#1035 in Brazil Update

[Tucker Fan 48]

Here is the latest from Caçapava Brazil. #1035 is safe and sound still sitting at The São Paulo Museum of Antiquities Mechanical in Caçapava.
The car is in much the same condition as it was last year when the photo below was taken. Roberto Lee was the owner of the Museum which
he started on a farm outside Caçapava. The farm, Good Hope, is on Av. Marechal Castelo Branco about ½ mile west of downtown Caçapava.
(I've posted a picture of the location below).

Mr. Lee was murdered on June 16, 1975 after having an affair and a child with a woman that he bought a 1954 Cadillac Fleetwood from in 1973,
(see the car below, it certainly was not worth dying over). Lee had been married to his second wife at the time and has a daughter by his first wife.
The woman Lee bought the Cadillac from shot him after he refused to leave his second wife and acknowledge the daughter they had together.
All of the families of the heirs involved are incredibly rich and are not concerned that millions of dollars of classic cars are being looted or are
rusting away. They would rather fight between themselves over the estate. Money means nothing to these people.

In 1989, the family of Lee's first wife, the Matarazzos, tried to blow up their mansion in Sao Paulo with dynamite rather than sell the property to
the City of Sao Paulo which wanted to preserve the mansion. An award was established in 1997 for $130 million which may reach $200 million.
Determined to quarrel, the jackpot will be eventually divided among the heirs of the Matarazzo family.

There are parties in Brazil that are working to save the cars but it may be years before this is resolved. A deal had been struck last year between
the local government in Caçapava, some private parties, and the heirs to renovate the buildings, restore the cars, and reopen the museum but
an election changed some of the people in power and not wanting any credit to go to their predecessors for doing something positive, the new
government quickly blew up the entire deal causing the heirs to become even more angry than they've been for the past 35 years.

Thank you to Richard Jones for his work in tracking this car down years ago.

#1035 recent.jpg (31.47 KiB) Viewed 1951 times

#1035 location in cacapava.jpg (222.69 KiB) Viewed 1942 times

Cadillac 1954.jpg (24.84 KiB) Viewed 1942 times

[Tommy]

I As I recall Mr. Jones once posted this car had a failed attempt at a front motor conversion. TUCKER also posted that it had a Cadillac frame and interior. I suppose #1035 should be included in any list of missing Tucker frames (and motors).

It sure would be nice to see this one brought back to life.

It’s also interesting that all the cars in this Museum/barn are put up on some kind of blocks. I wonder if that is so they could be driven by Mr. Lee from time to time without the tires having flat spots in them.

[Tucker Fan 48]

The motor still exists in another Brazil museum, The Museum Eduardo André Matarazzo (see below).
Eduardo Matarazzo is son of Francisco Matarazzo Jr. and the brother of Roberto Lee’s first wife,
Maria Pia Matarazzo. Most likely the frame is lost. A posting here from awhile back said the body of
the car is over a 1946/47 Cadillac frame with the cadillac floor, seats, dashboard and motor on the
front.

S3010203.JPG (82.48 KiB) Viewed 1901 times

museu_047.jpg (55.47 KiB) Viewed 1794 times

Here is a picture of the building that #1035 is in:

lee museum.JPG (54.19 KiB) Viewed 1792 times

[Phantomrig]

it makes me happy to see that this car is still there and not lost, now if only it could find its way back to the US for a little TLC.

[John K.]

Thank you so much for this update, sad as it is. I'm glad to know the Tucker is still there, even though it's in poor condition, and that at least the engine is in good hands.

[Tucker Fan 48]

I'm trying to sort out the background on this car. Richard Jones had posted that Jamie Gatamianis bought the car
on December 23rd 1948. From there the stories get muddy until Mr. Lee ends up with the car but here is what I
have found, maybe someone can help sort it out.

Agop Toulekian bought it from a dealership in Sao Paulo and owned it for nearly 20 years. He sold it to Orlando
Bombarda who sold it shortly afterward to Eduardo Matarazzo. Matarazzo turned it over to Roberto Lee.
Toulekian's son says they had no problems with the car other than the electrical system failed several times.

Another story says that the Tucker had been sold retail in Sao Paulo, on Avenida Sao Luiz. But some
years later was turned into a gift raffle run on the Praça da Sé, and then was frequently parked on
the street, Piratininga in Brás. This story had the owners in this order Agop Toulekian, Jaime Gatamianis,
Orlando Bombarda and Eduardo Matarazzo - which then sold or gave it to Lee.

There are stories that Preston Tucker used the car while in Brazil and that Agop Toulekian, Orlando Bombarda,
Eduardo Matarazzo, and Roberto Lee didn't own it until after Preston's death.

There is also someone in Brazil that claims to have taken a picture of the data plate and that #1035 has body
number #1038. Of course the picture was not provided.

The engine is on display at The Museum Eduardo André Matarazzo in Guarulhos, SP, but I have not been able
to find an engine number yet.

There is the famous picture of the car in 1951 across from The Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

#1035 at Copacabana Palace 1951.jpg (71.81 KiB) Viewed 1765 times

Parts of these stories do not add up. On December 23rd 1948 Preston was still planning to build his car in Chicago
so the idea that he personally shipped a car to Brazil so that it would be there when he arrived several years later
does not seem correct. Mr. Lee died in June of 1975 so for Agop Toulekian to have bought it and owned it for
nearly 20 years, he would have needed to own it by 1955. It seems Orlando Bombarda could have attempted the
conversion to the front motor unless Lee or Matarazzo did it. Matarazzo ended up with the motor and Lee got
the car so it had to have happened right around the time Matarazzo got the car from Bombarda.

I'm not having any luck with the name Jamie Gatamianis. In fact I can't find anyone anywhere in the world with
the last name Gatamianis. Could that be an incorrect spelling?

If anyone has any facts on #1035 please jump in so we can sort out what is real. Thanks !

[Tucker Fan 48]

Front of Museum building

front of building.jpg (39.21 KiB) Viewed 1758 times

#1035 is located in the S/SE rear corner of the building

location in building.jpg (39.59 KiB) Viewed 1748 times

[TuckerLoverInTucker]

Maybe they should get the frame from 1042

[589]

The frame from #1035 is now under "1057" (the convertible)










Nah, just stirring up trouble
On a serious note, I truly appreciate the info and update on the situation with this car. Such a sad state of affairs (no pun intended) between the families. Perhaps they could settle their differences if we could get them to appear on the Jerry Springer show?

[SuperFleye]

Thanks for the update! I really hope this car would be saved soon!