Vanderbilt Cup Races

From Robert R.:

Wonderful piece on the amazing Tucker.
Isn’t the engine a Lycoming aircraft engine?
And such great news!

All the best,
ROBERT
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Howard Kroplick:

Robert, the engine is a Franklin 0-335 which was initially built for early helicopters. I have added the engine history above.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Another great addition to your collection, Howard!  And so happy its going to be on LI.  Now, how about purchasing a 1997 Toyota Corolla - only five years for it to be antique.  Sotheby’s hasn’t returned by call!

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

From Robert R.:
Wonderful piece on the amazing Tucker.
Isn’t the engine a Lycoming aircraft engine?
And such great news!
All the best,
ROBERT
_______________________________________________
Howard Kroplick:

Robert, the engine is a Franklin 0-335 which was initially built for early helicopters. I have added the engine history above.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

It may well be the “Greatest Car Stunt” (or the most fool-hardy) but, for me, absolutely NOTHING can ever top the indefatigable Bertha Benz’s 66 mile (106km) jaunt in August 1888 from Mannheim to her mother’s house in Pforzheim in company with her teen-age sons Eugen and Richard.  It was without Karl Benz’s knowledge or any official sanction and took several days but racked up so many firsts as to be almost unbelievable.  It’s worthy of a whole post of its own, especially after yesterday’s marches and our President’s denigration of women.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"

Congrats to you. As I was reading this I was thinking that this is a car for you and then at the end,OMG,it’s yours,but when am I going to see it, Howard ? Pictures aren’t enough. I think I mentioned to you that they have a Cruise-In Show once a month here in The Villages,Spanish Springs,all are welcome from anywhere,all you have to do is register the car in advance to enter,when you get here. Howard you have to come here, you’ll love it,there’s nothing like it.You may even get an award for traveling the longest distance.If you need further details e-mail me and I’ll try to find out.
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Howard Kroplick:

Ted, hope all is well. I have no plans yet except to bring it back to Waterfront at Roslyn garage.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

From Jan H:

Just great.  Can’t wait to see it!!!

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

That was the Winton Housecar - a very cool thing to have survived. 
http://jamesmeltonmusicalcareerantiquecars.blogspot.com/2009/11/1917-winton-housecar.html

There’s a brief article about it in the Antique Automobile, May-June 1956.  About 1918, E. J. Fithian built it on a stretched 1917 Winton chassis, for use in his campaign for PA governor.  Newspapers in the Midwest carried stories on his family’s western vacation in the car in 1921.  He apparently stopped using it in 1926, and Melton bought it in 1954, completely restoring it.

Curiously, E. J. Fithian and Alexander Winton both received patents for engine governors on May 30, 1899.

From The Melton Museum of Norwalk, Connecticut (1948-1953)

Congratulations Howard!  I love Tuckers and I agree with Gary. Restore it to the original green color. Can’t wait to see it here on Long Island. Enjoy!
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From Howard Kroplick:

Mike, that sure makes sense. The Tucker Automobile Club of America’s website provides a gallery of the Tuckers including their original and current colors.

http://tuckerclub.org/tucker-gallery/

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

You certainly know how to put together a collection.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Congratulations Howard, one of my favorite cars.  It’s brilliance really didn’t sink in until I saw my first one in person.  As to the “continue driving” vs.“concours-quality” question; well let’s just say that I suspect that you will do both.  My only question is: would you retain the Cord transmission in a concours-quality build?

Bob
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From Howard Kroplick:

Bob, I will take some time to research the next steps for the restoration including the transmission.

Wikipedia does a good job summarizing the features of Tucker automobiles :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucker_48

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

1973, Thailand. With 8 cameras rolling and ambulance crews, divers and cranes standing by British stuntman Loren “Bumps” Willard drove an AMC Hornet at a wooden ramp at 40mph executing one of the most daring and memorable stunts in cinematic history. A 270 degree barrel roll across a narrow river. Willard was paid £30,000 for pulling off the stunt in a single take.
The US racing driver Jay Milligan conceived the stunt and even performed it in 1972 at the Houston Astrodome in an AMC Javelin, christening the stunt ‘The Astro Spiral Jump”. Milligan contacted the Bond producers with the stunt who promptly protected it preventing it appearing in any other preceding films. Milligan was the stunt driver in the AMC Hornet for the other scenes of the film but was called away from filming before performing the Corkscrew Jump. 15 AMC Hornets were used in filming with 2 set aside for the Corkscrew Jump.

The Stunt is credited with being the first to be computer simulated. The software had been developed by Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory for use in a road safety applications. More information can be found on this here.
The movie was The Man With The Golden Gun (James Bond) and the feat was labeled “The Corkscrew Jump”.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"

Wow! I’m betting nearly every car collector dreams of owning a Tucker. I noted that it was described at the auction as… “A recent “barn find,” unseen for 33 years” Wonderful that you are bringing it back to life for all of us to see and hear.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Howard, congratulations on winning the bid for the Tucker 48, looking forward to seeing the rare barn find at the upcoming spring LI car shows.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Howard,
Awesome! Really enjoyed reading the history of this great car. What a surprise ending. Can’t wait to see it.
Mark

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Great News

It’s wonderful to have a Tucker on Long Island. It’s one of my favorite classics.

Good luck with it. Howard

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Whee!  Kirk Gibson?  HA!  That’s clearly Rudolph Hess at the wheel in ‘42/49!  Sorry, Jr.  Steve, bring up the Review-Star again and hit Print/Screen; I’ll try it later.  Great work, Howard.  Sam, III<http://sbiii.com/dudgeon.html>

From The Dudgeon "Red Devil" Steam Wagon Legal Case Updated: 1/20/2017

I would think Austie and James Melton were good friends, they had the funds to pick up all the great car in this area. Austie pulled an ALCO Touring car out of Ridgefield. Ken Purdy lived in Wilton, Briggs Cunningham was in Greens Farms. There was a restaurant at the Melton Collection in Norwalk, Mom and Dad said they went there a few times before I was born. Bob

From The Melton Museum of Norwalk, Connecticut (1948-1953)

Howard,
Congrats!!!  Another unique car added to your “stable” of unique vehicles - what a fortunate purchase for us also, as now a Tucker will be here on Long Island where it will be shared with the public to also enjoy.  Based on your photos, I think my favorite aspect of the car is the Tucker radio.  My only question is why would someone repaint it root beer brown?  I would think the original green would have been more appealing, of course it was the 70’s.  Does this older “restoration” lessen its collector value or is it just that rare?
Gary
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Howard Kroplick:

Gary, you make an excellent point. Brown was likely a favorite color of the Tucker’s owner in 1972.  Similar to the auction for Chrysler’s Chrysler, the peeling paint and color probably hurt the auction price - a relatively simple fix down the road.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Hi Howard:

  Congrats to you on this great acquisition and enjoy !!!!!  Hope to see it in
person.

                  Cheers !!!!  Ron Ridolph

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

That stunt was from the 1974 James Bond film “The Man With The Golden Gun” starring Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Maud Adams, and Herve Villechaize. The stunt was filmed in Thailand and used an AMC Hornet Sportabout Hatchback Coupe. The driver was Loren “Bumps” Willert who is often incorrectly identified as “Bumps” Willard. It was the first movie stunt that was computer modeled before filming and it was accomplished in one take. The major criticism was the addition of a slide whistle sound effect during the jump. The stunt was first performed using an AMC Javelin in 1972 at the Houston Astrodome during an automobile thrill show and was officially called the “Astro Spiral Jump”. It was performed a few times after 1974 by Jimmy Canton, who was a friend of “Bumps” Willert, as part of Jay Milligan’s “Hell Drivers” stunt shows.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"