Letter From Preston Tucker on eBay

[Tuckerfan1053]

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRESTON-TUCKER-RARE ... 0560177136

Its a short letter written to Indy Racer Ralph Hepburn's Widow, Sparky. The price doesn't seem too outrageous for it.

[Tucker Fan 48]

Does anyone know what this letter was about? Just curious about why Preston invited two
women to spend a couple weeks with him and Vera and see how things worked out. I'm
sure there is a story behind this (or at least I hope so).

[Natalie]

Does anyone know what this letter was about? Just curious about why Preston invited two
women to spend a couple weeks with him and Vera and see how things worked out. I'm
sure there is a story behind this (or at least I hope so).

The letter is dated July 1948, and we all know what happened to Hepburn at Indy earlier that year (that's a good guess why he'd have "thought about you several times"). I can't seem to get a definite on the "real" name of Mrs. H -- some show her as Ida Mae, others Joanne...or their child. But his obit says he left a wife and a daughter (some say the daughter was Joanne, not far off from the "Joan" in the letter). I'm guessing those are the 2 women in question. Ralph (according to Wikipedia at least -- which also puts him as the "driver" of the Tin Goose at the unveiling) was slated to be West Coast Regional Manager for Tucker Corporation -- so, perhaps that what was meant by things "working out" -- moving on to a next step if the Corporation failed?

Sorry, but it seems "all business."

Sidenote -- Hepburn drove the "Miller" car that is in the Smithsonian voting thingy in 1929.

[Tucker Fan 48]

Sorry, but it seems "all business."

Thank goodness there is no scandal. I wouldn't want anything to hurt the chances of Gooding getting
his Million dollars for the lowest mileage, all original, just discovered, barn find Tucker.

[Larry Clark]

Preston Tucker was undoubtedly speaking of the many challenges facing the company at that moment in time- the Drew Pearson radio show had happened in June, the SEC investigation was underway (that Pearson leaked), there was a dealers & distributor committee trying to gain control, the plant was shut down for several weeks, etc. The Tucker movie makes it seem like things were on a roll all the way up to the end. Truth told, by the summer of 1948 the company was badly slipping and would never recover. Preston's letter reflects his understanding of just how perilous things were for the company (and him facing a potential criminal indictment (that ultimately came resulting in his criminal trial)).

Larry

[Ohio AMX]

Wow, the letter sold for $710.00!

[TuckerCar]

And another has surfaced.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

[Tucker Fan 48]

And another has surfaced.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

This one will go for more then $710.00 as it is a letter to Ralph from Preston.

[Ohio AMX]

Same seller, I wonder how many they have? I would have waited a while to list another one.