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In this Discussion
- 66patrick66 January 2010
- Browniepetersen January 2010
- MikeWA January 2010
- RL Chilton January 2010
More on the Tucker Convertible -
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Looks like it has finally been finished... :rolleyes:
The 'story' on it appears to have grown, changed, evolved, etc., as the car was built (see the site below). In all honesty, I believe that an impartial & knowledgeable expert needs to go over all the information, documentation, etc., and separate the BS from the truth... At least half of the documentation has NO direct bearing on the individual car & proves NOTHING. The other documents are open to individual interpretation, based upon information and dates that ARE NOT verified/confirmed - IMO the whole thing has got more holes than swiss cheeze. Right now, those doing all the 'shoveling' have an interest in convincing anyone/everyone that the building of this convertible was begun long before Tucker folded.
http://www.tuckerconvertible.com/
In an email I got referencing an OCW email newsletter, I got the impression that the car was up for auction, but cannot find anything to confirm that. The is the second article I've seen that was written by OCW about vehicles that have less than pristine lienage/track record (i.e., questionable authenticity)...
This should be right up BJ's "alley" - After all, if they'll accept that '26 Hudson as the 'Grapes of Wrath' truck, this one should be a breeze... :rolleyes: LOL!
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Put it this way - since Alex Tremulis, Preston Tucker, and all of the other principles from the company have been interviewed at one time or another and ALL have said there never was a Tucker ragtop prototype built, period. I'll give it to this guy for building a one-of-none concept from what HIS brain has conjured up, and certainly nothing the Tucker Motors ever considered at that time. The builder is going on the word of an accountant that had zip to do with actual production! They had the Feds, the SEC, and others breathing down their necks to produce what few cars they DID build. They had no time to "dream" and build a ragtop."The time has come", the Walrus said, "to speak of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot,
And whether pigs have wings..." -
It's been fun and fascinating watching this story unfold over the last couple of years. I think the questions lie in whether or not this car started life as a convertible in the factory, not whether or not it is actually an original Tucker automobile. This IS car #57 and has been since the beginning.
IF the factory originally decided to make a ragtop, the logical progression would not be dissimilar to the process Hudson utilized with the first step-down convertibles. That initially required taking a closed car, removing the roof, and re-engineering necessary frame adjustments, and fitting and fabricating (or altering existing) specific convertible top parts to a known platform.
After reviewing the latest information, I personally am still straddling the line of believability. The romanticist in me wants to believe this is in fact, the long lost "Vera" project. Unfortunately, the supplied documentation is scant and slightly "stretching" to say the least. Not surprising in the least. Look how tough it's been for Hudnuts to come up with lost information from a defunct company that went under half-a-century ago. The Tucker Corporation was but a fly speck on the automotive-world's back, and, subsequently, official documents are going to be very hard to come by (if they still even exist), six decades later.
Beautiful car, though. Great job on the build, as a whole. Million dollar car? Probably. Being a life-long Tucker fan, this controversial car has certainly made for great conversation and speculation during our bench sessions. -
I am with Russell on this one. I will add that it is one fine looking car and if money was no object to me (that would be a nice dream) it would be in my shop. It would look good next to the 1963 Mustang Stationwagon that I helped to build in the 70's, or the 49 Hudson Stationwagon that showed up last year. or, perhaps the 1952 prototype Corvette station wagon? And, I would not care if you called it a hot rod, rat rod, resto rod or whatever it remains one of those ledgends of automobilia or folklore that is akin to that 4 pound brook trout that I took out of the Blacksmith Fork river some 50 years ago. Little or no truth but one hell-of-a-story! It makes for a lot better and more intresting breakfast talk than the tales of Tiger? I'll bet that with the next few phantom barns that I come across out in the western waste lands that there is another Tucker convertible or station wagon that is original? Wait a minute, I think that John Baresford Tipton just knocked on my door?Brownie
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Browniepetersen wrote:Wait a minute, I think that John Baresford Tipton just knocked on my door?
No, that would be Michael Anthony whose knockin'. But John B. signed that big check!
Good post- puts things in perspective. -
Mike (WA) wrote:No, that would be Michael Anthony whose knockin'. But John B. signed that big check!
Good post- puts things in perspective.
Thanks for the correction, I had forgoten about Michael...... I will blame it on old?Brownie
