Subdeacon Joe Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 http://www.wired.com/2014/10/tucker-post-war/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Tucker actually built a number of these! The seating was more conventional and I think the engine actually ended up under the rear seats. The big three put him out of business by cutting off his suppliers, but there are some of them running today!! Way ahead of it's time!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 The movie a few years ago, quite a few, with Jeff Bridges was pretty good. Tucker: The Man And His Dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 51 Tuckers were built. I One was the test vehcle. 36 before the plant closed. The rest before the government came in. Several survive today Tucker 48, the cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 The movie a few years ago, quite a few, with Jeff Bridges was pretty good. Tucker: The Man And His Dream. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 As a small child I was taken to a nearby town to see the car of the future. All I can tell you is that it was red and a funny shape. In a world where most cars were dark subdued colors it was striking. I think my father was interested in maybe investing a little bit of money. Instead he bought some stock in an African gold mine. The results were the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 My dad had a friend who was a Ford dealer. According to Dad, he managed to get a Tucker dealership but the closest he got to a car was a full size cardboard "model". I don't know anything more than that and that the man moved from Toppenish to Walla Walla and opened up another car dealership there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACKFOOT SASS #11947 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Yes, I have seen one, been in one. The seating was somewhat conventional and the engine was NOT under the back seats. Blackfoot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 The movie is very entertaining, but no more accurate than Tombstone is to Wyatt Earp. According to people inside the company, Tucker failed because he never had the capital to pull it off. Suppliers were running full tilt to meet demand from established manufacturers, he had no credit with then and was given low priority. Eventually the dealers started complaining because he had collected money from them without delivering any cars. That led to a securities and exchange investigation because his financing had the appearance of a pyramid scheme. Eventually he was cleared, but he certainly skirted the edges of illegal activity. Sad, because they are gorgeous and innovative cars. If he had been able to bring them to market, I often wonder how they would fared against established competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Yes, I have seen one, been in one. The seating was somewhat conventional and the engine was NOT under the back seats. Blackfoot I only ever saw one in a parade. I know at one time the under seat/mid-engine idea was kicked around. They wound up using an air-cooled aircraft engine of some kind, didn't they? It was a cool car!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 I only ever saw one in a parade. I know at one time the under seat/mid-engine idea was kicked around. They wound up using an air-cooled aircraft engine of some kind, didn't they? It was a cool car!! Yup, Franklin O-335 flat six used in helicopters. Originally air cooled, Tucker converted it to water cooled for the cars. He liked the engine so much he bought the company. (Sounds like an old Remington shaver commercial.) The Tucker family owned it until 1961. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 Wow! Thanks for the history lessons! One of the reasons I love the Saloon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amos Dumas, SASS #8447 L Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 As a youngester (8 or 9), I actually saw one in North Little Rock, Arkansas. It was parked outside "Hanks Doghouse" a nice steak place in NLR. I was impressed that the headlights followed the direction of travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACKFOOT SASS #11947 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I only ever saw one in a parade. I know at one time the under seat/mid-engine idea was kicked around. They wound up using an air-cooled aircraft engine of some kind, didn't they? It was a cool car!! Yes, as I recall it was a Lycoming engine. The transmission was similar to a Cord transmission with the same "match stick shifter" that was used on the Cords. Blackfoot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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