"-Amateur" (amateur)
09/04/2013 at 11:42 Filed to: None
6
25|
"-Amateur" (amateur)
09/04/2013 at 11:42 Filed to: None | 6
| 25 |
The Tucker 1948 Torpedo was a truly a king among kings. It was born at the right place, but at the wrong time. Conceived with the best of intentions, it was brought to its knees by fraud allegations. Only 51 of them ever saw the light of day.
Preston Tucker brought this car into the world with the best of intentions. Like I'm going to build the best damn car America had ever seen...try and stop me.
The 48s had loads of tech that would make Silicon Valley look like a 2nd hand Taiwanese electronic shop. It had crazy third eye headlight that moved with the steering wheel. So you can see the pedestrian you were about to hit when turning a blind corner. 17 states were lame and didn't allow the crazy eye, so those Tuckers came with a cover to hide it. Thanks Florida.
It was wayyy ahead of Porsche with its rear-engined, rear wheel drive layout. What about safety? It's got you covered bro, with a full perimeter frame and a built in rollover bar. The Torpedoes had a padded dash and the steering box was put behind the front axle to protect the driver from being impaled by it in case of a front end crash. The windshield was even made from shatter-proof glass, because flying shards to the face will ruin anybody's day.
During testing, one of the cars rolled 3 times from 95 mph. The driver, chief mechanic Eddie Offutt, walked away from that with just minor bruises. The car still started up after that silky smooth.
Just look at that interior! I firmly believe that world peace can be achieved if everyone just sat in one. Want to know something neat? The engine and transmission was held in place by just 6 bolts. It was purposely designed to quickly drop the motor for whatever reason. LS swap anyone?
The Torpedo had a 334 cubic inch flat-6 helicopter engine that made 166 hp. The original 589 cubic inch 9.7 L Hemi flat-6 that Tucker spent a year working on, didn't work out so well. It was full of problems. At least It had 4 wheel independent suspension.
(My sentiments to the 589 engine for not working out)
It could have been a game changer. This is where Tuckers demise comes into play. Tucker raised a cool $17 mil ($174,788,376 in today's dough). All is still good. Then the company put out an accessories program. 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 gave the company an additional $2 mil ($20,563,338 in today's cash) in revenue.
This concept was investigated for legitimacy by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It led to an indictment of company executives which is never a good thing. All the fraud charges were eventually dropped but not before the negative publicity destroyed the company. It's the same kind of fate that ruined the DeLorean Motor Company decades later.
50 Tucker Torpedos were completed with the 51st partially done before the company closed its doors...forever.
The good will always die young.
Vertec
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:11 |
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This is one car that you gain a new appreciation of when you actually see it in person. It was well worth the trip through the LeMay museum.
STREPITUS
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:15 |
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God I love that car. I've seen Tucker a Man and his Dream More times than I can count. I've also been lucky enough to see 4 of the remaining Tuckers, including 2 at once a month ago at work. I would pay anything to be able to dig through Cammack collection of papers and drawings.
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013
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STREPITUS
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:18 |
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God I love that car. I've seen Tucker a Man and his Dream More times than I can count. I've also been lucky enough to see 4 of the remaining Tuckers, including 2 at once a month ago at work. I would pay anything to be able to dig through Cammack collection of papers and drawings.
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013
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STREPITUS
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:20 |
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God I love that car. I've seen Tucker a Man and his Dream More times than I can count. I've also been lucky enough to see 4 of the remaining Tuckers, including 2 at once a month ago at work. I would pay anything to be able to dig through Cammack collection of papers and drawings.
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013
meccapanzer
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:22 |
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Love the Tucker Torpedo, someday I'd love to have one.
This one would be perfect.
Bli22ard
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:23 |
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This has to be one of my favorite cars of all time
XJguy
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:27 |
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Such a great car. I am surprised no one has sought to revive the name and make a super premium American automotive brand.
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XJguy
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:29 |
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Du09
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:48 |
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Another reason why I like them is Tucker was making them in Chicago.
DanimalHouse
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:48 |
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TACOMAAAAA!!!!! :) :) :)
Rickster3rd Ż\_()_/Ż
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 12:56 |
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Such a shame that a good thing like this was shunned and ultimately destroyed because of fear of competition by the big three. Imagine the advances we would have had earlier had they continued production.
Mercedes Streeter
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 13:03 |
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Tucker was and still is an inspiration for me. Shoot for your dreams, challenge the status quo, and screw anyone who gets in your way.
I recently saw the Tucker '48 Prototype at the Volo Auto Museum in Illinois. What a breathtaking work of art. Modern technology from the 1940s.
This is also why I also see Elon Musk as another inspirational figure. Private space travel, practical (and diabolically safe) electron powered vehicles, and what is rumored to be practical electron powered vehicles for the masses. Dude's like a real life Tony Stark!
Sky Blue
> meccapanzer
09/04/2013 at 13:29 |
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Hope you have a spare 1-2 million laying around.
Wurfenstein
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 13:43 |
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Hmmm, what a cool car. I remember them showing me a movie about the creation of it in college a couple years ago in my Automotive History class, with Jeff Bridges I think it was. Pretty interesting watch!
HellaDK
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 13:48 |
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This guy was just sitting in the parking lot at the Monterey Rolex historic races the other weekend. Just chilln' in the dirt.... like a Boss.
Vair
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 14:46 |
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and the sad thing is that people are starting to forget the Tucker. I just about a dozen people and they have no idea who or what a Tucker is... urgh. The Tucker is and will always be one of my favorite cars
KDR83
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 15:02 |
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I just want to sit in that interior and go on a relaxing drive through some southern small towns...looks sooo comfortable
sharkyhunt
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 15:11 |
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If you live in Northern California or visit Napa/Sonoma it's worth the trip to the Francis Ford Coppola winery to see the Tucker they have on display there. You can get pretty close and take your time checking it out.
Plus you can just walk in for free.
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SeanTucker48
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 15:23 |
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The Tucker is far from forgotten! I am Preston Tucker's Great Grandson (and own a small company called Preston Tucker LLC) and we have a number of cool projects going with Bob and Rob Ida out of New Jersey and their shop Ida Automotive. Someone already posted a picture of the Lower '48 Rob did a few years ago and we have another Tucker '48 Hot Rod in the works now. We were just at Bonneville Speedweek a few weeks ago with a Tucker re-creation on the salt and the Gyronaut X-1 Worlds fastest motorcycle which was designed by the same person who design the Tucker '48 (Alex Tremulis). It was crashed on the salt in 1970 and we helped bring it back to Speedweek for its 50th Anniversary. Alex's Nephew Steve Tremulis owns the Gyronaut X-1 so it was a very special week. Check us out on Facebook or our websites RobIdaConcepts.com, Gyronautx1.com, and tuckercorporation.com
vozal
> Mercedes Streeter
09/04/2013 at 15:49 |
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I was in a Tesla showroom in our local mall. I was talking about Tucker and this car to the sales person, about the shared history. The kid had no idea what I was talking about, thats okay I walked out with a Tesla tee shirt and pics of the Model S.
Spooled
> -Amateur
09/04/2013 at 17:48 |
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. . . or live long enough to see themselves become the villain.
*cough*'merica*cough*
jdjonesdr
> -Amateur
09/05/2013 at 06:57 |
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That picture
[URL= http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y307/jd [/IMG][/URL]
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jdjonesdr
> -Amateur
09/05/2013 at 07:00 |
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That picture
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jdjonesdr
> SeanTucker48
09/05/2013 at 12:13 |
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Cool stuff!!
DadsChevy
> SeanTucker48
09/05/2013 at 16:32 |
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That is pure awesome!
I'd love a Rat Rod Tucker, imagine the looks that would get at any car show! Purists' heads would explode!
