A unique 1948 Tucker convertible has once again resurfaced for sale. It's being offered by Accelerate Auto Group, the same entity that previously put it up for sale in 2020.
To recap, Preston Tucker launched his eponymous car company just after World War II with a design that was radically different from anything offered by established automakers at the time. Just 51 Tuckers were produced before the company went under.
All production cars were sedans, but the seller claims this car is a factory prototype for a never-produced convertible model. However, we're aware of no official documents that mention a convertible prototype.
1948 Tucker convertible - Photo credit: Accelerate Auto Group/eBay
In 2009, when this car first surfaced in unfinished condition, Jay Follis of the Tucker Automobile Club of America issued a statement declaring that the club had found no evidence that the factory ever built such a car, according to Hemmings.
Accelerated Auto Group claims the convertible was one of several unfinished Tuckers the company was working on when it shut down, and it bears factory chassis number 57. It features a reinforced version of the sedan's chassis, and the seller claims it was developed with Lenki Engineering, the company that helped develop the first Tucker sedan prototype.
After Tucker went under, the convertible allegedly sat at Lenki Engineering until it was sold to an employee at the firm who wanted to complete it. The car then traded hands a few times before actually being completed, and has been with the same owner since 2010.
1948 Tucker convertible - Photo credit: Accelerate Auto Group/eBay
Accelerate Auto Group claims to have an affidavit from a former Tucker employee confirming the convertible's authenticity. The car also uses some original Tucker parts, including a rear-mounted air-cooled flat-6 engine and a Cord transmission.
When we last saw the Tucker convertible, it was listed for sale on eBay with a But It Now price of $2.1 million. The asking price is now $2.4 million. Whether it's a genuine Tucker prototype or not, it is certainly unique. Whether it is unique enough to command that much money is yet to be seen.