Jump to content

Tucker #1010 is going to auction !


Guest TuckerFan48

Recommended Posts

Guest TuckerFan48

After being locked away in an Auburn WA. garage for over 50 years Tucker #1010 has finally seen sunlight again. The car has been sold to an undisclosed buyer who has put the car up for auction in January 2011 at Scottsdale. The brokers that handled the sale had been asking 500K for the car. Photos of the car show it is in horrible shape and will need a complete restoration. After all the stories about the cars condition it turns out the car never hit a tree but received some minor front end damage while in the garage. The car was in many pieces but it appears most of the parts were still there. Rats destroyed the interior which was not original anyway.

#1010 is an original Waltz Blue car that was poorly repainted a light blue in the mid 50s. The original engine, #33513, is frozen but in the car. Fifty years of Tacoma area weather has not been kind to the car as it has lots of surface rust. Like many cars it is missing its Tucker hubcaps.

The former owner bought it for $1,500 on June 19<SUP>th</SUP> 1956 and drove it only 603 miles in 1956 before mechanical problems took the car off the road. It was then locked away over 50 years ago. The cars odometer has been at 9819.7 miles since then. Over the years the owner would not talk with many about the car but was active in The Tucker Automobile Club of America for awhile and even served as President for a year in 1980. He did confirm with several members that the mileage on the car was 109,819. He passed away in 2008 and after several buyers failed in attempting to purchase the car the family hired someone to broker the car for them.

Here are some of the first photos of the car taken in the secret garage space the car has been in since the late 50s. Hopefully the new owner will do a proper restoration of the car.

post-69396-143138337579_thumb.jpg

post-69396-143138337582_thumb.jpg

post-69396-143138337584_thumb.jpg

post-69396-143138337587_thumb.jpg

post-69396-143138337588_thumb.jpg

post-69396-14313833759_thumb.jpg

post-69396-143138337592_thumb.jpg

post-69396-143138337594_thumb.jpg

post-69396-143138337596_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Silverghost

I agree with Jeff's above comment.

I also don't see what all the fuss was about with the AACA Hershey Museum getting the "Tucker Collection" (three cars).

It was very nice for their owner to donate them... eventually !

BUT~

All the muuseum really needed was ONE Tucker.

Any car museum has limited space to display it's cars. Why display three of the exact same make &model car, except for color, in their OWN wing ?

Do Tucker cars deserve their own display wing ?

Why display THREE of the same car ?

This just shows you the power of a popular Hollywood Movie ; and it's ability to sway public opinion.

I know this comment will ruffle some fethers~

This is NOT my intent; just my opinion!

Do not want to hit a Hornet's nest with this opinion.

Edited by Silverghost (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know it's blasphemy but I've never been a huge fan. They are not exactly attractive cars. The limited production and unique mechanical characteristics certainly make them collectible but million dollar cars? Have you seen what else you can get for the same money????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What has happened to the red one that was always at Hersey in the late 70's early 80's I got married and sold my Lincolns and haven't been to Hersey since 1982. I ran across some photos of the Tucker and wondered what had become of it. An older couple would just come and park it and sit there. My guess was that they were the original owners and just liked the car. Leroy Ft myers, Fl.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tuckers are interesting cars. I think that they evoke the emotion of "What might have been?" I don't know if Tucker was a scammer, the victim of an evil corporate conspiracy, a nut, somewhere in between or a combination of these.

With that said, I think that a lot of folks are really drawn to the Tucker Story and will be quite happy to go to see a collection of Tuckers. They are certainly a bit different than anything else from their time period. They are rather rare, and for all of these reasons they will always attract attention.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brad,

The Cammack Collection will include more than just cars. The family made a very substantial financial commitment to help build the museum. In addition, for many years they have donated to the club, museum and library.

Amazing how many stories there are about Tuckers. Directly across the street from my former dealership was a company called Dairy Rich Ice Cream. In a back building they had a yellow Tucker with the company name written on it. It was covered with dirt, angle iron and wood planks. A friend and I made an offer on it but our timing stunk. The owner was thinking about it and then the movie came out........needless to say the price skyrocketed and was sold for six figure money!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brad,

The Cammack Collection will include more than just cars.

I was able to tour the Cammack collection earlier this year at the current Washington DC area location. All I can say is WOW! Never mind the three complete cars he has, but consider artifacts like the No. 2 development chassis with the original large displacement transverse engine using hydraulically-actuated valves (NOT hydraulic lifters, but individual hydraulic lines to an actuator on each valve) and direct fluid coupling drive to the two rear wheels. He also has about a half dozen of the later flat-six engines in various stages of the development process, including air-cooled variants. He has a large room full of factory documentation as well. This is just an incredible collection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Silverghost

I hear through my west coast contacts that there is a movie about the late John Delorean being shopped around now~

John's later in life story is indeed very similar to Preston Tucker's story.

BUT~

John's entire automotive career is far more successful and interesting.

Should we all be buying-up Delorean cars before the movie comes-out and the eventual resulting big price hike ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hear through my west coast contacts that there is a movie about the late John Delorean being shopped around now~

John's later in life story is indeed very similar to Preston Tucker's story.

BUT~

John's entire automotive career is far more successful and interesting.

Should we all be buying-up Delorean cars before the movie comes-out and the eventual resulting big price hike ?

I don't think that I will buy one. I drove a DeLorean once and it rode like a truck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Silverghost

I would bet that if you were to dig way back into pre-1920 automotive history, and the 1000+ early car builders that came and went, you might find many a similar shattered dream story as Preston Tucker's .

They, unlike Tucker, are now mostly long since forgotten.

Nobody has made a movie about their lives and deams~

The world needs more dreamers !

I really think it is Preston Tucker's story & dream that really captured the general public's attention, after the movie, rather than the actual design merits of his car .

Edited by Silverghost (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest De Soto Frank

What a mess... especially for a car that's been "Garaged" for 50 years... its first 12 years must have been hard ones...

Going to take a lot of love and $$$ to make this one nice again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Silverghost

What ever happened to the so called "Tucker Convertable " that was offered for sale some time ago ?

(Tucker never Actually built a convertable.)

Was it ever completed ?

Did it get sold ?

Out of the 50 or so Tuckers built.

How many are known to survive ?

We don't know who actually bought this rust-bucket mess above, or what he paid~

BUT...

I would bet that this speculator will get burned at the uncomming Az. auction !

I cannot wait to hear the hype & spin story that the auction company places on this car at their auction.

Edited by Silverghost (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TuckerFan48

i think 49 survive. my dad repainted one back in the early fifties... it was from a used car lot owned by 'mad man muntz' in the LA area... got a photo somewhere of my dad in the tucker. he remembers that it was priced like $1995 or so...

I'd love to see the photo or get more information about this. (what year, what color it was, what color it was painted, his name, etc.) All part of the history on these cars.

The car you mention has had a very interesting history and I would love to ad the information you have to the story.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have mentioned this in a previous post, but thought it would fit in here as well. In about 1975 or 1976 I was working at a building designer's office on 132 Street in Hawthorne, California. I used to walk around the block on my breaks. On the first walk I took, I walked down 132 Street to Inglewood Avenue from the Denny's at Hawthorne Blvd. I went around the corner at the Moose Lodge and walked south. Next door to the Moose Lodge was a body shop. As I walked past the open door, I saw a gold Tucker. It was just inside the door and covered with boxes and stuff. Mostly, I remember seeing the rear egg-crate grille, the six exhaust pipes and the "TUCKER" name across the bumper. Don't know why I never walked in and asked about it. I still wonder where that one went.

Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TuckerFan48

Love your story. Gotta love Google Earth. The Moose Lodge is exactly where you said it was on the corner of 132nd Ave and Inglewood. Even the Dennys is there at 13201 Hawthorne.

In 1975 there was a Tucker owner that lived not far from there at all. At that time his car was undergoing a long restoration. It would have been more of a bronze color than gold but under certain light probably could have looked gold. That Tucker was #1017.

The car was restored again a few years ago to its original Green color and today is one of the most flawless Tuckers in existence. #1017 currently lives in Denver.

Edited by TuckerFan48 (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love your story. Gotta love Google Earth. The Moose Lodge is exactly where you said it was on the corner of 132nd Ave and Inglewood. Even the Dennys is there at 13201 Hawthorne.

In 1975 there was a Tucker owner that lived not far from there at all. At that time his car was undergoing a long restoration. It would have been more of a bronze color than gold but under certain light probably could have looked gold. That Tucker was #1017.

The car was restored again a few years ago to its original Green color and today is one of the most flawless Tuckers in existence. #1017 currently lives in Denver.

WOW!! Finally...an answer. I bet that's the car. It was quite dim in the body shop and I never went through the door (liability thoughts, I imagine), so it could very well have been a bronze color. You know, I am 58 now, so my memory has dimmed. The designer's place that I worked at was one house off of Inglewood Ave. The guy's name was Bruno J. Bernauer. Don't know if he is still around, either. I worked there from mid 1975 to mid 1976.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I show the Tucker movie every year to my eighth grade technology class. Some kids like it, most hate it, but I never get tired of seeing it. It's historically very accurate, and the details that George Lucas and Francis Ford Copola put into it are amazing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I show the Tucker movie every year to my eighth grade technology class. Some kids like it, most hate it, but I never get tired of seeing it. It's historically very accurate, and the details that George Lucas and Francis Ford Copola put into it are amazing.

Steve

There are historians who would argue the historical accuracy, but sadly most are dying off. I can't imagine anyone not liking the film as entertainment though. I loved it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tucker Fan 48

A few years ago, Dr. Larry Clark, an automotive historian considered to be an authority on the Tucker, published this interesting study of the accuracy of the movie versus what is documented about Preston Tucker and his company. If you are a fan of the movie or not, the study gives an interesting look at what really happened.

Here is a link to his study:

:: The Official Tucker Club of America :: Tucker the man and his dream.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest billybird

I think there is a certain stigma about anything rare and elusive; whether it is a 1948 Tucker, a 1913 Liberty Head nickel, or an original copy of The Declaration of Independence. Stuff like that just fascinates me and I gorge on it. But, thats just me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Billy, unlike the Declaration of Independence and the 1913 nickel, the Tucker was a failure. It's no beauty queen either, the one in the OP is missing the forehead headlight, two large headlights are all that are needed.

I think that there are photos of the center lamp in the trunk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A blue Tucker is now in Australia

Was at the Motorclassica - The Australian International Concours d'Elegance & Classic Motor Show Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens, Melbourne, Australia 16 - 24 October 2010

Image here Concours d'Elegance

Was displayed as a recent import ex an USA auction

The now favourable $Au $US exchange rate has resulted in many collectable cars coming into Australia

Edited by 1939_buick (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Silverghost

Tucker Fan48 & others:

What ever happened to Walter Bellm's two Tuckers that he had in his Antique car & Mechanical Music Machine museum in Sarasota Fl. ?

I beleve when I saw them in the 1970s one was only partially complete.

I had heard that he had sold one, or both for some serious money some time ago.

Walter sold many great museum collection items off about 20 years ago.

Was the incomplete car ever properly restored ?

There was also another Tucker that used to attend car shows in Eastern Pa. in the 1970s.

Perhapps it also was the car mentioned above in a prior post that often apreared at the fall Hershey meet ?

I have not seen it in decades ~

Edited by Silverghost (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest billybird

There are two Tuckers listed in the AACA Winners Book. One from 1977, the other from 1981. Neither of those were owned by Walter Bellm at the time according to the book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Silverghost

While we are on the subject of Tuckers~

Just off-topic...

But of interest!

How did they ever convert an air-cooled Franklin Helo. aircraft engine to liquid cooled ?

Were the castings changed ?

or were waterjackets somehow added ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tucker Fan 48

The Tucker at Walter Bellm's "Cars and Music Of Yesteryear " in Sarasota, FL was Tucker #1045. The car that was recently sold for $1,127,500 at auction. Bellm sold it in October of 1987. I am unaware of a second Tucker at Bellm's. I would love to hear more about it. (color, condition, year seen, photos, etc.)

The car at the AACA Hershey Meets in the 70s was #1008 which belonged to Les Sheaffer at the time. #1008 was shown in Hershey in 1976 & 1977. He sold #1008 to the Imperial Palace in the late 70s. Sheaffer later owned Tucker #1044.

What names are listed for the two Tuckers in the AACA Winners Book?

post-61682-143138338957_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest billybird
The Tucker at Walter Bellm's "Cars and Music Of Yesteryear " in Sarasota, FL was Tucker #1045. The car that was recently sold for $1,127,500 at auction. Bellm sold it in October of 1987. I am unaware of a second Tucker at Bellm's. I would love to hear more about it. (color, condition, year seen, photos, etc.)

The car at the AACA Hershey Meets in the 70s was #1008 which belonged to Les Sheaffer at the time. #1008 was shown in Hershey in 1976 & 1977. He sold #1008 to the Imperial Palace in the late 70s. Sheaffer later owned Tucker #1044.

What names are listed for the two Tuckers in the AACA Winners Book?

Steven Nicas 1977. Lester Sheafer 1981. The book only states where the First Junior was won. 1977-Redondo Beach; 1981-Reading.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...