Tremlis, the car was truly ahead of its time. The exterior featured a cyclops headlight that turned with the steering wheel, a windshield that popped out on impact, cut away roof line above the doors for easier access, and a step-down interior.
The interior had push-button door releases, a padded dash that wrapped around the doors, and interchangeable front and rear seats to provide for even upholstery. The Tucker featured an all-independent suspension and a rear-mounted flat-six power plant which utilized the first fully sealed water-cooling system. The all-alloy engine weighed only pounds, but produced bhp, pushing the Tucker to top speeds of mph mph in about 10 seconds.
Forty-seven of these cars still exist; this car is number 7. There were three interior trim colors offered — Light green , Light Blue , and Light Beige The door releases on the interior of the Tucker came from the Lincoln Zephyr. The steering columns used in the Tucker were donated by Ford and are from the Lincoln. Preston Tucker held a patent for a collapsible steering column design. This is a padded area ahead of the passenger seat, free from obstructions, providing the front seat passengers an area to protect themselves in the event of an accident.
The Tucker was designed with a safety glass, two-piece windshield with rubber moldings, each panel designed to pop out in the event of an impact. Windshields in other cars of the day remained stationary, often causing severe head lacerations in the event of a crash when the occupant made contact with the stationary glass. Tucker designers changed some major design points between cars and Tucker and below used a mechanical linkage for the Cyclops Eye, whereas and above used a new, simpler cable design.
But 47 of the original 51 cars built there still exist in collections scattered throughout the world. Usually up on blocks, and drained of all fluids but oil, it still emits a living glow, like a pearl. Preston Tucker, an affable character with a weakness for statement neckties, was a Prohibition-era policeman known for chasing down boosmtleggers in Lincoln Park, Michigan. One frigid winter, he torched a hole in the dashboard of his unheated cruiser to pipe in warmth from under the hood, was demoted for his trouble and left the force.
There were long waiting lists for new vehicles, and consumers plunked down money, sight unseen. But the first models produced in featured tired prewar designs. But, as they say, it "Ran when parked. After looking it over, Mark told the owner he would love to buy the car. The owner had no interest in selling but Mark stayed in touch after he left that day.
Three years later and following numerous conversations, the owner agreed to sell the car to Mark. A deal was struck and Mark headed to Ohio. He brought his trailer. They winched the car into the trailer and Mark brought it back to his shop in Auburn Hills. There, he went through the car thoroughly.
Brakes, fuel lines, radiator, fuel pump, carburetor, ignition. Everything was remarkably serviceable considering how long it had been since the car had been driven.
Mark went through the steps one takes when reviving an engine that hasn't been turned over in 30 years and then — it started right up. The car now runs and drives. The car you see in the pictures is a lovely shade of root beer brown. It had been repainted a few owners back — maybe in the s — but it came from the factory in Andante Green. Mark plans on getting the car back to that color along with a complete top to bottom restoration, of the sort he has done on previous Tuckers.
The good news is that has remained in very good condition over the decades. The doors are tight and the body and frame show virtually nothing in the way of corrosion.
As the "Before" car in a restoration project, this Tucker is in better shape than any Mark has restored before. This restoration very well could take a few years so Mark has decided to leave the car as it is for this summer and will spend a bit of time enjoying it before it gets laid up for all of its work. After all, when was the last time you saw a Tucker '48 show up at one of those?
Steve Lehto is a writer and attorney from Michigan. He specializes in Lemon Law and frequently writes about cars and the law. He also has a podcast where he talks about these things. A Chinese professor visiting Los Angeles early this month fought off an attacker using martial arts in an incident that has gone viral across Chinese media.
Pigai came to Los Angeles on Oct. Until I saw this.
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