Tucker comes to NATM
The National Automotive & Truck Museum of the U.S. (NATM) is a National Historic Landmark. NATM is proud to announce another new display on the museum floor, a 1948 Tucker…
The National Automotive & Truck Museum of the U.S. (NATM) is a National Historic Landmark.
NATM is proud to announce another new display on the museum floor, a 1948 Tucker automobile and memorabilia. On loan from the Tucker Automobile Club of America, Inc. is one of four full sized 1948 Tucker replicas that was used in the 1988 film Tucker: “The Man and His Dream”. This red beauty was the vehicle featured, along with star Jeff Bridges in most movie advertisements.
Francis Ford Coppola and George Lukas partnered to create the famous film depicting the life and vision of Preston Tucker. The movie required twenty-six different 1948 Tucker automobiles. Twenty-two originals were used and four full-sized Tucker replicas had to be made. The replicas had to be created to the up most detail and specifications as an original Tucker. Several scenes in the movie shows a Tucker being destroyed and not one was an original. After the movie was complete this replicar was also part of a traveling spectacular featuring props from the film. In 2009 the widow of Frank Tucker, Preston’s nephew, donated this car to the Tucker Automobile Club of America, Inc.
One of the, if not the, largest collection of TUCKER memorabilia in the country has also been donated to the National Auto & Truck Museum.
Dr. Stephen Hofer (bio below) of Frankfort IL has donated his vast collection of Tucker automobile memorabilia to NATM for their visitors to see.
Six large display cases are filled with items such as employee badges, stock certificates, personal information and history of Preston Tucker, miscellaneous Tucker jewelry, NOS Tucker vehicle parts (including a radio), die-cast models, and various other items.
Mr. Hofer said the reason for his donation was to have more people enjoy the design of the Tucker ’48 car and understand that the vision of Preston Tucker, thru this new car, has dramatically changed the American automobile industry. And NATM is the ideal location for this.
These items are all on display next to the Tucker movie car. Our visitors can spend countless hours viewing this collection and other displays, all while being housed in a “ National Historic Landmark”.
The National Automotive & Truck Museum proudly hosts, and display items of the past. We have the “Cars and Trucks Like You Used to Own”. We are housed in the last two remaining production buildings of the Auburn Automobile Company.
Dr. Stephen F. Hofer, is a retired university professor of Communication and Past Vice President of the Tucker Automobile Club of America, Inc. Mr. Hofer was the Curator/Owner of the Farnsworth TV Museum, Inc. in Auburn IN. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Blue Island, IL Historical Society. He and his wife live in Frankfort Illinois.
The museum is open 9:00 – 5:00 daily, seven days a week.
NATM Museum
1000 Gordon M. Buerhig Place
Auburn, Indiana 46709
260-925-9100
