadillac and Lincoln. That reduced the potential buyer market and would have undoubtedly reduced its potential sales. For all his optimism, Preston Tucker’s company focused entirely on the 48, and no plans were in place for upgrades or a possible replacement. The competition quickly came to grips with the concept of annual upgrades, and Tucker didn’t have the resources to pursue that path. Preston Tucker never fully realized his dream, but wherever he is today, I’m sure the fact that this car just sold for $1,870,000 would bring a wry smile to his face.
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Comments
Barnfinds is an amazing educational sites, I never knew Tuckers were rear engined.
Thank you.
There is one in Washington DC..I believe the Museum of American History?? Not a 100% on the museum. I was there in 2017 trying to visit all the museums, but they are so large inside U could only visit 1 and half of another in one day..lol And the one one display is in Silver. That car just sparkles in that lighting.
There was a Tucker 48 at Coppola’s winery in Napa when I visited 22 years ago. It was among some other iconic movie props on display, including Don Corleone’s desk from the Godfather movie. Stellar write up Adam.
There are two of them at the swiggart museum.
There is a great Tucker display at the AACA museum in Hershey, PA. They have the largest display of Tuckers and Tucker memorabilia, and it is well worth going to check it out.
Yes, there is a Tucker on view in the Smithsonian’s MofAH. The car was seized from a convicted drug dealer by the Feds, and prior to it being auctioned off, the museum arranged for it’s acquisition, probably the only way it could justify obtaining such a valuable car without a benefactor.
Marshall,
The Tucker collection at the AACA museum was assembled by a friend of mine in oldtown Alexandria, VA by the name of Dave Cammack. Dave created what has to be one of the finest small car museums in the world, including 3 genuine Tucker cars, one with the Tuckermatic transmission.
The Cammack collection was housed in a 2-story cinderblock building, painted light gray, without any identifying signage. The location was behind the local fire department, reached thru a shared alleyway. Few people knew what was inside the building, exactly what Dave wanted.
I was lucky to have helped Dave from time to time, doing minor work and upkeep on the museum. Because of the insurance values on the cars, Dave was not able to simply take a Tucker out for a Sunday drive, but they still needed to be started and moved. One weekend Dave asked me to help with starting and moving the cars, and I actually had the pleasure of driving all 3 of the cars [if only for a foot or two], just to keep various seals and bearings lubricated.
And a converted helicopter engine on top of that! I’ve been following Tuckers since I was in 8th grade (1968) when I read an article about them, and at the end of the article it stated “those surviving are still selling for several thousand dollars”. Wish I would have bought one back then with my paper route money. By the way, I was at Mecum and saw this being sold.
I met Bill Hamlin of Ontario Ca. back in 1972 who owned 3 Tuckers and a 1939 Graham. One was gold and one was blue. The 3rd was burnt that wanted to restore. I had the privilege of getting a ride from him on I-10 going east to San Bernardino Ca. It was very fast and smooth!
Back in 1990 I visited Gast car .museum located in Strasburg Lancaster County Pennsylvania. If I remember correctly it was a burgerdy redish color. Very nice writeup history of the car alongside the display!
AussieDave – you must be Australian. I saw a Tucker in Australia over 20 years ago, just outside of Perth.
There is one in Melbourne ( owned by Terry Dowell since 2010 ) # 1045.
The car appeared, with a couple of other classics owned by Mr Dowell, in the 2022 film Blacklight starring Liam Neeson. The film was shot in Melbourne in 2020.
I too would like to thank the staff, even though sold, a fascinating account of a car that probably had a slim chance from the get go anyway. I never saw the movie, Hollywood has a knack of distorting events just enough so glitz can be added in, but showed the spirit involved in such a task. As long as we travel in automobiles, this should serve as a tribute to what could be done.
Howard, you didn’t miss much with the movie. Tons of wrong details, etc. ruined it. One of the last movies I ever saw in a theatre, too. Now I can wait 2 weeks, and find it streaming elsewhere online.
And a converted helicopter engine on top of that! I’ve been following Tuckers since I was in 8th grade (1968) when I read an article about them, and at the end of the article it stated “those surviving are still selling for several thousand dollars”. Wish I would have bought one back then with my paper route money. By the way, I was at Mecum and saw this being sold.
If you get a chance Howard, you should see the movie. I’ve been fascinated by these cars since I first read about them in 1968 when I was 13. It is a reasonably good account of what he was working against, and in some cases, being his own worst enemy.
Excellent write-up Adam. I never saw the movie either. Fascinating history. I have seen a Tucker, in the Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, Nebraska (highly recommended). They are impressive to see. The Mecum sales price is crazy but these are now the equivalent of rare art pieces.
I watched the movie many times…many years ago. Tucker brought alot of revolutionary ideas to the table. Big three probably didn’t want more competition. If you can think how the big three could work against a little guy to pretty much squash them before they could really get going…Think DeLorean.
Think Lustron houses.
Lustron houses, very cool. Although they’re not cars, Barn finds should post those whenever they pop up for sale. After all, as the famous architect Le Corbusier said, “A house is a machine for living”.
A good family friend built or rather purchased a Lustron in my hometown of Clinton, Iowa in the 1940s. Still stands today. It was modernistic and artistic and ahead of its time. It was also unavailable for any updates or renovations in its later years.
There is one in Clarion, Ia on RT. 3 I think it has become an insurance office now.
There are three of them near me in upstate New York. People who aren’t familiar with them would just drive by them without a second thought. I’m an architect and also like architectural history, so I screech my car and jump out and take pictures whenever I see one. My wife just cant grasp what all the excitement is about.
There is a guy who has a channel on YouTube where he and his dad are restoring a couple of Lustron homes, and they actually found & bought another Lustron home for sale – just the house, not the land – and because Lustron homes are all metal, they dismantled it with simple tools like sockets and wrenches, to use the parts to repair and expand his home.
While many of us on Barn Finds have parts cars, not too many people can say they bought and dismantled a “parts house” for their antique home!
One advantage of the Lustron Homes design was that most of the steel wall panels were coated with vitreous enamel coatings [much like a porcelainized cast iron bathtub], and are immune from rust, provided the coatings are not damaged. Lustron touted that their homes never needed painting!
Lustron houses were born out of a prewar plan to offer steel gas stations that could be quickly and cheaply erected. After World War II, the domestic demand for steel exceeded production and the federal government exercised control over its allocation. Carl Strandlund [the founder of Lustron Corp.] had orders for his porcelain-enameled panels for use in construction for new gasoline service stations for Standard Oil. He made a request for allocation of steel but was denied. He was, however, advised by Wilson W. Wyatt, Housing Expediter during the Truman administration, that steel would be available if Strandlund produced steel houses instead of gas stations.
Just under 2,500 Lustron homes were produced between 1948 and 1950, when the company went bankrupt due to various problems like local building codes that were against all steel houses, lobbying efforts of the lumber industry & other large home builders, and a lack of a coordinated sales effort.
I never heard of Lustron houses, very interesting to learn about these. Another Barn Find bonus – thanks!
Actually, Delorean went under because it was slow, poor build quality, only available in original stainless color, among other problems. The fact that he got busted for importing cocaine didn’t help either.
DeLorean sabotaged himself with that lousy engine choice!
Mostly true, but think Tesla…
Movie all fiction, see my comments
There’s one in the American History Museum in DC. Massive car. Worth a peak if you’re ever visiting the snake pit.
This was an excellent write up. I actually grew up hearing many first hand stories about Tuckers. All from my Dad. You see, the reason why is because his father and his Uncle lost their shirts investing in a Tucker agency. My Dad had the privilege to get a ride in one as a 7 year old boy, and still remembers that ride vividly down to this day. My great Uncle never threw anything away and I remember large black and white photos of a Tucker in front of the factory and pictures of the frame and running gear of a Tucker. I would have to ask my Dad if there was any other paperwork like Tucker stocks etc. I just remember the photos. This car was absolutely real and I wholeheartedly
believe Preston Tucker had every intention of building his car. Its an amazing car. I only saw one in real life a couple times, once as a kid in an auto museum. The movie, Ive seen more than once and remember in the early 90s. A gentleman in the town I worked in had one and it was used in the movie, and I remember seeing it parked outside his garage in front of his house. I locked up the brakes on the towtruck I was driving and just stared in oure amazement. I wish I knew where that one is now. I highly recommend the movie. And Preston Tuckers grandsons have a youtube channel with videos of Tuckers running engines transmissions and other interesting information. Very highly recommend them both.
Thank you again for the trip down memory lane.
All the Tucker cars are accounted for. There’s a Tucker registry that is very active. In fact, as the years roll by, phony Tuckers occasionally pop up touted as being real, like the phony “1 of 1” Tucker convertible.
Driveinstile,
When the Tucker Corp went into bankruptcy, all the paperwork including internal correspondence, customer and dealer correspondence, and ALL the original blueprints for manufacturing the parts was seized by the bankruptcy attorney. Once the trial and bankruptcy proceedings were finished, the attorney took all the paperwork and filled his 2 car garage under his home in Chicago, where it all sat for about 50 years.
The attorney’s son contacted Dave Cammack and a deal was made to turn over EVERYTHING to Dave. It was a lot of hard work to load up everything in a huge U-Haul truck and bring it all back to Virginia. Dave had to pack up his model train layout in the 2nd story of the museum, and all the paperwork was stacked away up there. He was literally able to save every scrap of paperwork for the Tucker Corporation!
Dave allowed me to examine much of the correspondence, including comments and complaints from various Tucker dealers and folks who had put down deposits, asking where the cars were or when they could expect delivery. I’m hoping AACA eventually digitizes some of the more interesting papers, as I found them fascinating to read.
On one of my visits to Dave’s museum, I found him upstairs unrolling large blueprints. Not being familiar with proper archival procedures, Dave was using old bricks to flatten the blueprints, and trying to repair rips in the paper with Scotch tape! I quickly explained that he was potentially doing more damage than good, so he stopped.
Great movie! Great car.have seen both,been to Preston Tuckers grave in Michigan. The big 3 drowned him,and his dream,sad.
It was the Federal government, the SEC. Not the “big 3” Movie fictional
I consider it unforgivable that the Federal Government would do things like this.
Just to clarify, I dont want to say how much of the movie was accurate or not, I wasnt personally there, however what I DID enjoy was all of the car scenes. Except for when they rolled the Studebaker.
So, Driveinstile, the Tucker’s were built in ‘48 and I was born in the backseat of a ‘49 Studebaker which means I was almost born in one of these rare machines! Except my dad was a stove tender at an iron company (he shoveled coal on the night shift) and never would have had the money for a Tucker. Or a Cadillac. Or a Lincoln. And I have never seen one of the Tuckers in person like many of you have.
I actually know a local fellow born in the back seat of a 49 or 50 Studebaker! The car is still in their back yard! I tried to buy it and got the story.
This is a perfect candidate for a LS swap don’t you think?
Psyche…. Just kidding … what an advanced car pushed out by the big three automobiles…… The tracking headlights with turns and rear engine etc.
Don’t forget the use of safety glass, seat belts, and also reversible seat cushions for double the wear.
I realize Tucker’s maybe top argument was the big three should care and spend more around safety features. And once they drowned out his voice against them, about all his ideas implemented in the 48 were adopted as industry standards. Within 25 years safety was being legislated, and within another 25 it became a top consumer priority, so there is his real legacy. The irony, and my question, is why the rear engine, and how safe would those cars really have been in any major head-on crash? After all, this vulnerability in (albeit smaller) Corvair and VW started the safety consciousness in earnest.
Oh. My. Goodness. The things you see when you don’t have a gun. Love reading all the comments. Saw the movie but don’t recollect the details. Used to hear about the vehicle from my mom and uncle. One thing most people tend to believe is that the car was just too advanced for it’s time. What is the engine type: flat, vee, radial…?
Flat six, shades of Corvair!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Engine_Company
It seems that there is a convertible
prototype that surfaced in 2011 or 2012. I first saw videos of it on YouTube at that time and have seen
pictures of it since then. As an artist,
I can only imagine how dashing this
car would look with the top down.
I also recall an account given by a
gentleman who owned one in California in the late ’40s and early ’50s and how he wound up beating the pants off a brand new Cadillac at
the Santa Ana drag strip in 1950. I read the article in a 1972 edition of
Car Classics Magazine that was
published out of Iola, Wisconsin back
then. It came out every other month
and it had really great stories about
cars that few people knew of. Sadly,
they shut down in ’75 or thereabouts
The kids I worked with at Taco Bell
all chipped in and bought me a copy
of the Tucker movie and a box of
Havana cigars for my 41st birthday
(1995) Great car!
I commented today 1/18 on the vert, I used to work for Krause publications (Old Cars Weekly) in Iola, WI but was born/raised in Madison, WI.
I saw the article about the “convertible”. The company was having enough trouble trying to even get 50 built to fulfil their contract to keep the factory, let alone a prototype convertible. There were plenty of original body panels at the factory ready for production, when the plant was closed down. If someone got their hands on some of those and an old Studebaker, maybe they could have come up with something?
Here is one with the top down.
Various Tucker experts basically agree that this convertible was built from original parts [both factory NOS and used], as well as reproduction parts. It does have most of the correct drive train, but the suspension is based on modern parts as the original rubber spring systems are not available.
While there were several uncompleted standard Tucker sedans when the operation shut down for good, there was only one uncompleted Tucker car that was different from the production cars, and it was basically a body shell that had a rear window opening that had been enlarged and wrapped around the roof sail panels. If my memory is correct, it was either body #57 or #58, and I don’t believe the car was ever completed. I have heard that most of the sheet metal was bought by scrap metal dealers, as that was all it was worth.
The claims of the convertible’s history are questionable.
There was one that would pip up in the Corvallis Oregon (OSU is in Corvallis). Would see it occasionally in the late 60 and 70s. Spoke with the owner once, he went into detail including his engine upgrade, transplanted a Ford 390 (yes provided a radiator/water cooling) into it. Was a nice looking car but would have been nice if he retained the original engine.
I live in Michigan,and I had a work friend who’s father grew up in Ypsilanti. He tells about when he was in his late teens, he and a friend were talking cars in a coffee shop. An older gentleman sitting in the next booth overheard their talk and asked if they wanted to see something. They walked a few blocks to a garage and he lifted the door. Behind it was a Tucker. The man was talking like he was going to give it to them. When they started talking about jacking it up and putting slicks on it, he dropped the door and told them deals off….
Cool car, big pricetag! I have original stock certificates for the Tucker corporation.
The stock certificates are common. They and the Tucker radios pop up for sale all the time.
I saw one of the Tucker radios with its box, brand new, about 35 years ago, at the Kruse Auto Auction/swap meet. I pushed one of the selector buttons to see if it worked properly, and the guy really got mad.
Michael,
As a 40+ year vendor at shows like the Hershey and Carlisle events, I know how the vendor feels. Years ago I had a rare N.O.S. 1934 Packard headlight lens for sale. It was in the factory original multiple-layer cardboard wrapping, open at one end. A guy grabbed the package and the lens slid out, breaking in multiple pieces on hitting the ground. Was he willing to pay for it? Of course not.
If one would like to touch something on display for sale, I always suggest asking in advance when showing an interest in a rare and/or expensive part.
Most of the time the vendor will not have a problem with a potential buyer touching or fondling their wares if they ask first. This gives the vendor the opportunity to make sure your examination is done with care, or carefully hand it to you. I’m not surprised that the vendor was upset. If it broke when you pressed that button, he’s basically stuck with a part that is worth far less, or will require repair.
Sold @ Mecum for a LOT less money!
I gotta throw in some of my thoughts here (I’m retired now and have more time on my hands.) I don’t think Preston Tucker would have given the big 3 a run for their money, so to speak. He had planned to sell these for about 2000 dollars, but they likely would have cost much more to produce. The 50 or so cars that were built were all made by hand. No stamping dies, all sheet metal was hammered by hand. Also he used the Cord transmission with the electric preselector, which was a troublesome unit.(Tucker had been a Cord salesman) After WWll Henry Kaiser teamed up Henry Fraiser to actually make and sell a car in quantities and that didn’t last forever. In the begining they were looking at front wheel drive and some other things that were unconventional at the time but decided those thing were too expensive and untested. So we really don’t know if Tucker’s would have endured the test of time, but I don’t really think the big 3 put them under, I don’t think they ever had a chance.
I do love hearing the stories about people that bought them in the early 50’s for 200 bucks off a used car lot, or the guy that won a Tucker in a raffle at a VFW, but ended up trading it for a used Pontiac.
Happens all the time. Big companies running small potential competitors out of business via legal fees. Tucker was on a tight budget, and legal fees broke the back (bank).
cord’s where front wheel drive back then and he started as a cord car salesman
geezerglide 85,
While the original prototype [the Tin Goose] was made by hand, Tucker had a contract with a stamping facility to supply stamped sheet metal body parts, and all the production cars were built with fully stamped panels from large stamping presses.
This is why there were plenty of extra body panels stored in racks along the assembly line. The contract with the stamping company had minimum quantity requirements. Had all the cars been built with hand formed body panels, there would be no reason to produce all those extra panels in advance of what the production line could handle.
When.i was a kid I had a recurring dream nightly for weeks at age 15 of a Fog Shrouded night & climbing a chain link fence to an airport runway, a car was there & I got in & began driving – because of the Fog I turned on.the headlights 3 three of them & the center one had a strobe effect where it would go off for a 1/2 second & a Circular Cross Hairs targeting light would blink in RED like a fighter pilot or Submarine.
As I drove I went into a mountain tunnel & the road began twisting & turning but the Cars Headlights ALSO turned & I was able to focus on the turns ….it went faster & Faster….then I’d wake up.
Decades later I saw the Movie & it was the TUCKER TORPEDO with its THREE. Headlights.
Such I strange dream & every night for weeks
Then 30 yrs later I came out of the mountain & sealed the tunnel behind me,
Driving that Black Tucker Torpedo.
Never knew about the car at all until the Film came out & I was 15 in 1975.
Neat car & strange dreams about it unknowingly
Like Nancy once said. “Just say no…”
You needed to get out more ….
My father purchased Tucker serial # 7 at the liquidation sale of all company assets in Rochester NY. Around 1950, then drove it home to Union NJ. His franchise was in Newark and his investment ruined his financial viability. The IRS wolves then came around and the rest was history. The good news is I remember sitting in it in our drive way as a six year old and hearing all the oohs and aahs. He is listed as the original owner and the car is currently on display at the LaMay Auto Museum in Oregon.
That museum is in Tacoma, WASHINGTON.
Back in the early 90’s, I brought my Torino to an upholstery shop in a suburb of Cleveland. Inside, the guys were standing around a Tucker. It was in for seat repairs, and someone in the shop had run into the rear fender, banged it up pretty good. This was the first time I’d ever seen one up close and personal. What an unbelievable car. I knew the Tucker story, how rare they were, and that I felt bad for the kid that did the deed.
As a kid in the 70s, I saw one of these in a small museum in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. At the time, these were only 25-30 year old cars, but already had the mystique about them. It was wild that a small museum with 30 or so cars had snagged a holy grail. I remember being awed by the combination of size (it was massive) and yet the sleek look. I imagine it made the competition look pretty stodgy.
The one we saw had a dent in a hubcap. They look kind of like baby moon discs. My dad, ever the car guy, said that they’ll never be able to get another hubcap and no way they can roll that out on an English wheel. If I ever see one in person with a dent in the hubcap I’ll be all over it. I have the picture of me in front of it somewhere. Would be cool to see it again.
When I First Read About Tuckers When I Was Thirteen In 1968, The Article Ended By Stating “Those Tuckers Remaing Are Still Selling For Several Thousand Dollars”! Odds Are The One You Saw Was Probably Purchased For Around That Amount, Or May Possibly Been There On Loan.
Ed Cole, long-time chief engineer at GM testified in Preston Tucker’s fraud trial that “A rear engine, swing-axle car is not a vehicle that General Motors would choose to produce”.
Just over a decade later, Cole spearheaded the effort to build such a car. It was the Chevrolet Corvair.
I’ve been fascinated by Tucker cars and his story for years. My feeling has always been he was ruined by the big three and their politicians in Washington. Sort of a David and Goliath in reverse.
I’ve enjoyed visiting a blue Tucker many times, at The Gilmore Museum near Kalamazoo Michigan. A very special place to visit, even if only online.
See my comment, Tucker was taken out by the Federal government, not the “Big 3” And if you’re thinking about the fictional movie, forget about it.
Facinated by all these comments, Duaney, and I scrolled for all of yours. I don’t know how much of the movie was fact/history vs. embellishment/fiction, but my uncle was a Preston Tucker fan from the beginning, and he blamed the big three as well as the government long before the movie. It sounds like the museum in Hershey is where I’ll find the most background, or do you care to provide more substantiation for your views? Maybe you mean — as in the case of too many others — legal fees defending himself in court, even though exonerated, drowned Tucker? Thanks!
The was a ancestral connection to the Franklin auto company.
Per Wikipedia regarding Franklin’s demise: “Car production did not survive, but the name and assets were sold. Production of air-cooled engines for commercial and aircraft use was continued by Aircooled Motors of Syracuse. This company was bought after World War II by Preston Tucker. The flat-six engines were fitted with water-cooling jackets and used in the short lived Tucker automobile. The company was sold again after Tucker was disbanded.
Franklin engines powered numerous light planes (owing to their light weight) as well as most early American-built helicopters. Aircooled Motors, the last company to manufacture air-cooled engines under the Franklin name, declared bankruptcy in 1975. Its designs were sold to the Polish government. Engines based on these designs remain in production.”
See also link Aircooled Motors (Franklin) XO-425-3, Horizontally-Opposed 6 Engine | National Air and air cooled Space Museum for pics of the air cooled six cyl aviation engine.
Probably post Tucker, but an awesome beast for sure.
The museum notes date the aviation six cylinder engine to the late 40s.
cord’s where front wheel drive back then and he started as a cord car salesman
If you get a chance to see one of these in person, it is well worth it. I saw one at the Copala Winery, it was BIG and very cool to be next to. As is always the case with something like this car, you observe a weird combination of futuristic features and features that seem out of place on a “new” vehicle.
Nobody sees Tucker as a snake oil salesman in modern times. Nobody really believed that then. It was just propaganda created by the big 3 scum to discredit and crush him. Any doubt went out the window with time and the production of his few cars. Don’t spread the propaganda.
The Aburn museum in Fort Wayne In.has one. Great 👍 museum
Used to see one regular at the annual car show and festival on Park St. in Alameda, Ca., that engine is wild and love the gray paint. I’m okay with the post production cars, I think the convertible has a great story and don’t get all the hate, but whatever :^)
No hate from me Scott. I think the convertible is a beautiful motor car, as are the sedans. I visited the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit back in 1989 and they had a Tucker on show and I was mesmerised, the wife had to drag me away from it.
I had thought that the original air cooled engine was to be a surplus tank radial engine?
The original 589 cubic engine was picked because the Tucker auto plant in Chicago was a Dodge plant that was built to make bombers during WWII. He wanted to use the tooling machinery that was used for the bombers so it made for a large displacement that was hard to start and didn’t run very well. That plant was the largest in the world then.
Gregory Gardner,
All USA WW2 bombers used radial engines, not V8 or flat 6 engines. During my research in the Tucker corporate papers, I found nothing indicating the possible use of any bomber parts. What I remember seeing was paperwork indicating the factory was turned over to Tucker as “Broom Cleaned”, meaning it was empty. The 589 was only produced as a prototype, and no manufacturing tooling or engine assembly equipment for the 589 [beyond the prototype stage] was purchased, as by that stage the engine had been abandoned in favor of the flat 6.
The 589 used far too many special designs, many never used in any other engines, that would require custom designed tooling [like the attempt to use hydraulic lines to provide high pressure engine oil to operate the engine’s intake & exhaust valves].
As an aside: after Tucker left the Chicago plant, it was reused by Ford until 1959 at which point some of the site was repurposed into what is now Ford City Mall. On the other end, the old engine test cell segment of the factory has been the Tootsie Roll factory since 1967.
and also: first time I saw a Tucker, it was sitting outside of a golf driving range in Bellwood (Chicago suburb). Of course, I didn’t know what it was at the time and I was too young to appreciate it. It’s since been restored and is known as Tucker #1043.
Tucker had disc brakes, the center headlight that tuned with the steering. My ex-father in law told me in 1948 in Iowa on route 6 which was the major east-west route then that he got passed by one. As the Tucker was passing him the driver announced on a pa system you have just been passed by a 1948 Tucker. Apparently Preston had a demo car roaming the county.
Back around 1948 my Dad was at a tire store in downtown Gary Indiana on 5th Avenue/US12-20 when a Tucker pulled in to get a tire repaired.
A crowd gathered around the car and when the driver started the car and pulled out onto the street he said that there was a lighted sign on the back of the car that said “You’ve just been passed by a Tucker!”.
The Auburn museum is in Auburn, Indiana.
If you’re ever passing through Laporte County Indiana on The Indiana Toll Road or I-94 you’re only 15 minutes north of Tucker #12 at the Door Prairie Auto Museum, in the Kesling Automobile Collection. Dr Kesling’s collection includes a lot of great automobiles.
https://laportecountyhistory.org/exhibits/kesling-auto-collection/
It never ceases to amaze me when I come across a car like this. Why it is not in a museum shocks me.
I followed a Real Barnfind Tucker for over 45 years!!!!! A small in tractor dealer had one in Elkpoint South Dakota. When I heard of it I made the trip meeyt a his shop door and he showed me the car in a shed with extra engine ! He got the call from Coppala and car was picked up, painted and in the movie. It then went to display at Pioneer Museum with Dave of Picker Fame! It was there maybe 10 years, then owner in his 90s wanted it back to be near him in his final years.——-.10 years later– I saw a guy next to me at SEMA, from Elkpoint, I asked, What about TUCKER ! Told me the father died, son in his late 60s now had — thought it would be there for ever! 5 ?years later Jay Leno on his show went to a small car show — Beverly Hills— He walked up to a Tucker light green talked to the owner– Where did you find this?? South Dakota!!
I saw this car at Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo, SD in 1989! They also had a screen used General Lee and apparently the last Harley that Elvis owned.
https://youtu.be/eJ5O729Sc7E?si=nrAXC3EiHd04hsHW
Two showed up one morning at Donut Derelicts
I’m surprised that no comments have mentioned the Preston Tucker Exhibit at the AACA MUSEUM in Hershey, Pennsylvania!
I have been there three times over the past
several years and, in my opinion, it is the best
showcase for Tucker Corporation memorabilia.
I have taken multiple photographs of the displays including a GM frame and a Tucker frame comparison, a dealership room with typical details and much more. The star is a
Tucker automobile in beautiful condition. The finest Tucker collection without a doubt. See it for yourself if you can; you’ll have no regrets!
He is right. The Tucker exhibit in that museum is unbelievable. They have three Tuckers there including the only one with an automatic. There were two made with the Tuckermatic but this is the sole survivor. They also have multiple prototype motors that show how it progressed to the one they finally used. Quite a display!
I Agree Tim. I Saw This Diplay When It Was Originally At The Gilmore Car Museum In Michigan. Wonderful! It Was Later Moved To Hershey, And I Thought I Remember The Family Had Something To Do With It. See It If You Can. It’s WELL WORTH IT!
The GM frame is from a 1948 Cadillac series 62 sedan, I was one of the many guys who worked on it for Dave Cammack’s museum. He had it made to display alongside the original 1948 Tucker prototype chassis with the 589 engine. The differences between the 2 rolling chassis are impressive.
Many years ago, my wife gave us a trip to Hot August Nights in Reno Nevada. We toured the National Auto Museum one afternoon and saw a big crowd around the one Tucker on display. We edged closer and saw that a bald headed gentleman was giving a history of the company. I turned on my Super 8 movie camera and pointed it at the car so I could record him. After he finished up I moved over to talk to him and asked how he knew so much about the company and car. He told me an astounding story of being captured by theJapanese during the start of WWII, surviving the Bataan Death March and becoming a mechanic for his captors in Manila. He said there were American cars and trucks left when our citizens left in a hurry. He survived by get cars running for the Japanese officers. When rumours started that the US Troops were coming he hid out and was rescued when they arrived. He got shipped home before the war was over and finished his engineering degree and was immediately hired by the Tucker Co. as a tranmission engineer. I wish I could find that film and play back his remarks and get his name!! He also had some unprintable things to say about General Motors and lawsuits against Tucker Auto.
Somehow there seem to be more stories of Tucker sightings than the number of Tuckers actually produced…..
Kinda reminds me of the old quote There were 48 Ferrari GTOs built. And all 65 of them are accounted for. Not actually sure of the numbers built.
That story fits the Ford Model A to a tee!
I hear the same thing about surviving Chrysler Ghia-bodied Turbine cars. For years it was reported 10 survived. After much sleuthing, several trips to Chrysler, interviews with engineers involved with the program and researching each museum that has one, I determined and verified that only 9 survived. I’ve been questioned on it as people say “well, I saw one at such & such”. Yes, that is true but you have to remember museums loan these cars to other museums so just because you’ve seen one in Des Moines doesn’t mean its not owned by the St. Louis museum….same with the Tucker. I’ve seen better than a half dozen of them over the years but the question is, have I seen the same car in two different locations.
Love it.
The Preston Tucker story is amazing to watch. Would I want want of these ….not really. Would like to take a 48 Tucker for a spin just once though.
I’d give anything to go for a ride in a Tucker car.
About 15 yrs ago here in Madison, WI. a young guy with the backing of his CPA dad opened a collector car dealership (Benchmark Classics). It was very successful to the point the kid got a hold of a 1-of-1, so-called TUCKER VERT. The kid risked the business ($$) rotisserie restoring it & then took it to auction in AZ. The story goes he put a 2M$ reserve on it, it was bid up to 1.5M$ because the pro’s came out of the woodwork debating it’s originality, it was very controversial, anyway the kid came home, the dealership was sold, the kid downsized to a warehouse in a slummy area then went bust. Moral-of-the-story “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”???
I wonder about the premise that “The Big 3” conspired to bring about Tucker’s demise, given that it was one of about 10 independent U.S. car manufacturers at the time: Hudson, Willys, Packard, Studebaker, Nash, Kaiser, Crosley, etc.
Don’t forget Playboy. 97 of them were made in Buffalo in 1948, about 43 exist today. The government put them out of business too, claiming the company owner was collecting money with no intention of delivering the cars. I wonder if/ when their value will reach the millions, I have one in my garage.
I live Georgia, just a little north of Atlanta, and near me is a town named Tucker, Ga. It is a fairly prosperous town with a railroad track directly through the middle. The largest business in the town was owned by a gentleman who was very well off and also happened to be a car enthusiast. He had several collectable cars, including a light green Tucker. He drove it when he felt like it and you might meet it on the street in Tucker occasionally. The last time I saw it was at a car show that was about forty miles away, and he had driven it there. That was about twenty five or more years ago. He has since passed away and I don’t know what became of his car collection.
I have had the pleasure of seeing a Tucker in Tallahassee FL at a museum, 2 in Huntington PA, 1 in Chesterfield, MI and I think 2 in Hershey PA, saw one at Harrah’s in Reno Just happened upon them. Pretty sure I saw one at Stone Mountain GA museum but I don’t see it there anymore. They are a wonder to view.
In 1948, my family lived 1/2 block away from a tire shop in Santa Barbara which was holding an open house for the Tucker. As an auto enthused 8 year old I was there for the roped off Tucker with an announcer speaker of all the features of the car which were demonstrated by a pretty young lady. This was before mandatory seat belts so she demonstrated how, in case of an accident, one could crouch down from the front seat under the dash for protection. I thought it was a really cool safety feature.
My parents feel in love with the Tucker and ordered one. But the requirement was to purchase the radio and heater with your order. Dad had them stored for years in a closet and then later gone. ‘wish I had those.Dad what did you do with them? Of course Tucker was taken down by the Big 3.
Now I go down dealer row and find all the Japanese and Korean cars but for few “Big 3”. Maybe they put their all into bringing down Tucker and effort in the wrong place.
I still remember seeing the Tucker at Zimmerman’s AutomobileORama in Hershey. Somewhere I still have a picture of then-10-year-old me standing next to it. Such an impressive vehicle.
How much did it sell for?
Awesome looking car. The first time heard of Preston Tucker and the Tucker car was from the movie “Tucker, the Man and his Dream”, starring Jeff Bridges as Preston Tucker.
I remember seeing a silver one as a kid here in my town. Something about that car stood out to me as a 5 or 6 year old. It was either on display or for sale. The dealer and the drive-in theater it was at has long since been torn down.
I have an old Mechanix Illustrated in which Tom McCahill road tests a Tucker. There was a man in California that had collected 22 of them. I imagine the were the ones in the movie. I got some Tucker ads also. When They first came out there was one in Ogden, Utah I was born in 1938 so I was 10 when the Tucker came out. I was crazy about cars and still am. There was/ Is one in Harrah’s museun in Reno and one in the museun at Balboa park in San Diego.
Just Me, Back in the late 70’s or early 80’s I was down in the state of Virginia on a short vacation and just driving down the road and saw a sign saying White Post restoration. I immediately stopped in to see their business operation. I had seen there advertisement in Hemmings Motor News Magazine many times and wanted to see what they were all about. When I opened the door and walked in, there before my eyes was a Tucker setting right in front of me! It was the first one that I had ever seen. I was amazed! IT WAS WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME! I have seen many of them since over the years.To bad that they didn’t make it.
SOLD for $1,870,000.
$1,870,000 for one Tucker. You could probably buy every Corvair made for that kind of money. In your face Ed Cole!
Tom McCall wow that brings back memories I can remember reading his articles
Whaaaat? A Movie taking some creative license on automotive history? What can I say? Shocked! I’m just shocked. That has NEVER happened before!
(Sarcasm, if you are wondering… Yes, yes, every ‘historical fiction’ movie takes huge liberties on actual events. Ford V. Ferrari, etc., etc.. Tucker is a great movie, if you do not let yourself get tangled in the weeds. It is historical fiction. Sometimes you need a villain in a movie. And please don’t make Mr. Tucker your righteous poster-boy martyr for anti-Big-3 or anti-government blah-blah. Historical Fiction. Great cars. Fun movie. Enjoy both.)
There is a Lustron house of the grounds of the Myra Museum in Grand Forks, North Dakota. There is also a restored Mobil gas station, the original log post office and the Thomas Campbell boyhood home as well as the museum building, some garages, etc. Tom Campbell may be more recognizable as the “Wheat King of Montana”…..
Just like Roy Marson, I had the very real thrill of seeing a Tucker in a tire store in 1948! Not sure why they chose that venue to showcase the car, but I was glad they did. It was in East Lansing, Michigan, with the Oldsmobile plant less than 10 miles away. I have to believe the execs there were sweating bullets.
Very nice write-up, Adam! It’s almost impossible to say this, but you may have even outdone yourself, no small task.
Just on a whim, I did a two-door Tucker Photoshop a few years ago.
I live in Michigan, and friends and I would attend the Kruse Auto Auction every year in Auburn Indiana. I have been fascinated with Tuckers ever since 8th grade when I first read about them, Have scene quite a few over the years, and did a paper in college on Tucker, where I interviewed one of the engineers by phone. While at the auction, I saw an older gentleman, sitting in front of a 1947 Tucker, according to the auction tag. I asked the gentleman, who turned out to be the owner, about the year, because I was under the impression, they were only built in 1948. He informed me this was the First One Built, The Prototype, NUMERO UNO! It Was Amazing!
I did a paper on Tucker in college in 1973. Tucker was Not a good businessman. A poor recordkeeper and financier. Good ideas, Good designs, but he was on a tight timeline once he started taking peoples money for dealerships with no cars.