Preston Tucker and His Battle to Build the Car of Tomorrow

A Dramatic Story Of Automotive Innovation And Government Persecution In The Wake Of World War Ii, The U.s. Automobile Industry Was Fully Unprepared To Meet The Growing Demands Of The Public, For Whom They Had Not Made Any Cars For Years. In Stepped Preston Tucker, A Salesman Extraordinaire Who Announced The Building Of A Revolutionary New Car: The Tucker '48, The First Car In Almost A Decade To Be Built Fresh From The Ground Up. Tucker's Car, Which Would Include Ingenious Advances In Design And Engineering That Other Car Companies Could Not Match, Captured The Interest Of The Public, And Automakers In Detroit Took Notice. Soon, The U.s. Securities Exchange Commission, Headed By A Former Detroit Man, Began Investigating Tucker, And When A Leaked Report Indicated That Tucker Was Going To Be Indicted For A Scheme Of Massive Fraud, His Stock Crashed And America Came To Believe That He Was Nothing But A Huckster. After A Lengthy Trial, Tucker Was Eventually Exonerated, But Not Before He And His Company Were Left With Nothing. Here, Author Steve Lehto Tackles Tucker's Amazing Story, Relying On A Huge Trove Of Documents That Has Been Used By No Other Writer To Date. It Is The First Comprehensive, Authoritative Account Of Tucker's Magnificent Car And His Battles With The Government. And In This Book, Lehto Finally Answers The Question Automobile Aficionados Have Wondered About For Decades: Exactly How And Why The Production Of Such An Innovative Car Was Killed. After World War Ii, The American Automobile Industry Was Reeling. Having Spent Years Building Weapons, The Car Companies Had Not Made Any Cars For Years. And Then, In Stepped Preston Tucker. This Salesman Extraordinaire From Detroit Had Built Race Cars Before The War, And Had Been A Defense Contractor During It. Now, Gathering A Group Of Brilliant Automotive Designers, Engineers, And Promoters, He Announced The Building Of A Revolutionary New Car: The Tucker '48, The First Car In Almost A Decade To Be Built Fresh From The Ground Up. Tucker's Car Would Include Ingenious Advances In Design And Engineering That Other Car Companies Could Not Match. But The Big Three Did Not Take Tucker's Threat Lightly. While Tucker Raised Money, Leased A Plant In Chicago, Lined Up Franchises Worldwide, Sold Millions Of Shares Of Stock, And Built The First Of His Cars, The Sec, Headed By A Former Detroit Man, Began Investigating Him. Tucker Fought On, Showing His Cars Around The Country While Investigators Seized His Books. And When The Sec Leaked A Report To The Press That Tucker Was Going To Be Indicted For A Scheme Of Massive Fraud, Tucker's Stock Crashed And America Came To Believe That He Was Nothing But A Huckster. Steve Lehto Has Here Tackled Tucker's Amazing Story, Relying On A Huge Trove Of Documents That No Other Writer To Date Has Used. In This Book, Lehto Finally Answers The Question Automobile Aficionados Have Wondered About For Decades: Exactly How And Why The Production Of Such An Innovative Car Was Killed. "In the wake of World War II, the U.S. automobile industry was fully unprepared to meet the growing demands of the public, for whom they had not made any cars for years. In stepped Preston Tucker, a salesman extraordinaire who announced the building of a revolutionary new car: the Tucker '48, the first car in almost a decade to be built fresh from the ground up. Tucker's car, which would include ingenious advances in design and engineering that other car companies could not match, captured the interest of the public, and automakers in Detroit took notice. Here, author Steve Lehto tackles Tucker's amazing story, relying on a huge trove of documents that has been used by no other writer to date. It is the first comprehensive, authoritative account of Tucker's magnificent car and his battles with the government. And in this book, Lehto finally answers the question automobile aficionados have wondered about for decades: exactly how and why the production of such an innovative car was killed. After World War II, the American automobile industry was reeling. Having spent years building weapons, the car companies had not made any cars for years. And then, in stepped Preston Tucker. This salesman extraordinaire from Detroit had built race cars before the war, and had been a defense contractor during it. Now, gathering a group of brilliant automotive designers, engineers, and promoters, he announced the building of a revolutionary new car: the Tucker '48, the first car in almost a decade to be built fresh from the ground up. Tucker's car would include ingenious advances in design and engineering that other car companies could not match. But the Big Three did not take Tucker's threat lightly. While Tucker raised money, leased a plant in Chicago, lined up franchises worldwide, sold millions of shares of stock, and built the first of his cars, the SEC, headed by a former Detroit man, began investigating him. Tucker fought on, showing his cars around the country while investigators seized his books. And when the SEC leaked a report to the press that Tucker was going to be indicted for a scheme of massive fraud, Tucker's stock crashed and America came to believe that he was nothing but a huckster. Steve Lehto has here tackled Tucker's amazing story, relying on a huge trove of documents that no other writer to date has used. In this book, Lehto finally answers the question automobile aficionados have wondered about for decades: exactly how and why the production of such an innovative car was killed"-- "The first comprehensive, authoritative account of the amazing rise and tragic fall of Preston Tucker, the visionary entrepreneur who, in the wake of World War II, took on the Big Three automakers to create a revolutionary new vehicle: the Tucker '48, the first car in almost a decade to be built fresh from the ground up"-- "In the wake of World War II, the U.S. automobile industry was fully unprepared to meet the growing demands of the public, for whom they had not made any cars for years. In stepped Preston Tucker, a salesman extraordinaire who announced the building of a revolutionary new car: the Tucker '48, the first car in almost a decade to be built fresh from the ground up. Tucker's car, which would include ingenious advances in design and engineering that other car companies could not match, captured the interest of the public, and automakers in Detroit took notice. Here, author Steve Lehto tackles Tucker's amazing story, relying on a huge trove of documents that has been used by no other writer to date. It is the first comprehensive, authoritative account of Tucker's magnificent car and his battles with the government. And in this book, Lehto finally answers the question automobile aficionados have wondered about for decades: exactly how and why the production of such an innovative car was killed. After World War II, the American automobile industry was reeling. Having spent years building weapons, the car companies had not made any cars for years. And then, in stepped Preston Tucker. This salesman extraordinaire from Detroit had built race cars before the war, and had been a defense contractor during it. Now, gathering a group of brilliant automotive designers, engineers, and promoters, he announced the building of a revolutionary new car: the Tucker '48, the first car in almost a decade to be built fresh from the ground up. Tucker's car would include ingenious advances in design and engineering that other car companies could not match. But the Big Three did not take Tucker's threat lightly. While Tucker raised money, leased a plant in Chicago, lined up franchises worldwide, sold millions of shares of stock, and built the first of his cars, the SEC, headed by a former Detroit man, began investigating him. Tucker fought on, showing his cars around the country while investigators seized his books. And when the SEC leaked a report to the press that Tucker was going to be indicted for a scheme of massive fraud, Tucker's stock crashed and America came to believe that he was nothing but a huckster. Steve Lehto has here tackled Tucker's amazing story, relying on a huge trove of documents that no other writer to date has used. In this book, Lehto finally answers the question automobile aficionados have wondered about for decades: exactly how and why the production of such an innovative car was killed"-- Provided by publisher A 2017 Michigan Notable Book After World War II, the American automobile industry was reeling. Having spent years building tanks and airplanes for the army, the car companies would need years more to retool their production to meet the demands of the American public, for whom they had not made any cars since 1942. And then in stepped Preston Tucker. This salesman extraordinaire from Ypsilanti, Michigan, had built race cars before the war, and had designed prototypes for the military during it. Now, gathering a group of brilliant automotive designers, engineers, and promoters, he announced the creation of a revolutionary new car: the Tucker'48, the first car in almost a decade to be built fresh from the ground up. Tucker's car would include ingenious advances in design and engineering that other car companies could not match. With a rear engine, rear-wheel drive, a safety-glass windshielf that would pop out in case of an accident, a padded dashboard, independent suspension, and automatic transmission, it would be more attractive and aerodynamic—and safer—than any other car on the road. But as the public eagerly awaited Tucker's car of tomorrow, powerful forces in Washington were trying to bring him down. An SEC commissioner with close ties to Detroit's Big Three automakers deliberately leaked information about an investigation the agency was conducting, suggesting that Tucker was bilking investors with a massive fraud scheme. Headlines accused him a perpetrating a hoax and claimed that his cars weren't real and his factory was a sham. In fact, the Tucker'48 sedan was genuine, and everyone who saw it was impressed by what this upstart carmaker had achieved. But the SEC's investigation had compounded the company's financial problems and management conflicts, and a superior product was not enough to keep Tucker's dream afloat. Here, Steve Lehto tackles the story of Tucker's amazing rise and tragic fall, relying on a huge trove of documents that has been used by no other writer to date. It is the first comprehensive, authoritative account of Tucker's magnificent car and his battles with the government. And in this book, Lehto finally answers the questions automobile aficionados have wondered about for decades: Exactly how and why was the production of such an innovative car killed? A 2017Michigan Notable Book After World War II, the American automobile industry was reeling. Having spent years building tanks and airplanes for the army, the car companies would need years more to retool their production to meet the demands of the American public, for whom they had not made any cars since 1942. And then in stepped Preston Tucker. This salesman extraordinaire from Ypsilanti, Michigan, had built race cars before the war, and had designed prototypes for the military during it. Now, gathering a group of brilliant automotive designers, engineers, and promoters, he announced the creation of a revolutionary new car: the Tucker '48, the first car in almost a decade to be built fresh from the ground up. Tucker's car would include ingenious advances in design and engineering that other car companies could not match. With a rear engine, rear-wheel drive, a safety-glass windshielf that would pop out in case of an accident, a padded dashboard, independent suspension, and automatic transmission, it would be more attractive and aerodynamicand saferthan any other car on the road. But as the public eagerly awaited Tucker's car of tomorrow, powerful forces in Washington were trying to bring him down. An SEC commissioner with close ties to Detroit's Big Three automakers deliberately leaked information about an investigation the agency was conducting, suggesting that Tucker was bilking investors with a massive fraud scheme. Headlines accused him a perpetrating a hoax and claimed that his cars weren't real and his factory was a sham. In fact, the Tucker '48 sedan was genuine, and everyone who saw it was impressed by what this upstart carmaker had achieved. But the SEC's investigation had compounded the company's financial problems and management conflicts, and a superior product was not enough to keep Tucker's dream afloat. Here, Steve Lehto tackles the story of Tucker's amazing rise and tragic fall, relying on a huge trove of documents that has been used by no other writer to date. It is the first comprehensive, authoritative account of Tucker's magnificent car and his battles with the government. And in this book, Lehto finally answers the questions automobile aficionados have wondered about for decades: Exactly how and why was the production of such an innovative car killed? An early morning car crash Preston Thomas Tucker Harry Miller The Tucker combat car Andrew Higgins Tucker's automobile plans The PIC article The Tucker Corporation Ticker acquires a plant Before the stock offering The tin goose Getting ready The tin goose unveiled The stock offering Post-tin goose Gearing up for production The first car off the assembly line: #100! The accessories program The end of the dream Bankruptcy The SEC report The grand jury Collier's and Reader's digest The trial The civil suits Preston Tucker speaks out Joseph Turnbull testifies again The last days of Preston Tucker The movie After The Tucker legacy The fleet of Tucker '48 sedans.