The Professor

Here's another post about a controversial historical figure. In 1948, Preston Tucker designed the Tucker Torpedo, a sedan way ahead of its time with many features modern by even today's standards. Altho he's been gone for many years, on Oct. 12 (Columbus Day) his son, Preston Tucker Jr. died. Preston Jr. was his father's right-hand man during the Torpedo's development years, then went on to a distinguished engineering career of his own, including work on America's space program. He lived and worked for many years here in the Phoenix area, where he died at 78.

Francis Ford Coppola made a fine movie about Tucker, with the theme of the individual vs. the establishment, in 1988. It carried the family name and starred Jeff Bridges and Martin Landau.

Thank you, Preston Tucker!

ralper

Paul

I don't know enough about the car to comment except that I saw one a few years ago at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. It is a beautiful automobile.

Legal Bill

122 mph.
Helicopter engine converted to water cooled.
4 wheel disc brakes.
Pop out windshield.
Four wheel independent suspension.
4 speed manual with pre-selector.

Kinda ugly though. Loyal owners club.

RedY2KS2k

I believe it also had a third headlight in the center that rotated left or right as the steering wheel was turned, to light the way around corners.

dbw

hmmm..1935 miller-ford...fwd,ifs,irs, stock ford flathead...113.213mph qualifying time at indy[fastest of "stock block"class];design by harry miller,promoted to ford sponsorship by tucker....miller-gulf 1937... mid engine,4 wheel independent suspension,twin-cam supercharged six,4 wheel disc brakes.....international 10 km record..153.237 mph...last remaining car purchased by tucker in 1946 and named "tucker torpedo"for indy attempt...according to the late mark dees in "the miller dynasty" many of tucker's dealings had harry miller as the design source and tucker exploiting the results..[also an interesting note on "tucker aircraft corporation" using a version of miller's side by side straight eight marine engines....tucker was attempting to gain govenment funding for essentially a non-existing airplane..]i haven't seen the movie but from what i've read i'm not too impressed...

The Professor

The Tucker used a 335cu.in. ohv aluminum flat six with a bore/stroke of 4.50 x 3.50". Alex Tremulis designed the sedan body for Tucker.

Like all art, movies are works of fiction, and the Coppola movie "Tucker" probably makes him more of an underdog than he really was. Nevertheless, I love cars, and am always grateful when something different is attempted.

Emil St-Hilaire

I remember that movie.
At the end,he had to deliver a certain number of cars (50?)in a time frame.
Don't remember if He succeded.

The Professor

Tucker failed to deliver, and the movie blamed it on a conspiracy by the Big Three. The mysterious Howard Hughes even appeared at one point as a kind of ally.

dbw

hey prof...you gotta do a bit more research than watch a hollywood flop and read "classic car" magazine before you stick your neck out....next thing you'll be telling us what a talented and but misunderstood figure delorean was....

and don't forget....you're talkin''bout THE DUDE !


"your not wrong walter..your'e just an asshole."

no apologies for the dennis milleresque cross-cultural references...

The Professor

Whatever you're trying to say......?????

I posted an obit; someone had died.

Tucker was whatever he was; we have a car called the Tucker that some of us find interesting.

Delorean was whatever HE was; we also have a car called the Delorean that some of us find interesting.

I've never read Classic Car and my research doesn't come from movies; they are, as I posted, fiction.