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

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