The Tucker Torpedo, the never-built (until now) concept car designed as part of the launch of Preston Tucker’s car company, will be unveiled in public for the first time October 4 at the AACA Museum’s “Night at the Museum” event and will remain on display at the museum through October 10 in conjunction with the annual Fall Meet Week, the museum has announced.
“Before there was a Tucker ’48, Preston Tucker engaged a series of design projects that produced a never-built concept vehicle called the Tucker Torpedo,” the museum said in its news release. “While elements of the Torpedo found their way into the design of the production Tucker, the concept car is a very different automobile and was never produced in a full- scale prototype . . . until now.
“This car, built by Rob Ida Concepts, brings the Torpedo design concept to life. This is the first ever full-scale representation of Preston Tucker’s 1946 Concept Car ‘The Tucker Torpedo’ as designed by ‘chief stylist’ George Lawson.
“The AACA Museum, Inc. with a permanent display of three Tucker ’48 automobiles, including Tucker #1001, is quickly becoming known as the center of the Tucker Universe, and we’re honored to have been chosen as the location to showcase this legendary vehicle for its first public viewing.”
The museum notes that Ida’s grandfather owned a Tucker dealership and that the family business has created various Tuckers, including the Sin City 2 movie car.
“As you can see from the above concept drawing, the Tucker Torpedo includes a centrally positioned steering wheel, doors that wrap up into the roof, and front fenders that turn when the car is cornering,” the museum reported. “These are just a few of the distinguishing features you’ll be able to see when the Torpedo is on view.
The Torpedo was commissioned by Bob Kerekes, the museum said, adding that Kerekes also owns the “Lower 48” Tucker custom car that was on display at the museum as well as a hand-built Tucker recreation done in 2005.
“My Tucker vehicles have brought me more joy than any other cars in my life,” car-collector Kerekes is quoted in the museum news release.
“Bob Kerekes, along with the Ida family and the Tucker family have all put in a tremendous amount of time, thought, energy and dedicated effort to bring the Tucker Torpedo to life in its historic form,” the museum said. “A shared passion and emotional attachment to all things Tucker led the owner and builder to hold the first public showing of the Torpedo right here at the AACA Museum Inc.”
The Night at The Museum gala and live auction benefits the Children’s Miracle Network at the Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and will feature Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal as recipient of the museum’s first Automotive Heritage Award.
Corvette museum celebrates Kentucky transportation history
Opening recently and running through May 2018 is a special History of Transportation in Kentucky exhibit at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The exhibit is being done in conjunction with the commonwealth’s 225th anniversary.
Kentucky-built cars are included, among them the first Bowling Green-built Chevrolet Corvette, a 1943 Ford GPW (Jeep), a Dixie Flyer, and the one-millionth U.S.-built Toyota Camry (from the assembly plant in Georgetown, Kentucky), but so is a horse-drawn sleigh, a 1935 Allis-Chalmers WC tractor, and much more.
LeMay seeks vintage toys, horns and golf gear
The Le May – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington, is looking for items for upcoming displays.
One will feature vintage automotive, wheels and/or motorized toys for an upcoming display in the museum’s lobby. Items, including Schwinn and BMX bicycles, Radio Flyer wagons, Cox, tethered or remote-control cars, toy plans and boats, vintage Big Wheels, old skateboards, Soap Box Derby cars, should be in “museum-presentable condition.”
Another will show vintage brass-era horns and vintage wooden-shafted golf clubs and attire. If you have items to loan for either event, email [email protected].
Special events this weekend
America on Wheels museum in Allentown opens “The Cars from Transformers” exhibit Saturday at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m, former GM design chief, Ed Welburn, will do a special presentation on “Transformers and the Future of the Automobile.” Welburn was responsible for the Bumblebee Camaro that was among the movie’s stars.
The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan, stages its annual Old Car Festival this weekend, both Saturday at Sunday at Greenfield Village. In its 67th year and billed as America’s longest-running antique car show, the event is open to cars produced before 1933. Featured this year is the centennial of the Lincoln Motor Company.
It’s Holley LS Fest weekend at the National Corvette Museum and at Beech Bend Raceway Park and the NCM Motorsports Park, all in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where vehicles powered by the GM LS (or current-generation) LT V8 engines will be featured.
LeMay – America’s Car Museum stages its Summer Ender Fender Bender event Saturday with the Friends n’ Fenders tour, a classic car and vintage motorcycle show, beer garden and music. The museum’s Race Night is scheduled for September 14.
Britain’s National Motor Museum at Beaulieu hosts its annual Retro Truck Show on Saturday and Sunday.
Mark your calendars
The National Corvette Museum plans a special program the weekend of September 23-24 at its motorsports park for members of the Nashville Cars n’ Coffee group. NASA racers will be at the park for a test ’n tune day September 29 in anticipation of their Great Lakes racing program September 30 and October 1.
LeMay – America’s Car Museum offers its final “Take a Spin” of the season on Thursday, September 21, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. with rides being offered in several of the museum’s cars.
The Kansas City Automotive Museum will offer a “Meet and Greet the Model T Ford” event on September 30 and, in conjunction with a month-long motorcycle exhibit, a motorcycle ride as part of its October 7 cars and coffee cruise-in.
Car museums are setting their fall program schedules. For example, the AACA Museum will host Model T driving experiences September 13 and 16, a Chevrolet Corvair show on September 23, a Matchbox toy show on September 24, a Corvette racing weekend October 20-21, and a Diamond REO truck show on October 22. The museum also is organizing a trip to Italy for November 3-12.
Britain’s National Motor Museum at Beaulieu offers programs this fall for adults and children.
Workshops in photography are planned October 14 and 15 and on November 11. The “Classic Virgins Experience Day” on October 21 offers information on classic car ownership for those considering their first purchase; also on the 21st, the museum will offer a “Writing Your Motoring Memoirs” workshop. Automotive art classes are planned for November 18 and 19.
The museum also offers a lecture series with Stuart Graham talking about his racing career on October 14, Dick Skipworth and Tom Purves presenting “Patrons of Motor Sport” on November 18, and the movie, Secret Spitfires, on December 9.
The museum’s autumn Children’s Clubs include a Robotics Saturday Club that runs from September 9 to October 21 with an Engineering Saturday Club starting November 4 and going through December 9. Topics are tailored to age groups — 5-8 year-olds meet at 10:30 a.m. and those 9-11 at 11:45 a.m. The museum also offers Mini Motorists morning activities and storytelling for those younger than age 5 on the third Monday of each month from 10 a.m. until noon.
For details, visit the museum website.
