Jon Cole Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Tucker kit? YES!!! OK, first, I’m certain there are other Tucker threads on here somewhere if you want to play archeologist, go for it. There is a thread on Hudsons, and it was sidetracking to Tuckers, so I thought I would start a new line. So a lot of us (ahem… a LOT of us) would very much like a kit of the Tucker. It has been requested ever since I took my second lap around the hobby block back in the late eighties. But it’s not going to happen. And if you understand the biz, you know why. Versions. They need to market several versions to make the tooling profitable. Yet the Tucker was a short lived car, with a production run of 50 units, and no real race heritage. What to do? Well, there are different versions: First, and obvious, is the original production Tuckers. Second, the New ’48 by Rob Ida with a twin turbo’d Cadillac Northstar. Third, the pre production “Tin Goose”. Fourth, a TUCKER 48 pulling the Gyronaut X1 Fifth, the one of none Tucker Convertible, built from leftover factory parts. Remember in the Hudson thread where Harry pointed out all of the kits like the Batmobile, Ala Kart, etc. that have no alternate versions? They sold. And I believe the Tucker could be marketed in more than one configuration. Hello? Moebius? I’m looking at you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 That Tucker convertible is beautiful... A little offbeat, styling-wise, but very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 No. Can't be done. Because somebody said so, that's why. If you were "inside", you would understand. jb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 They could also do a "new" Tucker... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cole Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 No. Can't be done. Because somebody said so, that's why. If you were "inside", you would understand. jb It's dark out. So yeah, I'm "inside". And it can be done. Otherwise, please explain why it cannot. We're a "can do" nation. Yeah, Moebius could do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I think he was being sarcastic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cole Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 (edited) They could also do a "new" Tucker... Sweet! Has some Chevy heritage in there. Although, just like Volkswagen and their New Beetle, it looks like it had to go with a front engine placement. Edited May 10, 2015 by Jon Cole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cole Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 I think he was being sarcastic... Se. Or whatever is Spanish for "yes". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkypeanutbutter Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The original Tucker is ugly in such a cool way. It's lumpy, has three eyes, and is overall strange. It's interesting, and too bad it didn't go further. Heck, I'd probably consider buying a kit of one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 ... It's lumpy, has three eyes... is overall strange...and too bad it didn't go further... Kinda sounds like one of my exes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 There's a reason there's only fifty Tucker's. They're so ugly that no one wanted one! A kit of one would probably have the same sales success. There's so many things wrong with the design of that car, that it's mind boggling. It hurts my eyes to look at it. The only reason the Tucker gets the hype it does is because there's only forty something of them left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Thanks Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 There's a reason there's only fifty Tucker's. They're so ugly that no one wanted one! A kit of one would probably have the same sales success. There's so many things wrong with the design of that car, that it's mind boggling. It hurts my eyes to look at it. The only reason the Tucker gets the hype it does is because there's only forty something of them left. Roger not true. My Grandfather was among the many that put down money for a car. He received his luggage that is all. Gramps was not a car guy but he liked his sail boats. The Tucker has many things that modern cars have on them now. The big three put the squeeze on him. Tucker was a smart guy with big ambition but not enough money. I agree that the car takes some getting used to in the looks department but they all can not be winners. As far as a model kit it would be hard to sell the number of kits to pay for the molds I would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 There's a reason there's only fifty Tucker's. They're so ugly that no one wanted one! Actually, the reason there were only 50 built is because in post-war America, the Big Three had nothing but leftover pre-war designs to sell, while the Tucker was brand new and different. The Big Three didn't like the upstart Tucker Corporation upstaging them, so they worked with Michigan senator Homer Ferguson and the SEC to put Preston Tucker on trial on bogus, trumped-up charges. Tucker was found not guilty by the jury, but it was too late. Tucker was broke and the company died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaronw Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The Big 3 are still out to keep Tucker down, so there will be no kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The Big 3 are still out to keep Tucker down, so there will be no kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner283 Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 A little more food for thought as far as Tucker derivatives and kit spin-offs. Random pictures copied from free domain on the internet. If you drew them speak up to be recognized. A slick looking two door sedan. Could also be done up as a 2 door hardtop would probably look slick as well. A sleeker 'vert with a Duval style windshield. And last a couple of variations of a woody wagon. Or also could be done as a regular wagon. Not entirely sure how well this would work with a rear engine configuration but what the heck, it looks cool. Lots of pretty cool ideas that could be run with. someone a lot more talented than me could probably draw up an El Camino styled Tucker as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DumpyDan Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Would be neat to see one day, my grandson is named after the car, and my son really like that car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Janssens Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 If you want a Tucker kit, go on facebook and maybe you can get one with the help of crowd funding, you will need to pick up 250-300K When having that kind of cash in your pockets, doors will open...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Pooh on the naysayers in this thread. 15 years ago, maybe even less, the SAME thing was being said about a Hudson kit. No way, its too ugly, it has limited appeal, blah blah blah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atmobil Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I like the Tuckers late-forties looks. It would work well in a film-noir type movie (think Phillip Marlowe). I would buy a kit of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Myers Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The original Tucker is ugly in such a cool way. It's lumpy, has three eyes, and is overall strange. It's interesting, and too bad it didn't go further. Heck, I'd probably consider buying a kit of one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarana-X Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 And last a couple of variations of a woody wagon. Or also could be done as a regular wagon. Not entirely sure how well this would work with a rear engine configuration but what the heck, it looks cool. Volkswagen did it with three different models, (Type 3, 411/412, and the Brasila) so I'm sure its possible. I like it. I like weird, Studebaker and Tucker had some of the coolest designs, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philo426 Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Thee Modelhaus makes a curbside version; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I won't name names, but I have it from a very reliable industry insider source that at one point the decision had been made to produce a styrene Tucker kit. But the kit never was put into production due to other, unrelated circumstances at the company. Has it not been for those other circumstances that had a big effect on the company, we would have a Tucker kit today. So the idea of a Tucker kit isn't as crazy as some of you guys think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.