"TUCKER" - The Man And His Dreams

In 1988 a movie was made concerning Preston Tucker and his unique automobile. This brought back memories of my youth growing up in Celina, Ohio. I was a newspaper boy and read an article concerning a revolutionary new car that was going to be displayed in our little town of 5,000 people. I was 14 at the time.

Getting close to driving age and generally interested in cars anyway, I grabbed my Ansco box camera and joined the crowd to look over this new concept in automobiles. The styling was far superior to any cars out in 1948, starting with the distinctive three headlight front with the middle light turning as the steering wheel turns to follow the road. No other car has attempted that innovation to date.

This new car concept also included many innovations that have been adopted by the large manufacturers since Preston Tucker brought out his unique automobile. These include trunk in front, engine in rear, seat belts, disc brakes, fuel injection, and several more. Unfortunately the big three made it impossible for him to mass produce this car and only fifty (50) were made.

I feel honored to have been able to see one in person and take this picture when the Tucker was introduced to the public. If you haven't seen the movie, you can rent it from your video outlet. I recommend it. But watch all the way through the credits -- they show actual pictures of the people and places in the background.