Preston Tucker was an independent American automobile entrepreneur, aside from other brilliant inventions and innovations in his storied career. He is most remembered for his Tucker 48 sedan, nicknamed the "Tucker Torpedo", an automobile w…
Preston Tucker was an independent American automobile entrepreneur, aside from other brilliant inventions and innovations in his storied career. He is most remembered for his Tucker 48 sedan, nicknamed the "Tucker Torpedo", an automobile which introduced many features that have since become widely used in modern cars. Tucker's specifications for his revolutionary car called for a rear engine, a low-RPM 589 cu in (9.7 L) engine with hydraulic valves instead of a camshaft, fuel injection, direct-drive torque converters on each rear wheel (instead of a transmission), disc brakes, the location of all instruments within the diameter and reach of the steering wheel, a padded dashboard, self-sealing tubeless tires, independent springless suspension, a chassis that protected occupants in case of a side impact, a roll bar within the roof, a laminated windshield designed to pop out during an accident, and a center "cyclops" headlight which would turn when steering at angles greater than 10 degrees in order to improve visibility around corners during night driving. Production of the Tucker '48 was shut down amidst scandal and controversial false Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) accusations of stock fraud - leading to his company's fatal bankruptcy and premature demise.
The 1988 movie "Tucker: The Man and His Dream" is based on Tucker's spirit and the saga surrounding the car's production.
Otto Kerner, Jr., the US attorney who had aggressively pursued the Tucker Corporation, was later convicted on 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy, perjury, and related charges for stock fraud in 1974. He was the first federal appellate judge in history to be jailed. He was sentenced to three years in prison and fined $50,000.
