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Auto Design Sketch & Rendering Challenge: Please Complete Preston Tucker's Unusual Pickup Truck

This one sketch is all you have to go on

By Rain Noe - February 6, 2018

in Cars | Sketching

This entry is why I'm psyched that Core77's readership contains actual working industrial designers who know how to draw. So here we go:

Although Preston Tucker is often described as a car designer, he really wasn't; he was a car-obsessed entrepreneur who hired prominent designers of the 1940s, like Alex Tremulis and J. Gordon Lipincott, to realize his ideas.

Preston Tucker

His Tucker '48 famously never made it into mass production, with just 51 models being built before he was indicted (but not convicted) of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and violation of SEC regulations. After that his business tanked.

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What would have happened had he succeeded? Steve Lehto over at Road & Track dug this sketch out of the Tucker Automobile Club of America's archives, which contain some 400,000 drawings, blueprints and documents:

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As you can see it's an unusual design for a 1940s-style pickup truck that's longitudinally divided. The design would allow for easier sidewalk loading/unloading of long objects and appears to have a narrow enclosed bed behind the driver. Obviously this design never got made, and this is the only image I could find online.

So I'm asking the sketch-happy among you to complete the design.

1. What does this look like from the other side? From a rear 3/4 view? What's that panel between the wheels? Are there integrated design elements to handle securing goods on the flatbed portion? Where is the engine located?

Some other directions you could take this:

2. What would you draw if Tucker had hired you and asked you to provide an alternative sketch based on this idea?

3. What would this look like with a modern-day pickup?

I'll leave it up to you whether you'd like to stick with the 1940s white-on-black rendering style or get more modern with it. Eager to see what you come up with!

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Michael DiTullo

6 years ago

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I need to jump in and throw a sketch down on this....

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Thomas Parel

6 years ago

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Comment on this

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Thomas Parel

6 years ago

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Doodles of an electric Tucker work truck.

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Eric Strebel

6 years ago

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Totally got inspired by Michael's sketch! Gonna be this weeks video as well. Thanks Michael! I went old school of course, colored paper, markers and pencil, like they would have done in the 40's. I made it electric modern and a Crew Cab (sort of) so you can take a buddy along to do your dirty work for you LOL! Sides slide down into the body and the ends both fold down. Glass moon roof too!

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- Michael DiTullo
  
  Eric Strebel
  
  6 years ago
  
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  perfect perspective view to show this concept!
  
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Michael DiTullo

6 years ago

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A quick side cab sketch to get this party started. You can see the video of the sketch here: https://youtu.be/GScEdxToaRU

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Rodrigo Lauret

6 years ago

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Hi everyone! I know I'm late but wanted to drop a few doodles here.. I'm not so into transportation design, not because I don't like it but mostly because I suck at it haha!
I'll try to complete what Rain asked..
1-The between wheels panel I think it's just for dividing (optimizing?) load capacity. Front wheel drive almost for sure. Lots of secure rings along the flatbed and side panels.
2- I would suggest another version with some roof space and a side tailgate for easy and fast access. Lame pencil sketch with the marker stain from the backside draw..
3- A modern day version would be electric and autonomous. Got more ideas so will try to upload some other draws with a better design quality.. hope to get a wacom soon!

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Cameron Day

6 years ago

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Utilitarian Tucker with retractable/removable roll bars that take advantage of more vertical 'roof' storage

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Steven Madsen

6 years ago

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3/4 view from the other side. Threw in a small crane for lifting heavy loads.

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Adan Schubart

6 years ago

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As the original struck me as completely utilitarian, I went with a very boxy shape to allow every facet to be opened for easy access
As this seemed like a truck for the city, it is electric and features driver access from the front to minimize street incursion
I also had the thought of polymerized "rubber" body panels for durability

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Thomas Parel

6 years ago

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James Callahan

6 years ago

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A close look at that pic shows a front "tailgate", and a "bedside" the length of the body.

FWIW, there were a number of medium and heavy duty trucks with narrow or single cabs for hauling steel/ long stuff :)

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