Well, for the second time in 2 weeks, look what I bought:
This time it’s a 1961 Tucker 443A. Runs and drives. I’m not planning on keeping this one for long though. I’m hopefully trading it for my friend’s 1978 Tucker 1642 which is a rubber tracked machine as opposed to the steel “ladder” tracks on this one. He’s wanted a “sedan” (van) Tucker for a long time and I want a rubber tracked machine. Besides, I already own a ladder track Tucker. Should be an even trade I hope. If not, I can always sell this one for more than I paid for it.
We (my fiance and I) run a maple syrup operation out here in the boonies. We need the tracked machines to access the sugarbush to collect the maple sap and to transport it back to the sugarshack to be boiled down into syrup. It’s a lot of work, but it’s a good time…especially since there’s really nothing else to do around here in the late winter/early spring, more commonly referred to as “mud season.” It’s too warm to ski and still too cold to do anything else.
It has a Chrysler Industrial 265 cubic inch flathead 6 cylinder in it. They’re rated at 115 HP. Tons of power, no, but the old flattie makes gobs of torque which is what is important in a machine like this. Peak torque is something like 280 ft/lbs at 1600 RPM. You want low end torque, it has it. They don’t go fast (15 MPH max recommended), but they have a drawbar pull of 4100 lbs. So basically, it goes nowhere fast, but it will tow a battleship on the way there.
