1948 Tucker 48 Sedan

Eventually, just 51 examples of the Tucker 48 were assembled, which included the original 'Tin Goose' prototype and 50 pilot-production cars. This example has a factory report dated October 28, 1948, held in the Tucker archives at the Gilmore Car Museum, indicates that chassis number 1036 had been completed on October 20, with body number 33 and engine number 335-85, and it was one of a dozen cars painted Maroon (paint code 600). It was not listed with a transmission, as it is believed that this was one of the dozen Tuckers that remained unfinished and were waiting for transmissions when the factory closed.

Along with the other cars, chassis number 1036 was eventually completed by Tucker employees. On October 18, 1950, this car, along with the other Tuckers built and all the other contents of the factory, went to auction at a sale conducted by Samuel L. Winternitz and Company, which took place on site at 7401 South Cicero Avenue. It is believed that this car was sold to the St. Louis area, where it was finally outfitted with a transmission and made roadworthy.

Around 1951, this car and a second Tucker were given to Ova Elijah Stephens, of Denver, Colorado. The two Tuckers were a down payment on the sale of the Silver Star Saloon. Mr. Stephens had little use for the Tuckers, and chassis number 1036 was sold through Hugo Sills Motors, a Hudson dealer in the town of Littleton, to Rex McKelvy. At the time of purchase, it had only 20 miles on the odometer.

Denver businessman Arthur H. Christiansen purchased this Tucker in 1958 for his Colorado Car Museum. Unfortunately, Christiansen's museum lasted for only a year before its doors were shuttered and its cars were sold at auction. Wayne McKinley purchased the car at auction for $3,500. It would remain with Mr. McKinley for a quarter century, when it was sold in 1986 to Ken Behring's Blackhawk Collection in Danville, California. In December 1989, the car was restored to its presented appearance. A year later, ownership passed to Nobuyo Sawayama, of Osaka, Japan, for a figure widely reported as $500,000. In 1997, it was acquired by Bob Pond.

The car is currently finished in metallic bronze with a broadcloth interior. It has a proper Tucker Y-1 transmission, a proper late dashboard switchgear and Kaiser-sourced door handles. Just 1,914 miles are recorded on the odometer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2014