Chassis Number: 1044
There is little about the Tucker automobile that has not already been said. No post-war American automobile has had every facet of its story so religiously studied and examined; none was more controversial when new, and fewer are more beloved today.
Indeed, it would please a vindicated Preston Tucker that the 47 surviving examples of the 51 cars he built are among the most valuable and desirable American cars.
Tucker number 1044 was, as its name suggests, the 44th production car built and was one of nine originally finished in Green (aka Andante Green), with a green wool broadcloth interior. It remained in the factory inventory until 1950, when, at the famed auction of the Tucker Corporation’s assets, it and the famous “Tin Goose” prototype were sold to a Mr. Rifken, proprietor of S&S Auto Parts in Schaumburg, IL.
In 1982, the car was driven into a barn — where it resided until it was recently acquired and returned to the light of day. It was found to be quite well preserved, with only 7,900 actual miles. The body has begun to shed its 1972 paint, but it remains rust-free and remarkably clean, while the interior, replaced at the same time, is still in very good condition and does not require replacement.
Ideal for a new owner to upgrade cosmetically and continue driving — or the best possible candidate for a concours-quality restoration, this is one of the very, very few Tuckers that are genuinely “fresh to market.”
