Tucker Torpedo

Light blue background featuring a red 1948 Tucker Torpedo automobile; the text reads “the Tucker” in large black script above the car and “Torpedo” in a smaller black cursive font below the car

The Tucker Torpedo was the original name for Preston Tucker’s innovative car design in the late 1940s. The final version, called the Tucker 48, stood out for its advanced features like a rear engine, a pop-out windshield, and a center headlight that moved with the steering wheel. Even though only 51 cars were made, the Tucker remains a symbol of American ambition and creativity. 

Public interest in Tucker’s story picked up again after the 1988 film Tucker: The Man and His Dream, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Jeff Bridges. Since then, the Tucker 48 has attracted a devoted fan base, and items celebrating its history, such as buttons like this one, are still popular with car enthusiasts and collectors.