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early tucker photos

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Here's the ole' gal just a little bit stuck . . . I have to say- If that was to happen to me (the front end just dropping out from under me), I would have turned around and gone home.

That may not have been an available option. According to the National Geographic article in the Jan '58 edition, they had packed enough food, fuel, and supplies to weather out a second winter once they reached their destination. If they did not complete the 1000 mile crossing in time the ships that were set up to pick them up would be blocked out by sea ice. As they used up their supplies they abandon the Massey Tractors and the Bombardier Muskegs which have since become a permanent part of the Ice Pack, as wood anyone trying to back track. This operation was almost entirely funded by BP, and their green LOGO can be seen on all the supply barrells of Gasoline being towed along. They performed a type of crude sizemic testing where they dug holes in the snow, set off exp[losive charges and read the echo with specialized equipment that loosely resembles sonar equipment. What they found was that the South Pole is a massive rock, with Ice up to 2 miles thick, sitting on top, but no OIL! One of the other Tucker Freighters from this expedition sit in a BP Museum.
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
Here's the ole' gal just a little bit stuck . . . I have to say- If that was to happen to me (the front end just dropping out from under me), I would have turned around and gone home.
scott and i did a total tear down of the engine, replacing two pistons that damaged and stuck, honed the cylinders, ground the valves, new rings, new clutch, resurfaced flywheel, water pump, carb, etc etc etc and cleaned like crazy to preserve it, other than the new gaskets peeking out, tried to leave it as original looking as humanly possible, what a true piece of history
 
Wow, what a great piece of history you have there! I would love to attend the Jamboree if for nothing else than to get a ride in the ole' gal. Not to mention meeting a lot of great folks who keep this forum very interesting.
 

AdkSnowcat

New member
Thanks! Hemi! Looks like they have ports or something in the valve covers--kind of like the newer engines that have the spark plugs deep inside. Maybe that 331 is set up to adjust the valves without removing the covers? I've never seen such a setup.
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
the head/valve cover set up is kinda the trade mark of a chrylser hemi's, the spark plugs are deep inside, sadly the valve covers need to come to adjust he rockers, great engines
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
side view
 

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AdkSnowcat

New member
Wow! That is really something!!!!! That is one of the Kings of old machines!!!


Thank you very much! It's really fun to see your photos! Outstanding!
 

jask

Member
Was the cold start system a Tucker option? Or special to this build? I don't recall seeing that on any other vintage machine.
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
something like that kept unrestored would be more interesting to me.
jim
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
The cold start is an ether system installed for the - 70 degree temps in Antarctica. As you can see, the injection nozzles are located so that every intake port receives either for start up. A friend of mine worked for Tucker during the crossing told me about the head mechanic on the crossing who after the trip, went back to the factory to tell about the trip. He said that they started the machines and did not shut them off the whole time. They did shut everything down for the seismic shots but not long enough to get cold soaked and hard to start.

As for restoration, that is not what the Tuckers are doing with Rock N Roll. It is a " preservation". No repainting, but cleaning and repairs made to the same standard as the period. For our part here are before's and after's of the Hemi. So now it will run and care taken to keep it that way.
 

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undy

New member
Nice job of maintaining the original look, while fixing it to working condition. IMHO, that's harder making it look like-new.
 

jask

Member
Nice work! Those cylinders and pistons looked pretty scabby. I wonder if the guy who balanced it was as old as the engine ???;)
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
A very different kind of Tucker Sno-Cat
 

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nikos

Active member
A very different kind of Tucker Sno-Cat


Thats Better
( Very interesting the set of the double wheels behind the front "drum sprocket" and also no guides on the track)

Nikos
 

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You have to hand it to the Tucker Crew, they tried about every conceivable type of propulsion design for over the snow travel before settling on the 4 track design.

Thanks for all the history/pictures glacierparkbus, I had no idea.
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
additional photos dated 1941
 

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DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Wish that showed the drive 'cog' on the chain belting. Or is that a sprocket and motorcycle chain in the center to drive it?? If that's the case it must have been VERY tight to try to keep the chain from jumping off over that long of a run!

Neighbors must have been like "Those Tucker's are at it again. Look at the thing in their yard today." :biggrin:
 

jask

Member
The contact area on the drive gear is tiny it must have destroyed that gear in no time.
The other machine above keeps catching my eye as well - the ball and cup drive system is like nothing I have ever seen... And it is one more machine for the wooden track guys to add to the list of emergency kindling donors ;)
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
Wish that showed the drive 'cog' on the chain belting. Or is that a sprocket and motorcycle chain in the center to drive it?? If that's the case it must have been VERY tight to try to keep the chain from jumping off over that long of a run!

Neighbors must have been like "Those Tucker's are at it again. Look at the thing in their yard today." :biggrin:
there were chain sprockets at each end between the tires. and the tuckers moved very shortly after these photos were taken, fyi they did drive a late model Packard
 
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