Thursday, April 28, 2011

Unrestored Tucker Sells for $797,500-- Part 1

From the January 30, 2011, Chicago Tribune "Unearthed Tucker" by Paul Duchene.

Tucker Automobile No. 1010 was found in a ramshackle Auburn, Washington, garage in October 2010 where it had been parked for 54 years. On Jan. 22nd, it sold for $797,500 even though it was not running.

The last two Tuckers to be sold went for over a million each. This one is very restorable. Most restorations of Tuckers cost around $250,000 to $350,000, but $400,000 is expected to make it museum quality.

It is turquoise colored and is the tenth of fifty pilot cars built by Preston Tucker in 1948 as he tried to launch a car that would have changed the US auti industry.

Designed by Alex Tremulis, the design was groundbreaking at the time. Only 60 inches high (lowest production sedan) it had a 128-inch wheelbase, one of the largest. The engine was a rear-mounted 335 cubic-inch, 200-horsepower, 6-cylinder designed from an aircraft design.

There were pop-out safety windows, padded dash, center headlight that turned with the front wheels and independent suspension. It was designed to cruise at 100 mph and get up to 30 mpg at that speed!!

Quite an Impressive Car. --DaCoot

No comments: