The Tucker Torpedo, officially known as the Tucker 48. Dreamed up in 1947 and about to be released in the 1948 market. An incredible part of the American Automotive landscape. The story of “The Tucker” is well told in the 1988 Francis Ford Coppola movie “Tucker; A Man and His Dream.” starring Jeff Bridges as Preston Tucker.
And yes, this is the 5th actual Tucker I have seen, live, in-the-flesh, right before my eyes. And only now I am starting the countdown. Is it possible to see, all 50 original Tucker 48’s ever made? My first one was Waltz Blue at the San Diego Auto Museum. Must have been around 2004 or so. Then a black one at the Petersen Museum, another two at separate private collections, green and silver, and now this one. This smokey maroon beauty is at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville, California.
Have you ever been somewhere and didn’t realize the grandeur until days later or when you get home?
That’s what this recent trip was like. We drove up a short street right off Hwy 101. Geyeserville has maybe two exits, about an hour and a half north of San Francisco. When you take this one lone exit heading north, you go left and cross under the freeway and right up to the gates of the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Nice pulverized granite parking lot gives the guest an immediate sense of being in the country. A large rock structure stands in front of us as we direct our way up the steps to the entrance of a beautiful courtyard with a deep blue swimming pool to our right and wonderful wood doors and wisteria covered patios to our left. A huge sculpture of colorful wine corks dangle from the ceiling on nearly invisible lines. The dappled light through the sky lights above create a wonderful theatrical moment as you move through the space. Each room has displays from movies that Coppola either directed, produced or wrote. A case with his Oscars for The Godfather, costumes from Bram Strokers Dracula and even, two large scale model ships from his daughter Sofia’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette.
Then there’s another room, adjacent to the beautiful covered wine tasting patio. In the middle of this room is a large turntable with a beautifully lit Tucker 48 spinning ever so slowly. A curved staircase follows the car on the backside of the room from the french doors that leads up to a gallery of sorts, a library if you will, a display of more movie memorabilia. I walk up only to get another precious view of this historic jewel. Not only is it’s stunning design, but the car represents an entrepreneur trying to take on a post-war automotive industry that is gradually trying to build innovative cars instead of purpose-built war machines. Preston Tucker had the gall. The out right gall to try and create something so ahead of its time, so forward thinking that it turned the conservative establishment on its rears. This infuriated them so much that they conspired to have him stopped by cooking up legal shenanigans. Yep! There I said it! Who could ever imagine huge corporations would stop a little guy for showing them what innovation and creativity can do. And yet, here it is before me. Here it is live, in-the-flesh, right before my very eyes.
I am here on vacation. Tracy and I are spending a week in the rolling oak tree spotted blonde hillsides wine country to simply get away. As we roll along the backroads of Napa and Sonoma Counties staccato rows of grapevines fill the valleys and gently roll up the base of the hills. Half the time we spent with my aunts, uncles, and cousins in Santa Rosa and the other half Tracy and I explored the small towns of Yountville, St. Helena, Sonoma and Napa. We are here at this winery because my Auntie Loraine and Uncle John are members invited us to join them and my Uncle Doug and Aunt Becky for some lunch and wine tasting. A beautiful half chicken was the main course just after a goat cheese and fig appetizer and of course a taste of Pinot Noir. More wine tasting on another patio before we explored the grounds.
I literally could spend a whole day here. Not that I am a movie buff or anything like that. There is just so much to see. An incredible pool area, other restaurants, and just incredibly beautiful scenery all around us. My parents called this God’s Country, and the grandeur only invites you back for more.