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1977 Tucker Model 1544

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
let the bidding games begin....:eatdrink::eatdrink::eatdrink:


'GoT', Game of Tuckers, season 1


think this one qualifies the owner to join the 'zilla mafia'....
 
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DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Nice looking Tucker - and this one even has the engine! Interesting that there isn't a pic of the odometer & Hobbs meter
 

Track Addict

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Looks pretty nice.

One backwards grouser I can see but they appear to be original. The later grousers have a wider strap over the middle bolts to keep the ends from bending. Not sure when Tucker went to these but I have some on mine and some NOS spares so after 73 and apparently when this one was made.

The tie bar looks bent in the picture but could be the camera angle. Interesting roll cage inside also.

Desirable cat from my vantage point.
 

PJL

Well-known member
And the custom speakers are a nice touch. Nice cat for a government rig. The wench is nice too.
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
So what is your preference, front wench or back wench? Some of us prefer no wench, let the debate begin!!
 

Track Addict

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
the good Tucker models generally have a passenger cab interior mounted wench. The ergonomics are better and per the Tucker Tag line about the steep and deep negates the need for exterior placement of this valuable resource. IMO
 

PJL

Well-known member
Any wench position is good IMHO. Last time I used mine it was... Umm, never mind.
 

1boringguy

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Front, back, middle ........... I've heard it said that you can't have too many wenches ........... but then again none of those guys can afford a snowcat either, ........ so there's that ?
 

PJL

Well-known member
I occurred to me that the casual reader might misunderstand the wench discussion.

The photo is of a wench mounted in the rear facing position. Just to be clear...
 

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Blackfoot Tucker

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'm a single wench kind of guy, but in some parts of Utah multiple wenches are perhaps the norm...


Bidding is now over $9K with just under ten days to go. Yowsa!
 

PJL

Well-known member
Yeah that is sure to top the Tucker that Nikson bought from GSA. This is the second Tucker from DOE that I have seen in recent months. Wonder if they are culling the herd.
 

The Sweet Wbj1

Active member
Yeah that is sure to top the Tucker that Nikson bought from GSA. This is the second Tucker from DOE that I have seen in recent months. Wonder if they are culling the herd.


You really think so? If that happens, any theories about removing the engine and transmission to increase sales price go right out the window!!
 

PJL

Well-known member
Time will tell. The Nikson cat was wench less if I recall correctly. Probably skew the results.
 

Blackfoot Tucker

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
it will sell for less than the engineless tucker!

I agree...

PJL, I started writing a reply to your post about this machine selling for more than the engineless Tucker, and then got sidetracked. There have been several posts since, but here's what I had written in reply:

There has certainly been a surprising amount of bidding activity thus far, and at the current price it's pretty much a slam dunk. But...

In my opinion, and as someone who tries to stay abreast of used Tucker values, at the end of the day this is a machine with four doors, mid-length tracks and a 318/manual transmission combination, which is the base level powertrain. This does have a front winch, but it doesn't have other very desirable options such as a six-way blade, an automatic transmission, a bigger engine, long tracks or damper wheels. To me, that limits the upside value of the machine.

I've bought a total of five Tuckers. All of them have been newer than this one at auction. Two were three door machines, two were four door machines, two had front six way blades, two had front winches, one had a 360 and an automatic transmission and four had damper wheels. Average number of hours was 964. So, generally speaking (and in my opinion), more highly optioned snowcats, and deserving of higher prices.

Of those five Tuckers, only one did I pay more than $20K for. Admittedly, used snowcat values have been rising over the last several years but unless one inspects the machine in person prior to bidding, you are basing your bid on an incomplete description and a handful of relatively small photos. I think it would be a mistake to bid what I'll call "full retail value" for a 42 year old snowcat for which you're assuming substantial risk.
 
I have no intention of selling my 82, 1344 any time soon, but it's nice to see it holding it's value - the one pictured hasn't met it's reserve yet, and it's over $10,000 bid
 

Blackfoot Tucker

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Here's some additional information I think is pertinent:

Tucker cabs have evolved over the years and the trend has been to make wider cabs. The 1980 and newer Tuckers I've owned have had 52" wide cabs and the 1979 machine had a 48" wide cab. As such, I was concerned about this 1544; how wide is the cab? Four inches may not seem like much, but with the 48" cab two full-sized guys are just about rubbing shoulders.

I called Tucker yesterday to see if I could get some information about this particular machine. Just like the cabs, the order sheets have also changed and while the frame width is listed on the 1980 order sheets, on this machine it's not. But they do specify the window sizes. The front window is listed as "17 x 45". If you look at the auction photos, look at the front view and ask yourself if it looks like there's 3 1/2" outside of the windshield, or is it more like 1 1/2" (on each side)? It looks to me like it's the lesser amount. I also looked at the windshield wiper configuration and that too looks the setup on my 1979. I measured the windshield in Thundercat last night and it was about 49".

Bottom line: I'm 99.9% sure this is a narrow cab machine. Speaking only for myself, that makes it less desirable.

Some other tidbits:

- Ordered by the Bureau of Reclamation and was used by WAPA (Western Area Power Administration).

- Transmission is a five-speed manual

- If you didn't notice, it has rear hydraulics and they were factory installed.

- Should have a rotating beacon and an engine coolant heater.

- Wench (winch) was not factory installed.
 

Blackfoot Tucker

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
it will sell for less than the engineless tucker!

At $18,539, it didn't meet the reserve price. That number is less than Nikson's winning bid for the engineless Tucker.

PP is proven correct (again)!

I don't know who sets the reserve for these auctions, but I'm baffled by this one. My recollection is the reserve on the engineless machine was under $10K.
 

GlacierSean

Member
SUPER Site Supporter
My guess is that they have a small fleet to get rid of and the engineless was the worst and first sold. Nixon paying what he did gave them the impression that the rest were worth $25k and up. Last one they sell will probably be their best cat. Can't imagine the confusion on there side after selling the first one for over $18k and this one barely getting to the same number. Hopefully by cat 3 or 4 they are going for a better price.
 

Pontoon Princess

Cattitute
GOLD Site Supporter
My guess is that they have a small fleet to get rid of and the engineless was the worst and first sold. Nixon paying what he did gave them the impression that the rest were worth $25k and up. Last one they sell will probably be their best cat. Can't imagine the confusion on there side after selling the first one for over $18k and this one barely getting to the same number. Hopefully by cat 3 or 4 they are going for a better price.

far too reasonable and fair to them, I am from your govmint ...
 

PJL

Well-known member
I agree with Sean. I have seen aircraft listed for ridiculous amounts and no one would touch them They kept relisting them over and over with lower prices.
 

Nikson

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Wow, glad to be part of the conversation after such long time... :)

No matter of ones opinions, cats will sell for as much as one is willing to spend for them, although we "experts" might not like it because is got only 5 boggies/track, or its cab is gonna give you a shoulder rub with a buddy (no pun intended Blackfoot)

Now that I bought one from them, I get a more "personal" email listing updates at times, and they do have few more coming (cough cough) and I'll be shopping again :)

p.s. just picked up this beauty, penny on a dollar, and am having fun so far with the growing collection LOL... wife already asked if I can spade/neuter my "cats" as they seem to be multiplying...
 

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