Vanderbilt Cup Races

Amazing instrumentation on the dash for a ‘48, the same seen today (58 years later), Bat, Oil, Fuel, and Temp, also dual exhaust to boot, onto six outlets. This one is out of my league but appears a well thought out vehicle. Something to well consider.

From Images of the Tucker 1044

It looks amazingly clean inside (interior). Is that all original?

From Images of the Tucker 1044

Howard,
Judging by the name board on the trailer it appears that H. A. Clark had a major role in getting Old 16 out to Bridgehampton.  Definitely the trailer is marked LIAM, and I bet so was the truck.  Maybe either Walter McCarthy or Walt Gosden can shed light on the event.

From Helck Family Collection: Old 16 at the Opening of the Bridgehampton Race Circuit in 1957

Big K,  Congratulations !!! Hope we get a slide show at the draft.  A wonderful addition!
______________________________________________________________________
Howard Kroplick:

Cuz, will do!

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

Great car, hope to see it in person some day.  Howard, if you restore the Tucker, I hope we get to see the whole process again!

Ron

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

From the looks of the right front tire on the Premier it’s safe to say Barney did at most a parade lap.  The rip in the sidewall doesn’t look healthy enough for on high speed ride into turn one at Indy.

From From the Barney Oldfield Collection: Four Classic Photos and One Mystery

From Art K.

Congratulations on the new purchase Can’t wait to see it.

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

Very cool….I remember seeing that in Clambake and always wondered about that car…Now I know the story….Thanks Howard…

From Helck Family Collection: Bill Mitchell's XP-700 Corvette Concept Car and XP-87 Stingray Racer

Howard, I echo all of the same sentiments expressed above…..

Enjoy it !!

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

Dean Butler:
You must know the “serial jump” story is published in Bill Milliken’s autobiography “Equations of Motion.” I think it would be cheating a bit to did out the answers from that book, but I suggest that, in your next discussion of the spiral jump, you credit Bill for doing the math and setting up the stunt — ramp, speeds, etc.

Bill told me the story of this stunt fifteen or twenty years ago. (Bill passed away a few years ago at 102.) Bill told me the stunt driver was rather terrified when he saw his task. Bill simply told him that, if he did everything exactly as told (especially getting the speed perfect at certain points on the ramp) that the stunt would work — and it did!

I think (without looking at the book) that Bill told me the stunt was done in Thailand.

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

From Don Jr.:

Hello Howard,
I know that car and stunt all to well. I personally know Jay Milligan Sr. from Hamburg, NY who spent hundreds of hours figuring out this stunt and building ramps. I know a few years ago the ramps were behind his office (JM Productions). Exciting to see your post.
I will let other people figure out the year was 1974, name was “Astro-Spiral” stunt, the place was in Bangkok, Thailand for the James Bond Movie, “The Man With The Golden Gun.”

I look forward to your emails every week,
Thank you,

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

From Simon Favre:

I recognized the picture immediately.

The Man With the Golden Gun (1974) starring Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland,
Stunt filmed in Thailand. Car is an AMC Hornet, driven by “Bumps” Willard.
The stunt was designed and computer simulated by Cornell Aeronautics Lab.
The stunt was criticized for the goofy slide whistle sound effect.
The stunt was part of the All American Thrill Show billed as the Astro Spiral before it was picked up for the film.
Top Gear failed to reproduce it.
All info from Wikipedia and IMDB.com

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

Congrats Howard. The sleek tailgate looks great with those exhaust pipes, the front end as well. Definitely ahead of their time in ‘48

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

I think I got this. 1974, “The Man with the Golden Gun,” starring Roger Moore (James Bond), filmed in Thailand. “The Astro Spiral Jump” performed in the movie was achieved on first attempt using a modified AMC Hornet X, its steering wheel relocated in the center for stunt driver Loren “Bumps” Willard. This was the only time an AMC was used in a Bond movie. The jump was conceived and performed two years earlier at the Houston Astrodome by US race driver Jay Milligan using an AMC Javelin. Another first was that computers were used to compute and simulate a movie stunt using crude vector graphics in 3D. The car had to reach the first ramp at nearly 40 MPH to begin rolling fast at about 230 degrees/second. The recorded jump had to be slowed down for the theatres. Criticism probably stemmed from Secret Agent Bond actually driving an AMC, or the comic slide whistle used when the car was airborne. 
Years later the “Joey Chitwood Thrill Show” used AMC Javelins for more jumps. In 2011 Chevrolet used a Chevy Sonic renaming the jump, “Kickflip”
https://youtu.be/esSRxB_xYCg?t=62
http://jalopnik.com/the-james-bond-corkscrew-jump-was-the-first-computer-mo-1711459704

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

Congratulations Howard!!! This is absolutely amazing. I’ve always been fascinated with the “Tucker” story and his battle with the “Big Three”. Another historically significant automobile comes to Long Island. To paraphrase the famous line from “JAWS”, “You’re gonna need a bigger garage”.
____________________________________________
Howard Kroplick:
Steve, funny!!!!

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

Wow, what a surprise ending.  Congratulations on acquiring the Tucker.  Tucker has always been one of my favorite classic automobiles with all the innovative safety and other features.  This was an excellent article on the car and its history.  I look forward to seeing it at any of the Long Island car shows.  My family always loves your cars.

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

Mystery photo
1 live and let die
2 roger Moore Christopher lee 1974
3 Thailand
4 American Motors AMC HORNET X
5 Bumps Willard
6 computer aided effect
7 see 6
8 ?
9 ?
10 no

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

Howard, It is wonderful that you could acquire a Tucker, I know you mentioned you wished you could own one for some time. There were Tucker dealers in Baldwin and Bay Shore when the cars were new. There are more Tucker radios around then the number of cars built - as the manufacturer of the radios insisted that Tucker take a certain quantity. The Franklin air cooled helicopter motors were made in Liverpool, NY by former Franklin car engineers Carl Doman and Ed Marks (Domark engines) . I knew Ed Marks and had interviewed him several times about the Franklin cars and company, but we never discussed Tucker. Yesterday at the diner in western NJ just down the road from your favorite restoration shop a few of us got together and one was a long time CCCA guy , our friend Norman,  who told the tale of that Bay Shore Tucker dealer having the side of his building painted with the Tucker name. Parts were still in the back of the building long after the Tucker faded (radios, desk sets /promo cars cast in metal) etc. that Norman tried to buy but was not successful in doing. I am still looking for the photo I have that was taken in Baldwin of a friend at that time age 18 sitting in the front seat of the Tucker at that dealer with the salesman standing next to the car.,
___________________________________________

Howard Kroplick:

Walt, thanks for the Tucker/Long Island link.

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

1974,man with the golden gun,roger Moore,stunt filmed in Thailand,AMC Hornet,First corkscrew stunt on screen and use of computer aid technology, the first time this stunt was successful was in houston astrodome 1972,the stunt name is corkscrew

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

Man with Golden Gun 1974, Roger Moore, Christopher Lee
Thailand
74 AMC Hornet
Bumps Willard
One take, first 360 jump, computer calculations used.
Bad sound effects- slide whistle
72, Houston Astrodome
Corkscrew or Astro Spiral
No

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