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Re: unhappy customer



On Sun, Apr 04, 2004 at 12:03:00PM -0400, David Brown wrote:
> 
> Tucker was the subject of a movie that had Jeff Bridges playing Preston 
> Tucker-an inventor that wants to make a new improved auto..
> find it here at imdb.com: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096316/
> (if this list doesnt let the link go thru then just do a search at imdb.
> com on jeff bridges)
> seeing how this was going to revolutionize car making the big 3 ran him 
> out of business...he had a contract to make 50 cars in 1 year (a big 
> feat in post ww2 days)which he ended up doing..but in the trial they 
> falsely alleged that he was just trying to scam investor money (in an 
> ironic twist he had ALL 50 cars parked outside the courtroom however the 
> judge would NOT let the jury look outside to see whether or not Tucker 
> had fulfulled the contract or not..they had to decide based only on the 
> evidence brought forth against him--talk about a kangaroo court)

I guess someone bought "justice".  Nothing new I suppose.

> essentially he wanted to:
> put safety glass in the windsheild (which the big 3 automakers didnt 
> want to do because of cost)

Seems to be the same excuse for still making the insane combined
turnsignal/brake that the big 3 still do on many models.

> add a seatbelt restraint system (which the big 3 said would advertise 
> the fact that cars were unsafe)
> create a headlamp system that would turn in the direction that you were 
> turning for improved vision ( a feature unused but comming out now in 
> some 2005/2006 autos)

Citroen has done that on some models in the last 20 or 30 years.

> and put the engine in the back of the vehicle for better 
> traction/handling (porsche/mazda/Lamborghini have all used that rear 
> engine model in their sportscars)

As have Saab, Fiat, Skoda, Original VW Bug, The original Mini, etc, etc.
For that matter, some of the very first "cars" ever made had the engine
in the back (although I doubt traction was what they had in mind, as
much as put the engine close to the driving wheels for simplicity.)

Len Sorensen



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