History Searching for 1948 Tucker photos

For sure there was some crap pulled by the Big 3, but Preston Tucker was in many ways his own worst enemy. Even tho he was acquitted on the stock fraud charges, his image was tarnished by the hype and over-promising in the days prior to the car's debut. By failing to deliver a car with all the features it was supposed to have, at a price of $1000, it was easy to convince the public he was a con man.

Would things have been different had he instead shot for a smaller, higher-end market and taken the time to fully develop the fuel-injected, disc-braked, hydraulic transmission car-of-the-future? IMO, yes, a car offered in the $2500-3500 range wouldn't have caused any sleep-loss by Big 3 execs who were busy cranking out tarted-up pre-war boat anchors with $1200 stickers.

I think, based partly on what I learned in this thread, that they would have solved the engineering problems in the 5x5 engine, had a reverse gear in the trans, perfected the disc brakes and rubber suspension, and had it all ready for sale before 1950.

But that's all "what-if" BS, isn't it? Fun to ponder, and we'll never know.

Frank C.

 

Hey, check out Rob Ida concepts. He's currently building a replica tucker, and has built two already.

 

I am so glad to see that this thread was reopened. I love all the information on these cars. I saw one in person a number of years ago here in Maine. Was in awe to be standing by one.

 

Talked to an old time body shop friend of mine today, and got a little more information. When the Tucker was damaged in Billings, Montana it was repaired at Dave Poleski Auto Body on Miles Avenue. No longer in business. Probably a front fender and it would have been metal finished. He couldn't remember if it was green or blue, but it was the car that first arrived in Billings. Currently tracking down the relative of the man who was hit by the Tucker. He received a check from the Tucker motor company for the damage to his 40 ford. The check cleared. (LOL)

 

Gene Clarke's Tucker #21, almost 27 years ago. Gassing up in Beatty, Nevada, then Walker Lake, Nevada and finally through the tunnel at Feather River Canyon...

 

Tucker Fan I was cleaning out my uncles hoard of magazines and found a article in a Mechanix Illustrated where Tom McCahill retests the 1948 Tucker. Have you seen this article before? It's from Feb. 1971. Jim

 

I think McCahill's original 1948 article was the one that sent the biggest shock waves thru Big 3 board rooms, as he stated in no uncertain terms that if the Tucker went into production it would outclass anything else on the road. If I was a GM, Ford or Chrysler exec at that time, it wouldn't take much to talk me into bankrolling whatever it took to derail Tucker. The Big 3 owned Michigan Senator Homer Ferguson, and it was the worst-kept secret in Washington that he threw one roadblock after another in Tucker's way, from trying to give his factory away to cutting off his supplies of steel.

Then there's the whole bullshit SEC fraud indictment. That was pure naked politics, nothing more. And that finally did the job of killing whatever hope Tucker had of making it, even tho they failed to convict him.

That sort of crap went on all the time, probably still does. Chrysler helped sink Packard when they bought LeBaron, where all Packard bodies were built. Then they cut off Packard and forced them to rush their own body fab to get the 1955s out, and had tons of quality problems, killing sales and ending the real Packard line with the 1956s.

Frank C.

 

Yes I have it in my collection along with the original roadtest article. Both are great stories.

 

I got some more information today on the Tucker that arrived in Billings, Montana. I talked to an old member of our club that collects historical documents, and automotive memorabilia. The car was sea green, and it was flown in on July 24, 1948. He also has pictures of it being unloaded from the flying boxcar they used to transport the Tucker. I will try to get copies of these photos.

 

Sounds like he might have the originals of the photos below. I tried to track down Tippet Studios in Billings. They changed hands several times over the years. They were finally bought out by Ahlgrens and they were bought out by Kaspers. Kaspers closed up and was auctioned off on June 20 2006.

I'd love to see the originals as I can probably tell more about the car. I'll be curious to see if they were from June or July 24th. All the news articles from the Billings Gazette and the Billings Herold have the car there in June. The Billings Gazette could have these in their archives.

One thing I've always found interesting about these two photos is the car has white walls in one photo and blackwalls in the other yet they were taken just a couple of days apart. Could the tire change to whitewalls be due to the accident damage?

 

That's a very good possibility on the tires. I'll try to find some information at the Gazette. Possibly, a 1948 telephone book could verify the body shop as well. I also mentioned the date discrepancy to my source. This is why it is called documentation and research. I'll keep digging.

 

The Polesky's were an interesting bunch. David C Polesky owned West End Body & Paint Shop at 835 Miles Ave in Billings. He lived at 2403 Ash. I'm going to guess either his brothers or sons worked with him. Fred R Polesky was the painter and John Polesky was a bodyman there. William Polesky lived next door to the body shop on Miles but worked in the Archie Cochrane Body Shop. Lew Polesky was a painter at Lew Chevrolet in Billings.

The West End Body Shop building is still there. You can even make out the old sign.

 

Some great stuff kids, thanx for all the cool pix and info. Love those machines! ~sololobo~

 

wasn't there a Tucker frame and motor on Ebay a couple of years ago?
Also a Hood?

 

There was a guy on the old Tucker forums who was building a clone out of like a '50 Dodge. Sounds awful but actually he was doing a great job and it was all steel. I wonder if that was ever finished, and if that build thread still exists on the web somewhere? I'd like to do something similar as a coupe.

 

I've posted well over 50 so far. Check back at the beginning of the thread and you'll find lots of great photos. Frank has posted probably as many.

I know I mentioned it earlier, but Tucker had representatives in over 30 countries outside the US including Iran. I think the fact that the Iranians bought a lot of accessories and never got their cars when Tucker went out of business is part of the reason they don't trust us today.

 

There was a partial frame, door, and rear deck lid on E-Bay October 18 2006. The hood sold on November 6 2006.

I don't recall a Tucker motor on e-bay. There was new crate motor sold at a garage sale about three years ago for $100. It was resold for $1000. Then again for $10,000. Current price is $50,000 last I heard.

 

A guy named Ricardo has been working on his project for many years now. I last heard the car was in pieces. He moved and took it apart to transport it. I've posted a few photos below.

The car I thought might be a good car to build a clone out of is the 48 DeSoto. It has some of the same lines. Of course making any car into a Tucker clone will take a lot of talent.

 

A few pix by Alex Tremulis of Bill Hamlin's "Goldie", Tucker #1002. Alex had babysat for this car at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 1972 (+/-). These polaroids were taken during a 1971 photo shoot for Motor Trend at Bill Hamlin's house...

 

...more of Tremulis' photos with Bill Hamlin.

The blue Tucker is #1014, the car that was assigned to Tremulis at the factory for driving tests. He put thousands of miles on it, including 400 miles at the Indianapolis Speedway, many at over 100mph. What a job...

 

I was way off. Those previous pix were from a Motor Trend photo shoot from May, 1971. They took both cars out for a ride...

 

I think the records go back farther because if one were to attempt to register that tag on an antique vehicle in Oklahoma the number would have to be submitted to the Oklahoma Tax Commission where they check to see if there are any "past issues" with the number.

I've no doubt that the original paper registration for that number still exists and I'm equally certain that the old codgers at the OTC (and they are old codgers - I've spent hours on the phone with 'em) could tell you something about it if you were to call them, ask for Speciality Plates and begged but I think they get a power trip out of saying "no".

 

I am pretty sure the car in the background behind Hamlin was #1017.

 

Thanks for posting!

 

Correctamundo...

 

http://bringatrailer.com/2012/02/20/bat-exclusive-tucker-flat-6-garage-find-engine/

 

Nope, sorry. All the Oklahoma Tax Commission does is see if that number is currently in use on any other OKlahoma-registered vehicle, that's all.

 

This just in from the website 'Bring a Trailer':

http://bringatrailer.com/2012/02/20/bat-exclusive-tucker-flat-6-garage-find-engine/

Tucker engine #33556, owned by an Aircooled employee who was involved with the development of these motors. 60K and it's all yours! Enjoy!

 

Three-and-a-half hours late, but yup!^^^

 

I had a long conversation with a supervisor at the Oklahoma DMV or whatever they call it about a year ago. He led me to believe that the records probably exist in storage BUT there is no legal way for them to disclose the records to me. State law prohibits giving out that type of information unless I had been the owner back then.

In order to get this from the state it will take an insider that has access to the records OR some political person with a lot of clout willing to take up this challenge.

Both of these are not likely to happen but are not impossible. I can only hope someone steps up.