Home Page American Government Reference Desk Shopping Special Collections About Us Contribute



Escort, Inc.






GM Icons
By accessing/using The Crittenden Automotive Library/CarsAndRacingStuff.com, you signify your agreement with the Terms of Use on our Legal Information page. Our Privacy Policy is also available there.

Tucker '48 (Torpedo)


'48 (Torpedo)
Vehicle Model

A car produced by Tucker in 1948.  Often simply known as a Tucker because it was the only car the automaker produced.  Commonly known as the Tucker Torpedo based on what was supposed to be its intended name, but as only the name "Tucker '48" made it into marketing materials that is what is known as its official name to many historians.

The car's production was the subject of the 1988 film Tucker: The Man and His Dream starring Jeff Bridges as Preston Tucker.

Justin Cole of Benchmark Classics (Madison, Wisconsin) built a convertible Tucker that is said to have been originally developed by the factory but whose authenticity is debated by the Tucker Automobile Club of America.  Crittenden Automotive Library advisor John Walczak has a connection to this car, having seen the vehicle in the early 1970's along with engineering drawings for a converible bearing the Tucker Corporation's stamp.  The restored convertible was bid to $1.5M at the January 2010 Russo & Steele auction but did not meet the reserve.

Page Sections
Article Index
Documents
Photographs


Documents

DateDocument Name & DetailsDocuments
14 June 1949
grant date
Design for an Automobile
United States Patent USD 154,192
Preston T. Tucker for Tucker Corporation

PDF
- 132KB - 4 pages
19 September 1958
filing date
Jay E. Darlington vs. Studebaker-Packard Corporation
Appellant's Brief and Appendix
United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

PDF
- 3.2MB - 85 pages


Photographs

Tucker Torpedo Gold Photo ©2002 Heidi Walczak
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo - 846KB
Tucker Torpedo Gold Photo ©2002 Heidi Walczak
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo - 866KB
Tucker Torpedo Gold Photo ©2002 Heidi Walczak
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo - 750KB
Tucker Torpedo Gold Photo ©2002 Heidi Walczak
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo - 769KB
Tucker Torpedo #46 #46
Photo ©2003 Heidi Walczak
June 11, 2003
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo #46 - 775KB
Tucker Torpedo #46 #46
Photo ©2003 Heidi Walczak
June 11, 2003
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo #46 - 812KB
Tucker Torpedo #46 #46
Photo ©2003 Heidi Walczak
June 11, 2003
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo #46 - 867KB
Tucker Torpedo #46 #46
Photo ©2003 Heidi Walczak
June 11, 2003
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo #46 - 900KB
Tucker Torpedo #46 #46
Photo ©2003 Heidi Walczak
June 11, 2003
View photo of 1948 Tucker Torpedo #46 - 741KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,565KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,654KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,679KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 499KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,956KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,615KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,269KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,434KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,609KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,638KB
Tucker Torpedo Convertible Convertible (Under Construction in 2009)
Photo ©2009 John Walczak
Photo Courtesy

Photo ©2009 John Walczak
All Rights Reserved.  Used with permission.
View photo of the Tucker Torpedo Convertible - 1,560KB


Article Index

DateArticleAuthor/Source
17 October 2014The American Automobile Industry that Almost Was Bill Crittenden





The Crittenden Automotive Library