Detroit Autorama 2009

Faded relics of a by gone era are scattered across the show floor, no this in not a salvage yard, but the creations of some of metro Detroit’s most talented hot rodders. From Detroit Free Press mailbox air intakes to Flat Head V8s, hot rod creators show off their rusted bodies and raw welds or their pristine perfected Riddler Award competitors.

The basement of Cobo Hall in Detroit Michigan is where you find the pure raw rods. Some refer to them as Rat Rods, while the ones that know call them Traditional Rods. To the untrained eye they appear to be incomplete projects that are unpainted, rusted or even lacking floorboards. To the lovers of cars, they are beautiful works of art intricately pieced together with different body panels, grilles from a completely different era and power ranging from in-line 6 to Cadillac monsters. To me, the Traditional Rods and the culture surrounding them, bring me back to the time of real auto culture. Back to the days where a Hot Rodder cobbles together the pieces from their neighbors yard and hits the pavement, or salt flats, hard and fast.

Upstairs is a different event. For the most part the tattoos and slick hair have faded to the corporate vending booths and hundreds of thousands of dollars in polished chrome. You can still find some tats at the pin stripers Panel Jam where artists stripe up works of art to be auctioned throughout the weekend. Wandering up and down the aisles is were the bright and shiny Hot Rods and Muscle cars are perched trying to show off their good side. The steel upstairs is quite different where the builders have spent uncountable hours and loads of dough on trailer queen show cars. I snuck in a pic of someone every car guy should know. Do you know who he is?

Author:Photographer Mike LaJoice

Richard Kughn Tucker

The Richard Kughn Tucker is not the Convertible.....

This past week many people have had many things to say regarding the 1948 Tucker Convertible Prototype for sale on eBay. Reviewing all of this information has brought me to the conclusion that the car sold in 2002 by Richard Kughn, is not the convertible for sale today. Whether or not this is an actuall prototype I do not know but it is not the Richard Kughn car. Dates and information provided by the seller and other Tucker authorities attest to the validity of their claim. Please see note from the seller:

"The car that was in Detroit was #27, was on frame #52, and was outfitted with parts from various other Tuckers. #27 is listed on the Tucker Club's website as being the car the was rolled during testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It has been and still is in Roscoe, IL. The information you have about there only being 50 cars is incorrect. The first Tucker ever produced was a prototype sedan, known as the "Tin Goose". Fifty-eight frames and bodies were built at the factory. From these parts, 36 sedans were finished before the factory was closed. In addition, one prototype convertible known as "Vera" was started but not finished at the factory. Since the factory closed, an additional 14 sedans have been completed for a total of 51. The convertible is expected to be completed in May of 2009, pushing the total to 52. The car we have is body number 57, not 27 or 52. We have a letter from a verified Tucker Corporation accountant that reads “Dear Allan (previous owner), Long time no see. I hope your address hasn’t changed and this gets to you okay. Did you ever get the Tucker convertible finished? I would like to drive over and see it sometime. Give me a ring at 414-275-XXXX and tell me when it will be convenient to get together and bring each other up to date. Sincerely, Mel Koeppen”. We have paycheck stubs, tax withholding statements, and a picture of Mel Koeppen (the accountant mentioned above) in a newspaper from 1948 that further verifies he was an employee. “The Indomitable Tin Goose” (page 90 softback version and page 99 of the hardback version) verifies that #57 was in Tucker Corporation experimental department when the plant closed.#57 was mentioned in a “Tucker Topics”, the Tucker Automobile Club of America’s newsletter in 1994 as being a convertible. The person we bought the car from interviewed Tucker Corporation employees who said that they knew that the project existed when the plant closed. He is willing to sign sworn affidavits that outline his interviews."

Originally posted:
http://www.classiccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17123

This story has many facets and it would irresponsible of me not to have presented my theory. I am thankful to all who have presented information and thoughts behind this issue.

Where is the Richard Kughn car and can it be viewed?

Author: Glenn H.

1948 Tucker Convertible Prototype for Sale?

Priceless Prototype or Priceless Pile of Parts?

This February has been an eventful one for the Tucker community. Apparently a long lost Tucker Prototype Convertible has been discovered and placed up for auction at the hefty sum of $5 million. Strange that with only 50 cars rolling of the Tucker assembly, all of which accounted for, that this one should fall through the cracks and resurface 61 years later.

When I first saw the Tucker Convertible turn up on ebay, I was reminded of a similar project, seen seven years before. It was at the Novi Expo center in Michigan. A large chunk of the Richard Kughn collection was being offered at no reserve. Among the many low mile collector cars was a large collection of Factory Tucker parts. If memory serves me correctly the parts included the pieces from the two Tuckers wrecked, one in an auto accident and the other by the Tucker Company for a roll over test. All of these, along with several surplus parts were cobbled together on top of a chassis right of the Tucker line. Unfortunately I don’t remember the number. Taped on the side of car were the plans Richard Kughn had drawn up by a friend to turn this collection of rare parts into the first Tucker Conv.

If somebody can present me with the location of the Kughn car I will shut up but for now what I propose, is that the car for sale right now is the very same car from the Richard Kughn collection. When this information was proposed to the seller there was no response. If they in fact have an actual prototype why don’t they say it? Why ebay and not Barrett Jackson? I do not claim to be an authority on Tucker but I know what I saw in 2002 and I have pictures:

Author/Photographer: Glenn H.

1939 Hudson 112 Coupe

An offer I couldn’t refuse. November 2007 my dad and I stood in his kitchen. He simply said “I build it, you learn, you pay for it”. He was referring to the 1939 Hudson 112 coupe wrapped in a tarp in his backyard. This offer, I could not refuse. The summer before I had purchased and sold a 1963 Lincoln Continental convertible. Before that I struggled with a 1964 Ramble Convertible and 1964 Dodge Polara. Shopping for a car that was a collector, yet I could get in and drive was not a reality for me. My dad and I both knew that I needed a car that I could hit the road running with minimal busted knuckles. This Hudson would be that car. The plan is to have a stock interior/exterior with mild rod components making it go and stop, the “get in and drive” classic that has evaded me for years. Details of the build and conversations around the decisions in the near future.

Author/photographer: Mike LaJoice