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Old Tucker with Ford engine, original???

funtracks

Member
I picked up this Tucker recently, thinking it would just be a donor but then I couldn't just let it sit there. I spent a little time working on it, my dad spent even more time working on it and now its a running, driving (using that term loosely), fiberglass pontoon Tucker. I think it could be a good Tucker someday but the tracks and rollers are VERY worn. Unfortunately the ID tag from the dash has been removed so I have little knowledge about the year and engine. I was told the Tucker spent most of it's life at a Michigan ski hill (no idea which one). But the engine has me most curious, take a look at the ID tag from the engine, if I deciphered the code correctly it's a 1959 Ford 223 cu.in. straight 6 cylinder. I think the Tucker must be an early 60's???? I do have the helpful folks at Tucker Corporation looking into their records to see if they ever used a Ford powerplant, but thought I'd also ask this forum group if anyone can help identify the year and whether or not you've ever heard of a factory Ford engine used in a Tucker. BTW, the body is (was) a 443, someone cut off the back couple feet (bummer). Thanks for any help.



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Kristi Kt-4

Member
I would guess it is a 65' or 66' machine. Based on the exhaust location and no hole in the passenger side panel that it most likely was born with a Chrysler slant 6. I am assuming the Ford industrial is a Yooper ski hill repower. Was the hydraulic pump belt off when you drove it? You should bring it over for the Midwest Cat Clowder the first weekend in February! :clap:
 

redsqwrl

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
what transmission is it sporting, maybe some Yooper ingenuity is lurking there, tucker inc is no manufacturing purist, like AMC, IH and others of the period, it appears they used what was laying about.

+1 on the parts cats (you called it donor) initiative, my parts cat is my featured machine for this years Clowder in the powder. We have put more prep into the donor than I all the other cats combined, i think it is a symptom of a rare disease yet identified. outside the shop running driving cats that need fun upgrades. inside the shop is a pile of parts that is getting bandaids at every corner and luxury items such as heat and aux lighting.

enjoy the tucker, the orange tucker looking air cleaner is like a pretty hat on an ugly red headed orphan.
 

funtracks

Member
Yes, the original hydraulic pump was installed properly along with the not original hydraulic pump (mounted on the passenger side), at some point rear hydraulics was added to this Tucker. I know its more likely that someone did a drive train swap but the transmission and rear end don't look like the Chrysler drive train in my 1958 Tucker. I don't see any crude brackets mounting the drive train, like I see from the other obvious mods to this old thing. The one thing that makes me think Tucker might have experimented with a Ford drive train is that the Dodge and the small Ford bolt patterns are the same (4.5" dia). That way all the pieces to mount the pontoons would fit a small Ford axle. I would like to make it to a snocat outing someday but the weekends are booked up right now. BTW - is there a reason you narrowed your guess to a '65-'66? The grill? Fiberglass pontoons?
 

funtracks

Member
what transmission is it sporting, maybe some Yooper ingenuity is lurking there, tucker inc is no manufacturing purist, like AMC, IH and others of the period, it appears they used what was laying about.

+1 on the parts cats (you called it donor) initiative, my parts cat is my featured machine for this years Clowder in the powder. We have put more prep into the donor than I all the other cats combined, i think it is a symptom of a rare disease yet identified. outside the shop running driving cats that need fun upgrades. inside the shop is a pile of parts that is getting bandaids at every corner and luxury items such as heat and aux lighting.

enjoy the tucker, the orange tucker looking air cleaner is like a pretty hat on an ugly red headed orphan.

I'll try to find more information on the transmission and axles, but the one thing I know is that the 4 speed and axles in my '58 Tucker are definitely different in this Tucker with a Ford engine.
 

KT3survivor

Active member
those tank mounting brackets look solid af :yum:

still a cool machine. gotta love good vehicle archeology!

i think the short cab could look great with a little metal work.
 

Kristi Kt-4

Member
Yes, the original hydraulic pump was installed properly along with the not original hydraulic pump (mounted on the passenger side), at some point rear hydraulics was added to this Tucker. I know its more likely that someone did a drive train swap but the transmission and rear end don't look like the Chrysler drive train in my 1958 Tucker. I don't see any crude brackets mounting the drive train, like I see from the other obvious mods to this old thing. The one thing that makes me think Tucker might have experimented with a Ford drive train is that the Dodge and the small Ford bolt patterns are the same (4.5" dia). That way all the pieces to mount the pontoons would fit a small Ford axle. I would like to make it to a snocat outing someday but the weekends are booked up right now. BTW - is there a reason you narrowed your guess to a '65-'66? The grill? Fiberglass pontoons?

I was thinking a 65'-66' because they used those grills from the early 60's until the early 70's, fiberglass hoods were used for a couple years (63'-64' maybe), fiberglass cab roofs were used on 442's from about 68'ish until the early 70's (72ish). Did the previous owner have any clue where in Michigan it came from? I would have done the same thing as you and fix that machine up... too good for a parts cat :hammer:
 

Track Addict

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Cab looks bent a little to the passenger side on one pic from the front? Maybe this is why the cut off.

Think you will find a new process 435 transmission hooked in there and dodge rear ends. Also those have tucker long axles which are a little different than the short tapered ones on your 58.
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
the serial number is 162834, a 1962, model 443, originally sold to brebner machinery, green bay, wi, came with steel pontoons and 3/4 inch rollers.

tucker inc, did build about a dozen or so machines with ford 6 cylinder engines....
 

funtracks

Member
Can't thank you enough Pontoon Princess! I don't know if you're still the unofficial or official historian for Tucker but I appreciate every bit of history you provide on these old snocats! Now I have a real dilemma, I was supposed to "thin the herd" of projects at my house and this one was on my short list to sell but I really like the idea of having a unique Ford powered Tucker....
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Can't thank you enough Pontoon Princess! I don't know if you're still the unofficial or official historian for Tucker but I appreciate every bit of history you provide on these old snocats! Now I have a real dilemma, I was supposed to "thin the herd" of projects at my house and this one was on my short list to sell but I really like the idea of having a unique Ford powered Tucker....

My guess it's a late '60's cat with a repower, hyd tank mounting not factory for sure.

Please explain "thin the herd" a statement foreign to me. Maybe giving the cows less hay, I don't know?
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
My guess it's a late '60's cat with a repower, hyd tank mounting not factory for sure.

Please explain "thin the herd" a statement foreign to me. Maybe giving the cows less hay, I don't know?
scott
I think it means he has a bunch of hungry tuckers and tired of feeding them.
so he going to unload one
 

funtracks

Member
My guess it's a late '60's cat with a repower, hyd tank mounting not factory for sure.

Please explain "thin the herd" a statement foreign to me. Maybe giving the cows less hay, I don't know?

The hyd tank you see in the previous pictures on the drivers side is certainly an add on, it's plumbed to a second hydraulic pump on the passengers side of the engine that was added for rear hydraulics.

"Thin the herd" is something I talk a lot about but don't practice too well!
 
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