Lot 155 of the Amelia Island RM Auction on March 9 is a rare American beauty, a 1948 Tucker 48. The car is extremely rare and still in excellent condition, so it is bound to attract many passionate collectors. Only 51 units of this particular model were ever manufactured, with exterior design by Alex Tremulis, who was a designer at Auburn Automobile Company.
The car boasts a large number of safety features, such as a specially designed space under the dash-pad for passengers to hide into before collision, and a pop-out windshield that would deploy in case of an accident. This was the third car in the series, sporting serial number 1003. However, this was the first one with the valance panel between the front bumper and body. It was originally painted maroon – one of the only six available colors for the series.
One owner of this remarkable car was George Lucas, the fabled filmmaker. He sold it in June 2005 to the current owners from California, who invested time and money in its proper restoration. Interested bidders will be pleased to know that photographic documentation of the restoration is also available for whoever is interested in learning more about the car. Powered by a 335 cu. in. OHV horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine, the car boasts 166 hp, 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, 4-wheel independent suspensions, and a 4-speed pre-selector gearbox.
