Tucker #1030

[TuckerCar]

First off it was titled to Preston's mother, not Preston. Yes, it was painted several times and the Petersen attests that Tucker did that on purpose to make it look like he had more cars than he did. I don't buy that story.

After the Tuckers, it passed through Gililand, Kozial, Buchanan, then to Japan, then to the Petersen. I will check my detailed list tonight to see if I have dates on when the car changed hands, but none of that will provide insight as to when it was painted. I also do not know who owned the Museum in Chicago or whether the car was on loan or belonged to the owner of the museum.

[Tucker Fan 48]

it was painted several times and the Petersen attests that Tucker did that on purpose to make it look like he had more cars than he did. I don't buy that story.

Sounds more like a story about something Al Reinert might do

[Tucker Fan 48]

The Chicago Historical Antique Automobile Museum was owned by J.J. (Jerry) Born
and was in operation from 1971-1985 at 3160 Skokie Valley Road in Highland Park, IL.
which is the current location of the Studio 41 Home Design Showroom.

[Tucker Fan 48]

I found this mention of the car on a website called Hometown history relating to Preston Tucker's time in Lincoln Park.
It said On May 19, 1960, Vera Tucker autographed copies of her husband’s biography “The Indomitable Tin Goose”
written by Charles T. Pearson and displayed Tucker’s personal car at the Sears Lincoln Park Shopping Center after
keeping it in storage for 12 years.

The statement about #1030 being in storage for 12 years does not seem correct. Doing the math it would mean it was
stored from the time it was built. Unless they meant the car had been garaged for the 12 years it would seem the
statement is off somehow.

Maybe someone has a photo of the car at the 1960 autograph session. From that we would know what color it was and
when the change from Black to White occured.

[TuckerCar]

Not much in the records I have on the car...

Narrow chrome strips around all six side windows. Different trim and upholstery. Purchased at factory auction by Wiysel for $2,100.00

Purchased by Mrs. Holmes (Mother of Preston T. Tucker, Sr.) for $2,000.00. Vehicle was apparently returned to factory prior to Auction.

PREVIOUS OWNERS
Petersen Automotive Museum
Nobuyo Sawayama
Maynard Buchanan
James B. Kozial
Stan Gilliland
DiBeer
Ray Wiysel
Jerry Campagna
Mrs. Holmes

I'd venture to guess it was Stan that painted it white.

[Tucker Fan 48]

That group of owners would seem to rule out #1030 as being Preston Tucker's personal car unless he only used it prior to the auction.
It also questions what car did Vera Tucker bring to the Sears Lincoln Park Shopping Center on May 19, 1960 as it would seem that
#1030 was long gone by then. Any ideas?

You said Ray Wiysel bought the car at the auction. From my research I see that Ray was a Studebaker Dealer in Union NE. and was part
of the original group that met on July 15th, 1973 and formed TACA. Richard Jones was part of that group along with Dave Cammack,
Stan Gilliland, and Bev Ferriera to name just a few.

Nobuyo Sawayama, one of the past owners of #1030, also owned #1045. Anyone know if he had them at the same time?

[TuckerCar]

Probably 1031.

[Tucker Fan 48]

Maybe Richard, Martyn, or someone can clear up the timeline on #1030.

If Lucille Holmes bought the car she could not have had it long since it shows up on the inventory list dated 3/3/49.
I don't have a build date on #1030 but it appears #1029 was completed on 8/28/48 so it would seem #1030 would
have been after that or in that period. Documentation ( i know it will be hard for the convertible people to understand
what that is) shows the car back in the Executive Garage just 7 months later. If the car passed through the hands of
Jerry Campagna as well during that period then Lucille Holmes could not have had the car long at all. She'd have it
even less if she didn't buy it the day it rolled off the line. If #1030 went to the Tucker Corporation’s engineering team
like other cars, was it one of the cars used in testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from September 21 through
October 4, 1948? If it was, then the window that Lucille Holmes had the car is very small.

Also how did the car get from Lucille Holmes to Jerry Campagna and if it did, why did Campagna return it to the plant?
Since Ray Wiysel, the Studebaker Dealer in Union NE. bought #1030 for $2,100.00 at the factory auction and was an
original member of TACA did he own #1030 for a long period of time?

This makes it likely that the car Vera Tucker displayed on May 19, 1960 while she autographed copies of “The Indomitable
Tin Goose” at the Sears Lincoln Park Shopping Center in Lincoln Park was #1031 and not #1030 and the car that was said
to have been in storage for 12 years could have been #1031.

It seems to question the story of #1030 being Preston Tucker's personal car. Vera Tucker was known to have owned
#1031 up until about 1960 and her appearance in Lincoln Park on May 19, 1960 would seem to confirm that. Preston
appears to have had #1029 during the period from October 1948 until 1955. Documents show that Preston wrote
Winthrop Rockefeller inquiring whether the future Arkansas governor would like one of the two Tucker cars remaining
in his possession. Since he sold #1029 to Rockefeller and Vera had #1031 until 1960, that would account for the two
cars Preston claimed to own. Where did the story of #1030 being Preston Tucker's personal car come from?

[plancor 792]

1029 was not Preston Tucker's personal car. A previous owner Albert Grayson was the one who advertised the car as Preston Tucker's personal car. Not so, never was.

Tucker 1030 was purchased at the auction by Ray Wiysel for $2100.00 . He sold it to Maynard Buchanan. Buchanan told me that he had the chrome strips put around the windows and his wife redid the interior. Prior to the auction Mrs. Holmes, Tucker's mother had paid $2000.00 for the car but returned it and it was sold to Ray Wiysel.

Tucker 1031 was purchased by the current family with the help of Charles Pearson. Preston Tucker had paid Tucker Corp. $2000.00. This is the vehicle that is considered Tucker's personal car and was not sold at the auction.

In the 1960's I started research into where 1035 was. No one knew for sure. My search lasted for almost two years going through car clubs in Mexico and other places and one day I received a letter from the then owner in Brazil telling me he had the car, sent me a list of all the cars in his private museum and we corresponded frequently until his tragic death a few years later.

Richard

[TuckerCar]

Wait, Tom who?

As always Richard, we appreciate the insight.

[streamliner]

by MD on Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:39 pm

Streamliner,

Do you happen to have any early images of #1030 in your archives?

I've got very few photos of any of the early Tuckers, other than the factory PR photos, mainly those from Chicago Photographers and Pontiac Studios. Most others are just photos from friends and then-current owners from the 70's and 80's, just a handful, probably nothing historically significant. There may be some from various auto shows, such as Goldie at the 1973(?) LA Auto Show, and the other Hamlin cars... Some of what George Boucher may have sent... Various ones from the Imperial Palace reunion... Audrey Moore Hodges at the reunion... And other misc. pictures, many by TACA members and sent to Alex throughout the years.

I'll keep looking...

[Tucker Fan 48]

Richard,

Thank you for your response. Personally I appreciate everytime you answer one of my questions. I know you are busy with
personal issues and they are your priority. I'm still relatively new on this board, but I've been collecting Tucker information since
the 70s. The internet has made it so much easier. I find the history of each car very facinating along with the background of
all the owners. There has been an interesting group of people that have owned the cars over the years and with Ancestory
.com and Facebook it's become quite easy to find out about them. That's why I'm trying to figure out the ownership of some
of the cars. As I do that there are bits and pieces that just don't seem to fit, like the story of #1030 being Preston's personal
car. The Petersen Museum has a big sign in front of #1030 saying it is Preston Tucker's personal car but from what I've
researched it didn't seem correct.

Hopefully you'll notice that when I ask questions or post information that I always try credit the person that I've got the
information from. In most cases it is you. It's taken me awhile but I've read every post on this website and tryed to compile
as much information as possible. You are correct about the stories changing. That is another reason why you'll see I try to get
some of the information clarified.

I recently spent a couple of weeks trying to track down the current location of #1035 using the information you posted as a
starting point. I gathered a great amount of information on Mr. Lee and his family along with his tragic death. I have been
in contact with someone in Brazil and hope to have an answer and maybe even a few photos of the car soon. Unfortunately
Mr. Lee's heirs 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.

Thank you again for everything you have done to preserve the history of the Tucker for people like myself and others who
really love the car. Without you much of this history would have been lost long ago. I hope you'll continue to post whenever
you have the time.

[cicero]

Richard,

Thank you for your response. Personally I appreciate every time you answer one of my questions. I know you are busy with personal issues and they are your priority.

What he said. Richard, you have more knowledge in your little finger than anyone else here. We are very lucky to have you share some of that with us.

[Tuckerfan1053]

I recently spent a couple of weeks trying to track down the current location of #1035 using the information you posted as a
starting point. I gathered a great amount of information on Mr. Lee and his family along with his tragic death. I have been
in contact with someone in Brazil and hope to have an answer and maybe even a few photos of the car soon. Unfortunately
Mr. Lee's heirs 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.

I've gotten a few emails from folks who claim to have been in the area and been offered the car by someone who is a less than reputable character. Unfortunately, I've not been able to really follow up on this and find out for certain what's going on.

[plancor 792]

To All,
I owe all of you an apology and I am sincerely sorry that I sometimes let my emotions get the best of me. I do appreciate the research many of you are doing trying to uncover more information on my favorite subject. I do not appreciate those few who expect me to write their term paper or whatever and pass it on as their's. Someday all of my research will be sent to the Tucker Club's Historical Site at the Gilmore Museum to be added to their great collection. For 78 years I was in very good health, however no one ever foresaw the problems my wife of 57 years and I have today and I do not know what is in store for tomorrow. I have learned a lot from posts on this site and will continue to check it out occasionally and offer comments when they are approprate.
Richard