1948 Tucker Sedan
Encyclopedia
The 1948 Tucker Sedan or Tucker '48 Sedan (initially named the Tucker Torpedo ) was an advanced automobile
conceived by Preston Tucker
and briefly produced in Chicago
in 1948. Only 51 cars were made before the company folded on March 3, 1949, due to negative publicity initiated by the news media, a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation and a heavily publicized stock fraud trial (which allegations were proven baseless in court with a full acquittal). Speculation exists that the Big Three automakers and Michigan senator Homer S. Ferguson
also had a role in the Tucker Corporation's demise. The 1988 movie, Tucker: The Man and His Dream
is based on Tucker's spirit and the saga surrounding the car's production. A 1948 Tucker sedan was featured in the July 26, 2011 installment of NBC
's It's Worth What?
television show. The car's estimated value is $1,200,000.00. Tucker was ahead of his time in equal opportunity as Tucker' s car was Jewish American financed,(Abe Karatz) Japanese American engineered (Jimmy Sakayama) and Greek American designed.(Alex Tremulis.) Kay,Jack, Kilo Quad Tucker Treasure, Booksurge 2009 9189776534
was first to introduce an all-new postwar model, but Tucker took a different tack, designing a safety car with innovative features and modern styling. His specifications called for a water-cooled aluminum block flat-6
rear engine
, disc brake
s, four-wheel independent suspension
, fuel injection
, the location of all instruments within reach of the steering wheel, and a padded dashboard.
Tucker's first design for the car appeared in a December 1946 Science Illustrated magazine article entitled "Torpedo on Wheels", showing a futuristic version of the car with a hydraulic drive system designed by George Lawson, along with a photo of a 1/8 scale model blown up to appear full sized. This was only an early rendering of the proposal, with its design features yet to make it off the drawing board, but the article helped make the motoring public aware of the Tucker.
To finish the prototype design and get construction under way, Tucker hired famed stylist Alex Tremulis
, previously of Auburn/Cord/Duesenberg, on December 24, 1946 and gave him just six days to finalize the design. On December 31, 1946, Tucker approved Tremulis' preliminary design. Tucker's future car became known as the "Tucker Torpedo" from the first Lawson sketch, but because Tucker did not want to remind the public of the horrors of WWII, he quickly changed the name to the "Tucker '48". With Tremulis' design sketch, a full page advertisement was run in March 1947 in many national newspapers, proclaiming "How 15 years of testing produced the car of the year". Tucker said he had been thinking about the car for 15 years. This second advertisement specifically described many of the innovative features Tucker proposed for his car, many of which would not make it to the final version. This advertisement helped generate considerable public enthusiasm for the car, but Tucker had much work to do before a prototype was complete.
To finalize the design, Tucker hired the New York design firm J. Gordon Lippincott
to create an alternate body. Only the front end and horizontal tail-light bar designs were refined for the final car. Tremulis gave the first prototype car the nickname of "Tin Goose".
Some components and features of the car were innovative and ahead of their time. The most recognizable feature of the Tucker '48, a directional third headlight (known as the "Cyclops
Eye"), would activate at steering angles of greater than 10 degrees to light the car's path around corners. At the time, 17 states had laws against cars having more than two headlights. Tucker fabricated a cover for the cyclops center light for use in these states.
The car was rear-engined and rear wheel drive. A perimeter frame surrounded the vehicle for crash protection, as well as a roll bar integrated into the roof. The steering box was behind the front axle to protect the driver in a front-end accident. The instrument panel and all controls were within easy reach of the steering wheel, and the dash was padded for safety. The windshield was made of shatterproof glass and designed to pop out in a collision to protect occupants. The car also featured seat belts, a first in its day. The car's parking brake had a separate key so it could be locked in place to prevent theft. The doors extended into the roof, to ease entry and exit. The engine and transmission were mounted on a separate sub frame which was secured with only six bolts. The entire drivetrain could thus be lowered and removed from the car in minutes. Tucker envisioned loaner engines being quickly swapped in for service in just 15–20 minutes.
Tucker envisioned several other innovations which were later abandoned. Magnesium
wheels, disc brake
s, fuel injection
, self-sealing tubeless tires, and a direct-drive torque converter
transmission
were all evaluated and/or tested but were dropped on the final prototype due to cost, engineering complexity, and lack of time to develop.
Tucker initially tried to develop an innovative engine. It was a 589 cubic inch flat-6
cylinder with hemispherical
combustion chamber
s, fuel injection
, and overhead valve
s operated by oil pressure rather than a camshaft
. An oil pressure distributor was mounted inline with the ignition distributor and delivered appropriately timed direct oil pressure to open each valve at the proper interval. This unique engine was designed to idle at 100 rpm and cruise at 250-1200 rpm through the use of direct drive torque converters on each driving wheel instead of a transmission. These features would have been auto industry firsts in 1948, but as engine development proceeded, problems appeared. The 589 engine was installed only in the test chassis and the first prototype.
The final car was only 70 inches (177.8 cm) tall, but was rather large and comfortable inside. Tremulis' design was called the most aerodynamic in the world, and although it still sported pre-war type fenders, it was startlingly modern.
A skeptical journalist named Drew Pearson
reported publicly that the car was a fraud because it could not go backward and that it went "goose-geese" going down the road. This hurt the public view of Tucker's car, at a time in history when journalists and public officials were more trusted than they are today. Despite the fact that this problem was limited to the first prototype only, a symptom of the speed with which the first car was put together, the damage was done in the court of public opinion. A negative media feeding frenzy resulted.
Tucker suffered another setback when his bids to obtain two steel mills to provide raw materials for his cars were rejected by the War Assets Administration
under a shroud of questionable politics.
The company first tried the Lycoming aircraft engine but it would not fit in the car's rear engine compartment.
A Franklin
air-cooled flat-6
engine, the O-335 made by Air Cooled Motors
(and originally intended for the Bell 47
), fit, and its 166 hp (124 kW) pleased Tucker. He purchased four samples for $5,000 each, and his engineers converted the 334 cid engine to water cooling (a decision that has puzzled historiographers ever since). The Franklin engine was heavily modified by Tucker's engineers, including Eddie Offutt and Tucker's son Preston, Jr. at his Ypsilanti machine shop. Using an aircraft engine in an automotive application required significant modification; thus, very few parts of the original Franklin engine were retained in the final Tucker engine. This durable modification of the engine was tested at maximum power for 150 hours, the equivalent of 18000 miles (28,968.1 km), at full throttle.
Tucker quickly bought Air Cooled Motors for $1.8 million to secure the engine source, then canceled all of the company's aircraft contracts so that its resources could be focused on making automotive engines for the Tucker Corporation. This was a significant decision, since at the time of Tucker's purchase, Franklin held over 65% of post-war U.S. aviation engine production contracts. The loss of income was substantial.
use. The Cord
810/812 4-speed electro-vacuum manual transmissions fit the design requirements and were used initially. The Cord 810/812 could not handle the power and torque of the O-335 engine, shearing off the teeth from first gear if the engine was gunned off the line. In an effort to solve this problem, Tucker and his engineers modified the Cord 810/812 by installing stronger gears and lengthening the case. The modified Cord was named the Tucker Y-1 (Ypsilanti-1) and was installed in most Tuckers. The Cord 810/812 and Tucker Y-1 used a Bendix electric vacuum shift mechanism, with no mechanical linkage to the steering column shift lever. These versions had problems with electrical connections and vacuum leaks which hindered shifting, so a new design was needed.
A Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic was tested and was installed on car #1048, but Tucker ultimately wanted to design his own transmission for the car.
To solve the transmission problems with a new design, Warren Rice, creator of the Buick
Dynaflow
transmission, was consulted. A unique continuously variable automatic transmission called the "Tuckermatic" was designed, which was strong enough to handle the Franklin O-335's power and torque. It was a simple but effective design with double torque converters and only 27 parts, about 90 fewer than normally required for an automatic. The double torque converters allowed a continuously variable drive ratio with only one forward gear and one reverse gear which used the torque converters to vary resistance based on load.
Three versions of the Tuckermatic were made, the R-1, R-1-2, and R-3, (R for Warren Rice, its designer). The first version, the R-1, was not installed on any of the final cars. It required the engine to be off in order to select a gear. The R-1-2 was improved by adding a lay-shaft brake to allow gear selection while the engine was running. This version was installed on cars #1026 and 1042 only. The R-3 version had further improvements including a centrifugal clutch to help shifting between forward and reverse even further, however it was never installed in any of the final cars.
Because the two torque converters on the Tuckermatic made the engine/transmission unit longer, the fuel tank in the Tucker '48 had to be moved from behind the rear seat to in front of the dashboard for all Tuckers from car #1026 forward, even though only two of them actually had the Tuckermatic installed. This had the added advantage of improving weight distribution on the car.
at the Indianapolis 500
. The rubber elastomers were developed with assistance from the Firestone Tire Company and used a special vulcanization process to produce a specific spring rate.
Tucker's suspension designs were plagued by severe stiffness throughout development which, while good for handling, caused front wheel corner lift when cornering on uneven surfaces. The test bed and the Tin Goose had a double-rubber disc type front and rear suspension, similar to Miller's race cars, which was too weak for the weight of a passenger car. On cars #1001 and 1002 the rear wheels could not be removed without removing the fender or suspension due to the stiffness of the suspension and the rear wheel arch fender design. On cars #1003-on the rear fender shape was changed so the tire could be removed easily. Aside from the fender changes, the rear suspension remained the same from car #1001-on.
The front suspension was installed in 3 versions on the car (aside from the rubber-disc style used on the Tin Goose). Cars #1001–1002 used a rubber torsion tube design which suffered from severe toe-in during heavy braking. Tucker then switched to a rubber sandwich-type suspension (with a rubber block sandwiched between upper and lower A-arms) on cars #1003–1025, however this type was severely stiff. On cars #1026-on Tucker finally settled on a suspension design with a modified version of the rubber torsion tube with the toe-in braking problem corrected.
The front bumper of the car was lengthened from car #1003-on to prevent the center headlight from being the forwardmost point on the car. The lengthened bumper protected the center headlight from being crushed if the car were pulled too close to a wall or barrier.
Original Tucker Paint Codes:
With the final design in place, Preston Tucker took the pre-production cars on the road to show them in towns across the country. The cars were an instant success, with crowds gathering wherever they stopped. One report says that Tucker was pulled over by a police officer intent on getting a better look at the car.
To prove the road-worthiness of his cars, Tucker and his engineers ran several cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in several endurance tests. During this testing, car #1027 was rolled at high speed while driven by mechanic Eddie Offutt. The car's safety features were proven when Offutt walked away from the severe crash. During the crash, the windshield popped out as designed, and afterward the car started up and was driven off the track.
One of Tucker's most innovative business ideas caused trouble for the company, however. His Accessories Program raised funds by selling accessories before the car was even in production. After the war, demand for new cars was greater than dealers could supply, and most dealers had waiting lists for new cars. Preference was given to returning veterans, which meant that non-veterans were bumped down on the waiting lists indefinitely. Tucker's program allowed potential buyers who purchased Tucker accessories to obtain a guaranteed spot on the Tucker dealer waiting list for a Tucker '48 car.
This concept was investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the United States Attorney
, and led to an indictment
of company executives. Although all charges were eventually dropped, the negative publicity destroyed the company and halted production of the car.
To counteract the bad press, Tucker again took the cars on the road. He scheduled a two-week public test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
with a few of the 37 cars that had been built. One car was rolled three times at 95 mile per hour, and the driver (chief mechanic Eddie Offutt) walked away with just bruises, verifying Tucker's safety features were effective. The car was started and driven away from the accident after changing a damaged tire.
In the early 1950s, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
fairgrounds owner Nick Jenin purchased over 10 Tuckers, the original Tucker test bed chassis, numerous Tucker parts, photos and documents. He developed a traveling display called "The Fabulous Tuckers". He hauled the cars and memorabilia around the country for nearly 10 years displaying them at fairgrounds and car shows. His display highlighted the questionable politics and SEC fraud which brought Tucker down. Jenin sold off all his Tucker memorabilia to various sources, however some was left to rot under Ft. Lauderdale fairground bleachers and was later recovered and restored by Tucker collectors in the 1980s.
When the cars appear at auction, which is rare, they command prices attained by only a few marquee cars. Tucker #1038 sold in August 2008 at RM's Monterey auction for the record-setting price of $1,017,500. Tucker # 1041 sold at the Clars Auction on June 7, 2009 for $750,000. With the auction house buyers premium added, the total price for the sale of the car was $853,100. The car was on the auction block for a total of 7½ minutes. The previous owner paid $5,000 for the car in 1970. In August 2010 at RM's Monterey auction, Tucker #1045 sold for the record-breaking price of $1,127,500.
Remaining Tucker '48s today and original configuration:
. There is considerable debate as to the car's authenticity and no documentation has ever been provided Tucker Corporation ever built a convertible prototype. Chief designer Alex Tremulis expressly denies there was a factory project, official or otherwise, and even the restorers proved unable to document the supposed prototype's provenance
.
The convertible was part of a Russo and Steele auction, January 20–24, 2010. Bidding never reached the sellers reserve price.
TV game show It's Worth What?
on July 26, 2011. According to the show's appraisers, the car is worth $1,200,000.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
conceived by Preston Tucker
Preston Tucker
Preston Thomas Tucker was an American automobile designer and entrepreneur.He is most remembered for his 1948 Tucker Sedan , an automobile which introduced many features that have since become widely used in modern cars...
and briefly produced in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1948. Only 51 cars were made before the company folded on March 3, 1949, due to negative publicity initiated by the news media, a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation and a heavily publicized stock fraud trial (which allegations were proven baseless in court with a full acquittal). Speculation exists that the Big Three automakers and Michigan senator Homer S. Ferguson
Homer S. Ferguson
Homer Samuel Ferguson was a United States Senator from Michigan. He was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Harrison City, Pennsylvania to parents Samuel Ferguson and Margaret Bush Homer Samuel Ferguson (February 25, 1889 December 17, 1982) was a United States Senator from Michigan. He was born in...
also had a role in the Tucker Corporation's demise. The 1988 movie, Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Tucker: The Man and His Dream is a 1988 biographical film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Jeff Bridges. The film recounts the story of Preston Tucker and his attempt to produce and market the 1948 Tucker Sedan, which was met with scandal between the "Big Three automobile...
is based on Tucker's spirit and the saga surrounding the car's production. A 1948 Tucker sedan was featured in the July 26, 2011 installment of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's It's Worth What?
It's Worth What?
It's Worth What? is a reality game show that debuted July 19, 2011 on NBC. Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, the show's primary focus is the cost and value of items. Announcer Dave Mitchell would describe each item that appears on stage...
television show. The car's estimated value is $1,200,000.00. Tucker was ahead of his time in equal opportunity as Tucker' s car was Jewish American financed,(Abe Karatz) Japanese American engineered (Jimmy Sakayama) and Greek American designed.(Alex Tremulis.) Kay,Jack, Kilo Quad Tucker Treasure, Booksurge 2009 9189776534
Overview
After WWII, the public was ready for totally new car designs, but the Big Three Detroit automakers had not developed any new models since 1941. This provided great opportunities for new, small automakers who could develop new cars more rapidly than the huge legacy automakers. StudebakerStudebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
was first to introduce an all-new postwar model, but Tucker took a different tack, designing a safety car with innovative features and modern styling. His specifications called for a water-cooled aluminum block flat-6
Flat-6
A flat-6 or horizontally opposed-6 is a flat engine with six cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of three cylinders on each side of a central crankcase...
rear engine
RR layout
In automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear of the vehicle. In contrast to the RMR layout, the center of mass of the engine is between the rear axle and the rear bumper....
, disc brake
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s, four-wheel independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
, fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, the location of all instruments within reach of the steering wheel, and a padded dashboard.
Tucker's first design for the car appeared in a December 1946 Science Illustrated magazine article entitled "Torpedo on Wheels", showing a futuristic version of the car with a hydraulic drive system designed by George Lawson, along with a photo of a 1/8 scale model blown up to appear full sized. This was only an early rendering of the proposal, with its design features yet to make it off the drawing board, but the article helped make the motoring public aware of the Tucker.
To finish the prototype design and get construction under way, Tucker hired famed stylist Alex Tremulis
Alex Tremulis
Alexander Sarantos Tremulis was an industrial designer in the North American automotive industry...
, previously of Auburn/Cord/Duesenberg, on December 24, 1946 and gave him just six days to finalize the design. On December 31, 1946, Tucker approved Tremulis' preliminary design. Tucker's future car became known as the "Tucker Torpedo" from the first Lawson sketch, but because Tucker did not want to remind the public of the horrors of WWII, he quickly changed the name to the "Tucker '48". With Tremulis' design sketch, a full page advertisement was run in March 1947 in many national newspapers, proclaiming "How 15 years of testing produced the car of the year". Tucker said he had been thinking about the car for 15 years. This second advertisement specifically described many of the innovative features Tucker proposed for his car, many of which would not make it to the final version. This advertisement helped generate considerable public enthusiasm for the car, but Tucker had much work to do before a prototype was complete.
To finalize the design, Tucker hired the New York design firm J. Gordon Lippincott
Lippincott
Lippincott is a consulting firm that primarily deals with brand strategy and the development of corporate identities. The firm was founded in 1943 by J. Gordon Lippincott and Walter P. Margulies as Lippincott & Margulies....
to create an alternate body. Only the front end and horizontal tail-light bar designs were refined for the final car. Tremulis gave the first prototype car the nickname of "Tin Goose".
Innovative design features
Cyclops
A cyclops , in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead...
Eye"), would activate at steering angles of greater than 10 degrees to light the car's path around corners. At the time, 17 states had laws against cars having more than two headlights. Tucker fabricated a cover for the cyclops center light for use in these states.
Tucker envisioned several other innovations which were later abandoned. Magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
wheels, disc brake
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s, fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, self-sealing tubeless tires, and a direct-drive torque converter
Torque converter
In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
were all evaluated and/or tested but were dropped on the final prototype due to cost, engineering complexity, and lack of time to develop.
Tucker initially tried to develop an innovative engine. It was a 589 cubic inch flat-6
Flat-6
A flat-6 or horizontally opposed-6 is a flat engine with six cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of three cylinders on each side of a central crankcase...
cylinder with hemispherical
Hemi engine
A Hemi engine is an internal combustion engine in which the roof of each cylinder's combustion chambers is of hemispherical form.- History :...
combustion chamber
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.-Internal combustion engine:The hot gases produced by the combustion occupy a far greater volume than the original fuel, thus creating an increase in pressure within the limited volume of the chamber...
s, fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, and overhead valve
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
s operated by oil pressure rather than a camshaft
Camshaft
A camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
. An oil pressure distributor was mounted inline with the ignition distributor and delivered appropriately timed direct oil pressure to open each valve at the proper interval. This unique engine was designed to idle at 100 rpm and cruise at 250-1200 rpm through the use of direct drive torque converters on each driving wheel instead of a transmission. These features would have been auto industry firsts in 1948, but as engine development proceeded, problems appeared. The 589 engine was installed only in the test chassis and the first prototype.
The final car was only 70 inches (177.8 cm) tall, but was rather large and comfortable inside. Tremulis' design was called the most aerodynamic in the world, and although it still sported pre-war type fenders, it was startlingly modern.
Troubled premiere
The world premiere of the much-hyped Tucker '48 car was set for June 19, 1947. Over 3,000 people showed up at the Tucker factory in Chicago for lunch, a train tour of the plant, and the unveiling of the first Tucker prototype. The unveiling appeared doomed, however, as last-minute problems with the car cropped up. The night before the premiere, two of the Tin Goose's independent suspension arms snapped under the car's own weight. (The Tin Goose was extremely heavy; much heavier than the other Tucker '48's.) Minor engine problems were fixed, and the car was presentable by the time of the premiere. However, the experimental 589 engine was extremely loud. Tucker told the band to play as loud as possible to drown out the noise. As the car was driven on to the platform, the liquid coolant burned over and some steam escaped from the car, but no one seemed to notice.A skeptical journalist named Drew Pearson
Drew Pearson (journalist)
Andrew Russell Pearson , known professionally as Drew Pearson, was one of the best-known American columnists of his day, noted for his muckraking syndicated newspaper column "Washington Merry-Go-Round," in which he attacked various public persons, sometimes with little or no objective proof for his...
reported publicly that the car was a fraud because it could not go backward and that it went "goose-geese" going down the road. This hurt the public view of Tucker's car, at a time in history when journalists and public officials were more trusted than they are today. Despite the fact that this problem was limited to the first prototype only, a symptom of the speed with which the first car was put together, the damage was done in the court of public opinion. A negative media feeding frenzy resulted.
Tucker suffered another setback when his bids to obtain two steel mills to provide raw materials for his cars were rejected by the War Assets Administration
War Assets Administration
The War Assets Administration was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by EO 9689, January 31, 1946. American factorieshad produced massive amounts of weaponry during the World War II...
under a shroud of questionable politics.
Engine
Tucker had promised 150 hp (112 kW), and his innovative 589 engine was not working out. The large 589 cid engine functioned, but the valvetrain proved problematic and the engine only produced approximately 88 hp. The high oil pressure required a 24 volt electrical system and long cranking time at start-up. Having wasted nearly one year trying to make the 589 work, Tucker started looking for alternatives.The company first tried the Lycoming aircraft engine but it would not fit in the car's rear engine compartment.
A Franklin
Franklin Engine Company
The Franklin Engine Company was a manufacturer of aircraft engines, formed as the H. H. Franklin Co. in 1902, located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Barely surviving bankruptcy in 1933, the company was purchased by a group of ex-employees and renamed Aircooled Motors in 1937...
air-cooled flat-6
Flat-6
A flat-6 or horizontally opposed-6 is a flat engine with six cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of three cylinders on each side of a central crankcase...
engine, the O-335 made by Air Cooled Motors
Franklin Engine Company
The Franklin Engine Company was a manufacturer of aircraft engines, formed as the H. H. Franklin Co. in 1902, located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Barely surviving bankruptcy in 1933, the company was purchased by a group of ex-employees and renamed Aircooled Motors in 1937...
(and originally intended for the Bell 47
Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
), fit, and its 166 hp (124 kW) pleased Tucker. He purchased four samples for $5,000 each, and his engineers converted the 334 cid engine to water cooling (a decision that has puzzled historiographers ever since). The Franklin engine was heavily modified by Tucker's engineers, including Eddie Offutt and Tucker's son Preston, Jr. at his Ypsilanti machine shop. Using an aircraft engine in an automotive application required significant modification; thus, very few parts of the original Franklin engine were retained in the final Tucker engine. This durable modification of the engine was tested at maximum power for 150 hours, the equivalent of 18000 miles (28,968.1 km), at full throttle.
Tucker quickly bought Air Cooled Motors for $1.8 million to secure the engine source, then canceled all of the company's aircraft contracts so that its resources could be focused on making automotive engines for the Tucker Corporation. This was a significant decision, since at the time of Tucker's purchase, Franklin held over 65% of post-war U.S. aviation engine production contracts. The loss of income was substantial.
Transmission
With the 589 and its torque converters (and no reverse) out, Tucker now needed a transmission to mate with the Franklin O-335. They decided to try adapting designs intended for front-engine/front wheel driveFF layout
In automotive design, an FF, or Front-engine, Front-wheel drive layout places both the internal combustion engine and driven roadwheels at the front of the vehicle.-Usage implications:...
use. The Cord
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
810/812 4-speed electro-vacuum manual transmissions fit the design requirements and were used initially. The Cord 810/812 could not handle the power and torque of the O-335 engine, shearing off the teeth from first gear if the engine was gunned off the line. In an effort to solve this problem, Tucker and his engineers modified the Cord 810/812 by installing stronger gears and lengthening the case. The modified Cord was named the Tucker Y-1 (Ypsilanti-1) and was installed in most Tuckers. The Cord 810/812 and Tucker Y-1 used a Bendix electric vacuum shift mechanism, with no mechanical linkage to the steering column shift lever. These versions had problems with electrical connections and vacuum leaks which hindered shifting, so a new design was needed.
A Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic was tested and was installed on car #1048, but Tucker ultimately wanted to design his own transmission for the car.
To solve the transmission problems with a new design, Warren Rice, creator of the Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
Dynaflow
Dynaflow
Dynaflow was the trademark name for a type of automatic transmission developed and built by General Motors' Buick Motor Division from the late 1940s to the mid 1963...
transmission, was consulted. A unique continuously variable automatic transmission called the "Tuckermatic" was designed, which was strong enough to handle the Franklin O-335's power and torque. It was a simple but effective design with double torque converters and only 27 parts, about 90 fewer than normally required for an automatic. The double torque converters allowed a continuously variable drive ratio with only one forward gear and one reverse gear which used the torque converters to vary resistance based on load.
Three versions of the Tuckermatic were made, the R-1, R-1-2, and R-3, (R for Warren Rice, its designer). The first version, the R-1, was not installed on any of the final cars. It required the engine to be off in order to select a gear. The R-1-2 was improved by adding a lay-shaft brake to allow gear selection while the engine was running. This version was installed on cars #1026 and 1042 only. The R-3 version had further improvements including a centrifugal clutch to help shifting between forward and reverse even further, however it was never installed in any of the final cars.
Because the two torque converters on the Tuckermatic made the engine/transmission unit longer, the fuel tank in the Tucker '48 had to be moved from behind the rear seat to in front of the dashboard for all Tuckers from car #1026 forward, even though only two of them actually had the Tuckermatic installed. This had the added advantage of improving weight distribution on the car.
Suspension and body
Suspension designs, especially the front suspension, had to be changed throughout development. Rather than springs, Tucker used an elastomeric (rubber) 4-wheel independent suspension similar to that which was used on the race cars he developed with Harry MillerHarry Miller
Harry Miller may refer to:*Harry Miller , American basketball player *Harry Miller , American college basketball coach at North Texas, Wichita State, Stephen F...
at the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
. The rubber elastomers were developed with assistance from the Firestone Tire Company and used a special vulcanization process to produce a specific spring rate.
Tucker's suspension designs were plagued by severe stiffness throughout development which, while good for handling, caused front wheel corner lift when cornering on uneven surfaces. The test bed and the Tin Goose had a double-rubber disc type front and rear suspension, similar to Miller's race cars, which was too weak for the weight of a passenger car. On cars #1001 and 1002 the rear wheels could not be removed without removing the fender or suspension due to the stiffness of the suspension and the rear wheel arch fender design. On cars #1003-on the rear fender shape was changed so the tire could be removed easily. Aside from the fender changes, the rear suspension remained the same from car #1001-on.
The front suspension was installed in 3 versions on the car (aside from the rubber-disc style used on the Tin Goose). Cars #1001–1002 used a rubber torsion tube design which suffered from severe toe-in during heavy braking. Tucker then switched to a rubber sandwich-type suspension (with a rubber block sandwiched between upper and lower A-arms) on cars #1003–1025, however this type was severely stiff. On cars #1026-on Tucker finally settled on a suspension design with a modified version of the rubber torsion tube with the toe-in braking problem corrected.
The front bumper of the car was lengthened from car #1003-on to prevent the center headlight from being the forwardmost point on the car. The lengthened bumper protected the center headlight from being crushed if the car were pulled too close to a wall or barrier.
Original Tucker Paint Codes:
- 100 – Black
- 200 – Waltz Blue
- 300 – Green
- 400 – Beige
- 500 – Grey (Silver)
- 600 – Maroon
Funding and publicity
Having raised $17,000,000 in a stock issue (equal to $ today), one of the first speculative IPOs, Tucker needed more money to continue development of the car. He sold dealerships and distributorships throughout the country. Another money maker was the Tucker Accessories Program. In order to secure a spot on the Tucker waiting list, future buyers could purchase accessories, like seat covers, radio, and luggage, before their car was built. This brought an additional $2,000,000 (equal to $ today) into the company.With the final design in place, Preston Tucker took the pre-production cars on the road to show them in towns across the country. The cars were an instant success, with crowds gathering wherever they stopped. One report says that Tucker was pulled over by a police officer intent on getting a better look at the car.
To prove the road-worthiness of his cars, Tucker and his engineers ran several cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in several endurance tests. During this testing, car #1027 was rolled at high speed while driven by mechanic Eddie Offutt. The car's safety features were proven when Offutt walked away from the severe crash. During the crash, the windshield popped out as designed, and afterward the car started up and was driven off the track.
SEC investigation and demise of Tucker Corporation
This concept was investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
, and led to an indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
of company executives. Although all charges were eventually dropped, the negative publicity destroyed the company and halted production of the car.
To counteract the bad press, Tucker again took the cars on the road. He scheduled a two-week public test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
with a few of the 37 cars that had been built. One car was rolled three times at 95 mile per hour, and the driver (chief mechanic Eddie Offutt) walked away with just bruises, verifying Tucker's safety features were effective. The car was started and driven away from the accident after changing a damaged tire.
Tucker '48 legacy
The first Tucker ever produced was a prototype sedan, known as the "Tin Goose". Fifty-eight frames and bodies were built at the factory. From these parts, 36 sedans were finished before the factory was closed. After the factory closed but before liquidation of his assets, Tucker retained a core of employees who assembled an additional 14 sedans for a total of 50. A 51st car was partially completed.In the early 1950s, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
fairgrounds owner Nick Jenin purchased over 10 Tuckers, the original Tucker test bed chassis, numerous Tucker parts, photos and documents. He developed a traveling display called "The Fabulous Tuckers". He hauled the cars and memorabilia around the country for nearly 10 years displaying them at fairgrounds and car shows. His display highlighted the questionable politics and SEC fraud which brought Tucker down. Jenin sold off all his Tucker memorabilia to various sources, however some was left to rot under Ft. Lauderdale fairground bleachers and was later recovered and restored by Tucker collectors in the 1980s.
When the cars appear at auction, which is rare, they command prices attained by only a few marquee cars. Tucker #1038 sold in August 2008 at RM's Monterey auction for the record-setting price of $1,017,500. Tucker # 1041 sold at the Clars Auction on June 7, 2009 for $750,000. With the auction house buyers premium added, the total price for the sale of the car was $853,100. The car was on the auction block for a total of 7½ minutes. The previous owner paid $5,000 for the car in 1970. In August 2010 at RM's Monterey auction, Tucker #1045 sold for the record-breaking price of $1,127,500.
Remaining Tucker '48s today and original configuration:
| Chassis Number | Location | Owner | Engine | Transmission | Front Suspension Version | Original Body Color/Paint Code |
| 1000 (Tin Goose) | Huntingdon, PA | Swigart Antique Auto Museum | Tucker 589 cu in. Direct Drive (Original); Converted to Franklin O-335 by Tucker after first showing. | Direct drive torque converters (Original); Converted to Tucker Y-1 by Tucker after first showing. | Rubber Disc Type | Maroon/600 |
| Tin Goose was the only complete Tucker with Rubber Disc prototype suspension, the 589 engine, and direct torque converter drive (with no reverse gear). After the first showing it was converted to an O-335/Y-1 at the Tucker factory. | ||||||
| 1001 | Alexandria, VA | Tucker Collection/Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 1 | Maroon/600 |
| 1002 | California | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 1 | Waltz Blue/200 |
| Fenders changed from 1003-on to allow rear wheel removal. Rubber Torsion tube front suspension plagued by severe toe-in when braking. | ||||||
| 1003 | California | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Maroon/600 |
| Front bumper lengthened to protect the center headlight if pulled too close to a wall or barrier. | ||||||
| 1004 | Nagakutecho, Japan | Toyota Automobile Museum | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| Car was originally Grey(Silver)/500 but was painted Maroon/600 when it was restored in 1978. | ||||||
| 1005 | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee Antique Car Museum | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Waltz Blue/200 |
| 1006 | California | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Green/300 |
| 1007 | Tacoma, WA | LeMay Museum | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Green/300 |
| 1008 | Chicago, IL | Chicago Vintage Motor Carriage | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Beige/400 |
| Car was originally Beige but is now Maroon/600. It is currently located in The Richard Driehaus Collection at Chicago Vintage Motor Carriage. | ||||||
| 1009 | California | LucasFilms, LTD | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| 1010 | Washington | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Waltz Blue/200 |
| After 50 years stored in a barn near Tacoma, WA Tucker #1010 was sent to auction in January 2011 via Gooding and Co in Scotsdale, AZ for a starting bid price of $750,000. Reports and photos indicate the engine was seized, with rust damage throughout the vehicle and some minor exterior parts missing, including original hubcaps. Major restoration is necessary. | ||||||
| 1011 | Montana | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Beige/400 |
| 1012 | LaPorte, Indiana | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Maroon/600 |
| 1013 | Huntingdon, PA | Swigart Antique Auto Museum | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| 1014 | San Francisco, CA | Privately owned/Francis Ford Coppola | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Waltz Blue/200 |
| 1015 | St. Clair Shores, MI | The Stahls Collection | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Sandwich | Green/300 |
| 1016 | Dearborn, MI | Henry Ford Museum | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Black/100 |
| 1017 | Colorado | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Green (300) |
| 1018 | Grand Rapids, MI | Incomplete/ Remains are privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Beige/400 |
| This car was wrecked/damaged beyond repair around 1949–1950, broadsiding a tree in South Wales, NY. The remnants of the frame are located in Grand Rapids, MI and some body panels are in Roscoe, IL with the owner of Tucker 1027. The engine and Y-1 transmission from #1018 are located at the Tucker Collection in Alexandria, VA. | ||||||
| 1019 | California | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Black/100 |
| 1020 | Japan | Hani Corporation | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Maroon/600 |
| 1021 | California | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Black/100 |
| 1022 | Alexandria, VA | Tucker Collection/Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| 1023 | Florida | Destroyed in Fire | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Maroon/600 | |
| In 1978, while in storage awaiting restoration in a Deland, FL warehouse owned by Allied Van Lines, #1023 was destroyed when the huge warehouse burned to the ground. Remains of car after fire were crushed and buried under the garage of the owner, a TACA founder. | ||||||
| 1024 | Lincoln, NE | The Smith Collection | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Sandwich | Waltz Blue/200 |
| 1025 | Frankfort, IN | The Goodwin Collection | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Sandwich | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| Rubber sandwich front suspension abandoned due to severe stiffness | ||||||
| 1026 | Alexandria, VA | Tucker Collection/Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tuckermatic R-1-2 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Maroon/600 (Repainted in Bronze during restoration) |
| From #1026-on the fuel tank was moved to the front of the car and the Rubber Torsion Tube 2 style suspension with improved toe-in was used. Arguably the most valuable Tucker, #1026 is the only remaining complete Tucker with the Tuckermatic transmission. | ||||||
| 1027 | Roscoe, IL | Historic Auto Attractions | Franklin O-335 | Unknown | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Waltz Blue/200 |
| Car was rolled in testing at Indy by Tucker Corp, 1948. The engine/trans were removed at the factory, the chassis was sold at the Tucker factory auction after its closure. Museum also owns some body panels to wrecked Tucker 1018, other parts were either lost or used in restoration of other Tuckers. | ||||||
| 1028 | Tupelo, MS | Tupelo Automobile Museum | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Beige/400 |
| 1029 | California | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| 1030 | Los Angeles, CA | Petersen Automotive Museum | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Black/100 |
| 1031 | Los Angeles, Ca | Breslow Collection | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Waltz Blue/200 |
| 1032 | Reno, NV | Harrah's Auto Collection | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| 1033 | Maine | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Maroon/600 |
| 1034 | Tucker, GA | The Cofer Collection | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Waltz Blue/200 |
| 1035 | Caçapava - SP, Brazil | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Unknown | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Black/100 |
| 1036 | Nevada | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Maroon/600 |
| 1037 | Rutherford, CA | Privately owned/Francis Ford Coppola | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Maroon/600 |
| 1038 | Unknown | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Green/300 |
| #1038 was, for a time, owned by Bernard Glieberman Bernard Glieberman Bernard "Bernie" Glieberman is an American real estate mogul and the president of Crosswinds Communities. Despite having made his fortune in real estate, Glieberman was perhaps best known for, with his son Lonie, making several unsuccessful and controversial forays into sports team ownership and... . It was on display in Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States.... while Glieberman owned the Shreveport Pirates Shreveport Pirates The Shreveport Pirates were a Canadian Football League team, playing at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, in 1994 and 1995.... . Creditors moved to seize the car due to Glieberman's financial problems, and Glieberman's lawyer attempted to steal the car and hide it from authorities, only to run out of gas. Glieberman was eventually allowed to keep the car. The car was sold at auction in August 2006 for $577,500 ($525,000 plus fees) and sold again in August 2008 for $1,017,500 ($925,000 plus fees). |
||||||
| 1039 | Washington, DC | Smithsonian Institution | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| After years hidden in Smithsonian storage, Tucker #1039 was finally placed on public display in the Museum of American History in 2011. Tucker #1039 was acquired by the Smithsonian through the U.S. Marshall Service which had prior seized the car in a 1992 narcotics arrest. Instead of selling the car, the U.S. Marshall Service decided to donate the car to the Smithsonian. In April 2011, the car will be transferred back into storage. | ||||||
| 1040 | Sylmar, CA | San Sylmar Museum | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Beige/400 |
| 1041 | California | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Black/100 |
| Tucker # 1041 sold at the Clars Auction on June 7, 2009 for $750,000 ($765,000 with fees) | ||||||
| 1042 | Memphis, TN (Last seen) | Abandoned/Destroyed/Lost | Franklin O-335 | Tuckermatic R-1-2 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Maroon/600 |
| #1042 was sold at the Tucker auction without an engine. Rumors exist that it was used in a "Bash a Tucker" fundraiser in the 1950s or may have been hauled off from its storage location by a disgruntled renter. Its location was unknown until 1960 when it was reportedly found abandoned along the banks of the Mississippi River in Memphis, TN, totally destroyed. A Memphis policeman took possession of the remains, but they were later stolen from his property. Most of the Tuckermatic transmission was found and is currently located at the Tucker Collection in Alexandria, VA. | ||||||
| 1043 | Arizona | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Unknown | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Waltz Blue/200 |
| 1044 | Ohio | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Green/300 |
| 1045 | Melbourne, Australia | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Grey(Silver)/500 |
| 1046 | California | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 (original) / Oldsmobile Rocket 88 / Mercury 390CID | Unknown | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 (Original)/Removed for front engine conversion | Maroon/600 |
| This car was converted to a Front-Engine Oldsmobile drive-train in the 1950s by Nick Jenin for his daughter. It was converted again in the 1960s to a 1964 Mercury Monterey chassis with 390 CID front engine. Sold on eBay for $202,700 (8/20/07). | ||||||
| 1047 | Hickory Corners, MI | Gilmore Car Museum | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Waltz Blue/200 |
| 1048 | Hartford, Wisconsin | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Green/300 |
| 1049 | Old Oxted, Surrey, England | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Tucker Y-1 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Waltz Blue/200 |
| 1050 | San Marcos, TX | Dicks Classic Garage | Franklin O-335 | Cord 810/812 | Rubber Torsion Tube 2 | Maroon/600 |
| Lowest mileage Tucker with 0.4 miles on the odometer. | ||||||
| 1051 | New Jersey | Privately owned | Franklin O-335 | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Tucker 1051 was not completed at the Tucker factory, so it is not technically considered one of the original 51 cars (Tin Goose + 50). The car was purchased at the Tucker auction in an incomplete state, and was finished in the late 1980s using leftover Tucker parts and fiberglass replica doors. | ||||||
Replica vehicles
In 1997, Rob Ida Automotive started work on a replica of the Tucker '48 Sedan, which culminated in the release and marketing of the 2001 Ida Automotive New Tucker '48. This replica faithfully recreates the Tucker's external bodywork, but is built on a hotrod chassis with resin infused plastic body panels. The paint and wheels reflect modern hotrod styling, and the interior is fully modern. It is powered by a rear-mounted Cadillac Northstar V8. Claimed performance is 0–60 in 7 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 120 mi/h. Ida has built three cars. The "new Tucker '48" was reviewed by Car and Driver magazine in July 2001.Alleged convertible prototype
A convertible Tucker, alleged to be a partially completed prototype developed in the company's waning days, was completed by car collector Justin Cole of Benchmark Classics in Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. There is considerable debate as to the car's authenticity and no documentation has ever been provided Tucker Corporation ever built a convertible prototype. Chief designer Alex Tremulis expressly denies there was a factory project, official or otherwise, and even the restorers proved unable to document the supposed prototype's provenance
Provenance
Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
.
The convertible was part of a Russo and Steele auction, January 20–24, 2010. Bidding never reached the sellers reserve price.
In popular culture
A Waltz Blue Tucker Sedan appeared on the second episode of the NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
TV game show It's Worth What?
It's Worth What?
It's Worth What? is a reality game show that debuted July 19, 2011 on NBC. Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, the show's primary focus is the cost and value of items. Announcer Dave Mitchell would describe each item that appears on stage...
on July 26, 2011. According to the show's appraisers, the car is worth $1,200,000.
See also
- Tucker: The Man and His DreamTucker: The Man and His DreamTucker: The Man and His Dream is a 1988 biographical film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Jeff Bridges. The film recounts the story of Preston Tucker and his attempt to produce and market the 1948 Tucker Sedan, which was met with scandal between the "Big Three automobile...
- List of defunct United States automobile manufacturers
External links
- (http://www.TuckerMuseum.Org TuckerMuseum.Org Offical Tucker Museum and Forum - The only site to Talk Tucker with other enthusiasts
- TuckerClub.org Official Tucker Automobile Club of America Website - Information about the cars, including the locations of all extant examples
- www.htmgv.org Henry Ford Museum Tucker Exhibit
- www.si.edu About the Tucker - with pictures
- RobIdaConcepts.com The Ida Automotive New Tucker '48 and Lower '48
- Automotive History Online Tucker Automobile History & Photos
- Tucker 48 Jalopnik Fantasy Garage
- Tucker Torpedo Automobile 1948 3D model of the Tucker
- Antique Automobile Club thread about the auction of Tucker #1010