Tucker Torpedo: They should have made them - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TylerH860 · #1 04-01-2010, 02:06 PM

Can you imagine the effect these cars would of had if they made it to mass production.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-of-1-Prototype-Tucker-Convertible-2-Original-Miles_W0QQitemZ250604228046QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item3a592d0dce

Hard to believe these are features in a car built in 1948:

The Tucker 48 sedan was unlike any other car in the world when it was introduced. Some of its most unique features were a "Safety Windshield", a centered swiveling third headlight, a quick swap power train setup, and a rear mounted "flat six" aircraft engine that had been modified. The Safety Windshield was anti-shard laminated and was designed to be easily removed in the case of an accident. The centered swiveling third headlight was synchronized to the movement of the steering wheel to help the driver see around bends in the road. Even today, synchronized headlights don't appear in any but the most expensive cars and their appearance is a relatively recent addition to what are supposed to be "state of the art" automobiles. The quick swap power train setup, that is the engine and transmission, was designed to be easily pulled out of a troubled vehicle within fifteen minutes of arriving at a Tucker service department. This system was developed so that customers could drop off the power train at the dealership and leave quickly with a "loaner power train." This would allow an owner to avoid waiting, sometimes for days, as their car was repaired, an inconvenience common among conventional cars. Imagine the advantage of such an option if you were on a long distance trip with a car full of kids. The Tucker 48's rear mounted Franklin aircraft engine could go from zero to sixty in just seven seconds! This kind of performance eclipses that of many of today's full size luxury sedans. Because of the "flat six" design, which means that the engine has six horizontally opposed cylinders, the car had a much lower center of gravity. This allowed it to navigate corners and winding roads as if it were a European sports car.

cjlipps · #2 04-01-2010, 02:43 PM

Stunning......
If you haven't yet seen it, the movie is worth a look. I'm sure they took some creative license in it's production but the story is there and lots of good car footage.

Joseph_Conrad · #3 04-01-2010, 03:12 PM

Yup, pretty cool. They have one at the Lemay Museum in Tacoma. The Tucker was ahead of its time, for sure. If you're ever up in this area, I'd recommend a visit to the Lemay Museum. Harold Lemay was in the Guiness Book of World Records in 1996 for having the largest privately owned car collection in the world (over 3,000 vehicles). What struck me most when I visited the museum was how many older vehicles (not just the Tucker) had innovative designs that car companies today try to play off as new ideas.

Pooka · #4 04-01-2010, 03:28 PM

This car, #57, has been under construction since about 1948 (?) and there is a lot of conterversy about it among the Tucker people. However, there has also been a lot of research done on the car and it appears to be the real deal.

The Ebay write up that goes with this ad is well worth reading if you are into automotive history and mysteries.

It is an example of what happens to a prototype when the factory goes under but there is still interest in the car.

TylerH860 · #5 04-01-2010, 03:32 PM

My grandfather has been dead for 10 years now, and he was the biggest Tucker fan. He would go on and on about how this car built in 1948 was better than most cars now-a-days. He gave me a model of one when I was a child, which I still have.

toomany MBZ · #6 04-01-2010, 05:51 PM

Yeah, wonderful styling, but the helo engine just didn't work in a car. It had seat belts, that means it's unsafe! As does a movable head light.
A conspiracy by the other established car makers?

MS Fowler · #7 04-01-2010, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toomany MBZ

Yeah, wonderful styling, but the helo engine just didn't work in a car. It had seat belts, that means it's unsafe! As does a movable head light.
A conspiracy by the other established car makers?

That was the way the movie portrayed it.

Johnhef · #8 04-01-2010, 10:53 PM

If any of you are near northern VA, drop in and see David Cammack's collection of Tucker stuff. Our MBCA section visited his place last year and boy does he have quite the Tucker museum of stuff!, his 3 cars were also the ones used for the movie.

The Clk Man · #9 04-01-2010, 11:07 PM

Was this Tucker the one that the restorer found from an old man that use to work for Tucker? I believe that there is a website devoted to the restoration of the rare Tucker.

MS Fowler · #10 04-02-2010, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnhef

If any of you are near northern VA, drop in and see David Cammack's collection of Tucker stuff. Our MBCA section visited his place last year and boy does he have quite the Tucker museum of stuff!, his 3 cars were also the ones used for the movie.

I was at one of the Cars at Carlilse events a year or two after the movie came out. Someone was selling the stunt car used for the crash scene at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It "looked" like a Tucker, but was a modified Studebaker, instead. It had a very heavy duty roll cage installed to protect the driver during the roll-over. The "Tucker" badges/ emblems were made of balsa wood, painted siler with a slash of other colors, but no detail. No detail was needed becasue the camera/ film/ projector would never resolve enough to show it.

Dee8go · #11 04-02-2010, 11:53 AM

If you ever get to Francis Ford Coppala's winery in Napa, you shohuld definitely visit it. I'm not much on wine, but he has one of the Tuckers used in the Movie on display there. It is absolutely perfect.

LUVMBDiesels · #12 04-02-2010, 09:30 PM

i was at a car show in NJ and there was one there! This was 25 years ago.
He started it and ran it around the field for everyone to look at. It was an amazing car and still is...
My Dad's uncle was a Tucker Dealer! He got signed up by Preston homself! I have an original pamphlet here somewhere - all My Great Uncle got was paper!

The plans and schematics are in Va, there are cars to look at, etc why not make them NOW?

it would be better than the repop Shelby Cobras they are making...

C Sean Watts · #13 04-03-2010, 10:43 AM

Up to $800K and Reserve is still not met! My bet is, it goes for $1.5 mil.

TnBob · #14 04-03-2010, 11:25 AM

US $899,100.01

Reserve not met

TylerH860 · #15 04-03-2010, 09:24 PM

Stunning: