Vanderbilt Cup Races

1. Alex Tremulis' original design had a center driving position with swivel seats on each side, but that was changed to conventional left-hand drive.

2. The first 589-cubic-inch engine was situated crossways and intended to drive the back wheels directly through hydraulic pumps in each wheel.

3. When buyers ordered a car, they received a choice of a Tucker radio, seat covers or fitted luggage and the number of their car, so nobody could jump the line.

4. Rumors were broadcast that the Tucker could not reverse, so that was the first thing salesmen had to show that it could do.

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5. Tucker hoped to get Col. Robert McCormick, publisher of the Chicago Tribune, on his side. But when the 6-foot 4-inch McCormick sat up in the car, his hat was pushed down over his ears.

6. The Tucker engine was a water-cooled adaptation of an air-cooled aircraft engine. Tucker bought Aircooled Motors for $1.8 million from Republic Aviation.

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7. The Tucker engine could be removed in 30 minutes by one man. Three mechanics at the factory accomplished a complete engine swap in 18 minutes.

8. Seven Tuckers were driven around the 2 1/2-mile Indianapolis Speedway oval for two weeks at 90-95 mph average in 1948. One car blew a tire at 100 mph and rolled three times, but the driver walked away.

9. Despite charges of fraud, the company's balance sheet on Oct. 31, 1948, showed $16 million in assets ($3 million in parts and materials) and only $2 million in liabilities.

10. U.S. attorney Otto Kerner Jr., who prosecuted the Tucker Corp., was later convicted on 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy, perjury and related charges for stock fraud in 1974. Kerner was Illinois governor from 1961-68 and the first federal appellate judge ever to be jailed.

11. Tucker Corp. was located at 7401 S. Cicero Ave., Chicago, which is the corporate headquarters of Tootsie Roll Industries today.

Tucker Topics, 1948 Volume 1, Number 3