Unrestored Tucker Sells for $797,500 at Auction-- Part 2

From the Jan. 30, 2011, Chicago Tribune.

Part 1 was April 28, 2011.

Even though the Tucker automobile never became, interest in it continues today. The Tucker Automobile Club of America has several hundred members.

Tucker No. 1010, the car in the article was bought from the factory on July 16, 1948, by Philadelphia Tucker Sales. On June 15, 1956, there was classified ad in the Oakland Tribune offered "One of the fabulous originals--Tucker engine--it runs--4-door sedan-- near new condition. Make an offer. Olympic 8-4238. By Owner."

Don and Mignonette bought the car four days later and would own it for more than 50 years. By then, the original blue color had been painted turquoise and reupholstered. Wright was president of the Tucker Club 1980-1981, but remained secretive about the car and wouldn't sell it.

The odometer reads 9,819 miles but in the 1980s, Wright reported it had turned 109,819 miles, while other sources say it might have gone over 200,000.

There were at least nine confirmed owners before June 1956, so it is highly unlikely that it would need a new paint job and upholstery in just 8 years and only have driven 9,819 miles.

The low-number cars received a lot of testing and were driven to dealerships.

I'd Like to Have One, But Not Enough Garage Space. And, Then There's That Pesky Price Problem. --Cooter