Here's a Chance to Own a Piece of Automotive History

Preston Tucker’s personal car until 1955 is crossing the auction block.

Heading to the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2018 auction is Tucker Number 1029, a 1948 Tucker 48 owned by the automobile designer himself. As his actual car, this particular Tucker 48 was used in a promotional filmstrip that introduced the new 48 to the world. It was also one of the famous Tuckers that underwent high-speed tests at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Preston Tucker and his family owned and drove the vehicle for seven years and was also featured in the Tuckers’ home movies and driven in Classic Car Club of America activities.

In 1955, Tucker contacted Winthrop Rockefeller to let him know that 1029 was for sale, which Rockefeller subsequently purchased. Rockefeller didn’t hold onto the vehicle for very long however, as by 1959 it was being offered for sale by Albert J. Gayson of Los Angeles.

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Gayson eventually sold the Tucker 48 to Max Novak of Oklahoma, who passed it to British Motor Car Distribution in 1967. The dealership resold the car to Jack Bart, who owned it for two decades. During Bart’s ownership, the Tucker was refinished by the Nunes Auto Body Shop of Bridgeport, Connecticut, in its original color. It was also one of 22 authentic Tuckers used in the production of Tucker: The Man and His Dream, starring Jeff Bridges.

A year later, Bart sold the car to Todd Werby of San Francisco, who kept it until 2004. It was then acquired for the current owner’s private collection.

Expected to fetch between $1.25-million to $1.5-million, the 1948 Tucker 48 has 19,199 miles at the time of cataloging. The RM Sotheby’s Arizona auction will take place January 18 to 19.