▁horizon ▁in ▁Europe . ▁He ▁got ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁developing ▁a ▁high - speed ▁arm ored ▁combat ▁vehicle . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁T ucker ▁moved ▁his ▁family ▁back ▁to ▁Michigan ▁and ▁bought ▁a ▁house ▁and ▁property ▁in ▁Y ps il anti . ▁He ▁rem ode led ▁an ▁old ▁bar n ▁on ▁his ▁property ▁and ▁began ▁and ▁operated ▁a ▁machine ▁shop ▁called ▁the ▁Y ps il anti ▁Machine ▁and ▁Tool ▁Company , ▁planning ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁facility ▁to ▁develop ▁various ▁autom ot ive ▁products . ▁ ▁O pport unity ▁arose ▁for ▁T ucker ▁from ▁the ▁Dutch ▁government , ▁who ▁wanted ▁a ▁combat ▁vehicle ▁su ited ▁to ▁the ▁mud dy ▁Dutch ▁terrain . ▁Cont inu ing ▁his ▁working ▁relationship ▁with ▁Harry ▁Miller , ▁T ucker ▁began ▁design ing ▁a ▁narrow - w heel base ▁arm ored ▁combat ▁car ▁power ed ▁by ▁a ▁Miller - mod ified ▁Pack ard ▁V - 1 2 ▁engine . ▁The ▁car ▁was ▁nick named ▁the ▁" T ucker ▁T iger ". ▁ ▁At ▁least ▁one ▁prototype ▁of ▁the ▁combat ▁car ▁was ▁built . ▁Production ▁of ▁the ▁car ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁done ▁at ▁the ▁Rah way , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁factory ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁Arm ament ▁Corporation . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁inv aded ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁before ▁T ucker ▁could ▁complete ▁the ▁deal , ▁and ▁the ▁Dutch ▁government ▁lost ▁interest , ▁so ▁he ▁completed ▁the ▁pro tot ypes ▁and ▁opt ed ▁to ▁try ▁to ▁sell ▁the ▁vehicle ▁to