1948 Tucker Sedan

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Tucker '48
A 1948 Tucker Sedan at the Blackhawk Auto Museum.
Manufacturer Tucker Car Corporation
Production 1947-1948 (MY1948 - Total of 51 cars completed)
Assembly Chicago, IL
Class Sedan
Layout Rear engine/Rear Wheel Drive, 4-wheel independent suspension, 128" wheelbase, 219" overall length, 60" height, 79" width
Engine(s) H-6 (horizontally opposed), ohv, 334.1 ci[1] (4.50 x 3.50 in. bore x stroke), 7.0:1 compression ratio, 166 bhp, 372 lbs/ft torque.
Transmission(s) (projected) four-speed manual[2]
Cord Y-1 (early cars)
TuckerMatic (R-1, R-2, R-3 versions) (later cars)
Curb weight 4200 pounds
Designer Alex Tremulis

The 1948 Tucker Sedan or Tucker '48 Sedan (initially named the Tucker Torpedo) was an advanced automobile conceived by Preston Tucker and briefly produced in Chicago in 1948. Only 51 cars were made before the company folded on March 3, 1949, due to negative publicity initiated by the news media, a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation and a heavily publicized stock fraud trial. Speculation exists that the circumstances which brought the Tucker Corporation down were contributed to by the Big Three automakers and Michigan senator Homer Ferguson. The 1988 movie, Tucker: The Man and His Dream is based on Tucker's spirit and the saga surrounding the car's production.


Contents

[edit] Overview

After the war the big three Detroit automakers had not developed any new models since 1941. The public was ready for totally new car designs, but the big three were not. This provided great opportunity for small, new automakers who could develop new cars more rapidly than the huge legacy automakers. Studebaker was first with an all-new post-war model. Tucker took a different tack, designing a safety car with innovative features and modern styling. His specifications called for an air-cooled aluminum block[2] flat-6 rear engine, disc brakes, four-wheel independent suspension,[2] fuel injection, the location of all instruments on the steering wheel, and a padded dashboard.

Famed stylist Alex Tremulis, previously of Auburn/Cord/Duesenberg, was hired on December 24, 1946 and given just six days to finalize the general design. On December 31, 1946, Tucker approved the design, dubbed initially as the "Tucker Torpedo." However the "Torpedo" name was quickly dropped, not desiring to bring to mind the horrors of WWII, and the name was simply changed to the "Tucker '48". In early March 1947 Tucker also contracted the New York design firm of J.Gordon Lippincott to create an alternate body design.The Lippincott design team created a second full-size clay model within 8 weeks, from which Preston Tucker chose their styling of the car's rear end, for the final production car.

[edit] Innovative design

A Tucker '48 Sedan design patent illustration[3]

Many components and features of the car were innovative and far ahead of its time. The most recognizable feature of the Tucker '48, a directional third headlight, known as the "Cyclops Eye", would turn on at steering angles of greater than 10 degrees to light the car's path around corners. Interestingly, at the time 17 states had laws against cars having more than two headlights.[4] Tucker fabricated a cover for the cyclops center light for use in these states.

The car was rear-engined and rear wheel drive. A perimeter frame surrounded the vehicle for crash protection, as well as a roll bar integrated into the roof. The steering box was behind the front axle to protect the driver in a front-end accident. The instrument panel and all controls were in easy reach of the steering wheel, and the dash was padded for safety. The windshield was designed to pop-out in a collision to protect occupants. The car also featured seat belts, a first in its day. The car's parking brake had a separate key so it could be locked in place to prevent theft. The doors extended into the roof, to ease entry and exit.[2] The engine and transmission were mounted on a separate sub frame which could be lowered and removed in minutes with just six bolts removed—Tucker envisioned loaner engines being quickly swapped in for service in just 15–20 minutes.

Tucker envisioned several other innovations which were later abandoned. Magnesium wheels, disc brakes, fuel injection, self-sealing tubeless tires, and a direct-drive torque converter transmission were all evaluated and/or tested but were dropped on the final prototype due to cost, engineering complexity, and lack of time to develop.

Tucker initially tried to develop an innovative engine. It was a 589 in³ flat-6 cylinder with hemispherical combustion chambers, fuel injection, and overhead valves operated by oil pressure rather than a camshaft. These features would have been auto industry firsts in 1948, but as engine development proceeded, problems appeared. The 589 engine was installed only in the test chassis and the first prototype, known as the Tin Goose.

The final car was only 70 in (1524 mm) tall, but was rather large and comfortable inside. Tremulis' design was called the most aerodynamic in the world, and though it still sported pre-war type fenders, it was startlingly modern. The mathematically-computed drag coefficient was only 0.27, although for the public this figure was rounded up to 0.30.

[edit] Troubled premiere

The world premiere of the much-hyped Tucker '48 car was set for June 19, 1947. Over 3,000 people showed up for lunch, a train tour of the plant, and the unveiling of the first Tucker (Dubbed the "Tin Goose") in the main auditorium. The unveiling looked doomed, however, as last-minute problems with the car cropped up. The suspension snapped and the car would not move. Tucker ad-libbed on stage for two hours while emergency repairs were carried out. It was finally pushed onto a turntable by hand, and the curtain was lifted to thunderous applause. Tucker was joined on stage by his family, with his daughter smashing a champagne bottle on the "Cyclops Eye" and soaking her father. Also on stage were Tucker's engineers, still covered in grease from the last-minute repairs.

[edit] Continuing development

Tucker had promised 150 hp (112 kW), and his innovative 589 was not working out. The large 589 in³ (9.7 L) engine functioned, but the motor's valvetrain proved problematic and could only produce approximately 88 HP. The high oil pressure required long cranking time at startup. Running out of time to develop a reliable powerplant, Tucker started looking for alternatives. The company first tried the Lycoming aircraft engine but it would not fit in the car's rear engine compartment. A Franklin air-cooled flat-6 engine, the O-335 (originally intended for the Bell 47),[5] fit, and its 166 hp (124 kW) pleased Tucker. He purchased four samples for $5,000 each, and his engineers converted the 334 ci (5.5 L) engine to water cooling (a decision that has puzzled historiographers ever since).[6] This durable engine was tested at maximum power for 150 hours, the equivalent of 18,000 miles at full throttle.[7] Tucker quickly bought the Franklin company to secure the engine source. After purchasing Franklin, Tucker cancelled all of the company's aircraft contracts so that its resources could be focused on making automotive engines for the Tucker Corporation. This was a significant event, since at the time of Tucker's purchase Franklin held over 65% of U.S. aviation engine production contracts.

Tucker suffered another setback when his bids to obtain two steel mills to provide raw materials for his cars were rejected by the WAA under a shroud of questionable politics.

Another challenging element of the prototypes was the transmission, adapted from designs intended for front-engine/front wheel drive use. The initially used Cord transmission could not handle the power of the Franklin engine, so a new design was needed. The Cord transmission used in the first car didn't have a working reverse gear. This caused trouble for Tucker, when it was reported in the press that the prototype lacked a reverse gear. A skeptical press reported that the car could not go backward, hurting its reputation, despite the fact that this problem was limited to the first prototype only, a symptom of the speed with which the first car was put together.

To improve the transmission on the following prototypes, the creator of the Buick Dynaflow transmission was called in, designing a special "Tuckermatic" transmission with only 27 parts, about 90 fewer than normal.

Although it was well-funded, the company decided to raise more money in order to secure its future and credibility. $17,000,000 was raised in a stock issue, one of the first speculative IPOs. Another money maker was the Tucker Accessories Program. Future buyers could purchase accessories, like seat covers, the radio, and luggage, before their car was built. This brought an additional $2,000,000 into the company.

With the final design in place, Preston Tucker took the pre-production cars on the road to show them in towns across the country. The cars were an instant success, with crowds gathering wherever they stopped. One report says that Tucker was pulled over by a police officer intent on getting a better look at the car.

[edit] SEC Investigation and Demise of Tucker Corporation

Main article: Preston Tucker
Tucker '48 at Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, California, United States

One of Tucker's most innovative business ideas caused trouble for the company, however. His Accessories Program raised funds by selling accessories before the car was even in production. After the war demand for new cars was greater than dealers could supply, and most dealers had waiting lists for new cars. Preference was given to returning veterans, which meant that non-veterans were bumped down on the waiting lists indefinitely. Tucker's program allowed potential buyers who purchased Tucker accessories to obtain a guaranteed spot on the Tucker dealer waiting list for a Tucker '48 car.

This concept was investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the United States Attorney, and led to an indictment of company executives. Although all charges were eventually dropped, the negative publicity destroyed the company and halted production of the car.

To counteract the bad press, Tucker again took the cars on the road. He scheduled a two-week public test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a few of the 37 cars that had been built. One car was rolled three times at 95 mph (160 km/h), and the driver (chief mechanic John Eddie Offutt) walked away with just bruises, verifying Tucker's safety features were effective. The car was started and driven away from the accident after changing a damaged tire.

During the trouble Tucker faced while trying to promote his car and get it into production, it was found that the "Big Three" automakers were deliberately attempting to sabotage his efforts, through the influence of Detroit Senator Homer Ferguson, who is commonly held responsible for initiating the SEC's pursuing of Tucker's business.

[edit] Tucker '48 today

The first Tucker ever produced was a prototype sedan, known as the "Tin Goose". Fifty-eight frames and bodies were built at the factory. From these parts, 36 sedans were finished before the factory was closed. Since the factory closed, an additional 14 sedans have been completed for a total of 51. The majority of these vehicles are in excellent condition. When the cars appear at auction, which is rare, they command prices attained by only a few marquee cars. Tucker #1038 sold in August 2008 at RM's Monterey auction for the record-setting price of $1,017,500. Tucker # 1041 sold at the Clars Auction on June 7, 2009 for $750,000. With the auction house buyers premium added, the total price for the sale of the car was $853,100. The car was on the auction block for a total of 7 1/2 minutes. The previous owner paid $5,000 for the car in 1970.

[edit] Replica vehicles

In 1997, Rob Ida Automotive started work on a replica of the Tucker '48 Sedan, which culminated in the release and marketing of the 2001 Ida Automotive New Tucker '48. This replica faithfully recreates the Tucker's external bodywork, but is built on a hotrod chassis with resin infused plastic body panels. The paint and wheels reflect modern hotrod styling, and the interior is fully modern. It is powered by a rear-mounted Cadillac Northstar V8. Claimed performance is 0–60 in 7 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 120 mph. Ida has built three cars.[8] The "new Tucker '48" was reviewed by Car and Driver magazine in July 2001.[9]

[edit] Convertible prototype

A convertible Tucker, alleged to be a partially-completed prototype developed in the company's waning days, is currently being completed by car collector Justin Cole of Benchmark Classics in Madison, Wisconsin. However, there is some debate as to the car's authenticity.[10]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Flory, J. "Kelly", Jr. American Cars 1946-1959 (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Coy, 2008), p.1013.
  2. ^ a b c d Flory, p.1013.
  3. ^ U.S. Design Patent no. 154,192, P.T. Tucker, Design for an Automobile, June 14, 1949
  4. ^ Many of these laws would persist until 1958, when quadruple lights were approved by the U.S. government. Flory, p.855.
  5. ^ Wise, David Burgess. "Tucker: Too Much Too Soon", in World of Automobiles (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 20, p.2386.
  6. ^ Wise, p.2386.
  7. ^ Auto editors of Consumer Guide (2002). Cars of the Fascinating '40s: A Decade of Challenges and Changes. Lincolnwood, Illinois, United States: Publications International, Ltd.. pp. 264–265. ISBN 0-7853-6274-6. 
  8. ^ "Better Than The Real Thing - Tucker 48"; Car Audio and Electronics
  9. ^ Ida Automotive New Tucker 48 - Specialty File
  10. ^ NYTimes.com "The Tucker That Time Forgot"

[edit] References

  • Egan, Philip S. (1989). Design and Destiny: The Making of the Tucker Automobile. On the Mark publications. ISBN 0-924321-00-8 (paperback). 
  • Flory, J. "Kelly", Jr. American Cars 1946-1959. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Coy, 2008.
  • Pearson, Charles T. (1974). The Indomitable Tin Goose: The True Story of Preston Tucker and His Car. Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers, Minneapolis. ISBN 0-87938-020-9 (hardcover). 
  • Wise, David Burgess. "Tucker: Too Much Too Soon", in World of AutomobilesVolume 20, pp. 2385-6. London: Orbis, 1974.

[edit] External links

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