Preserving the Past and Positioning for the Future
Evolving Tucker Engagement and Outreach
By Joe Kahn
“When it’s time to change, you’ve got to rearrange - who you are into what you’re gonna be.” Whether or not you get that reference might define where you fit into the Tucker saga.
Like all things, we must evolve to stay relevant, and that’s precisely what the Tucker Automobile Club of America (TACA) has done for 52 years. In fact, TACA is older now than the Tucker ‘48 sedan was when the club was founded in 1973. Taking that further, Tucker: The Man and His Dream is 37 years old! That’s a long time to keep the memory alive for a handful of cars, which, to the layman, are virtually all identical.
TACA took a huge step in 2017 when it merged into America’s Transportation Experience/AACA Museum, Inc., and combined its historical collection and library with the Cammack
Tucker Collection. It was not easy or even completely popular then, but it was necessary to continue serving TACA’s mission to “keep the legend alive.”
The simple fact is that all car clubs are changing. International, national, and even local clubs have suffered dwindling membership for several years. This problem is not unique to niche marques like Tucker; it affects all mainstream brands. Sure, we can blame it on the aging demographic of classic car owners, the definition of a classic or special interest car, changing social norms, or the role of the Internet in sharing technical and social information. What’s important is how we react to these changes.
When I first got into the [life-sized] car hobby 30 years ago, I joined a local Mustang Club. Most of the members back then had 60s-era Mustangs. We’d get together every month for a formal club meeting. We’d hang out at local cruise nights,
schedule car cruises to various places, and, of course, host an annual all-Ford car show as the year’s main event. Another vital part of the club was having technical knowledge that could be shared, and of course friendships that were cast by helping each other fix our cars.
For many of these reasons, our charter members formed TACA in the early 1970s. They swapped parts, shared knowledge, wrenched on each other’s cars, and even got together a couple times per year to hold a convention or mini-meet. As time marched on, TACA shared the Tucker story with the masses, and a fella named Francis made a little ‘vid’ about the car that swelled TACA’s membership to over 400 members. It was truly a great run through the first decade of the 2000s. Tucker Topics was a fantastic newsletter that had gone full color! Conventions were very well attended by club members. But there was one thing missing…Tucker cars.
• What happens to a car club when only one or two cars are being restored every few years?
• What happens to a car club when the cars’ values make them unobtainable for 90% of the club’s members?
•What happens to a car club when those enthusiastic members who carried the torch for so many years start to burn out?
•What happens to a car club when so much information that one might seek is available for free online?
…It’s time to change. To rearrange.
TACA’s mission has always been to keep the legend alive. That will never change. However, the methods we use to accomplish that mission must evolve.
The Tucker Automobile Preservation Society (TAPS) launched in late 2024 to continue to tell the story of Preston Tucker and his “car of tomorrow” through modern and relevant channels. Sharing the Tucker story, with the world’s most extensive collection of Tucker artifacts, TAPS now has a professional archivist on staff (Thomas Morrow) to document and prepare Tucker treasures for the archives and public display. In addition, TAPS is:
1. Expanding our membership base and America’s Transportation Experience attendance.
2. Getting the word out through traveling exhibits and educational outreach.
3. Building engagement to promote interest through social media channels, live and virtual presentations, and in-person events.
4. Elevating legitimacy, the TACA foundation positions TAPS as THE authority on all things Tucker. History must be preserved and defended, or it can be distorted or lost.
With your help, we’re keeping the Tucker legacy alive. We encourage you to participate in all aspects of TAPS evolution. We look forward to growing interest, providing innovative, and educational outreach, and encouraging exponential growth. n
As we used to say: Tuckerly, Joe
Archive Addition
Postcard of Tucker ‘48 1014. Text on the back describes the technical aspects of the car. Written on the back is a message from Bill Hamlin to Joe Walker mentioning an event where Tucker 1011 and 1002 will be featured and Bill is asking Joe to attend the event.
Join/Renew
The Tucker Automobile Preservation Society Member Benefits
When you add the Tucker Automobile Preservation Society to your America’s Transportation Experience/ AACA Museum, Inc. membership, you receive:
• Scheduled access to view archived Tucker artifacts and documentation in on-site with a Museum/TAPS representative.
• FREE access to the Tucker digital archives (currently being improved and expanded).
• Advanced notification and FREE access for selected Tucker-related online, on-site, and special events.
• Votes for annual Tucker Hall of Honor selections.
• An annual chance to win Night at the Museum tickets and other Tucker-related prizes.
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Current Exhibits:
n Featured Exhibits:
• Tailgate Travelers: Classic Station Wagons
• The First MegaDealer: Don Allen Chevrolet Dealership Retrospective
• Husqvarna: Get Your Husky On
• Legacy Series: The Corvette Then and Now Through–October 17th, 2025
Upcoming Events:
n Walter P. Chrysler National Meet Chr ysler 100th Anniversary Celebration July 9, 2025
n Wreaths Across America Car Show July 27, 2025
n Museum Live Webcast: Great Stories from the Great Race X-Cup Division September 13, 2025
n Model T Driving Experience September 14 and 27, 2025
n Fall Carlisle October 1, 2025
n Night at the Museum October 7, 2025
n Museum Live Webcast: The Return of Tucker 1022 October 8, 2025
n Caffeine Behind the Scenes Behind the Scenes Open House October 9, 2025
n Model T Driving Experience October 18 and November 1, 2025
n Autos & Ales Craft Beer Festival November 7, 2025
n Fall Featured Exhibit Opening Old School Hot Rods & Customs Presented in conjunction with Pocono Mountain Street Rods 50th Anniversary November 21, 2025
The AACA Museum, Inc. has been and remains an independent 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, not affiliated with the Antique Automobile Club of America.