Picture of Tucker Accessories

[CDB]

A friend found this picture online. Can anyone give me the facts surrounding the picture? Apparently it is of accessories being offered to those wanting to buy a Tucker. I can identify the Tucker Radio and the seatcovers but what are the other items? Who is the man in the picture? Charles D. Barnette

[ebres63081]

Is this photo from the dealer meeting photo's covered by Life magazine?

The large metal box in front of the gentlemen to the left of the radio box is a B&B heater. It looks to be the same model that is mounted to the firewall of my #1031! All of the hoses and connectors etc are again to the left.

[streamliner]

CDB: ebres, you're correct, that photo was one of the "Automan" photos taken by George Skadding on February 3, 1949 at the last Tucker sales meeting. Go to the LIFE image archives for more photos and closeups of the parts in the photo. Those "Automan" photos are what led to the discovery of bodies 51 through 58 (minus 57) on the welding line (see thread http://www.tuckerclub.org/bbs3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1803).

To me, the other items look like a heater core and associated installation hardware and the wrap may just be the first known public display of the Tucker Snuggie:

[Tucker Fan 48]

Don't forget the Motorola gasoline powered heater that sat under the drivers seat.
Thank goodness there were only a few of those ever tryed or we probably wouldn't
have many cars left today.

Imagine sitting on top of this thing and hitting the on switch hoping it works correctly.

I'm not sure how Motorola got into building heaters but being just down Cicero Avenue
it is easy to see why Tucker would have tryed it out. Maybe someone knows how many
of them were put into Tuckers.

Safe to say the Motorola gasoline powered heater bombed!

[Tuckerfan1053]

Don't forget the Motorola gasoline powered heater that sat under the drivers seat.
Thank goodness there were only a few of those ever tryed or we probably wouldn't
have many cars left today.

Imagine sitting on top of this thing and hitting the on switch hoping it works correctly.

I'm not sure how Motorola got into building heaters but being just down Cicero Avenue
it is easy to see why Tucker would have tryed it out. Maybe someone knows how many
of them were put into Tuckers.

Safe to say the Motorola gasoline powered heater bombed!

Actually, from what I understand, that type of heater is/was relatively common on light piston engine aircraft. I also think that the school buses I rode as a kid had those as well.

[cicero]

They were also a widely available accessory for air cooled VW's. They are not as dangerous as you would think.

[Tucker Fan 48]

I'm still not sure that I'd be thrilled about using one
built by a radio company using 1940s technology.

[Tuckerfan1053]

I'm still not sure that I'd be thrilled about using one
built by a radio company using 1940s technology.

I feel quite certain that its safer than a certain vehicle produced by the Ford Motor Company some 20+ years later.