wayne sheldon

Drum Bob, I always find it enjoyable to read similar stories of legends and unanswered histories in other areas of collecting or quests for knowledge! Very interesting.

I should probably stay out of this discussion, because "Hotrods" are not my "thing". However, as a longtime fan of the much earlier "speedster" era, I do appreciate the early "hotrods" for their place in automotive history. That looks like a really nice early version hotrod, if so and as such, it should be worthy of serious preservation. Perhaps those carburetors should stay on the car? The Winfield downdraft carburetors were among the first and best early downdraft carburetors, hitting the market in 1929. They were manufactured in a large variety of models for quite a few years and remained popular for years after they quit making them. Value depends on many factors, model, condition, matched set? Motoringicons knows his stuff about these. So I suspect his evaluation is pretty right.

Wonderful!

When I was a kid in high school, and just getting into this hobby, somewhat over fifty years ago, I subscribed to Hemmings Motor News magazine, which in those days was about the size of a "Reader's Digest" if you are old enough to remember those (from about thirty years ago?). In study hall, I would read it from cover to cover almost every month! I was also reading almost every book on antique automobiles and automotive history that I could get my hands onto. So, even then, I was somewhat familiar with the Tucker and its history. One of the things that struck me then was how many Tucker parts were for sale! Several collectors had gotten ahold of a bunch of the leftover Tucker parts and were trying to make a few bucks selling them off to people with dreams of building one. Legend has it that the engine was used for some early helicopters? I won't claim to know about that, but I do know that a bunch of those engines were floating around the country, some still in their factory crates! I actually saw a couple of them myself at a couple of shows, "Tucker" name on the engines and all! Occasionally, at major swap meets, one could see doors and hoods, sometimes a grill or other distinctive pieces, being offered or just displayed. Clearly, that stuff was out there. Slowly, that stuff seemed to quietly drift away. I always figured a few people thought they could collect enough pieces to assemble another car. When this car first showed up about a decade or so ago, I figured that it was likely assembled from some hidden collection of some real pieces along with deep pockets fabricating whatever else they needed. I don't wish to disparage the man too much. Preston Tucker was a brilliant engineer, with an eye to the future. He was also a huckster, a bit of a conman, and often putting together shaky deals. I "believe" he was truly hoping to throw the automotive industry on its ear with his groundbreaking designs. But even with government grants and loans, use of aircraft manufacturing plants left empty by the end of the war, he couldn't quite pull that rabbit out of his hat. I suspect that he ordered a lot of pieces to construct not just the first fifty cars, but a good start on the next fifty. How many pieces are still out there? We'll probably never know. While a few pieces might make a nice addition to display in a private collection? I do hope nobody else foolishly tries to build another one.

And he thinks it is 32 feet long! Sorry, couldn't resist. (An abbreviation of a year, the apostrophe goes BEFORE the number!)

You know, I love this hobby. The best, and maybe only thing I did good for me was get into this hobby and play with the historic cars I feel such a connection to. Once in a while, not often, I get this notion that "maybe I have been in this too long?" First opening this thread two days ago was one such moment. First, for me. the Tucker is way too modern to really interest me. However, I do appreciate the history even into the modern eras. And the Tucker, no matter how bad they really were (and forty years ago I did know the owner of one, and on a couple occasions even saw it being driven!), was a significant footnote in automotive history. The man was interesting (some worthwhile reading?). The car was an overhyped flop, and a flop for good reasons. Anyhow, two nights ago, I peruse the forum "Not Mine" list (a part of my nightly routine), and see the "Tucker-Auction" listing. I am curious, so I click in, and in less than a full second I see the first photo and utter the words aloud "Oh not that stupid thing again!" I can appreciate some "fantasy creations", cars that "should have been". I even have considered building one a few times (a certain 1912 model T body style that I have most of the parts for comes to mind?). I think mm-man is correct, that had the "builder" been upfront and honest from the beginning, instead of lying about it, that the car would get some respect today. Even then, I doubt seriously that they would get even half what they are asking for it. Even people that can afford it want to be liked. And given the car's sordid past, nobody today is going to be liked for having it or showing up anywhere with it.

Not sure I feel like sharing this one or not. Most of the collector cars I have sold were because I needed to for family reasons. There have been way too many of them over too many years, way too many I regret having sold. I scrimped and saved, bought sold and restored my way up again and again. One car, I did buy, restore, sell and later bought again. The 1925 Studebaker coach, a longtime good friend had bought, and began a restoration of the solid original car which was not quite good enough to preserve as truly original. About halfway through the restoration, he found another car he really wanted to have. He and his wife talked it over and decided if he could quickly sell the Studebaker coach they could make the deal on the other car. As I happened to be close at hand, and knowing his reputation for doing things right, I quickly agreed to buy the Studebaker in its half-done state. I then sold the 1929 Reo I had had since high school to pay for professional paint job just as he had been planning to do, and finished the body and fender repairs and preparation myself. He had already done the nickel plating and new whitewall tires, I discovered that one rear wheel was damaged, and had a professional wheelwright re-wood it. I finished some mechanical repairs and interior repairs. When done, I drove the car on a lot of local tours, including a few of a couple hundred miles. When my then girlfriend and I got married, we used the Studebaker as our getaway car from the reception. About a year later, an unexpected hospitalization hit us with a significant bill. Doing what I knew was the right thing, I sold the Studebaker to a good friend in order to pay that and a few other unexpected expenses. And so it began. I had bought the Studebaker in the early 1970s, sold it about 1979. Always regretted having sold it. But about fifteen years later, things were better, I had had a couple other nice antique automobiles which I was driving and enjoying, but heard my old Studebaker coach was coming up for sale soon. It had been owned and enjoyed by a couple different owners, and the price was reasonable. So, I managed to buy it back! Sadly, it didn't last long. Another unexpected medical issue hit us and again, the Studebaker coach was sold. Unfortunately, it wasn't the only one destined to go away for the good of the family. But it is the one that I did have to sell twice. Shortly after I had bought it back.

Can't really tell from the photo? It looks to me like someone may have done a really bad attempt at repainting it? If so, they probably should have left it as was. Such a look actually make me wonder if it was originally a Packard sign or not. The glass of course could be replaced, and painted by someone with the skills to make it look right, for any marque someone may want. That size, the sign likely identified the way (inside or outside a building) to the lubrication bay at the service center. The style could be either late 1930s or up to early 1950s art deco. Too modern to get me excited, however advertising collectors tend to go nuts over that stuff! Current state of the economy and collecting makes uncertainty an issue, however a couple years ago I would have said $500 was cheap IF (that big "IF" again) it can be determined to be an original Packard piece. By the way, those tennis rackets are also interesting. I have a few of them from the 1920s and even a couple from maybe as early as 1900 (1890s's patent dates and a style that was out of favor by 1920). I used to take them to the "Gatsby Picnic" for our vintage picnic display.

Good to hear! I hope this is a sign of a few other things becoming available again?

One must appreciate progress on projects like this! There is a certain satisfaction in undoing nearly a hundred years of neglect and abuse. Thank you for the update.

As I understand it, the company making the replacement front wheel bearings for model Ts for years quit making them. Good NORS ones are tough to come by, and have been selling for some crazy prices. Model A and some early V8 wheel bearings can be made to work, however to fit properly the model T outer bearings need to be threaded internally to lock into place and not rapidly wear out the spindle.

That type tail lamp was made and offered to automakers with their marque name in the widow. They were also offered through catalog sales and local parts dealers with any of many marque names. Some such lamps used actual glass for that marque window, others used a type of celluloid plastic with the names printed on it. In the photos, that one looks like a typical celluloid, and I would also guess "PONTIAC". A pretty upscale accessory for a low priced car, but people did back then also.

I think you nailed this one! Written on his face!

Henry and a young Edsel in a model F Ford (1905 or 1906), one of the last two cylinder model Fords before the model T.

My 1927 Paige 6-45 sedan has its original tail lamp (not like this one!), which is a simple however unusual style that I have never found a complete one quite like it at a swap meet. I have seen a few same model Paige cars that have the same tail lamp, and a couple pictures or era advertisements showing it as being the correct lamp. The original Paige tail lamp has a simple two bolt mount on it that exactly fits the spare tire carrier where the tail lamp was originally mounted. What I did find and buy at a swap meet about forty years ago, was an exact match for the lamp itself, but with a universal mounting bracket very similar to what your tail lamp has. I have seen a few other tail lamps with similar universal mounts. Lamp manufacturers of course wanted to increase sales anywhere they could, and it would make sense that they should offer universal replacements of lamps made for other cars. That is a neat looking lamp! it could make a great after-market touch for many a roaring '20's car!