My uncle had a '50 GMC pickup with a Tucker radio in it. As a kid I thought it was supposed to say "T R U C K E R" but was missing the first R. Later he told me the story. He had ordered a Tucker and made a deposit on it so he was sent the radio (as a 'good faith' statement or something like that). He said that everybody who ordered a Tucker received some part like that. Of course he never got his Tucker, so he put the radio in his pickup. Both the pickup and the radio are still in the family.
@@angeldawnmorningstar WTF. A baseless, nonsensical, lazy attempt at a personal insult...says a lot more about YOU than is speaks to Mr. Tucker. You didn't see the same video I saw.
Hey Angel, so was Shelby, Carnes, Chapman, Brabham, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Reventlow, McKee, DeLorean, Ford, Chevrolet..... Shall I go on? Or have I made my point?
Ahh you’re Mr. Tucker’s grandson. Now I understand. I was wondering why someone would be so into such a obscure car. Very cool. They are very neat cars.
It always does, we are hoping to eventually account. For all 98 engines just like all the cars were accounted for. We are well on our way! Thanks foe watching.
Hi Sean. There is a Tucker in a museum in Brazil, sent by the company to a dealer. There is also a Tucker engine in another museum and people say it does not belong to the car in Brazil. Please make a video about the Tucker in Brazil. The engine was used in a racing boat and is in working condition.
We'd love to if we can make our way down there someday! We would be very interested in learning what the engine number is in the racing boat. Thanks so much for watching!
A friend of mine and I visited a small car museum in Holland, Michigan in about 1976. We impressed the owner with our know age of the cars in his collection as we named each one as well as the years. He took us into the back shop where he restored the cars. He pointed to a car with three headlights and asked us what it was. Neither of us knew that was the first Tucker I ever saw. Wish I remembered the name of the museum, it was just down the road from the wood shoe factory, in Holland. Carl
Superb video. Amazing that you not only secured the engines but all the details behind them. Thank God for people like you as the general public would never see this kind of stuff.
I was always curious about the various iterations of the Bell 47 motor, to crate and finally to car. Great story and intriguing automotive forensics on the Tucker; gentleman. TY.
So as a teenager in the late 60’s, I remember going to see my brother in law and as I was walking to his house, I saw a car with three headlights, one being in the middle of the hood. I stopped and looked at the car having never seen three headlights.. I don’t have a perfect recollection of the entire car, but that headlight is vivid. It looked factory. This is why I subscribed, what an awesome automobile.. so ahead of it’s time
Here in Toledo there was a car wash owner who had several classic cars like Dusenberg Auburn and yes a white Tucker. All were top restorations as were his other cars. His name was Conrad owed a couple of car washes two of them displayed in show rooms at the car washes. Conrad was older than my father who was born in 1919. I first saw his Tucker in the early sixties I have yet to find where the car went after he passed away.
Hmm, could have been a couple different cars. We’d have to look at our ownership records for a Conrad. We will see what we can find. Thanks for watching!
Man what a great find! Congratulations! I can’t wait to see follow up on those beauty’s! Thank you for sharing this great piece of historic legendary engines.😎👍
A few years ago I visited the Henry Ford museum. The Tucker displayed at that time was missing the right front brake components as well as the left rear components. I always wondered if they were used to make reproduction parts for another Tucker that was being restored somewhere.
Hi Sean, I have restored a 1939 Cadillac and had engine help from a older gentleman, He had a set of disc brakes for a tucker. back in the day he was known for rebuilding Cadillac flat heads and Packard straight 8s. The last time I went to see him he was quite forgetful of things but I'll check if he still has these brakes.
Wow we would love to see what he has. The pilot Tucker '48s had drum brakes but there are prototype disc brakes that exist and were intended for the car.
I live about a mile down the road from where the Aircooled Motors plant was. I just posted on the "Tucker '48 Automobile" FB page, some old and present-day pictures and old newspaper articles about Tucker and Aircooled Motors.
Way cool! Love the history of Tucker and am enthralled with your recent recent finds. You're a great ambassador for the Tucker story and I can't wait to see more videos - Subscribed!
In 1970 I made friends with an old man on a farm outside of Detroit in Shelby Township. He had a black with gray interior Tucker sitting out on the rural road near the mailbox. I knew what it was even then and I was pretty much obsessed with it. Tom Goff, the owner, said if my dad would buy him a new 1970 Cadillac Coup De Ville I could have it. The car had about 12,000 miles on it but had a cracked block. Well, I never got the car but I heard it went into a private museum nearby for a while, there was an ownership issue, and I think the car is in the Peterson in California. The good ol' days...
I remember that a 3/4 scale tucker was built by some one maybe 30 yearsl ago. I read about it in a magazine. It did have a more modern trany and engine. Just the look. The Tucker was/is a beautiful car and cool looking
I think you are probably referring to Rob Ida’s Tucker recreations, not 3/4 scale. His work is absolutely amazing, he makes his art look easy. Truly a master of his craft and one of our best friends to boot. We are very fortunate to get to spend so much time with Rob and Bob.
Fantastic finds and great stories behind them. Rather than scraping off paint to read the numbers or identification marks you can put a sheet of paper over the area and just rub your thumb over the top to press the paper onto the details. Then use a dark crayon or similar side on to capture the high spots with the information.
The engine in my M-4 Maule is a 235 HP 6-cylinder air-cooled Franklin. They're amazing engines. I'd love to see a video of the history of the acquisition of the Tucker Franklins as it compares to the movie. Thanx and keep the Legend alive ... ^v^
Wow! Fascinating. I'm a newer subscriber and amazed with these findings. Obtaining the engines and a wheel is like a miracle. I'd been under the belief that Waltz Blue didn't make it into production, based on the Hollywood movie which generally are full of flaws. It's real nice learning that Mrs. Tucker was able to have her Waltz Blue and for us to connect what we're seeing to the actual color that she chose--if that part of the movie was accurate.
Well heck this just popped up in my feed. Consider me subscribed. 40 plus years ago I must have been 17 years old or so and was crazy over classic cars ( mind you this was the late 70s so 60s and 50s " beaters" were still plentiful for a teen boy with a freshly minted license) when my grandfather told me of a legendary vehicle made by a man named Preston Tucker and even dug out a file from the basement with all sorts of stuff related to the Tucker including some stock certificates. Turns out my grandfather was the architect or contractor that your great grandfather brought on to convert the old Dodge plant over to make Tuckers. If you have access to any of the old records look up Eldon H Hayes.
@@erichgreen82grandparitchie23 sadly gramps went to be with grandma about 7 years after that conversation and a year after that my younger brother took it upon himself to clean out the basement, my brother unfortunately had and still has a " it's just stuff" attitude to things ( hence my only now considering passing on to my nieces some of their late aunt's belongings as 8 years on they are old enough to keep momentos of her from being caught up in his cleaning purges) and a lot of family history went out to the curb including all of the Tucker related items before my parents thought to check on exactly what was being cleared out.
WOW how kool is this to pop up on my feed. And Sean to be a Great grandson of Tucker the man before his time thats awsome you are interested in the automobile and its history. I'm now a subscriber and wanna learn more .
I'm glad to have discovered your Channel. My first exposure to the Tucker was in the museum in Sarasota, in the late 1970s. At that time I didn't realize it had less than 100 miles on it. Beautiful interesting car. I was not aware that the engine components that they made custom were done by Alcoa Aluminum Company. Interestingly enough, there was an entire aluminum car, called The Alcoa, that held a place in the same Museum. At the time, in 1988 I went to visit the same Museum, only to find out, that they had dissolved the car collection.
What a legacy. I did not know this channel existed.... Has a Tucker ever been in a major movie besides the one we all know? I would think that somewhere along the line a big Hollywood director would have wanted one to use.....
I don’t know if you are interested or not but I seen a Tucker engine in Broken Arrow Oklahoma in 1969 Glin Pray had it in parts. He reproduced the 810 cord and Auburn Boatail I don’t know what happened to all the parts. Thanks for the content. God Bless!!!!
Hi Sean, I have a Franklin Mint precision model of a 1948 Tucker in Waltz blue, Didn’t know that was the color until I watched this, enjoyed and glad I found your videos.
Will you be restoring one or both of these engines to running condition? Having all the parts 3D scanned and precision measurements taken of all machined surfaces and dimensions would be a useful project.
I had the pleasure of seeing Tucker #1050 and a spare engine at Dick's Classic Cars in San Marcos, Tx a few years ago. Sadly the owner passed away and have no idea what happened to the car but that thing was beautiful.
🇺🇸👍 great find who knows what may be found in years to come and then there’s the someone will find something in and old basement or warehouse not knowing what it is and call it junk and trash it could be a gauge a knob or anything it’s a shame.
There we 98 engines and 51 cars. I'm betting the Tucker you used to admire was 1050 as Dicks Classic Garage. We just might have a surprise for you in the next video. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Aren't virtually all of the cars accounted for, either existing, or known as wrecked? I was perusing a registry somewhere a while back and don't recall any of them as missing. But that's my recollection, and I'm no spring chicken.
Interestingly the heads are in great shape which was a common reason why engines were swapped out in the past. We are not sure why it was changed. Thanks so much for watching!
If that engine was originally installed in Tucker #31 (Vera Tucker's car), have you tracked why it is now obviously no longer in car #31? You were able to ascertain that by 1990, the engine was in the possession of Emmit Ryan (and hanging in that picture). What a strange journey to go from Vera's Tucker #31 to hanging from chains on an engine mount in 1990.
I inherited about $8Ks worth of unopened Franklin Mint vehicles when my Father passed in 2000, there is a brand new TUCKER amongst them in a stunning colour of Metallic Blue. He was in the RAF in WW11 and was very interested in these cars, did one have a heli engine in it or have I drempt that?, regards, UK
Was the film correct when they portrayed Howard Hughes calling Tucker to tell him where to buy these engines? Have they ever been used in helicopters as said in the film?
As far as we know the Howard Hughes story was created by Hollywood. However, yes they were helicopter engines prior to Tucker engines. Air cooled Franklin 335's!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Thank you for your reply. When I lived in Houston,Tx I had a very good old friend. His name was les Baldwin. Les was a veteran of WW II . After the war he and his wife settled in Tomball, Texas where they started a used car lot called " B&B Motors ". I mention this to let you know Les knew the car business going way back to the time this Car was made. After I saw the Tucker film I asked Les what he thought about Tucker. He said " Oh that guy was a con man ". I would like to believe he was wrong and he was only going by what he read in the press.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 I did some research and found those Franklin engines were used in several early helicopters including the Bell 47 as well as a few fixed wing aircraft.
So ... the Tucker motor originally from #31 .... what is the status of car #31? I am a car guy, and been one most of my life, but actually was never aware of the Tucker until I saw the film. Then doing some reading up ... was fascinated by the real story ... (and government over reach). I have yet failed to see a Tucker. Living near Scottsdale, I know there have been auctions, but I never made it to one that had a Tucker up for sale ... couldn't afford one anyhow ... but hope to see one someday.
looking at how that intake manifold arrangement has me wondering what 6 strombergs would do to pep that baby up, that stock intake is terrible for air flow and air velocity.
Do original Tucker automobile stock certificates have any value ? A few years ago I saw a certificate for 1,000 shares with coupons still attached at a garage sale for $100 didn't have the money at the time.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 there was a rumor floating around that Preston Tucker eventually offered to paid off all the investors with TRW stock when he sold Ypsilanti tool company to TRW in the early 1950s and TRW stock had split numerous times since then making a share of Tucker worth thousands of dollars. I guess that was just one of those automotive folktales.
Tucker's have a mystique about them, like the old Indian motorcycles. They disappeared with not much fanfare only to be become the most coveted brands, once they were gone.
My father-in law owed Mrs. Tucker's personal car in Walz Blue. He sold it years ago, and my father-in-law recently passed away. In his shop we found a Tucker engine. Would anyone have any idea on what it's worth?
All of the Tucker cars and parts which remained with the Tucker Corporation were auctioned off in 1950 as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. They filtered through various hands after that; these eventually ended up in the hands of Mr. Busker and later to us. Thanks for watching!
@@ShainAndrews 😆 Probably right, and I'm short on all 3 of them at the moment especially the $$$. Probably be cheaper for me to push the 7.3L in my 95 Ford Dually to 3-400 Horses than it would be to try and build a Tucker myself.
@@ShainAndrews 😆 personally I feel the 7.3L is too good of an engine to give the Cummins swap treatment to. Now if I had something with a 6.4L it would be a different story. But every person has their own preferences.
Hi Sean. The Tucker in Brazil has the original body with Cadillac chassisand engine. The original engine is in a second museum. Is it possible to find a chassis with suspension + gearbox + complete steering column for sale in the U.S. ? Can I have your email? Thank you
I have been told that the Tucker engine produced so much torque that if given the gas abruptly it could break the axles. I don't know if that is true story or not.
Sean, I read in one of the comments here that information was scanned in about body panels. Would it be possible to 3D print body panels out of plastic to build a new Tucker car.
It is technically possible but it would take quite a bit of effort and engineering to really make a presentable product. On the surface it sounds easy but in reality it would be a significant effort.
A bunch of fiberglass body parts were made for the movie. Where are the molds for those parts? I don't know what they did for the fake Tucker that was rolled in the movie.
First encountered a Book about Tucker from the library. Then purchased some books. Very interesting vehicle. To bad the government, Ford, GAN were involved in the Lie. I find this car as being way ahead of its time. What a shame it wasn't able to continue what a fantastic care Gilmore Museum has a Tucker. I enjoy looking at it when I visit.
Should model a brand new Aluminum or fiberglass version of one of the Tucker cars as a limited edition for Preston's 118th Year Birth. DO a full clone of the car using today's tech then sell another 30 - 60 cars. Use the same engines but in Aluminum. Yes im aware they wont be cheap but at least the world would get to celebrate again once more.
There are several, one from the 60’s called The Indominable Tin Goose, and a new one written recently by our friend Steve Lehto call Preston Tucker and his battle to build the car of tomorrow. Check them out!
My uncle had a '50 GMC pickup with a Tucker radio in it. As a kid I thought it was supposed to say "T R U C K E R" but was missing the first R. Later he told me the story. He had ordered a Tucker and made a deposit on it so he was sent the radio (as a 'good faith' statement or something like that). He said that everybody who ordered a Tucker received some part like that. Of course he never got his Tucker, so he put the radio in his pickup. Both the pickup and the radio are still in the family.
preston tucker was an immature shyster and, by the looks of things, both of THOSE traits are still in HIS family as well.
@@angeldawnmorningstar because he made the required 50 cars and still got railroaded? He was ahead of his time.
@@angeldawnmorningstar WTF. A baseless, nonsensical, lazy attempt at a personal insult...says a lot more about YOU than is speaks to Mr. Tucker. You didn't see the same video I saw.
@@angeldawnmorningstar And just how do you know that?! Let's see some facts!
Hey Angel, so was Shelby, Carnes, Chapman, Brabham, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Reventlow, McKee, DeLorean, Ford, Chevrolet..... Shall I go on? Or have I made my point?
Ahh you’re Mr. Tucker’s grandson. Now I understand. I was wondering why someone would be so into such a obscure car. Very cool. They are very neat cars.
Yes, that’s correct. Thanks for watching!
three Amazing Finds and getting the one engine back I bet felt like finding a long lost family member !
It always does, we are hoping to eventually account. For all 98 engines just like all the cars were accounted for. We are well on our way! Thanks foe watching.
Hi Sean. There is a Tucker in a museum in Brazil, sent by the company to a dealer. There is also a Tucker engine in another museum and people say it does not belong to the car in Brazil. Please make a video about the Tucker in Brazil. The engine was used in a racing boat and is in working condition.
We'd love to if we can make our way down there someday! We would be very interested in learning what the engine number is in the racing boat. Thanks so much for watching!
We know the story well and would love to be able to see Tucker 1035 and research the engine!
The Tucker really is the quintessential Platonic Ideal 1940s American car.
OMG! I've been in love with this car since seeing one as a boy.
So have we! Thanks so much for watching.
A friend of mine and I visited a small car museum in Holland, Michigan in about 1976. We impressed the owner with our know age of the cars in his collection as we named each one as well as the years. He took us into the back shop where he restored the cars. He pointed to a car with three headlights and asked us what it was. Neither of us knew that was the first Tucker I ever saw. Wish I remembered the name of the museum, it was just down the road from the wood shoe factory, in Holland. Carl
#1049 Now owened by a private collector in California.
Very cool story, thanks for watching!
Superb video. Amazing that you not only secured the engines but all the details behind them. Thank God for people like you as the general public would never see this kind of stuff.
they were heliocopter engines???
I was always curious about the various iterations of the Bell 47 motor, to crate and finally to car.
Great story and intriguing automotive forensics on the Tucker; gentleman. TY.
Awesome to see those engines have survived.
Agreed! Thanks for watching
Just when you think history can't surprise you anymore, these fantastic items show up. The knowledge and back story is amazing!
We do our best to accurately research what we find. Thanks for watching!
So as a teenager in the late 60’s, I remember going to see my brother in law and as I was walking to his house, I saw a car with three headlights, one being in the middle of the hood. I stopped and looked at the car having never seen three headlights.. I don’t have a perfect recollection of the entire car, but that headlight is vivid. It looked factory. This is why I subscribed, what an awesome automobile.. so ahead of it’s time
Thanks so much for watching!
Austin Atlantic also had centre headlight......
@@chasevans7171 did they move with the steering wheel ?
@@roystonmason9125 no, centre lamp was fixed.
@@chasevans7171 fascinating
Thank you for saving these items of automotive history.
You bet! Thanks so much for watching
Great information 👍
Thanks for watching!
Here in Toledo there was a car wash owner who had several classic cars like Dusenberg Auburn and yes a white Tucker. All were top restorations as were his other cars. His name was Conrad owed a couple of car washes two of them displayed in show rooms at the car washes. Conrad was older than my father who was born in 1919. I first saw his Tucker in the early sixties I have yet to find where the car went after he passed away.
Hmm, could have been a couple different cars. We’d have to look at our ownership records for a Conrad. We will see what we can find. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 I can add this car was on display in the sixties when I first saw it but I can't recall when I last saw it.
Man what a great find! Congratulations! I can’t wait to see follow up on those beauty’s! Thank you for sharing this great piece of historic legendary engines.😎👍
Thanks so much for watching!
I Absolutely Thank You For Your Videos ,Very Good Job !!!
Thanks for watching!
thanks for posting good luck with the "TUCKERS" love the cars and the channel
Thank you!
That is awesome loved the movie
A few years ago I visited the Henry Ford museum. The Tucker displayed at that time was missing the right front brake components as well as the left rear components. I always wondered if they were used to make reproduction parts for another Tucker that was being restored somewhere.
Those ones were not used, but others were. That’s probably when they were preparing the car for Pebble Beach in 2018. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948
That makes sense as it was July of 2017 when I went. Thanks!!
Hi Sean,
I have restored a 1939 Cadillac and had engine help from a older gentleman, He had a set of disc brakes for a tucker. back in the day he was known for rebuilding Cadillac flat heads and Packard straight 8s. The last time I went to see him he was quite forgetful of things but I'll check if he still has these brakes.
Wow we would love to see what he has. The pilot Tucker '48s had drum brakes but there are prototype disc brakes that exist and were intended for the car.
Thanks for watching!
I live about a mile down the road from where the Aircooled Motors plant was. I just posted on the "Tucker '48 Automobile" FB page, some old and present-day pictures and old newspaper articles about Tucker and Aircooled Motors.
Way cool! Love the history of Tucker and am enthralled with your recent recent finds. You're a great ambassador for the Tucker story and I can't wait to see more videos - Subscribed!
Thank you so much for watching!
In 1970 I made friends with an old man on a farm outside of Detroit in Shelby Township. He had a black with gray interior Tucker sitting out on the rural road near the mailbox. I knew what it was even then and I was pretty much obsessed with it. Tom Goff, the owner, said if my dad would buy him a new 1970 Cadillac Coup De Ville I could have it. The car had about 12,000 miles on it but had a cracked block. Well, I never got the car but I heard it went into a private museum nearby for a while, there was an ownership issue, and I think the car is in the Peterson in California. The good ol' days...
Car #1028. Now in the Maine Classic Car Museum
That would have been Tucker #30!
Years ago I used to visit a guy south of Omaha Nebraska that was a Studebaker dealer. He was at the sale in 1950 and had a crate Tucker engine.
Very cool, wish we knew where it was now! Thanks for watching
I remember that a 3/4 scale tucker was built by some one maybe 30 yearsl ago. I read about it in a magazine. It did have a more modern trany and engine. Just the look. The Tucker was/is a beautiful car and cool looking
I think you are probably referring to Rob Ida’s Tucker recreations, not 3/4 scale. His work is absolutely amazing, he makes his art look easy. Truly a master of his craft and one of our best friends to boot. We are very fortunate to get to spend so much time with Rob and Bob.
When I was a little kid I lived in the garage of the tucker house in Ypsilanti
Very cool James! The garage is gone now and 110 N. Park has been vacant for years. Would be cool to restore the place someday!
Fantastic finds and great stories behind them.
Rather than scraping off paint to read the numbers or identification marks you can put a sheet of paper over the area and just rub your thumb over the top to press the paper onto the details. Then use a dark crayon or similar side on to capture the high spots with the information.
Thanks! It had been repainted anyhow so hopefully no harm, no foul. Thanks for watching!
The engine in my M-4 Maule is a 235 HP 6-cylinder air-cooled Franklin. They're amazing engines. I'd love to see a video of the history of the acquisition of the Tucker Franklins as it compares to the movie. Thanx and keep the Legend alive ... ^v^
Thanks so much for watching!
Wow! Fascinating. I'm a newer subscriber and amazed with these findings. Obtaining the engines and a wheel is like a miracle.
I'd been under the belief that Waltz Blue didn't make it into production, based on the Hollywood movie which generally are full of flaws. It's real nice learning that Mrs. Tucker was able to have her Waltz Blue and for us to connect what we're seeing to the actual color that she chose--if that part of the movie was accurate.
It was and yes that’s waltz blue from the dress. Thanks for watching!
Well heck this just popped up in my feed. Consider me subscribed. 40 plus years ago I must have been 17 years old or so and was crazy over classic cars ( mind you this was the late 70s so 60s and 50s " beaters" were still plentiful for a teen boy with a freshly minted license) when my grandfather told me of a legendary vehicle made by a man named Preston Tucker and even dug out a file from the basement with all sorts of stuff related to the Tucker including some stock certificates.
Turns out my grandfather was the architect or contractor that your great grandfather brought on to convert the old Dodge plant over to make Tuckers.
If you have access to any of the old records look up Eldon H Hayes.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK===THIS STUFF IS TOO VALUABLE TO LOSE''
@@erichgreen82grandparitchie23 sadly gramps went to be with grandma about 7 years after that conversation and a year after that my younger brother took it upon himself to clean out the basement, my brother unfortunately had and still has a " it's just stuff" attitude to things ( hence my only now considering passing on to my nieces some of their late aunt's belongings as 8 years on they are old enough to keep momentos of her from being caught up in his cleaning purges) and a lot of family history went out to the curb including all of the Tucker related items before my parents thought to check on exactly what was being cleared out.
@@garysprandel1817 Sad. That stuff isn't growing on trees and also has collector value. Could have been like putting money bags out at the curb.
Will do, thanks for watching!
Glad you got a microphone! Love your videos!!!
Still working to make the videos better, Thanks so much for watching!
WOW how kool is this to pop up on my feed. And Sean to be a Great grandson of Tucker the man before his time thats awsome you are interested in the automobile and its history. I'm now a subscriber and wanna learn more .
We have posted a few more videos, check them out!
Great history saved, keep up the good work!
We will, thanks for watching!
I'm glad to have discovered your Channel. My first exposure to the Tucker was in the museum in Sarasota, in the late 1970s. At that time I didn't realize it had less than 100 miles on it. Beautiful interesting car. I was not aware that the engine components that they made custom were done by Alcoa Aluminum Company. Interestingly enough, there was an entire aluminum car, called The Alcoa, that held a place in the same Museum. At the time, in 1988 I went to visit the same Museum, only to find out, that they had dissolved the car collection.
I believe that the aluminum car developed by Alcoa is now in the collection of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan
there is a classic car museum in sarasota we went there a couple years ago
Car #1045 Walter Bellm's museum in Sarasota. Now in Melbourne, Australia
Thanks for watching!
What a legacy. I did not know this channel existed.... Has a Tucker ever been in a major movie besides the one we all know? I would think that somewhere along the line a big Hollywood director would have wanted one to use.....
There was a Tucker build by Rob Ida in the move Sin City 2. Thanks for watching!
I don’t know if you are interested or not but I seen a Tucker engine in Broken Arrow Oklahoma in 1969 Glin Pray had it in parts. He reproduced the 810 cord and Auburn Boatail I don’t know what happened to all the parts. Thanks for the content. God Bless!!!!
Great video! Keep them coming!
Thanks so much for watching!
Hi Sean, I have a Franklin Mint precision model of a 1948 Tucker in Waltz blue, Didn’t know that was the color until I watched this, enjoyed and glad I found your videos.
See my post at the top !!!
Thanks for watching!
I was the caretaker of the first engine for a long time. Glad to know Tom finally got rid of it.
Thanks for taking such great care of it!
I also kept a few things from that tucker. Mostly interior pieces .
So cool that he keepted the history complete for you to have now , and taking us back in time when following the time line 👍🏽😀👍🏻
Thank you!
New subscriber, How cool to have two of them!
We are very lucky! Thanks for watching
Love what you guys are doing on this channel 👍
Thank you so much Steve!
Great video, really enjoyed!
Thank you!
I would like to see the linkage connecting the steering to the center headlight.
Coming up in a future video, thanks for watching!
Will you be restoring one or both of these engines to running condition? Having all the parts 3D scanned and precision measurements taken of all machined surfaces and dimensions would be a useful project.
Yes, stay tuned. Thanks for watching!
Really fascinating stuff!!! I'm hoping to see a teardown of at least one of those motors. Subbed and I'll keep watching.
Stay tuned and thanks for watching!
THIS IS AMAZING STUFF. THANKS FOR SHARING IT...
Glad you enjoyed it!
I had the pleasure of seeing Tucker #1050 and a spare engine at Dick's Classic Cars in San Marcos, Tx a few years ago. Sadly the owner passed away and have no idea what happened to the car but that thing was beautiful.
Tucker #1050 will be featured in some upcoming videos!
@@blknotch1 sweet!!!
Check out our other videos with #50!
🇺🇸👍 great find who knows what may be found in years to come and then there’s the someone will find something in and old basement or warehouse not knowing what it is and call it junk and trash it could be a gauge a knob or anything it’s a shame.
It’s amazing what people saved related to Tucker, the car and story were loved by so many. Thanks for watching!
So Vera Tucker's Car was painted her favorite color, Waltz Blue?
Correct, 1031 was Waltz Blue. Thanks for watching!
UNBELIEVEABLE''====SWEET
Thank you so much for watching!
The holes in the wheels, the Cords had those as well. My fathers 1937 Cord Phaeton super charged convertible had those same features.
Yes, agreed. Thanks for watching!
Absolutely Amazing! When do We Go Back into Production?
That would be awesome, thanks for watching!
How many more engines were there than cars? I used to admire a Tucker in a museum in Tx, would love to find one squirreled away in a barn.
There we 98 engines and 51 cars. I'm betting the Tucker you used to admire was 1050 as Dicks Classic Garage. We just might have a surprise for you in the next video. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Aren't virtually all of the cars accounted for, either existing, or known as wrecked? I was perusing a registry somewhere a while back and don't recall any of them as missing. But that's my recollection, and I'm no spring chicken.
The Ultimate underdog
Agreed! Thanks so much for watching
The hose clamps are standard aircraft items. Still available.
They style is, but if you have a stash of these exact clamps please contact us at info@tuckercorporation.com. Thanks for watching!
I’m curious why the engine was taken out of car #31. Any idea? Blown heads and replaced?
Interestingly the heads are in great shape which was a common reason why engines were swapped out in the past. We are not sure why it was changed. Thanks so much for watching!
That’s amazing! Can’t get enough Tucker! Why was the engine pulled from #31?
We are not sure why it was changed or when. We will keep digging. Thanks so much for watching!
Very cool.
Thanks so much for watching!
If that piece modified on the oil pan is at the rear, it would help to prevent oil starvation during acceleration.
Is the Tucker wheel made of aluminum? Young Mr. Tucker seemed to pick it up very easily.
He works out! It's make of steel. Thanks for watching!
I predict, thanks to these videos, Tucker parts will turn up from viewers.
Lets hope so!
We hope so, thanks for watching!
Awesome,,Thanks
Thanks so much for watching!
If that engine was originally installed in Tucker #31 (Vera Tucker's car), have you tracked why it is now obviously no longer in car #31? You were able to ascertain that by 1990, the engine was in the possession of Emmit Ryan (and hanging in that picture). What a strange journey to go from Vera's Tucker #31 to hanging from chains on an engine mount in 1990.
Sure beats watching the "History" channel.
Agreed, thanks for watching
Fascinating video and Fabulous Finds but what happened to the rest of Vera Tucker's car?
Owned by a collector in Nevada. Thanks for watching!
Good stuff!👍 I sub’ed.
Thank you!
Great job guys. Do you know if any Tuckers were sold in Montana?
Thanks Butch! Not to our knowledge, there are no sold cars noted that went to Montana as of December 1948.
very very cool video! Would like to see those engines run in or out of the car!
We will post some additional videos running cars in future videos, thanks for watching!
It just occurred to me that BMWs famous “Hofmeister Kink” in the rear window should really be called the “Tucker Kink” since it predates it.
I inherited about $8Ks worth of unopened Franklin Mint vehicles when my Father passed in 2000, there is a brand new TUCKER amongst them in a stunning colour of Metallic Blue. He was in the RAF in WW11 and was very interested in these cars, did one have a heli engine in it or have I drempt that?, regards, UK
Yes, modified Franklin. Thanks for watching!
I would like to see the inside of the crankcase and the like
It's coming, thanks for watching!
Was the film correct when they portrayed Howard Hughes calling Tucker to tell him
where to buy these engines? Have they ever been used in helicopters as said in the film?
I was thinking the same thing when this video started.
As far as we know the Howard Hughes story was created by Hollywood. However, yes they were helicopter engines prior to Tucker engines. Air cooled Franklin 335's!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Thank you for your reply. When I lived in Houston,Tx I had a very good old friend. His name was les Baldwin. Les was a veteran of WW II . After the war he and his wife settled in Tomball, Texas where they started a used car lot called " B&B Motors ". I mention this to let you know Les knew the car business going way back to the time this Car was made.
After I saw the Tucker film I asked Les what he thought about Tucker. He said " Oh that guy was a con man ". I would like to believe he was wrong and he was only going by what he read in the press.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 I did some research and found those Franklin engines were used in several early helicopters including the Bell 47 as well as a few fixed wing aircraft.
Were those engines found in a mechanics basement on the East Coast with a Video a couple of years ago?
No, different engines. That was only one if I remember correctly, and these were on the west coast. Thanks for watching!
Wow!
Thanks for watching!
I saw a tucker a few times here in Atlanta. It use to be in a museum in stone mountain park! Do you have any idea what car number it was by chance?
Tucker 1049. It is now owned by an individual in California.
Yes, what our good friend Larry said. Thanks for watching!
Thanks I was just thrilled to see it back in the day!
So ... the Tucker motor originally from #31 .... what is the status of car #31? I am a car guy, and been one most of my life, but actually was never aware of the Tucker until I saw the film. Then doing some reading up ... was fascinated by the real story ... (and government over reach). I have yet failed to see a Tucker. Living near Scottsdale, I know there have been auctions, but I never made it to one that had a Tucker up for sale ... couldn't afford one anyhow ... but hope to see one someday.
31 is now owned by a collector in Nevada. Thanks for watching!
looking at how that intake manifold arrangement has me wondering what 6 strombergs would do to pep that baby up, that stock intake is terrible for air flow and air velocity.
Lots of potential! Thanks for watching
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 take one of those spare engines and and show us the true potential.
$1300.00 1950 dollars equates to $14,348 2021 dollars.
We got $14,351 but the numbers are close. Thanks for watching!
Do original Tucker automobile stock certificates have any value ? A few years ago I saw a certificate for 1,000 shares with coupons still attached at a garage sale for $100 didn't have the money at the time.
Yes, the have collector value today. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 there was a rumor floating around that Preston Tucker eventually offered to paid off all the investors with TRW stock when he sold Ypsilanti tool company to TRW in the early 1950s and TRW stock had split numerous times since then making a share of Tucker worth thousands of dollars. I guess that was just one of those automotive folktales.
Might be nice to reunite that spare wheel with the correct car.
Thanks for watching!
Tucker's have a mystique about them, like the old Indian motorcycles. They disappeared with not much fanfare only to be become the most coveted brands, once they were gone.
Agreed! Thanks for watching.
My father-in law owed Mrs. Tucker's personal car in Walz Blue. He sold it years ago, and my father-in-law recently passed away. In his shop we found a Tucker engine. Would anyone have any idea on what it's worth?
Did your great grandmother or grandparents sell the motor? Or was it given to the busker family?
All of the Tucker cars and parts which remained with the Tucker Corporation were auctioned off in 1950 as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. They filtered through various hands after that; these eventually ended up in the hands of Mr. Busker and later to us. Thanks for watching!
Jeez. Imagine what mororing would be like if the big 3 didn't meddle with Tucker.
We do all the time! Thanks for watching.
Too bad you can't build one of these today as a kit car. Engine and all.
Oh it can be done. Just a mater of time, money and GAS (give a shit).
@@ShainAndrews 😆 Probably right, and I'm short on all 3 of them at the moment especially the $$$. Probably be cheaper for me to push the 7.3L in my 95 Ford Dually to 3-400 Horses than it would be to try and build a Tucker myself.
@@SOU6900 Ummmm yeah. LOL. Personally I'd Cummins swap it... but that's more $$$ than just turning up the wick on what you have already.
@@ShainAndrews 😆 personally I feel the 7.3L is too good of an engine to give the Cummins swap treatment to. Now if I had something with a 6.4L it would be a different story. But every person has their own preferences.
@@SOU6900 Yup to each their own.
Hi Sean. The Tucker in Brazil has the original body with Cadillac chassisand engine. The original engine is in a second museum. Is it possible to find a chassis with suspension + gearbox + complete steering column for sale in the U.S. ? Can I have your email? Thank you
Some items maybe located, but given the unibody construction there are no traditional “frames” out there. Our email is info@tuckercorporation.com
I have been told that the Tucker engine produced so much torque that if given the gas abruptly it could break the axles. I don't know if that is true story or not.
Hi Clifford, yes they have been known to do so. Thanks for watching!
Too frigging oddball geeking out over hoseclamps is a bit too far xD
Well you watched it! Thanks for watching.
Such a crime that the Big 3, squashed Preston and his innovative design.
Sean, I read in one of the comments here that information was scanned in about body panels. Would it be possible to 3D print body panels out of plastic to build a new Tucker car.
It is technically possible but it would take quite a bit of effort and engineering to really make a presentable product. On the surface it sounds easy but in reality it would be a significant effort.
A bunch of fiberglass body parts were made for the movie. Where are the molds for those parts? I don't know what they did for the fake Tucker that was rolled in the movie.
@@greggv8 I wonder if they weren't destroyed so there wouldn't be anymore cars.
Thanks for watching!
The movie said it was a helicopter engine. Are parts available from that source? When Leno drove Coppolas Tucker it leaked anti freeze.
Yes, it was a Franklin but they have since disappeared as well. There is a small but dedicated group keeping that going as well.
Are all the Tuckers accounted for?
Yes they are. Thanks for watching!
We have form filled out when he ordered one. It' marked as payed and also says refund. So close!
Oh man, what could have been! Thanks for watching.
"This engine is a special motor". 😂
Well, it is! Thanks for watching!
First encountered a Book about Tucker from the library. Then purchased some books. Very interesting vehicle. To bad the government, Ford, GAN were involved in the Lie. I find this car as being way ahead of its time. What a shame it wasn't able to continue what a fantastic care Gilmore Museum has a Tucker. I enjoy looking at it when I visit.
Thanks for watching!
@@anthonygaby6617 Wow and I like Studebakers. That is interesting. Back when Studebakers were making wagons they were a supplier to the gov.
@@anthonygaby6617 Cool
WHere did you find the the engines? How do you figure out if one of the engines came from #31?
Should model a brand new Aluminum or fiberglass version of one of the Tucker cars as a limited edition for Preston's 118th Year Birth. DO a full clone of the car using today's tech then sell another 30 - 60 cars. Use the same engines but in Aluminum. Yes im aware they wont be cheap but at least the world would get to celebrate again once more.
Check out Rob Ida’s recreations, they are amazing! Thanks so much for watching.
Is there any one definitive book on the Tucker history.
There are several, one from the 60’s called The Indominable Tin Goose, and a new one written recently by our friend Steve Lehto call Preston Tucker and his battle to build the car of tomorrow. Check them out!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Thank you very much.