Comments on: Little Cars Come First http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:36:33 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tuckeroo http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-844571 Tuckeroo Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:56:53 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-844571 Aw shucks folks, I was just in the right place at the right time! If you get a chance you ought to check out one of the Tucker Club's conventions or mini-meets (or even the club itself - I've been a member for 14 years and it's been worth it). There's usually at least one Tucker there (couldn't guarantee a ride, though). We had four at the last one and the conventions take place across the country: www.tuckerclub.org Aw shucks folks, I was just in the right place at the right time! If you get a chance you ought to check out one of the Tucker Club’s conventions or mini-meets (or even the club itself – I’ve been a member for 14 years and it’s been worth it). There’s usually at least one Tucker there (couldn’t guarantee a ride, though). We had four at the last one and the conventions take place across the country: http://www.tuckerclub.org

]]> By: Blurgle http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-840252 Blurgle Fri, 30 Nov 2007 03:59:44 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-840252 Tuckeroo, I am green with envy. Tuckeroo, I am green with envy.

]]> By: Neil Russell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-838531 Neil Russell Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:01:46 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-838531 Oh you lucky skunk!! ;) Oh you lucky skunk!! ;)

]]> By: Tuckeroo http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-838493 Tuckeroo Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:57:12 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-838493 When I was 15 my mother insisted on dragging me on a trip when my sister was visiting colleges down in Georgia. So I looked up area Tucker owners to make it worth my while, and visited the one at Stone Mountain (which is #1015) and the one owned my Mr. Cofer (#1034). The unexpected treat of the day was Mr. Cofer (who sadly passed away some years ago) asking me if I had ever had a ride in a Tucker and when I said "no" he pulled it out of the garage and we went for a ride on the streets of Tucker, GA! When I was 15 my mother insisted on dragging me on a trip when my sister was visiting colleges down in Georgia. So I looked up area Tucker owners to make it worth my while, and visited the one at Stone Mountain (which is #1015) and the one owned my Mr. Cofer (#1034). The unexpected treat of the day was Mr. Cofer (who sadly passed away some years ago) asking me if I had ever had a ride in a Tucker and when I said “no” he pulled it out of the garage and we went for a ride on the streets of Tucker, GA!

]]> By: Neil Russell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-838264 Neil Russell Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:15:55 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-838264 And now, thanks to your links, I have seen that the Stone Mountain Tucker is still there, and the one that belongs to the Cofer collection in Tucker GA is a different one altogether. :) And now, thanks to your links, I have seen that the Stone Mountain Tucker is still there, and the one that belongs to the Cofer collection in Tucker GA is a different one altogether. :)

]]> By: Neil Russell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-838176 Neil Russell Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:03:49 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-838176 Great links! Thanks. I've always been a Tucker nut, when I was a kid and would go to the Stone Mountain Auto Museum the Tucker was the first car I would always head for. They even had a display of parts and accessories from Tucker. I don't even know which number car it was, or if it's still there. In fact it could be the same one owned by a family in (coincidentally) Tucker GA that makes the rounds in parades there in the outskirts of Atlanta. Great links! Thanks.
I’ve always been a Tucker nut, when I was a kid and would go to the Stone Mountain Auto Museum the Tucker was the first car I would always head for.
They even had a display of parts and accessories from Tucker.
I don’t even know which number car it was, or if it’s still there. In fact it could be the same one owned by a family in (coincidentally) Tucker GA that makes the rounds in parades there in the outskirts of Atlanta.

]]> By: Tuckeroo http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-837713 Tuckeroo Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:48:19 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-837713 As to the influence of Tucker styling on Studebaker, read here: http://www.tuckerclub.org/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=1032&highlight=studebaker As a student of Tucker history for the last 15 years, I am not aware of any direct connection between Alex Tremulis and Raymond Loewy. But there is one interesting exception. I believe the woman in the photo on the first page is Audrey Moore Hodges. She was one of the first (if not the first) woman employed in an automotive design capacity. Her story is quite interesting, an interview can be read here: http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Design/Hodges_interview.htm I mention her in particular because after Studebaker she went to work for - you guessed it - Tucker! She's the only person I know of to work in the respective design departments for both companies! In so far as I know however, most of what she did at Tucker related to interior design and exterior color schemes. Therefore, I am not suggesting that the similarities between Tucker and Studebaker styling had anything to do with Mrs. Hodges, but I find it to be an interesting historical footnote at the very least. As to the influence of Tucker styling on Studebaker, read here: http://www.tuckerclub.org/bbs/.....studebaker

As a student of Tucker history for the last 15 years, I am not aware of any direct connection between Alex Tremulis and Raymond Loewy. But there is one interesting exception. I believe the woman in the photo on the first page is Audrey Moore Hodges. She was one of the first (if not the first) woman employed in an automotive design capacity. Her story is quite interesting, an interview can be read here: http://www.autolife.umd.umich......erview.htm
I mention her in particular because after Studebaker she went to work for – you guessed it – Tucker! She’s the only person I know of to work in the respective design departments for both companies! In so far as I know however, most of what she did at Tucker related to interior design and exterior color schemes. Therefore, I am not suggesting that the similarities between Tucker and Studebaker styling had anything to do with Mrs. Hodges, but I find it to be an interesting historical footnote at the very least.

]]> By: Neil Russell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-836718 Neil Russell Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:19:44 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-836718 Oops, I was mistaken, in the top of page 4 there's a wraparound Starlight on the third table from the right. Now, someone else with better recall skills than I possess will have to confirm, but I believe you are seeing women in the design studio because Loewy hired them as designers. He was one of, if not the first to do so in the auto industry. I could be all screwed up on that. Oops, I was mistaken, in the top of page 4 there’s a wraparound Starlight on the third table from the right.
Now, someone else with better recall skills than I possess will have to confirm, but I believe you are seeing women in the design studio because Loewy hired them as designers. He was one of, if not the first to do so in the auto industry.
I could be all screwed up on that.

]]> By: Neil Russell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/comment-page-1/#comment-836692 Neil Russell Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:12:34 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/11/29/little-cars-come-first/#comment-836692 That looks a lot like Raymond Loewy himself in the top picture of the fourth page. I'm trying to recall some things from the dusty cobwebbed areas of my brain, but was he not a friend or acquaintance of Alex Tremulis that designed the Tucker? I always felt Loewy knew a good design when he saw it and the 1950 Studebakers all look like baby Tuckers, right down to a place for the third headlight. Funny thing, there's not one picture of a model up there of the car that was Studebaker's big news for '47, the Starlight with a wraparound back window. Thanks to Loewy, Studebaker proudly proclaimed in their ads "First by far with a post war car!" That looks a lot like Raymond Loewy himself in the top picture of the fourth page.
I’m trying to recall some things from the dusty cobwebbed areas of my brain, but was he not a friend or acquaintance of Alex Tremulis that designed the Tucker?
I always felt Loewy knew a good design when he saw it and the 1950 Studebakers all look like baby Tuckers, right down to a place for the third headlight.
Funny thing, there’s not one picture of a model up there of the car that was Studebaker’s big news for ‘47, the Starlight with a wraparound back window.
Thanks to Loewy, Studebaker proudly proclaimed in their ads “First by far with a post war car!”

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