Tucker #1010 is going to auction !

[Lozierman]

I was telling me dad about these comments regarding Tuckers here on the AACA website. He mentioned he looked at one here in the Seattle area, actually White Center a suburb of Seattle, back in the early 50s. It was for sale on a car dealer's lot. He thinks it was a silver blue color, but maybe wrong in the exact color after all this was many years ago. He looked at buying it, but bought a used Cadillac instead. A few years later the Cadillac was stolen, but recovered in eastern Washington where it was abandoned after running out of gas! Wonder if the Tucker could have made it that far?

The car dealer went on to sell Volkswagens, and in fact my wife bought a new 1976 Sirocco from him. This dealership is no longer in business.

[Guest TuckerFan48]

There was another Tucker at the Pioneer Museum near Rapid City, SD. Any idea what happened to that one?

That was Tucker #1031. The car was originally owned by Vera Tucker, Preston Tucker's wife, and is painted in her favorite Waltz Blue color. The car has very low miles and is in excellent condition. It was sold by Mrs. Tucker in 1962 to the Busker family in South Dakota. They owned the car until just recently when it was sold to a private collector in California.

[Guest TuckerFan48]

I was telling me dad about these comments regarding Tuckers here on the AACA website. He mentioned he looked at one here in the Seattle area, actually White Center a suburb of Seattle, back in the early 50s. It was for sale on a car dealer's lot. He thinks it was a silver blue color, but maybe wrong in the exact color after all this was many years ago. He looked at buying it, but bought a used Cadillac instead. A few years later the Cadillac was stolen, but recovered in eastern Washington where it was abandoned after running out of gas! Wonder if the Tucker could have made it that far?

The car dealer went on to sell Volkswagens, and in fact my wife bought a new 1976 Sirocco from him. This dealership is no longer in business.

Great story! Can you give a few more details about this dealer? Name, location, etc.?

Maybe you can pin down the date a little closer. (What year was the Cadillac and when was it stolen?).

There was a car out that way for a short time. If it is the same car it is still roadworthy today so it certainly would have made it to Eastern Washington. Most likely it would have gone a lot farther than the Cadillac as a Tucker, even at well over 3,000 pounds, will get 20+ MPG. Not bad for a 1948 automobile.

Of course as far as resale, That Tucker is worth somewhere around $750,000 to $1,000,000 dollars today. I don't think the Cadillac is in that range.

Even Tucker #1010 still sold for around $350,000 in its present condition.

[supersix]

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?

I was at the museum in the 80's and remember that the Tucker was green. Could this be the 2nd Tucker referred to or has #1045 been repainted with a color change?

[Guest TuckerFan48]

Tucker #1045 was a blue green, almost a Turquoise color while Bellm owned it. Would this fit with what you saw? Bellm never painted #1045.

[supersix]

My recollection was a light/medium green, not turquoise. Possibly metallic. I'm going from memory here and could be wrong about the color. I do remember that I didn't think that it was painted a very striking color, but a dark blue/green would be.

[Guest Silverghost]

The Tucker 1010 in the first post was supposedly bought for $350K. by a speculator who is going to Flip-It in the Feb AZ auction~

Do you really think he can get more at auction in Feb As-Is without totally restoring it ??

Or will he get burned ; or go back home with this car going unsold ?

If he is using the B~J Auction all cars sell at no reserve !

The total restoration cost would be extremely high because of it present very poor overall condition!

It is heaviy rusted underneath and is a unibody car that was sitting in a damp wet garage with a dirt floor.

These high Tucker prices seem insane to me !

I have been around car collecting all my life ~ 55 years !

Never saw prices very high on Tuckers at all until the movie hype~

Then the speculators moved-in like the guy who bought the rough unrestored #1010 here.

Like others have already stated~

You could buy a great Model "J" Duesenberg for the price of some restored or original Tuckers today !

What will #1010 bring at auction unrestored ?

What are your thoughts ?

Let's see who gets closest to the actual selling price including auction house "buyer's premium".

I won't venture to take a guess~

Edited November 30, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[Guest South_paw]

Hi All,

I've been all over life photo's since they hit google a few years back and found the Tucker factory pictures back then. Today in another search for pics I tripped over these shots on Life photos of Tuckers that I haven't seen before. How about you guys?

[Guest TuckerFan48]

These have been around awhile now but still great shots. They were taken when they bought documents to the court house. There are at least 6 cars there that day. There are some other photos taken by different people of this same event that have popped up over the years as well.

You are most likely looking at Tuckers #1005, 1011, 1030, 1032, 1034, and 1039. I have no idea what order they are parked in.

Edited December 9, 2010 by TuckerFan48 (see edit history)

[Guest South_paw]

Thanks! This whole grouping of pictures remind me of the movie, right after the trial. They come out of the courtroom to the street and the actor says "look, they love the cars"

Here's a few more

[Restorer32]

I am disappointed not to see a convertible in the group.

[Jim Rohn]

or the rare station wagon and sedan delivery ...

[keiser31]

I am disappointed not to see a convertible in the group.

Tucker thought that he would introduce the convertible 70 years later...special.

[mrspeedyt]

where's the two door hardtop???

[CarlLaFong]

or the Tuckamino

[Guest South_paw]

I am disappointed not to see a convertible in the group.

Look again :p:p

[Restorer32]

Funny

[Guest my3buicks]

funny yes, but 10 years from now someone will find that picture and try to use it as proof that a Tucker conv was built.

[stealthbob]

funny yes, but 10 years from now someone will find that picture and try to use it as proof that a Tucker conv was built.

Very True!

[Guest billybird]

While we're on this subject, I might as well ask this question. Circa 1980-1985, I was just getting my "feet wet" in the old car hobby and had never even heard of a Tucker at that time. I was looking through a auto publication and there was a section where people could send in a picture of a vehicle and have it identified. A guy sent in a picture he had taken of a car in a "barn". They identified it as a 1948 Tucker. I remenber because the picture was of the front and three headlights caught my attention. Does anyone remember the publication? Which Tucker it could have been? After this thread now I wonder if it was this very car that is going to auction. I wish now I had saved the publication, but it didn't mean anything to me then.

??? anyone? TuckerFan48?

[keiser31]

I remember the article about the "Tucker in the barn". I, too cannot recall where I saw it.

[Dandy Dave]

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?

There was a Tucker there in 1989 when I visited Bellm's Museum. Dandy Dave!

[Lozierman]

I again spoke to my dad tonight about the Tucker he passed on in the early 50's. As I said he bought a used Cadillac instead. I mentioned the dealer became a Volkswagen dealer in White Center, (south of Seattle). The owner of the dealership was a man named Max Borgerson. Dad doesn't remember the name of the dealership before he sold VWs. The Cadillac dad bought was a 1950 four door sedan. As I mentioned it was stolen and recovered in eastern WA. The thiefs had used it until it ran out of gas. They did no damage to it, and my parents continued to drive it for many years after getting it back. I agree the value of the Tucker compared to the Cadillac isn't comparible in today's dollars, but back then the cars were being sold for almost the same amount. Go figure!

[Guest Silverghost]

Tuckers in the past never sold for really that much money, nor did they have a big following in the car collector community until after all the Hollywood hype of the Tucker movie.

Early-on in in the car hobby they were considered merely an oddball car; an automotive failure & a small footnote in car history.

Just like the DeLorean or Amphicar .

Hollywood Hype created these sky-high unrealistic crazy Tucker prices we are seeing today~

I suspect the latest Tucker Convertible find "Scam" was only designed to $$$ cash-in Big-time on all this hype~

If it were in fact REAL ~

Why would it's owners not allow the Tucker Society Club to inspect & possibly give it their certification ! There is no official record of any Tucker convertible ever having been designed or built !

This is just a fact~

Edited December 11, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[Dave Mellor NJ]

Remember that, for the movie,they hung some tucker fiberglass skins on a bullet=nose Studebaker to replicate the prototype rollover scene.

[Guest TuckerFan48]

I again spoke to my dad tonight about the Tucker he passed on in the early 50's. As I said he bought a used Cadillac instead. I mentioned the dealer became a Volkswagen dealer in White Center, (south of Seattle). The owner of the dealership was a man named Max Borgerson. Dad doesn't remember the name of the dealership before he sold VWs. The Cadillac dad bought was a 1950 four door sedan. As I mentioned it was stolen and recovered in eastern WA. The thiefs had used it until it ran out of gas. They did no damage to it, and my parents continued to drive it for many years after getting it back. I agree the value of the Tucker compared to the Cadillac isn't comparible in today's dollars, but back then the cars were being sold for almost the same amount. Go figure!

Ok, I'll quiz you some more on this one and maybe it will lead to something. You mentioned Dad buying a used 1950 Cadillac. Any idea how old the Cadillac was when he bought it? This would help us pin down a date. I'm not expecting an exact date but if it was a 2 year old car or a 10 year old car. We can narrow down the window this car was there.

I'll guess that the Cadillac was at least a year or two old putting it into 1951 or 52. That eliminates Tucker #1019 which left the Seattle area in late 1950.

The only other Tucker I know of in that area was #1010 which arrived in 1957 and was promptly locked away for 50+ years.

It would be interesting to find out more about this Tucker near White Center.

[Guest TuckerFan48]

Remember that, for the movie,they hung some tucker fiberglass skins on a bullet=nose Studebaker to replicate the prototype rollover scene.

And a fine Tucker it was

[Guest Silverghost]

Since this put-together roll-over car was actually IN the movie it should sell for at least $ 2 Million at auction should it not ? ;-)

Now if that "Dealer" could only get his "Tucker Convertible" in a movie he might actually get his $5 Million asking price !

I can see it now~~~

Comming soon to a theater near you~~~

Tucker II ~~ ~The "Lost Tucker Convertible" story .

Someone call Jeff Bridges !

Sadly today car collecting for some has become all about the hype and making BIG $$$ Money at car auctions.

It's no longer the true love of the cars themselves ~~~

These speculators and "flippers" spoil the hobby for the REAL car lovers !

Edited December 12, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[Guest Silverghost]

When I was at Walter Bellm's Car & Mechanical Music museum many years ago he in fact had TWO Tuckers. One was complete & running~ The other was in rougher shape and missing bumpers and other exterior trim . They were sitting side by side !

This was in the late 60s or very early 70s ~

Walter brought in a dealer some years back to sell-off some cars and Mechanical Music Machines~~~

Now that Walter has just passed-away we will have to see what becomes of the Museum Collection.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[Guest TuckerFan48]

When I was at Walter Bellm's Car & Mechanical Music museum many years ago he in fact had TWO Tuckers. One was complete & running~ The other was in rougher shape and missing bumpers and other exterior trim . They were sitting side by side !

This was in the late 60s or very early 70s ~

Walter brought in a dealer some years back to sell-off some cars and Mechanical Music Machines~~~

Now that Walter has just passed-away we will have to see what becomes of the Museum Collection.

I'll follow up and see what I can find about a second Tucker there. I wonder if it could have been on loan to him.

The information I had was that Bellm sold the Museum and auto collection to Martin Godbey in July of 1997.

[supersix]

Remember that, for the movie,they hung some tucker fiberglass skins on a bullet=nose Studebaker to replicate the prototype rollover scene.

I'm surprised that fiberglass panels wouldn't disintegrate in a roll-over impact. In the photos it appears that they are steel but I would think the cost of making one set of steel body panels would be outrageous.

[keiser31]

Those panels have to be steel to bend like that since fiberglass disintegrates when crashed.

[Guest TuckerFan48]

They just added some metal pieces to certain areas of the car to make it look like a Tucker. It is only in a movie for a couple seconds as it rolls over. If you watch it closely you see it clearly isn't a Tucker but most people miss it.

[Guest Tucker Fan 48]

Ok, I'll quiz you some more on this one and maybe it will lead to something. You mentioned Dad buying a used 1950 Cadillac. Any idea how old the Cadillac was when he bought it? This would help us pin down a date. I'm not expecting an exact date but if it was a 2 year old car or a 10 year old car. We can narrow down the window this car was there.

I'll guess that the Cadillac was at least a year or two old putting it into 1951 or 52. That eliminates Tucker #1019 which left the Seattle area in late 1950.

The only other Tucker I know of in that area was #1010 which arrived in 1957 and was promptly locked away for 50+ years.

It would be interesting to find out more about this Tucker near White Center.

There does not seem to be many commercial areas in White Center. Any chance you can pin down where, or the general area, of White Center (i.e. 16th Ave SW, etc,)

[mrspeedyt]

does the rollover prop car still exist... or was it scrapped?

[Lozierman]

I just spoke to my mother about the Cadillac. She doesn't remember exactly when they bought it, and it might have been in 1950. It was a used car when it was bought. Both of my parents are 84 years old, and things are a little fuzzy after all those years. She did say dad had left the keys in while it was parked in their driveway! They did get it back and continued to drive it for a couple of years after that.

The car dealer was located on 16th SW. I think it was about the 9000 block. When they sold VWs, it was called, "Avalon Auto Sales". The owner was Max Borland, (sp?)

UPDATE!!!! I was just getting ready to send this when my mom called and said the story was wrong. Yes dad had looked at the Tucker at the dealer on 16th SW, but hadn't bought the Cadillac until 1952. In fact between the time he looked at the Tucker, probably in 1950, and when he bought the Cad in 1952, he had purchased a brand new 1951 Kaiser from another car dealer in White Center, but they were located on 17th Ave SW. It seems my dad went through a lot of cars back then. He was born in 1926, so he was in his mid 20s when all of this was going on. My parents celebrated their 66 wedding anniversary this past November. Dad has had a lot of cars over the years. We never counted how many, but I suspect it would be well over 100 by now, probably close to 150! His buying has slowed down the past few years. In fact his last purchase was a 2007 GMC Denali. It still has less than 1000 miles on it.

I suspect the White Center Tucker was number 1019, and when dad looked at it, it was in 1949 or 1950. Thanks for your interest, and for causing my parents to make a pleasant trip down "memory land".

[idrjoe_sandiego]

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.

Great stories! TuckerFan48 you should change your name to Tucker Guru-you have an amazing wealth of knowledge on these vehicles.

A couple questions: 1) Aren't those hubcaps in the trunk of #1010? (Or just not the originals?)

2) Which Tucker does the San Diego Automotive museum have?

3) Is it my imagination or do I remember seeing #1001 or #1002 in a museum somewhere?

[mdsbob]

Hammer just fell @ Gooding & Co. Auction...Hammer Price: $725K

[Guest Silverghost]

Was the #1010 Tucker sold in un-restored condition for that price ?

If so~~~

Wait until they find out what the needed restoration will cost them with all that under-car unibody rust !

Edited January 23, 2011 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[Guest Dave Boyer]

1948 Tucker | Gooding and Company

This is off their site, not much info.