Someone Slap David Madeira, Would Ya?

[Tuckerfan1053]

I just found this clip of him on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uv-hGMs0Ng ) talking about the Tucker in the LeMay Automobile Museum. He gets a number of things wrong (how many headlights turn with the wheel, how many of the cars are left, who built the engine, etc., etc., etc.) and IMHO, its pretty inexcusable some of the mistakes that he makes. About the only thing he didn't do was claim that Preston really wanted to build a convertible.

[Phantomrig]

Wow, according to his math there are only about 13 cars still driveable and less than half that are original.

[Randy Earle]

20 years from now they will say Tucker was Howard Hughes front man, and that Tucker was his puppet.

[cicero]

What a yahoo!. He says that it is air cooled? Has he not even looked at the engine and noticed the radiator?

Someone needs to respond to this video to correct all of this misinformation.

[cicero]

Virtual slap done... Someone check my facts.

[Larry Clark]

The You Tube clip speaking to the Tucker car having an air-cooled engine is pretty egregious (albeit that Preston Tucker was hoping to ultimately achieve this). However, I think the video is still a good PR piece in that 1007 is a beautiful car, the car is obviously highly valued in the LeMay collection and the two speakers, while guilty of some easy miscues for us to catch, obviously highly like and respect the car. People who get hooked by the clip will soon enough learn particulars about the car.

What intrigues me about the clip is the estimate of the number of drivable Tucker cars. This is a great question. I think the estimate of about 13 cars is in the ballpark, especially IF we define a truly drivable car being something like 1041 was with and for Bev Ferreira. To illustrate, Tucker 1040 looks great sitting in the San Sylvan Museum. However, if we somehow convinced them to allow us to take 1040 for a spin to an In and Out for hamburgers, would the car be up to it? Given how little the car is likely driven, I doubt we would be much competition to, say a well running 1951 Hudson Hornet. Given how valuable Tucker cars are becoming, it is likely to become a real rarity to see any truly drivable Tucker car on the street. So, is 13 now a good ballpark estimate?

Larry

[TuckerCar]

I count ~16:

1002
1003 (again, very soon)
1006
1007
1008
1017
1029
1033
1034
1038
1041
1043
1045
1047
1048
1049

Oh, and of course 1057

[Tucker Fan 48]

I think you could add #1019, #1021, and #1025 to the list.

Also #1015 and #1046 will joining the list in the next year

[Tuckerfan1053]

So far as I know, 1051 could be driven, but with the insurance costs being so high, she generally rides a trailer.

[Natalie]

I count ~16:

1002
1003 (again, very soon)
1006
1007
1008
1017
1029
1033
1034
1038
1041
1043
1045
1047
1048
1049

Oh, and of course 1057

Not sure how recently this driving took place, but Pat Swigart told us last month that she once drove 1013 into town at distance of about 3 miles. My husband asked her how she could legally drive it (not registered, etc.). She gave him a "look" and said something funny to the effect of "who was going to stop me?" Again, this could have been years ago -- I was too distracted by the Tuckers to ask when. Just throwing it out there.

[Randy Earle]

This one was just out for a cruise in Chico California.

[Tucker Fan 48]

Great Pictures of #1021. Is there anymore from this date?

[Randy Earle]

Just these. My friend from California went to this cruise in and 1021 drove up taking everyone by surprise.

[Tucker Fan 48]

I guess not everyone is as crazy as we are. I would have shot a few hundred photos.

[Tuckerfan1053]

I guess not everyone is as crazy as we are. I would have shot a few hundred photos.

Yeah, its not like it costs a lot to have all those digital photo electrons developed or anything.