Dispersion of Tucker Inventory

[Kevin]

Hi everyone! Great website! I'm currently working on a storyline that will be part of a novel, and I need to know what happened to the inventory in the Tucker plant when it closed. Was there an auction? Was the public admitted? How were the cars released to the public? And what happened to the spare parts that were in the inventory? Were there any partially assembled vehicles in the plant?

I know it's a lot of questions, but I could really use someone's help in answering them. I want to be as historically accurate as possible in using this info in the story.

Thank you,

Kevin Casey

[Tuckerfan1053]

Everything was sold at a sheriff's auction. There were roughly 40 odd cars that had been assembled, with parts for about 20 more cars. Preston Tucker bought one of the cars at auction, and one of the car's was sold to a Brazilian gentleman who took the car home with him (where it still resides today). Some of the assorted parts were assembled into cars, but the most wound up in a field and rotted away..

The company stayed in business until the 1960s until the Franklin Engine division (which was the only remaining part of the company) was sold off. Spare parts for Tuckers, including complete engines show up on eBay fairly regularly.

Don't know the exact dates of the auction, but I hope this helps.

[Kevin]

Hi! Thanks so much for the reply. Just one more question...did the auction take place at the plant in Chicago, or somewhere else? I'm sorry to be such a nit-picker, but I want to get this right.

Kevin

[Tuckerfan1053]

It took place at the plant as I recall. There was simply too much stuff to move for them to haul it anywhere else. (The Lustron Corp was certainly not crowded for space).

[Kevin]

I really appreciate your swift replies. Any idea what happened to number 52?

[Tuckerfan1053]

I really appreciate your swift replies. Any idea what happened to number 52?

As far as I know, there wasn't any 52, since official assembly stopped in the 40s. If I recall correctly, the club recognizes Carlos DeLorenzo's as number 1051, and he put it together himself back in the 1980s. George Esch, if I'm remembering correctly, has a Corvair convertable that he's modified to look like a Tucker convertable might, and has called it 1052, but that's by no means an official numbering on the club's part. Just George having a little fun.

[Kevin]

THanks for the great information. I'm eating it up. Do you know what time of year the sheriff's sale took place?

[Tuckerfan1053]

Somewhere arond here I've got a scan of the original auction flyer with the date on it. I'll dig around tomorrow and see if I can find it.

[Kevin]

That would be incredible! I could really use that info! Thanks so much.

Kevin

[Tuckerfan1053]

Well, I can't find it. Must be on one of the CDs I backed my hard drive on. I think the auction was in OCtober of 52, but I could be totally wrong on that.

[Larry Clark]

I do not have time right now to fetch the range of dates of the bankruptcy auctions for you. However, I can tell you that Lot 13, that included the cars yet at the plant at closure, sold between October 18 to 20, 1950. Included in the sale was the Tin Goose.

[Kevin]

Thanks so much for the info. You guys are too good! If you have any other little tidbits you want to throw my way, I'm always appreciative.

Kevin

[noguice]

does anybody have a pic of that George Esch convertible?

NAthan

[LoraJR72]

does anybody have a pic of that George Esch convertible?

NAthan

Go to Google and type it in. There's a nifty pic of George and his Red Tucker/Covair Modify.

[lordairgtar]

As an aside, I saw a Tucker grille hanging on the wall at a slot car track I used to go to in the Milwaukee area in the eighties.