University of South Carolina Libraries
Keeping up wit] 'Car of U By the Associated Press ORANGE PARK, Fla. ? Richard Jones never met Preston Tucker and has never even owned one of his automobiles. But Jones, founder and president of the Tucker Club of America, has carried on a 40-year love affair dedicated to keeping "the legend alive" about Tucker's "car of tomorrow." "I wanted one from the very beginning when they first came out with the ads in the newspapers," said Jones, who was 19 at the time. But the retired Navy electronics expert and civil service employee couldn't afford a Tucker in 1948 and says, "1 can't afford one today." A new movie, starring Jeff Bridges, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, has increased the popularity of the limited edition car. Only 51, counting the prototype, were made. Jones, 59, was hired by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas as a mechanic and extra for the movie. The club, which counts Coppola and Lucas among its 275 members, also helped out by rounding up 22 of Si Looking for career? Wh Force peop navigators. Find if v recruiter toe MSGT J STATI ewroHiroffil - jwJiwnoO < I S I G O U She left everythi she knew and entei world few have ever She risked her li to save a wondrous c: from the cruelty of and went furthe than anyone ever d Some say she we too far. uh| It ^ jP p G IN The A WARNER BROS, and UNIVERSAL PICTURES msm GUBER/1 BRYAN BROUN JU11E HARRIS Etl|Tl?STlAflTBAlRD, A.C.E. ?MAUR1CE]ARRE reB PETER GUBERanc PG-13|p**?nimo?Birc?mGKD <?>~] scieenkv NOWP COMING SEPT f ti the Tuckers omorrow' the remaining 47 Tuckers for use in the movie. The owners who allowed their Tuckers to be used in the movie were given $150,000 insurance and $2,500 for the use of each car. Tones said. In addition, four plastic replicas were made for use in the movie when it was impractical or dangerous to use an actual Tucker, which was dubbed "the Tin Goose." Although he expects he will never own a Tucker, Jones has two parked in his garage that he restored for Maryland investor Dave Cammack. After Jones founded the club in 1973, he was contacted by Cammack, who purchased a Tucker for $12,000. Tucker No. 22 has been restored to near-perfection with its metallic gray paint job and its refurbished interior. The Tuckers were numbered 1 to 50, with only the existing prototype not having a number. Jones has kept Tucker No. 22 for more than a decade and recently displayed it outside an Orange Park theater showing the movie. Jones has kept the car, since Cam andl^^xciting and ch ere each day is different? le have such a career as Maybe you can join ther 'ou qualify. Contact your/ lay. Call ' OHN SIEMERS 803-771 ON TO STATION COLL . I mmm?m I B ffiiw- 01 >: .yi-61 RNEY^ fe ?'& ?/ feature 1|/ ^3w||g| x : *p^ ?* jUKILLA THEM! adventure of Dian PETERS pkowction 1na"oci*!TH ARNOLD GUMCHER SIGOURNEYV ?d?)0HN GRAYSMARLnSMJOHN SEALE, A.C.S. ,p PETERS T??D1ANF0S$EY HAROLD TP. HAY! ! ANNA HAMILTON PHELAN rW0LCK .ARNOLD GL1MCHER ANOTEI N'DTRACK ON MCA RECORDS. CASSETTES AXDCDt | READ THE HOUGHTON i LAYING IN SELECT EMBER 30th TO A THEA1 The value of the car, Jones said, is in excess of $100,000. Later, Cammack purchased Tucker No. 26. Although Jones is still working on it, he was able to get it in running condition in time for the filming of the movie. No. 26, with a metallic blue finish, is one of only two Tuckers built with an automatic transmission. In restoring the Tuckers, one of the biggest problems has been finding parts. The Tucker used a Franklin AirCooled Motor 336 cubic inch engine, reworked so that it was water-cooled. Jones often has to go through companies specializing in aircraft parts to get what he needs to restore the cars' engines or has to go to a machine shop and have parts handmade. Jones, who has file drawers stuffed with information about the shortlived auto venture, said the club is dedicated to "keeping the legend alive." Once the club was formed, Jones lallenging Many Air pilots and n. ^ir Force 1-4058 ECT /EAVER 1 " ' jiwvNiyipw1* '* iS 1ST Fossey HEAVER "GORILLAS LN THE MISTtxe awekrjre of dun fossey MCK BAKER cam ROBERT NIXON aSD|UDYKESSLER ES ST0R ANNA HAMILTON PHELAN and TAB MURPHY IENCECLEGG d,*ectIyM1CHAEI APTED i1ffun book *,9m ***** ?*os ** v*0 UWVWSAl cnrv STuOtOS ?WC AREAS. HE NEAR YOU. forms clui "I wanted one from the very beginning when they first came out with the ads in the newspapers." Richard Jones president, Tucker Club of America began tracking down the remaining Tuckers. Of the 47 remaining cars, about a third have been restored, another third is in fair to good condition and the remaining third is "rusting to death." Four cars were destroyed. One was wrecked during testing at Indianapolis, a scene depicted in the movie by modifying a Studebaker to resemble a Tucker. One was destroyed when it was hit by a train, one was severely vandalized and sold for scrap and the fourth was ( = y~ \_ 9-(omccoming Celebrati TODAY'S MA Wednesday, Septembi 1st Event: 1988 CAR < . .. t J / 2nd Event: HOMECC t s Cultural Art October 3-7, 9-4 Sign up for hr Deadline Octo Special Progr Todd Yohn & October 4, 12:0C CINEMATIC Chitty Chit uang Bar THE I THE RfttXf WW, PICTI _McnflW5?cW R! i different set ot'jawv u o MUMMCOMPOAArtO ffATT#ffAL LAMP??Ifs ANIMAL IMVtC A comu&t Som l>n#??ool Maim Fc These acti\ b, keeps leg destroyed in a fire. The Tucker, the first American car with a rear engine, had many innovations that were ahead of its time, including a pop-out windshield, a padded dash and a crash compartment on the passenger side of the front seat. It also had a movable center cyclops headlight that turned 10 degrees to either side of the car, matchine the direction of the steerine wheel, to habilitate better night-time vision around curves. Each of the Tuckers is slightly different because they are all handmade. "They were trying out all kinds of ideas. No two were exactly alike," said Jones, pointing out subtle differences between No. 22 and No. 26, including a different design on the door handles. The Tucker, which was clocked at 131 mph in 1950 on the Bonneville Salt Flats, "will cruise 60-70-80 all day long, but it doesn't have the brakes to run it that fast," Jones said. '88 G?'J <3 o ions of Olympic Pro IN EVENTS? er 28, 1988 OLINA CARNIVAL 10 AM - 3 PM Greene Street Rain Location: Russell Hoi There will.be booths, stuck lots of fun! DMING COOKOUT 4:30 - 7 PM Russell House Patio Food by Marriott Enjoy music by Jim LeBla Rain Location: Grand Mar Don't Miss Out ponsored by the 1988 Homecoming Commissi* Financed by Student Activities Fees 3 IMP CAROLINA PROGRAM UNION :s Print Sale/Trc :30, Russell House P eakfast with Presid ber 6, 1988. ams Presents Com? Mark DiShera ), Russell House Pati ARTS PRESENTS ty Sept. 28 ig IOCKY HORROR JRE SHOW \TE SHOW $ Oct. 4-5 >r More Information, call 777-713< dties funded in part by Student Actn rend alive "It is not a comfortable car to drive. It is too light on the front end." Despite its advanced systems, Jones said, the Tucker had some serious transmission problems, and the suspension is weak. How did the Tucker compare with AtK^r IQdfi c9 V/I11VI l/TU 11IVWWIJ . "This car would run circles around them," Jones said. Preston Tucker's dream cars, however, never reached the market. Tucker was investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and was forced into bankruptcy. He faced charges for attempting to defraud the public but was acquitted. Tucker, following his trial, went to South America where he tried unsuccessfully to launch another automobile company. He died of cancer in 1956 at the age of 53. "I don't believe Tucker would have made it if they left him alone," said Jones, adding that he just didn't have the money he needed to start a new line of cars. "He promised a car way before he had it developed." d? 'OTxflVCE QWM . * A portions! use Ballroom *d fniit. > , 'itt.i v. v mt entertainers, and nc ket Place >n int Graphics atio ent Holderman. >dians x) % I pfite Tficfe Sept. 29-30, Oct. 1