Preston was so far ahead of the pack, they were still catching up in the 60s. I am so glad you're still in the business of keeping the cars going. THANKS SO MUCH!!!
This may seem a little silly but have you considered having everything 3D scanned? I don't know what is left for body dies and presses, but if you have an unmolested chassis I can't think of a much better way to capture and preserve. Then if a person has the means down the road hopefully an accurate reproduction piece could be made.
that would be neat! when I was a kid, I wanted a Tucker. ever since I watched the movie with my grandpa. then I got to thinking, only 48 or so still in existence, huge price tag to own one, and impossible to find parts for. I'd still like to ride in one. or own a reproduction or continuance version.
I can't wait to see this gem go for it's first start and drive. It's a lot of work but it looks great already and deserves to see the light of day and bring smiles driving around.
Only one word adequately describes the simplistic genius of this masterpiece in my opinion. Iconic. I truly wish things were built with this kind of integrity today.
That's awesome. Gotta love the dedication to keep the Tuckers going. So glad you guys are doing this. Preston Tucker would've been proud that a family member was keeping his legacy alive.
I Still don't understand How Tucker Motors lost the lawsuit. It just saddens me that a great innovation in automobile design and build was quashed so blatantly with so much malice.
They didn't. They won. Mr. Tucker and five other associates were acquitted on ALL charges. However, that decision did not come until January of 1950. The plant was ordered shut down in July, 1948. The Tucker family did briefly consider getting the plant semi-operational after the court case, and finishing the pilot run of 125 cars. Cooler heads may have prevailed since the Corporation only had about 8-million dollars at that point and owed considerable back-rent on the plant which would eat up a significant portion of the money left. Later, it was learned that while the engines had been completed, there were not enough transmissions or body panels left in stock to build anymore cars. The money it would've taken to stamp new panels, and cast new parts would've never been recouped and then there was the task of getting parts from the few outside suppliers that Tucker relied upon. Many of whom were still waiting for payment of parts already delivered. The short version is, it would've been a fruitless endeavour. Sure, they'd build 125 cars, but they'd never make a dollar in the process. I'm sure the family sat down and had many discussions over this. I believe it was sometime in March of 1950 when they officially threw in the towel and the company officially put into receivership. The auction was held that September.
@@That_AMC_Guy Thank you for all of the fantastic information. I'm assuming it's safe to assume that all of the trumped up charges and other legal hassles had mired the company in so much trouble DURING the trial, and that basically caused them to get so far behind, and in debt. It's a shame what they did to this man, his company, and his family.
@@howabouthetruth2157 I've read that Preston Tucker was never the same and possibly the main reason why the company never even attempted a re-start. Even though he'd beaten all odds and was literally a few weeks away from a running automotive empire, he just couldn't do it. But don't misunderstand, the family and the corporation were still in GOOD standing in 1950. The "debts" were not insurmountable. Rent on the factory was the big one and would've set them back well over 5 million. Debts on parts delivered probably no more than a half million. So, the corporation was still solvent in 1950, but the costs of re-starting were too great. Paying the rent on the factory would've cost them most of their savings, and the costs to stamp new body panels and cast more transmissions, etc.... was not feasible.
@@That_AMC_GuyThe whole thing is such a sad story. If I'm not mistaken, I seem to recall that you are the same gentleman who has shared a lot of good information about Tucker in the comments under other videos here. All is much appreciated.
@@That_AMC_Guy the Big Three (especially Chrysler) got what they wanted, another competitor killed off. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find they were behind the unnecessary steel rationing during the Korean War that killed off all the rest except Nash, Hudson, Studebaker, and Packard. It did put those four in such a pinch that Nash and Hudson merged to become AMC in 1954, Studebaker and Packard merged to be Studebaker-Packard, also in 1954. S-P went under in 1966. AMC killed the Nash and Hudson names after 1957 and AMC lasted until 1987 when (it's highly likely) Chrysler pulled strings to block the same aid to AMC that Chrysler had been given just a few years earlier to pull out of bankruptcy. Chrysler wanted to get Jeep and the easiest way to it was to ensure AMC went under. The failures of Tucker, and the big four "independents" were helped along by the big egos of people in charge. Tucker bit off far too much going after the biggest building in the country. Two of the CEOs in the independents hated each other, which is why they all didn't form one company with the size to rival General Motors. Through the years, AMC had many great and revolutionary ideas yet almost always balked at actually building them. AMC created the prototype mini pickup, a truck based on the Concord, which they called Cowboy. Management decided not to put it into production. Then along came the Ford and Mazda Courier, the Isuzu LUV and Chevy P'UP, the Mitsubishi/Plymouth/Dodge Arrow / D50, and Toyota's pickup. AMC stylists gave the Cowboy a refresh with (IIRC) the updated Gremlin nose but yet again management refused to grab a piece of that $$$$$ pie. They came >thisclose< to having a supercar that would have been the rival to Ferarri, Lamborghini etc. Six AMX/3 cars were built for testing, then the bean counters killed it. Figured it would have to cost about $2000 "too much". Uhhh, even in 1970-71 the sort of people who would be buying a powerful, mid-engine supercar weren't the sort to balk at tossing that kind of money around. When the "ban" on manufacturer support for NASCAR teams was agreed upon by the Big Three and AMC, AMC was the only one who really followed it. They'd designed the Matador Coupe to do one thing and do it well, dominate NASCAR like the "stepdown" Hudson had in the 1950's. But without factory support the few teams that campaigned the Matador could only win when they could afford a new engine. Had AMC supplied support under the table like the Big 3 did, the Matador Coupe likely would've had as big an influence on automotive styling as the 1984 Thunderbird did a decade later.
Mike this is just remarkable. What a beautiful piece, and to have the engine show up too. Mark Lieberman is invaluable. It's as though Preston Tucker helped this to happen.
i absolutely love this car ever since i saw the movie , wow great grandson of the great man and i read you have a twin brother also .Cant wait to see it finished👍
Glad this piece of history is being saved. Who knows how the auto industry would have turned out if Mr. Tucker were allowed to succeed. Can't wait to hear that sweet Franklin engine run!
Man what a beauty! And What a great find! finally engine and car reunited! I love watching this automotive documents! Keep’em coming my friend! Fascinating stuff!👌😎👍🙏I can’t wait to see it running for the first time! Looking forward to seeing the video!
GOD I've never got over this car since seeing the airbrushed 1947 prototype with fender skirts!!!!! From Hemmings Motor News Cars of The 1940's. I fell in love and as a kid I'll never ever forget seeing movie previews on TV that a movie was coming out. My entire family went I begged and probably got to see it 5 or 6 times. I can't get enough of it. Then my Dad gave me the VCR movie for Christmas I was so excited. In college I got 2 1/18 scale die cast I wanted one of each color. Still got them. What a still born dream so sad.
I had the pleasure of working on two of these. Both at Sky Walker Ranch for Lucas Films. One was silver,, George's own car and a burgundy one owned by film company to be sold at auction at Peebles Beach. Both ran and drove. Sweet memory.
As a kid I got to ride in one- I believe it was #14, a blue.one. We did 90 on the freeway, squealed the tires all the way around the on ramp cloverleaf and car didn't lean. Was in the mid 60's, Wow!
@seantucker Wasn't #1050 part of the Dick Burdick Collection @ Dicks Classic Garage in San Marcos Texas?. The car had a motor installed when it was on display along with a Tucker motor on a stand sitting next to it in the museum. Advertised as having only 1/2 mile on the odometer. The Burdick Collection was quite impressive and it was very sad to see it auctioned off after his passing.
At 5:09 , view it in 1080p, you can see all the zeros on the odometer, with what looks like either a 5 or a 6 rolling up in the tenths (white background) digit.
Very cool all is continuing. Long time ago Mark brought a Tucker to Ypsilanti Michigan for an orphan car show in riverside park which is close to Preston’s house. Great to see more stories and the great grandsons great work!
That DOPE!! My beater back in the day ran 9's in the quarter and lifted the front wheels half track but that was cuz I added the roots blower off a GreyHound onto the aircooled helicopter motor in my old Tucker in the 90's... it was a screamer!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Ohhh, ummmm, uhhhh, I forgot to take pictures... only have video of my FireBird and friends Mopars in 1996 VHS's in my Cars playlist
@@oxyfee6486 Haha, that RIGHT! IT seriously totally reminds me I remember this one time I was out with this nice girl and we had taken that old KemoSabe trail up to Horsheweitz pass to check out the air brigade defence machine setting up their advanced airwac sqwuack comptroller in the valley but I started to get some vibration in the motor mounts on my old beater hotrod on account of I had just cut on the Roots blower from a GreyHound bus to my aircooled helicopter Tucker engine in the back of car #52 off the line. MAN, it was abadass ride lifting the front wheels at least half track running 9's in the quarter cuz of all the weight transfer and my chick would ride in the back to help settle the torque steer on account she was a bigger gal and fit squarely in that chopped off tub behind the rails of the Tucker chassis where she could just hang on and straddle the plumbing tube roll cage bars. Luckily, no one was injured... except my heart the day she left for a man with a Gasser Willy */w\TMFR/w\*
Blown away with the car , it's in my favourite colour as well , sad to hear that most are garage queen's , if I had the means I would run them regularly ( week-end and night runs ) the car was built to be driven .
Haha I'd have to take it all apart after every drive and inspect every bearing surface for scratches and stone them off and polish it back in 😄 Darn things not replaceable so it has to live forever 😄
Don't want to nitpick because the car is amazing and the paint job looks fine, and I know they no longer make the exact same automotive paints today that were used during the late 1940s, but I still think they could have matched the tint and shade of the original maroon a little closer. Also I wonder if the selling price of the car less powertrain at the 1950 bankruptcy auction is known.
We can’t comment on the reasoning for the paint choice as it was done before our involvement, but this color does present very well! Thanks for watching.
Curious why that color, but I have a guess (without knowing any facts). That fire color was a caddillac/gm color that is hard to match. I've seen color books in old body shops that have written next to the color "do not mix." My brother's gm car was that color and the body shop complained about getting that color right. This car was maybe painted with a reject batch of paint? Close but not a match to a body shop collision repair. Cool story, even if I'm making it up :)
@@karlfischer1011 I had a 62 Chevy Il and painted it with a 64 Cadillac color back in the day called "red fire mist arid" also called "crimson fire mist." I knew that color as soon as I saw it. That color brought back a few memories for me. It goes great on that last Tucker if you ask me.
Thanks for watching! One point of clarification, the car was painted prior to the work being done here and whoever did that decided on the color change. It was originally Tucker Royal Maroon. We do think it looks great!
Have you guys ever considered getting scans of all the design documents that are in that collection that's in that museum? I just watched the video yesterday about the guy that had that collection and one of the comments said that after he died the collection ended up in a museum. I would think it would be easy to remanufacture parts as needed if you simply made scans of those documents and converted them to 3D print models. According to what was stated by him, he had all of the blueprints for all of the parts that went into a Tucker. I would imagine that that also includes body panels. So perhaps making dies to restamp body panels could be done more easily as well since you would not be having to guess at dimensions. I realize that all of this would be costly, but can you imagine what it would mean to the Tucker community to be able to purchase replacement parts? From what you said in this video, the majority of the Tuckers out there are not in drivable condition. Being able to reproduce parts would make it possible for more of these Tuckers to be roadworthy.
We happen to live 30 minutes away from the AACA Museum where the prints are now located. We use them often when we find the need to remanufacture replacement parts. However, in many cases tooling costs prohibit traditional manufacturing since there are so few cars in total. Most items are hand made using prototype production techniques.
Cool! Love these cars! There is one in Maine in a collection/museum. Nobody there and the guy let me crawl all around it. He even opened the door and rear engine hood for me, and I peeked in mouth wide open. He also had some 1960s Aston Martin DB and a Ferrari but I spent more time with this one. Just cool history. PT got robbed and so did America by not getting more. Tics me off..
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Yes Beige, but more like a Latte cappuccino color. That one is in Arundel Maine at Classic Car Museum, and The other one Bob Bahre owned was a beautiful emerald Red color. Google his name and you will see the color.
Lucky enough to see several Tuckers. Live 10 min from Dick's Classic Cars and fell in love with their Tucker (Dick's have since closed). Seen 9 Tuckers plus 0000 in PA
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Sorry, but there is not much that I can tell you. They made patterns made of wood used in forming sand molds for castings.
Decades ago, (1998?) I saw a yellow Tucker at the annual Half Moon Bay California classic car show. A couple from San Francisco drove it there for the day. I thought it was just great. Many people were offering to buy it. Owners simply said "never for sale". I wonder where that car is today?
That car you are referring to is Tucker #1041 that was owned by Bev Ferreira when you saw it. It has since been restored back to its original color of black and is owned by a private collector in California.
It’s wonderful that you have a sample of the correct color, now paint it the correct color. It’s not a street rod! You don’t leave a rare classic car worth 2 million dollars the wrong color because of a $20,000 paint job!
Yes, of course we love these videos. thanks for sharing. So excited to see this beast live and breathe. Gorgeous color. 2 questions; did Tucker source the trans from another manufacturer? And how many cars do you think, were running and driving for the film?? Thanks for sharing. JT: Orlando, FLA
Ok. This will be out there. The car COULD be put into limited production with the help of Tatra. They produced aircooled rear engine V8 cars till the mid nineties. New reproduced bodies with an updated chassis and drive train. But what do I know. I own a Bricklin.
Grateful for the content, it was informative and interesting, keep up the good work. Here is a thought, maybe there can be a 1/8 scale model with nice details that an be produced for sale. I would be interested in maybe buying one.
-This is just me ruminating: If I were the head of VAG in Germany, I would purchase the Tucker name and use it on a new line of four door sedans. Porsche would be PERFECT for this, since they sell rear-engine flat-6 powered cars right now, and it would be VERY easy for them to take the chassis of the Panamera and adopt a 9A1 4.0 liter 500 hp flat-6 engine at the back. Or, they could develop the next Tucker around the architecture of VAG's current J1 (Taycan) or upcoming SSP chassis to produce an electric Tucker, 0-60 in 2.0 seconds with modernized though still recognizable Tucker body panels. And build it in Volkswagen's existing plant in Chattanooga. But that's just me.... "Paging Herbert Diess! Paging Herbert Diess! Would Herr Diess please see one of the most intriguing opportunities in the car world please!"
The failure of the tucker corporation is a direct example when the government oversteps. Preston Tucker continually overcame every hurtle that came his way, battled money problems the entire time. If the government hadn’t stepped in he may have seen the dream come true… if only he and his employees were alive to see the value of what they created. Maybe he would be happy to know it’s a part of history, that he was ahead of his time. I’m sure he would be happy to see another one driving, treated like automotive royalty.
I heard and read a story that there was suppose to be a prototype convertible that was stored since the last of the tuckers, the man was suppose to work there and the son had it in Michigan but never read anymore about it. I would like to find out more if the man from Michigan has done any.more with it ?
7:20 Chrysler took this idea with their K-member where the whole frame drops down with the engine for removal. So many ideas from Tuckers were "appropriated" by other manufacturers. Just look at the Corvairs.
Always loved the tuckers since I was a kid in the 1970's and heard about them. I remember seeing them in books and I was thrilled to see one for real at the Imperial Palace car museum back in the late 1990's. (Not sure which number it was.)
Question for all the Tucker experts on here. Have all fifty Tuckers been accounted for by now? Reason I ask is I worked with a guy in the mid eighties who swore to know the location of one in an old junkyard down South.
Yes, all are accounted for. There is a small chance that enough of the remaining body of #42 might be out there somewhere, but a large portion of that car is accounted for and most resides in the AACA museum in Hershey, PA.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Well someone must have gotten that car then. I didn't have the funds to fly this guy down there with me and purchase the car. This was long before the Tucker movie and average people didn't even know about them. But I did because my late father lusted after one as a young man and collected all the literature he could find from a Detroit showroom. Guy said this one was buried in the junkyard and covered in moss. If I remember correctly the junkyard was either in Mississippi or Louisiana. Glad at least it didn't get crushed.
I really wish they would have explained the shift mechanism. Could not see the passenger side of the steering column. Is there a shifter on the column or is there some type of preselector on the dash? Please explain. Thankyou.
God Bless..... Tucker, a fantastic car for the people, that was "destroyed" by big business and their political puppets.... Amazing how some things never change, even in the 21st century.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 thank you for the quick response! I’ll be following! What an AMAZING CAR! I only seen one ONCE! I bet you could make a killing selling rides in them! 🤔😎
Given the state of the art with steel pressing, 3-D printing to create casting patterns for 'lost plastic' casting process, it seems feasible to tool up for not only 'spares' but to establish the basis for continuation production. I wonder if a current production Lycoming or other opposed layout aircraft engine can be adapted with new head and manifold castings to create a new version of a water cooled Tucker inspired engine for continuation cars.. That would be 'close enough' to be acceptable, and different enough to have zero impact on originals value.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Of course! This is one of the most amazing mid century car stories ever.. How could I not watch? Years ago I had the great pleasure of seeing a Tucker on the road now and then, and on display at events, as one was owned by a family in Springfield Oregon, very near where I lived in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. It was a real treat to be on the road and then just see it out being driven. Magnificent vision to have conceived the car, and wonderful that as many made it into existence as did.. THANK YOU for keeping the story alive and for keeping the cars running..
In our opinion even though 50 of the cars were called “production” they are all prototypes. The engine was sourced from a company called air cooled motors that Preston purchased after scrapping plans (due to time constraints) in the short term for the original 589. Thanks for watching!
Did the convertible concept car ever get finished. A friend of mi e that use to work for Coker Tire in Chattanooga Tn took the order for two sets of tires that were to be used on the convertible once it was finished. He passeed before he could receve the photos the gentleman had promised to send him once it was done.......
The car was a static display, but not all components were original including the interior. It had been replaced at some point in the cars history for some reason which we will probably never know. Thanks for watching!
There is some “Hollywood” in the film but the story itself is pretty accurate. I don’t believe those are the original drawings themselves, but they are copies of some of the Tremulis renderings.
Just imagine the automobiles we’d have today for not the greed of the Big 3 that destroyed the auto industry in America. How they were afraid of losing their status to actually someone that designed and built a better automobile. Maybe if they brought back some old nameplates like a limited edition Cadillac “Packard”. Today, They are boring numbers as opposed to an actual name.
The count of 51 comes from counting #0 (the Tin Goose) as the first Tucker, and the 50 additional prototypes as 1-50. 0+ 50 = 51, with this car being the last one. Thanks for watching!
I thought there was 51 cars? Everything I've seen gives that number. I remember watching the movie years ago, this car is definitely in my top 10. Really sad the full outcome and demise of Preston and his credibility because of a smear campaign.
Preston was so far ahead of the pack, they were still catching up in the 60s. I am so glad you're still in the business of keeping the cars going. THANKS SO MUCH!!!
Great looking car me and my parents saw the car back in the 50s when I was growing up thanks for showing this beautiful car
This may seem a little silly but have you considered having everything 3D scanned? I don't know what is left for body dies and presses, but if you have an unmolested chassis I can't think of a much better way to capture and preserve. Then if a person has the means down the road hopefully an accurate reproduction piece could be made.
3D scans would also help with maintenance and further restoration of the rest of the flock.
@@madpogue That is the entire point. Ketchup there captain obvious.
@@ShainAndrews
No need to be so harsh. 3-D scans could ALSO be used to create “continuation” cars.
Great idea 💡!!!
that would be neat! when I was a kid, I wanted a Tucker. ever since I watched the movie with my grandpa. then I got to thinking, only 48 or so still in existence, huge price tag to own one, and impossible to find parts for. I'd still like to ride in one. or own a reproduction or continuance version.
I have always had a soft spot for Tuckers. As a kid I had several models of them. Such cool cars!
I can't wait to see this gem go for it's first start and drive. It's a lot of work but it looks great already and deserves to see the light of day and bring smiles driving around.
We can't wait either, thanks for watching!
Only one word adequately describes the simplistic genius of this masterpiece in my opinion.
Iconic.
I truly wish things were built with this kind of integrity today.
That's awesome. Gotta love the dedication to keep the Tuckers going. So glad you guys are doing this. Preston Tucker would've been proud that a family member was keeping his legacy alive.
Thank you!
This is soo freaking cool!!!! Can’t wait to see the progress and it’s great seeing Sean and mike following in the family legacy!!!
Thank you so much, we will keep the videos coming!
I Still don't understand How Tucker Motors lost the lawsuit. It just saddens me that a great innovation in automobile design and build was quashed so blatantly with so much malice.
They didn't. They won. Mr. Tucker and five other associates were acquitted on ALL charges. However, that decision did not come until January of 1950. The plant was ordered shut down in July, 1948. The Tucker family did briefly consider getting the plant semi-operational after the court case, and finishing the pilot run of 125 cars. Cooler heads may have prevailed since the Corporation only had about 8-million dollars at that point and owed considerable back-rent on the plant which would eat up a significant portion of the money left. Later, it was learned that while the engines had been completed, there were not enough transmissions or body panels left in stock to build anymore cars. The money it would've taken to stamp new panels, and cast new parts would've never been recouped and then there was the task of getting parts from the few outside suppliers that Tucker relied upon. Many of whom were still waiting for payment of parts already delivered.
The short version is, it would've been a fruitless endeavour. Sure, they'd build 125 cars, but they'd never make a dollar in the process. I'm sure the family sat down and had many discussions over this. I believe it was sometime in March of 1950 when they officially threw in the towel and the company officially put into receivership. The auction was held that September.
@@That_AMC_Guy Thank you for all of the fantastic information. I'm assuming it's safe to assume that all of the trumped up charges and other legal hassles had mired the company in so much trouble DURING the trial, and that basically caused them to get so far behind, and in debt. It's a shame what they did to this man, his company, and his family.
@@howabouthetruth2157 I've read that Preston Tucker was never the same and possibly the main reason why the company never even attempted a re-start. Even though he'd beaten all odds and was literally a few weeks away from a running automotive empire, he just couldn't do it.
But don't misunderstand, the family and the corporation were still in GOOD standing in 1950. The "debts" were not insurmountable. Rent on the factory was the big one and would've set them back well over 5 million.
Debts on parts delivered probably no more than a half million. So, the corporation was still solvent in 1950, but the costs of re-starting were too great. Paying the rent on the factory would've cost them most of their savings, and the costs to stamp new body panels and cast more transmissions, etc.... was not feasible.
@@That_AMC_GuyThe whole thing is such a sad story. If I'm not mistaken, I seem to recall that you are the same gentleman who has shared a lot of good information about Tucker in the comments under other videos here. All is much appreciated.
@@That_AMC_Guy the Big Three (especially Chrysler) got what they wanted, another competitor killed off. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find they were behind the unnecessary steel rationing during the Korean War that killed off all the rest except Nash, Hudson, Studebaker, and Packard. It did put those four in such a pinch that Nash and Hudson merged to become AMC in 1954, Studebaker and Packard merged to be Studebaker-Packard, also in 1954. S-P went under in 1966. AMC killed the Nash and Hudson names after 1957 and AMC lasted until 1987 when (it's highly likely) Chrysler pulled strings to block the same aid to AMC that Chrysler had been given just a few years earlier to pull out of bankruptcy. Chrysler wanted to get Jeep and the easiest way to it was to ensure AMC went under.
The failures of Tucker, and the big four "independents" were helped along by the big egos of people in charge. Tucker bit off far too much going after the biggest building in the country. Two of the CEOs in the independents hated each other, which is why they all didn't form one company with the size to rival General Motors. Through the years, AMC had many great and revolutionary ideas yet almost always balked at actually building them. AMC created the prototype mini pickup, a truck based on the Concord, which they called Cowboy. Management decided not to put it into production. Then along came the Ford and Mazda Courier, the Isuzu LUV and Chevy P'UP, the Mitsubishi/Plymouth/Dodge Arrow / D50, and Toyota's pickup. AMC stylists gave the Cowboy a refresh with (IIRC) the updated Gremlin nose but yet again management refused to grab a piece of that $$$$$ pie. They came >thisclose< to having a supercar that would have been the rival to Ferarri, Lamborghini etc. Six AMX/3 cars were built for testing, then the bean counters killed it. Figured it would have to cost about $2000 "too much". Uhhh, even in 1970-71 the sort of people who would be buying a powerful, mid-engine supercar weren't the sort to balk at tossing that kind of money around.
When the "ban" on manufacturer support for NASCAR teams was agreed upon by the Big Three and AMC, AMC was the only one who really followed it. They'd designed the Matador Coupe to do one thing and do it well, dominate NASCAR like the "stepdown" Hudson had in the 1950's. But without factory support the few teams that campaigned the Matador could only win when they could afford a new engine. Had AMC supplied support under the table like the Big 3 did, the Matador Coupe likely would've had as big an influence on automotive styling as the 1984 Thunderbird did a decade later.
Mike this is just remarkable. What a beautiful piece, and to have the engine show up too. Mark Lieberman is invaluable. It's as though Preston Tucker helped this to happen.
Thanks for watching!
The Tucker was decades ahead of all other car companies
Thanks for watching!
i absolutely love this car ever since i saw the movie , wow great grandson of the great man and i read you have a twin brother also .Cant wait to see it finished👍
Mike, your great gramps was a pioneer and a trailblazer. May you continue the legacy.
Glad this piece of history is being saved. Who knows how the auto industry would have turned out if
Mr. Tucker were allowed to succeed. Can't wait to hear that sweet Franklin engine run!
Thank you for watching!
Man what a beauty! And What a great find! finally engine and car reunited! I love watching this automotive documents! Keep’em coming my friend! Fascinating stuff!👌😎👍🙏I can’t wait to see it running for the first time! Looking forward to seeing the video!
Will do and thanks for watching!
Since I first learned about the Tucker cars I've always been fascinated by 'em.
Thanks for the upload.
You are welcome, thanks for watching!
GOD I've never got over this car since seeing the airbrushed 1947 prototype with fender skirts!!!!! From Hemmings Motor News Cars of The 1940's. I fell in love and as a kid I'll never ever forget seeing movie previews on TV that a movie was coming out. My entire family went I begged and probably got to see it 5 or 6 times. I can't get enough of it. Then my Dad gave me the VCR movie for Christmas I was so excited. In college I got 2 1/18 scale die cast I wanted one of each color. Still got them. What a still born dream so sad.
History unfolding before our eyes!
Pretty cool! We are lucky to be a part of it. Thanks for watching.
Wow what beautiful automobiles I had herd of Tucker but never saw one wish they were still made 👍
So do we, thanks for watching!
I really enjoy the videos. It's great seeing Mark doing what he loves.
Thank you for watching!
I had the pleasure of working on two of these. Both at Sky
Walker Ranch for
Lucas Films. One
was silver,, George's
own car and a burgundy one owned by film company to be sold at auction at
Peebles Beach.
Both ran and drove.
Sweet memory.
Pretty cool ~ a significant bit of automotive history. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome, thanks for watching!
So awesome! I'm really looking forward to this project!!!
Thank you for watching!
Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a beautiful, beautiful vehicle!
We agree, thanks for watching!
She is looking good in the new paint color.
Thank you for watching!
Hi Mike,,Another great video,,Keep them coming,,Thanks
We will keep them coming, thanks for watching!
Oh baby. That's the one I seen at the classic car museum about 7 or so years ago. I even was given the 1/18th Diecast that year as Christmas gift.
Very cool, thanks for watching!
Hi Mike. Congratulations. Come and visit the Tucker in Brazil. Maybe you can help find a chassis for the car.
We hope to someday for sure!
So awesome ! can't wait to see it running and driving 😀👍🏻👍🏽
Hopefully soon, thanks for watching!
As a kid I got to ride in one- I believe it was #14, a blue.one. We did 90 on the freeway, squealed the tires all the way around the on ramp cloverleaf and car didn't lean. Was in the mid 60's, Wow!
In the 1980s there was a yellow one I would see from time to time in San Francisco thanks!
That was most likely 1041. Thanks for watching!
@seantucker
Wasn't #1050 part of the Dick Burdick Collection @ Dicks Classic Garage in San Marcos Texas?. The car had a motor installed when it was on display along with a Tucker motor on a stand sitting next to it in the museum. Advertised as having only 1/2 mile on the odometer. The Burdick Collection was quite impressive and it was very sad to see it auctioned off after his passing.
At 5:09 , view it in 1080p, you can see all the zeros on the odometer, with what looks like either a 5 or a 6 rolling up in the tenths (white background) digit.
@@madpogue Yes .06!
Imagine.. had this been allowed to thrive.. Tucker trucks later.. probably the big 3 worse fear!
That’s correct, it was in the vehicle but was never completely installed and run. Thanks for watching!
Very cool all is continuing. Long time ago Mark brought a Tucker to Ypsilanti Michigan for an orphan car show in riverside park which is close to Preston’s house. Great to see more stories and the great grandsons great work!
Thank you for watching!
I think it's amazing that you keep posting videos on this car!!
We will keep them coming, thanks!
Interesting and a truly "Wow" factor. Sad, this car never made it into being produced in mass production.
Sad, but at least we got 50 of them! Thanks for watching.
Love these videos y’all have been making. Keep them coming!!
Will do, thank you for watching!
Such a cool story behind a great automobile.
That DOPE!! My beater back in the day ran 9's in the quarter and lifted the front wheels half track but that was cuz I added the roots blower off a GreyHound onto the aircooled helicopter motor in my old Tucker in the 90's... it was a screamer!
Ha! We’d love to see that one. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Ohhh, ummmm, uhhhh, I forgot to take pictures... only have video of my FireBird and friends Mopars in 1996 VHS's in my Cars playlist
You forgot to say your big gal of a girlfriend was in the back seat 😂🤣
@@oxyfee6486 Haha, that RIGHT! IT seriously totally reminds me I remember this one time I was out with this nice girl and we had taken that old KemoSabe trail up to Horsheweitz pass to check out the air brigade defence machine setting up their advanced airwac sqwuack comptroller in the valley but I started to get some vibration in the motor mounts on my old beater hotrod on account of I had just cut on the Roots blower from a GreyHound bus to my aircooled helicopter Tucker engine in the back of car #52 off the line. MAN, it was abadass ride lifting the front wheels at least half track running 9's in the quarter cuz of all the weight transfer and my chick would ride in the back to help settle the torque steer on account she was a bigger gal and fit squarely in that chopped off tub behind the rails of the Tucker chassis where she could just hang on and straddle the plumbing tube roll cage bars.
Luckily, no one was injured... except my heart the day she left for a man with a Gasser Willy */w\TMFR/w\*
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS That’s the one I seen,😂🤣😂Thanks for the laughs friend,have a great day.
Always love to have one of these cars I wonder how would I Tucker look today thank you for this video
You are welcome, thanks for watching!
That's so cool to see the odometer with all of those zeros!
Yes it is! Thanks for watching
Totally awesome keep the videos coming please.
We will! Thanks for watching
Blown away with the car , it's in my favourite colour as well , sad to hear that most are garage queen's , if I had the means I would run them regularly ( week-end and night runs ) the car was built to be driven .
Thanks for watching!
Haha I'd have to take it all apart after every drive and inspect every bearing surface for scratches and stone them off and polish it back in 😄
Darn things not replaceable so it has to live forever 😄
Don't want to nitpick because the car is amazing and the paint job looks fine, and I know they no longer make the exact same automotive paints today that were used during the late 1940s, but I still think they could have matched the tint and shade of the original maroon a little closer. Also I wonder if the selling price of the car less powertrain at the 1950 bankruptcy auction is known.
We can’t comment on the reasoning for the paint choice as it was done before our involvement, but this color does present very well! Thanks for watching.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Color per se is great, I like it. Just the shade looks different than inside the door, at least on camera.
Picky emffrr aren't you?
@@saddletramp6935 Generally I'm a terrible excuse for a human being.
Great Video, thank you
Glad you liked it!
The red fire mist color goes well on it. Can't wait to see it done.
Curious why that color, but I have a guess (without knowing any facts). That fire color was a caddillac/gm color that is hard to match. I've seen color books in old body shops that have written next to the color "do not mix." My brother's gm car was that color and the body shop complained about getting that color right. This car was maybe painted with a reject batch of paint? Close but not a match to a body shop collision repair. Cool story, even if I'm making it up :)
@@karlfischer1011 I had a 62 Chevy Il and painted it with a 64 Cadillac color back in the day called "red fire mist arid" also called "crimson fire mist." I knew that color as soon as I saw it. That color brought back a few memories for me. It goes great on that last Tucker if you ask me.
@@erty7012 my brother 's car is a 77 Pontiac. Firethorn Red was the name that year (70% sure).
Thanks for watching! One point of clarification, the car was painted prior to the work being done here and whoever did that decided on the color change. It was originally Tucker Royal Maroon. We do think it looks great!
Have you guys ever considered getting scans of all the design documents that are in that collection that's in that museum? I just watched the video yesterday about the guy that had that collection and one of the comments said that after he died the collection ended up in a museum. I would think it would be easy to remanufacture parts as needed if you simply made scans of those documents and converted them to 3D print models.
According to what was stated by him, he had all of the blueprints for all of the parts that went into a Tucker. I would imagine that that also includes body panels. So perhaps making dies to restamp body panels could be done more easily as well since you would not be having to guess at dimensions.
I realize that all of this would be costly, but can you imagine what it would mean to the Tucker community to be able to purchase replacement parts? From what you said in this video, the majority of the Tuckers out there are not in drivable condition. Being able to reproduce parts would make it possible for more of these Tuckers to be roadworthy.
We happen to live 30 minutes away from the AACA Museum where the prints are now located. We use them often when we find the need to remanufacture replacement parts. However, in many cases tooling costs prohibit traditional manufacturing since there are so few cars in total. Most items are hand made using prototype production techniques.
Cool! Love these cars! There is one in Maine in a collection/museum. Nobody there and the guy let me crawl all around it. He even opened the door and rear engine hood for me, and I peeked in mouth wide open. He also had some 1960s Aston Martin DB and a Ferrari but I spent more time with this one. Just cool history. PT got robbed and so did America by not getting more. Tics me off..
Very cool! Was it red or beige? Either #33 or #28. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Yes Beige, but more like a Latte cappuccino color. That one is in Arundel Maine at Classic Car Museum, and The other one Bob Bahre owned was a beautiful emerald Red color. Google his name and you will see the color.
Lucky enough to see several Tuckers. Live 10 min from Dick's Classic Cars and fell in love with their Tucker (Dick's have since closed). Seen 9 Tuckers plus 0000 in PA
Wow, very cool! We got to spend a lot of time with 1050 (the former Dick's Classic Cars Tucker) over the last couple of years. It an amazing car.
My father and grandfather worked at Tucker. They were both pattern makers.
Cool, we’d love to hear more about it. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Sorry, but there is not much that I can tell you. They made patterns made of wood used in forming sand molds for castings.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 My mom is still alive and worked for Tucker Motors. I wish someone would give her a professional interview.
Good morning to all from SE Louisiana 23 Dec 21.
Good afternoon, thanks for watching!
Decades ago, (1998?) I saw a yellow Tucker at the annual Half Moon Bay California classic car show.
A couple from San Francisco drove it there for the day. I thought it was just great. Many people were offering to buy it. Owners simply said "never for sale". I wonder where that car is today?
That car you are referring to is Tucker #1041 that was owned by Bev Ferreira when you saw it. It has since been restored back to its original color of black and is owned by a private collector in California.
In the 1980s I would see this yellow tucker in the presidio parked with an old man eating his lunch from time to time thanks!
Thanks for watching, yes 1041
@@dogsense3773 I was driving behind it on Lincoln Ave in the inner Sunset once back then. The engine was pretty loud and maybe misfiring.
Great vid, just subbed and looking forward to more GREAT videos from you!
Thank you so much!
It’s wonderful that you have a sample of the correct color, now paint it the correct color. It’s not a street rod! You don’t leave a rare classic car worth 2 million dollars the wrong color because of a $20,000 paint job!
Excellent video - Just subscribed - Thank you for this video!
Maybe in the future, a Tucker Electric ? God bless y'all 🇺🇸
That would be cool, thanks for watching!
Fantastic!!!
Thanks for watching!
Yes, of course we love these videos. thanks for sharing. So excited to see this beast live and breathe. Gorgeous color.
2 questions; did Tucker source the trans from another manufacturer?
And how many cars do you think, were running and driving for the film??
Thanks for sharing.
JT: Orlando, FLA
As for the number used in the movie,on the DVD is a documentary on making the movie. I can't remember or find my copy.
I believe the number from the movie was 22 but I’d have to go back and check. Thanks for watching!
WONDERFUL video! RediRad Approved Motoring here!!
Awesome! Thank you!
Hershey car museum had a Tucker collection on show what a great car .
Check out our latest video showing a small portion of that collection!
New cars have all that and more but it all came from
the tucher 🚗 thanks 🙏
Thanks for watching!
Ok. This will be out there. The car COULD be put into limited production with the help of Tatra. They produced aircooled rear engine V8 cars till the mid nineties. New reproduced bodies with an updated chassis and drive train. But what do I know. I own a Bricklin.
Maybe so, thanks for watching!
Grateful for the content, it was informative and interesting, keep up the good work. Here is a thought, maybe there can be a 1/8 scale model with nice details that an be produced for sale. I would be interested in maybe buying one.
We will see what we can do, thanks for watching!
Fantastic.
Too bad you could not show more of the restoration, instead of just talking about it?
Check out our other videos. Thanks for watching!
The Tucker is a beautiful car for sure, but I can't help notice the Nash you have parked in the background. Not that it takes up a lot of room!
Good eye!! Thanks for watching.
@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 thank you for posting videos! Your museum is on my bucket list.
-This is just me ruminating: If I were the head of VAG in Germany, I would purchase the Tucker name and use it on a new line of four door sedans. Porsche would be PERFECT for this, since they sell rear-engine flat-6 powered cars right now, and it would be VERY easy for them to take the chassis of the Panamera and adopt a 9A1 4.0 liter 500 hp flat-6 engine at the back. Or, they could develop the next Tucker around the architecture of VAG's current J1 (Taycan) or upcoming SSP chassis to produce an electric Tucker, 0-60 in 2.0 seconds with modernized though still recognizable Tucker body panels. And build it in Volkswagen's existing plant in Chattanooga.
But that's just me....
"Paging Herbert Diess! Paging Herbert Diess! Would Herr Diess please see one of the most intriguing opportunities in the car world please!"
We’d love to chat with them as we do own the trademarks! Thanks for watching!
I would think Tesla would be a better match. At least it would still be an American car! Contact Elon,he might be interested. Never can tell
Just to imagine what cars would be like today if the company had succeeded
It Says car 1050 is at Dicks Classic Garage but that public museum is not open to the public as of 2018 .
The museum has since closed unfortunately, but the car lives on. Thanks for watching!
Awesome!
Thanks for watching!
Ford, GM and Chrysler executives are still wanting to smash that car!
They have to pay a pretty penny to do that these days! Thanks for watching
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 - I work for Henry at Chicago Assembly. They still feel threatened!
The failure of the tucker corporation is a direct example when the government oversteps. Preston Tucker continually overcame every hurtle that came his way, battled money problems the entire time. If the government hadn’t stepped in he may have seen the dream come true… if only he and his employees were alive to see the value of what they created.
Maybe he would be happy to know it’s a part of history, that he was ahead of his time.
I’m sure he would be happy to see another one driving, treated like automotive royalty.
Wow very nice
Thank you so much
I heard and read a story that there was suppose to be a prototype convertible that was stored since the last of the tuckers, the man was suppose to work there and the son had it in Michigan but never read anymore about it. I would like to find out more if the man from Michigan has done any.more with it ?
Sounds like a story…we have not comment on the convertible. Thanks for watching!
7:20 Chrysler took this idea with their K-member where the whole frame drops down with the engine for removal. So many ideas from Tuckers were "appropriated" by other manufacturers. Just look at the Corvairs.
Agreed! We’ve got a corvair in the garage as well, one of our favorites!
Always loved the tuckers since I was a kid in the 1970's and heard about them. I remember seeing them in books and I was thrilled to see one for real at the Imperial Palace car museum back in the late 1990's. (Not sure which number it was.)
Thanks for watching!
I never knew what that weird old car in my grandpa's garage was with the headlight in the middle. He said it moved when you turn the steering wheel.
Weird, we have the same issue. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 If we knew it would become valuable some day he wouldn't have scrapped it.
Question for all the Tucker experts on here. Have all fifty Tuckers been accounted for by now? Reason I ask is I worked with a guy in the mid eighties who swore to know the location of one in an old junkyard down South.
Yes, all are accounted for. There is a small chance that enough of the remaining body of #42 might be out there somewhere, but a large portion of that car is accounted for and most resides in the AACA museum in Hershey, PA.
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Well someone must have gotten that car then. I didn't have the funds to fly this guy down there with me and purchase the car. This was long before the Tucker movie and average people didn't even know about them.
But I did because my late father lusted after one as a young man and collected all the literature he could find from a Detroit showroom. Guy said this one was buried in the junkyard and covered in moss. If I remember correctly the junkyard was either in Mississippi or Louisiana. Glad at least it didn't get crushed.
JESUS YOU GOT 2!!!!
Cool to see she's going back on the road.
Thanks for watching!
So that last Tucker is the same color as the Tin Goose, the very first Tucker.
Vell done !! 🍺 😎 👍
I really wish they would have explained the shift mechanism. Could not see the passenger side of the steering column. Is there a shifter on the column or is there some type of preselector on the dash? Please explain. Thankyou.
God Bless..... Tucker, a fantastic car for the people, that was "destroyed" by big business and their political puppets.... Amazing how some things never change, even in the 21st century.
My uncle owned #48 color black a beautiful car. After my uncle died my aunt sold it to a man in Ohio.
Ironically there is a Tucker in The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
Can you post the link to the follow up video? 😊
We didn’t make it yet, but we will!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 thank you for the quick response! I’ll be following! What an AMAZING CAR! I only seen one ONCE! I bet you could make a killing selling rides in them! 🤔😎
I saw one in Newport RI in a museum
That was probably #36 at the Audrain. Thanks for watching!
Given the state of the art with steel pressing, 3-D printing to create casting patterns for 'lost plastic' casting process, it seems feasible to tool up for not only 'spares' but to establish the basis for continuation production. I wonder if a current production Lycoming or other opposed layout aircraft engine can be adapted with new head and manifold castings to create a new version of a water cooled Tucker inspired engine for continuation cars.. That would be 'close enough' to be acceptable, and different enough to have zero impact on originals value.
Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Of course! This is one of the most amazing mid century car stories ever.. How could I not watch? Years ago I had the great pleasure of seeing a Tucker on the road now and then, and on display at events, as one was owned by a family in Springfield Oregon, very near where I lived in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. It was a real treat to be on the road and then just see it out being driven. Magnificent vision to have conceived the car, and wonderful that as many made it into existence as did.. THANK YOU for keeping the story alive and for keeping the cars running..
Nice, but it is my understanding Tucker never made any cars for production they simply made prototypes that they sourced engines for, am I mistaken?
In our opinion even though 50 of the cars were called “production” they are all prototypes. The engine was sourced from a company called air cooled motors that Preston purchased after scrapping plans (due to time constraints) in the short term for the original 589. Thanks for watching!
@@prestontuckersspeedshop1948 Wikipedia has a good article about all that and more.
My Great uncle had a tucker on order but never received it.
So did many other unfortunately, thanks for watching!
That car belonged to dick Burdick before he died and was on display at Dick's car museum in San Marcos Texas
Did the convertible concept car ever get finished. A friend of mi e that use to work for Coker Tire in Chattanooga Tn took the order for two sets of tires that were to be used on the convertible once it was finished. He passeed before he could receve the photos the gentleman had promised to send him once it was done.......
@4:00 - You just completely contradicted what the young man said earlier about the car being all original as a static display. A new interior?
The car was a static display, but not all components were original including the interior. It had been replaced at some point in the cars history for some reason which we will probably never know. Thanks for watching!
How accurate is the film? The original concept pictures at his home outside are those infact the drawings
There is some “Hollywood” in the film but the story itself is pretty accurate. I don’t believe those are the original drawings themselves, but they are copies of some of the Tremulis renderings.
Just imagine the automobiles we’d have today for not the greed of the Big 3 that destroyed the auto industry in America. How they were afraid of losing their status to actually someone that designed and built a better automobile. Maybe if they brought back some old nameplates like a limited edition Cadillac “Packard”. Today, They are boring numbers as opposed to an actual name.
Thanks for watching!
Was the the one from Dicks Garage in san Marcos Texas? If not, does anyone know where that one went? I thought it went to a museum in San Antonio.
Yes it is! Currently being refreshed in Michigan.
It’s a real shame what happened to Tucker and the Tucker vehicle?
I thought only 48 were made?
The count of 51 comes from counting #0 (the Tin Goose) as the first Tucker, and the 50 additional prototypes as 1-50. 0+ 50 = 51, with this car being the last one. Thanks for watching!
I thought there was 51 cars? Everything I've seen gives that number. I remember watching the movie years ago, this car is definitely in my top 10. Really sad the full outcome and demise of Preston and his credibility because of a smear campaign.