Top 15 Hot Rods From The Movies: #13 Tucker 48

While most people would consider the Tucker 48 a production car, we have classified it as a custom because there were only 51 produced before the company folded. 50 cars doesn’t make anyone’s “production” list.

Each Tucker 48 built was different and had subtle changes from the previous car, making each one a “prototype.” The engineering, design and components were fitted, tried, tested, improved  or discarded from the beginning of the production cycle to the end. 

It is not too far out of the realm to consider all of the Tucker 48’s as custom “one-off” vehicles. The Tucker 48 took a starring role in the movie, “Tucker: The Man and His Dream,” which detailed the quick lifecycle of the car.

Tucker bought the Air Cooled Motors company (now known as Franklin Engine Company), which specialized in aircraft engines, to produce the powerplants for the Tucker 48. When the car failed and ceased production, the Franklin Company almost went down with the rest of the ship.

Tucker designed his own “Tuckermatic” transmission for use on the cars. This automatic transmission was a tough but simple design to handle the power and torque of the Franklin engine. Using a double torque converter design, the transmission had one-third of the components of other automatic transmissions of that time.

Tucker 48 Specs:

• Franklin O-335 flat 6,166 horsepower aircraft engine
• A modified Cord transmission (Tucker Y-1) Tuckermatic was installed in most
• 4-wheel independent suspension with elastomeric bushings
• Directional third headlight
• Roll bar integrated into the roof
• Wheelbase: 128-inches
• Length: 219-inches
• Width: 79-inches
• Height: 60-inches
• Curb weight: 4,200 pounds