“…years and years ahead of conventional cars in performance, in economical operation, in safety, and – mark this – in value too.” -Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, June 20, 1948
-Tucker Promotional Video (1948)
Safety Features
Photo from, "The Indomitable Tin Goose" by Charles T. Pearson
Car safety in 1948 didn't amount to much. As one source says, "As late as the 1940's auto industry regulation was limited to vehicle design legislation, with little movement towards the comprehensive regulatory system that exists today," but Preston Tucker was very concerned about safety when he created the Tucker '48. Several features were original to the Tucker. One was the "Cyclops-eye" headlight which was a third headlight in the center front of the car. It turned with the steering wheel to illuminate the driver’s path during a turn. Other original features included a padded dashboard, a windshield that popped out on impact, and a crash chamber on the passenger side. In case of an oncoming car, the passenger could crawl into the chamber to lessen the impact.
Tucker Myth:Several sources say that the Tucker had seat belts, but later took them out because they implied that the car wasn't safe. In fact, the Tucker '48 never had any seat belts to begin with because the designers never gave them much thought.
|
 Photo from the collections of the Gilmore Car Museum |
