At 10:17 PM -0400 10/25/99, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>I don't think yo are doing HG any favors by comparing it to the Tucker.
>The
>Tucker was a scam, "vaporware" in computerese.  Read the history.

I have read the history. Perhaps you should, too.
Tucker managed to build 50 or so cars before he was squashed by the US
regulatory bureaucracy and an SEC investigation. He was later cleared of
all violations (they were trumped up charges, of course, and some believed
that the established auto industry was at root) but by then it was too
late. In the public eye the company's reputation was tarnished and it never
recovered. The cars, however, were (and still are) rock solid, feature-rich
and innovative, just like HourGlass.

From
http://vintagecars.miningco.com/home/carscycles/vintagecars/library/weekly/aa052
997.htm
I found this:

  The Tucker Torpedo had a 128-inch wheelbase, a 219-inch body, and
  raised just 60 inches off the ground. The car featured an
  all-independent suspension and a rear-mounted flat-six engine
  inspired from a Word War II helicopter. The engine was an all-alloy
  motor weighing 320 pounds. The car weighed 4,200 pounds and had a
  top speed of 120 mph. The Tin Goose could get up and fly from 0 to
  60 in about 10 seconds. Some unique features were interchangeable
  front and rear seats. This was to even upholstery wear. In addition
  to its two standard headlights, the Tucker featured a central
  "cyclops-eye" headlight that tracked with the front wheels. The
  Tucker was also the first car to utilize a fully sealed
  water-cooling system. Safety features included a padded dash and
  crash wells for both driver and passenger to drop in to if a crash
  was about to occur. A safety glass windshield popped out upon
  impact. The car was quite impressive for it's day.

Enough said. I stand by my comparison.

Barry Lake                                 [log in to unmask]
Allegro Consultants, Inc.                  www.allegro.com
(408)252-2330