Mystery Friday Foto #47 Solved: A Rare Postcard of Tucker #1040
Jerry Lettieri of Automobilia Auctions challenged you to identify Tucker #1040 on a unique Tucker postcard.
Answer the following;
- Which Tucker is featured in the photo? Provide a rationale. Hint: See all Tucker cars at Tucker Gallery | The Tucker Automobile Club of America
Tucker #1040 when it was still painted white.
- Approximate year of the photo
The postcard is post marked October 27, 1960
- Was this car ever in an auction?
Yes. At the 2019 RM/Sotheby's Arizona auction, the restored #1040 sold for $1,6000,000
For confirmation, the Tucker super team of Mark Lieberman and Sean and Mike Tucker responded;
"Hey Howard-
I haven’t seen this one either, but based on the (incorrect) hubcaps I’m guessing 1040. I’m traveling so I don’t have access to my ownership records. I see the postmark says 1960 with it being somewhere in Ohio.
Thanks!
Mike"
"Howard,
I concur - 1040 based on the hubcaps. It also had red wheels and I think you can see the contrast even though the pic is black and white. We have some pics of it in this state from that time period.
-Sean"
"There is a unanimous consensus. #1040 is likely.
Best Regards,
Mark Lieberman"
Congrats to Steve Lucas, BOB BARAUSKAS, and Ken Northcraft for identifying this very challenging mystery photo.
Greg O.
Postcard front
Postcard rear
Removing the edit reveals a post date of October 27, 1960.
#1040 as it appeared in the 2019 auction. From RM/Sotheby's;
TUCKER NUMBER 1040
The 40th of the 51 cars originally built, Tucker no. 1040 was sold at the factory bankruptcy auction in October 1950. It was one of 25 cars sold, of which just eight, including 1040, had been completed. Detailed records do not survive regarding the disposition of the cars, but more recent research by Tucker historian Jay Follis reveals that at least five of them went to Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is believed that 1040 is one of two cars purchased by a Mr. John Hansen. By 1955, it was advertised for sale by R.J. Turner of Minneapolis, with an asking price of $3,900.
Follis’ research has further shown that Edward Bates of Minneapolis purchased 1040 in 1957, possibly from Turner. By April 1959 it was on display at an “Auto-Rama” organized by the Northern Ohio Timing Association, courtesy of owner Russell Strauch. Strauch, a well-known Toledo collector of Full Classics and other cars. Strauch painted the car white, from the original beige, and did some mechanical work. It reportedly had been driven just 7,000 miles. After Strauch’s passing in 1976, his estate sold the car. The next owner was Thomas E. Storms of Los Angeles.
In 1984, Tucker 1040 was acquired by the current owner, and in 1985 it was given a complete restoration by Russ Brownell, a noted Tucker expert and owner of several cars himself. Brownell was the official steward of the 22 original Tuckers that appeared in the 1988 film Tucker: The Man and His Dream. The restoration involved the sourcing of hard-to-find parts and fabricating others where no longer available. Several problems were discovered with the original engine, no. 33543, so it was replaced by no. 33579, an unused factory spare acquired from the Harrah Collection. The car was repainted in the same white hue used by Russell Strauch.
Most recently restored once more, it is now finished in attractive Waltz Blue, a factory color named by Preston Tucker after his wife Vera’s favorite dress. It has the strengthened Y-1 transmission, as well as the version 2 rubber torsion tube front suspension, and has the distinction of having the freshest concours-quality restoration of any Tucker extant. The result is without a doubt one of the most accurate and beautifully detailed restorations of any Tucker and has produced a car which is most certainly the finest restored example available today at any price.
In sum, it is an exceptional example of one of America’s most innovative automobiles.
“Don’t Let [this] Tucker Pass You By.”
Comments
Since I have absolutely no idea of the real answers, it’s time for some guesses. It might be Tucker 1040. Looking at the back of the postcard (3 cent postage and no zip code) tells me the date should be about 1960-1961. If it is Tucker 1040, then it was in the January, 2019 Sotheby auction in Arizona.
Based on the postage of 3 cents which ended on August 1st 1958, I would say
the photo was taken in 1958.
In reviewing each car, none were painted white from the factory, # 1040 was
painted white by Russell Strauch.
Follis’ research has further shown that Edward Bates of Minneapolis purchased 1040 in 1957, possibly from Turner. By April 1959 it was on display at an “Auto-Rama” organized by the Northern Ohio Timing Association, courtesy of owner Russell Strauch. Strauch, a well-known Toledo collector of Full Classics and other cars. Strauch painted the car white, from the original beige, and did some mechanical work.
Sold at RM Sotheby’s Auction in Arizona in January 2019 from San Sylmar Museum of Sylmar, CA, to the private collection of Stephen Tebo in Colorado. The exterior paint color was changed from white to Waltz Blue in the restoration prior to the sale.
The Tucker looks like #1040. Based on the non-Tucker hubcaps and light color of paint. Gentleman’s clothing looks like 1960’s or early 1970’s when photo was taken.
Was the beige color originally the factory color on this #1040? Those WWs are from that1960 era WWs, my understanding all Tuckers were fitted with BWs even though WWs were optional. WWs were not available after the war, postwar rations of WWs until during ‘47 widely available in ‘48, using prewar WW design. Those very wide WWs are from ‘49 -‘53 era from most tires co.