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Topic starter
16/09/2023 6:35 pm
I may have mentioned this before, but this past August, my wife and I took at little automotive museum tour in our general area. We took about a week and traveled to the National Packard Museum in Warren, OH. The American Packard Museum in Dayton, OH. The ACD Museum in Auburn, IN. As well as the National Auto & Truck Museum and the Early Ford V-8 Museum there too. From there we spent day at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend and then to the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI.
How about a little bit of trivia on the trip. We saw 115 different car makes and 690 different cars at the 7 museums, and from my crazy side, I took nearly 4200 photos. So, I've got a lot to go through.
To start, here's one from the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum.
1948 Tasco Prototype
A group of investors wanted to build a suitable American sports car for a European type racing event to be held at Watkins Glen, New York. Gordon Buehrig was part of the group of investors, and he also performed the design work. He oversaw the production of this single prototype vehicle.
The aluminum body was built by the Derham Body Company of Rosemont, Pennsylvania. It was the first car in the world with a T-top roof, an idea that Gordon Buehrig patented. He later sued General Motors for infringement when the 1968 Corvette came out with a T-top roof.
The front fenders of the Tasco are made of fiberglass and the roof panels are Plexi-glass. The name Tasco stands for “The American Sports Car Company”.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Prototype
Wheelbase: 110 inches
Engine: Mercury V-8
Transmission: Three-speed manual
Displacement: 239 cubic inches
Horsepower: 150
Price When New: $7,500
John Merritt
South Lyon, Michigan - USA
16/09/2023 6:38 pm
Not my cup of tea, but I apricate the info and your outstanding pics.
John Bono
North Jersey
John Kuvakas and John Merritt reacted
16/09/2023 7:20 pm
He later sued General Motors for infringement when the 1968 Corvette came out with a T-top roof.
Terrific pics & back story.
LSS: Reminds me of a story I've told before. When I met Tucker's grandson, he told me there was some type of litigation between the estate and GM over 1963 Corvette doors. Those doors extended into the roofline just as they did on Tuckers.
Do you know if Buehrig ever received a settlement/compensation?
John Merritt and John Kuvakas reacted
16/09/2023 7:22 pm
Never heard of this very unusual car before...thanks John!
John Merritt and John Kuvakas reacted
Topic starter
16/09/2023 7:40 pm
From what I could find, the suit was successful, but the settlement was small. I'm guessing that they reached an agreement and that maybe Gordon Buehrig filed the suit based on principle. Not sure...
John Merritt
South Lyon, Michigan - USA
John Kuvakas and Christopher Moroni reacted