quasi Report This Comment
Date: October 11, 2011 12:34PM

Originally designed for use in the Bell 47 helicopter, the 334ci, 166hp engine was modified for use in the Tucker automobile, including the switch from air cooling to water cooling. The Tucker was a car ahead of it's time, and not just because of it's rear mounted, six cylinder, powerful (for it's day),"boxer" engine. The company was crushed by the big three (GM, Ford, Chrysler) in the U.S. using their political connections.

Mrkim Report This Comment
Date: October 11, 2011 02:21PM

The "boxer" design is simplicity at work, just not very space efficient although it does lead to the possibility of lower hood lines. The directly opposing forces on the crank is a great design and sadly Subaru and Porsche are the only 2 manufacturers in recent times to use it in cars.

BMW bikes have always used this design as far as I can tell. Beemers are marvelous bikes too, but also the Cadillacs of the bike world price wise

fossil_digger Report This Comment
Date: October 11, 2011 02:30PM

....Ducati

Mrkim Report This Comment
Date: October 11, 2011 03:18PM

Yeah but comparin Ducatis to Beemers is like comparin Porsches to Lambos

woberto Report This Comment
Date: October 12, 2011 12:48AM

This one?

quasi Report This Comment
Date: October 12, 2011 01:32AM

That one, woberto. They managed to build something like fifty of them (I don't recall the actual number and I'm not looking it up now) before being shut down. Also the subject of the movie "Tucker: A Man and His Dream" starring Jeff Bridges as Preston Tucker with his dad Lloyd Bridges playing a nasty U.S. Senator. Most of the cars are still around.

fossil_digger Report This Comment
Date: October 12, 2011 02:31AM

the one you posted also wobbie (that i can't find for some reason), from a vineyard visit of yours

woberto Report This Comment
Date: October 12, 2011 05:26AM

Oh yeah, the winery.

quasi Report This Comment
Date: October 12, 2011 09:44AM

Here's a pretty good article with some good pictures.

[en.wikipedia.org]

Mrkim Report This Comment
Date: October 12, 2011 12:15PM

Thanks for the interesting read quasi

From the info it appears Tucker was quite an innovator which leads me to wonder what interesting developments might have eventually come out of their factory had they stayed in business.

It's not hard to see how Tuckers radical departures in design and safety would have shaken the Big 3 to their core, nor how they likely used their powers to quash Tuckers operation

quasi Report This Comment
Date: October 12, 2011 02:00PM

Re: Preston Tucker

[en.wikipedia.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/2011 02:01PM by quasi.