Vanderbilt Cup Races

September 29, 2017 Photo Shoot in Roslyn, New York

Richard Lentinello documenting Tucker 1044.

Richard Lentinello Column: The Tucker Experience

Richard Lentinello: "Over the years, I have been fortunate to have photographed litterally a thousand or so cars...each was a memorable experience. But, the most historically significant car of them all was this issue's main feature, the Tucker."

Richard  Lentinello: "And he drove his Tucker with verve. Accelerating forcibly, making turns quickly, and standing on the brakes: it was quite evident that Howard was immensivley proud of owning a Tucker, and clearly enjoyed driving it. As one would expect, I was completely smitten by the whole experience."

Richard  Lentinello: "In August, the Pebble Beach Concours will be featuring a special class just for Tuckers...As one would expect of Pebble Beach, a display of several different Tuckers is surely going to be a spectacular sight. And there's a good chance that Tucker number 44 will be there, as well."

Drive Report: American Ingenuity: Independent built Tucker for 1948, Showcased dreams of postwar America

By David Conwill and Photography by Richard Lentinello

"Car 1044 is both as typical a car as Tucker ever produced and special due to its order of production. As one of the final eight Tucker 48s assembled, it was hand built in the closed factory by loyal Tucker employees including designer Alex Tremulis- imagine if Harley Earl had come in after hours to assemble a few Corvettes. It is also typical due to its pre-production use of parts from other vehicles, things like the Lincoln steeering wheel, the Kaiser door buttons, and the Cord transmission."

"Howard did his homework beforehand, including contacting marque experts across the country. One person that was recommended to him was Rob Ida, of Rob Ida Concepts in Morganville, New Jersey. Ida's grandfather had one of the Tucker dealership franchises back in the 1940s, and he has a real enthusiasm for the Tucker 48. On calling Ida's shop, Howard spoke to Rob's father, Bob, who suggested that he got hold of Sean Tucker- great-grandson of Preston. Sean and his brother Mike are passionate about the family's heritage.

Speaking with Sean confirmed to Howard that No. 1044 was a worthwhile car. With low mileage and years of storage, it was close to an untouched original as anyone was likely to find, 70 years after the fact."

"As you can imagine, a Tucker on today's roads is just as show-stopping, if not more so, than it was in the late 1940s. "It's a real adrenaline rush," Howard says."

"So, is driving a Tucker like entering the future? It's like entering the future as seen from the perspective of the 1940s, and that's really special."

"It was way ahead of its time for 1948."