Preston Tucker's dream of entering into the automotive manufacturing world didn't end with his acquittal of fraud charges in January 1950. Far from it. As early as 1952 he had enough of an idea for a new roadster that he got in touch with one of the foremost designers of the day, the Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky. Tucker's vision was to produce a car that would be fun to drive and could be made inexpensively. His concepts were worked out until a vision for what the car would look like was made clear. The final design from Sakhnoffsky would be a rear-engined roadster that was to be built in Brazil and he called it the Carioca. Those plans never came together as Preston Tucker became ill in Brazil and was diagnosed shortly after with lung cancer. He died in December 1956 and so ended his dream.
But whatever happened to the sketches that would have preceeded the Carioca design that was made public on the cover of CAR LIFE in 1955? Just recently, those sketches may have surfaced in an on-line auction. Oddly enough, these drawings may still be misidentified as a Studebaker concept drawn up by noted designer Raymond Loewy.
But whatever happened to the sketches that would have preceeded the Carioca design that was made public on the cover of CAR LIFE in 1955? Just recently, those sketches may have surfaced in an on-line auction. Oddly enough, these drawings may still be misidentified as a Studebaker concept drawn up by noted designer Raymond Loewy.
Here's how the undated and unsigned sketches and photographs in question came to light:
AutoPuzzles.com is a popular website where car enthusiasts post rare and almost-unknown photos of cars for viewers to solve what they are looking at. In June, member Wendax from Germany posted the following picture to quiz viewers:
AutoPuzzles.com is a popular website where car enthusiasts post rare and almost-unknown photos of cars for viewers to solve what they are looking at. In June, member Wendax from Germany posted the following picture to quiz viewers:
After three months of unsuccessful attempts to identify the car in question, eventually it was solved to Wendax's satisfaction that the vehicle was a Studebaker proposal designed by Raymond Loewy.
Along with the answer, Wendax posted a number of additional sketches and photos of clay models that appear to be related to the puzzle photograph.
Along with the answer, Wendax posted a number of additional sketches and photos of clay models that appear to be related to the puzzle photograph.
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The puzzle caught the sharp eye of a true Tucker aficionado, Stephen Backus, as being potentially related to the Tucker Carioca rather than a Studebaker proposal. He then posted the sketches to a Tucker '48 Automobile FaceBook page for comments.
Further information from Wendax revealed that the sketches were part of an on-line auction where the original seller identified them as coming from Raymond Loewy as a Studebaker proposal. No further information came with them.
So could these actually be early proposals for the Carioca design by the Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky? Maybe so, maybe not, but it's worthy of further research. As the Count recalled in a 1955 article for CAR LIFE:
"The pointed tail of the eventual design had been advised by the racing car designer Harry Miller, with whom Preston had worked earlier in his career and whom Preston deeply respected. In fact, one of Miller's sketches was turned over to me for inspiration. To further the fun car notion, there was to be an unusual, curved rear-seat design, reminiscent of that of a motorboat."
Further information from Wendax revealed that the sketches were part of an on-line auction where the original seller identified them as coming from Raymond Loewy as a Studebaker proposal. No further information came with them.
So could these actually be early proposals for the Carioca design by the Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky? Maybe so, maybe not, but it's worthy of further research. As the Count recalled in a 1955 article for CAR LIFE:
"The pointed tail of the eventual design had been advised by the racing car designer Harry Miller, with whom Preston had worked earlier in his career and whom Preston deeply respected. In fact, one of Miller's sketches was turned over to me for inspiration. To further the fun car notion, there was to be an unusual, curved rear-seat design, reminiscent of that of a motorboat."
Two of the sketches clearly have a curved rear seat, just as described by Sakhnoffsky.
Further comparisons to drawings known to belong to Sakhnoffsky also show remarkable similarities. Compare the side view of Sakhnoffsky's Carioca on top to the auction sketch and clay model below:
Further comparisons to drawings known to belong to Sakhnoffsky also show remarkable similarities. Compare the side view of Sakhnoffsky's Carioca on top to the auction sketch and clay model below:
They seem to have the same general shape and wheelbase layout, at 100 inches. For comparison, the 1974 VW Beetle has a wheelbase just 4.3 inches shorter.
Could it be that these were identified as coming from Loewy by the cove on the side of the car in the sketch? Shown below is the side view of the auction sketch along with the side view of the 1953 Studebaker Starliner. Both have a similar swipe (highlighted in blue on the sketch) that may explain a hasty identification as a Studebaker:
Could it be that these were identified as coming from Loewy by the cove on the side of the car in the sketch? Shown below is the side view of the auction sketch along with the side view of the 1953 Studebaker Starliner. Both have a similar swipe (highlighted in blue on the sketch) that may explain a hasty identification as a Studebaker:
But perhaps the most significant comparison comes from the sketch of the 3/4 front view, with Sakhnoffsky's Carioca on top:
Certainly the lower sketch appears to be that of the Carioca, with a bit more overhang of the rear engine behind the rear axle.
The big question is: Were the sketches drawn by Sakhnoffsky as part of Tucker's Carioca project or were they done later by someone else who was inspired by the 1955 Tucker Carioca magazine article? Or conceivably, could they have been done earlier and inspired both Tucker and Sakhnoffsky?
Saknoffsky gives a further clue when he described the design process with Preston Tucker:
Saknoffsky gives a further clue when he described the design process with Preston Tucker:
"Although I did not agree entirely with Preston's conception of how the car should look, I prepared a number of roughs that embodied his ideas, and from these he selected the design herewith [the 1955 CAR LIFE cover car]. Close scrutiny of the concept will reveal some flaws, of course, but it is reasonable to assume that many of the inherent problems would have been solved eventually. Unfortunately, the project progressed no farther than the rough-sketch stage, which was a profound disappointment to me, for the idea of a strictly fun car is always present in the auto designer's mind. And I think this would have been a fun car to build."
Although he says the project only made it to rough sketches, it appears that the photos of the rough clay model reflect the auction sketches. It certainly could be that the Count didn't consider the clay significant enough to warrant mention, as that was not the final design that he presented in 1955.
With no known provenance to the sketches, they raise a lot more questions than they answer:
Why did the auction seller think they were Loewy's Studebaker proposals?
Could the sketches really have been done by Loewy, inspired by the Tucker Carioca?
Can the handwriting be analyzed with respect to Loewy, Sakhnoffsky and Tucker?
Can the vellum paper be dated, watermarks, or otherwise?
Can the chain of ownership be traced in either direction to determine authorship?
The answers to these and many other questions would go a long way to determining the authenticity and provenance of this collection. If you think you have any information that may lead to identifying these sketches, please contact us!
If authentic and actually done by Sakhnoffsky, they could be one of the more interesting discoveries relating to Preston Tucker's dream of re-building his reputation with a truly unique car, and they may provide a look into the specific design changes that ended up as the Tucker Carioca.
As intended, the Carioca proves to be almost as much fun today as it was to be 60 years ago...
With no known provenance to the sketches, they raise a lot more questions than they answer:
Why did the auction seller think they were Loewy's Studebaker proposals?
Could the sketches really have been done by Loewy, inspired by the Tucker Carioca?
Can the handwriting be analyzed with respect to Loewy, Sakhnoffsky and Tucker?
Can the vellum paper be dated, watermarks, or otherwise?
Can the chain of ownership be traced in either direction to determine authorship?
The answers to these and many other questions would go a long way to determining the authenticity and provenance of this collection. If you think you have any information that may lead to identifying these sketches, please contact us!
If authentic and actually done by Sakhnoffsky, they could be one of the more interesting discoveries relating to Preston Tucker's dream of re-building his reputation with a truly unique car, and they may provide a look into the specific design changes that ended up as the Tucker Carioca.
As intended, the Carioca proves to be almost as much fun today as it was to be 60 years ago...
To learn more about Preston Tucker and the design history of the iconic Tucker automobile, just click the photos below linked to the articles:
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