LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT - 11-10-00
    John Wiltjer talked to the owner of Weller Truck, John Weller, to find out who would be able to repair the Futurliner brake air compressor and the power steering piston assembly. John Weller had John pick up the parts here and deliver them to them (Weller Truck) and they would find someone to help get these restored. (They do not perform this type of work.) A big thanks again to Weller Truck for helping us.
    In addition Del ask John Wiltjer to see if he could locate the springs that are used in the brake assemblies. The originals were so rusted they were in several pieces. John went to Grand Rapids Brake, State Spring, and Northwestern Parts with no luck. Sam at Northwestern spent a lot of time looking through everything he had with out finding our needed springs. Finally John went the local hardware that has a reputation of having everything and sure enough they had the right size springs we needed for the brakes on the Futurliner.
    Montana Paint through the local distributor Wyrick Co. has been providing all our painting supplies. We made the 3rd trip picking up supplies.
    We want to continue to thank these local suppliers for the support they are providing in us as we work on this project.

PETER PAN
    Received a note from Peter Pan that they have recently had their Futurliner written up in two bus trade publications. We will get more information when they send copies of the articles.

WEB PAGES
    Jim Crame, another one of our volunteers, has updated and added three new sections to the web pages. Included are some more pictures of the restoration process and he has added a links section to those organizations that are helping with this restoration.

• Two (2) sets of overhaul engine gaskets. Tom stated to pick these up at any auto parts store such as NAPA. They are available and are cheaper there.
• Two (2) sets of standard piston rings. Tom felt that we did not have to replace these but he will get the address of a company called H &D trucking out west so we can buy them.
• Two (2) rebuilt water pumps. Tom stated that there are so many versions for this engine the best way is to get the original rebuilt. For the second one, we must find one from a large truck or a military truck. Tom gave me the name of a person that may have one of these pumps and I talked with him at Hershey (David DellaBadia) and he is going to check for us. I will also be sending Marc out in California an e-mail to see if we can get that water pump. We will need photos and dimensions of the one required.
• Engine fan. We need to do the same as the water pump. Find one on one of the Futurliners or a military truck. Again, I will be asking David DellaBadia and Marc.
• Oil pump. All the 302 engines have the same oil pump according to Tom. However, the oil pickup tube and strainer is different for different engine applications. The Military 302 as well as heavier truck applications have a larger oil pan and the strainer and oil pick up tube is matched for this deeper oil pan. Again, David DellaBadia will be looking at what he has. Bill I will need the dimensions of the pickup tube and strainer.
• Oil Pan. Bill I need the dimensions of the Futurliner 302 oil pan to pass along to David DellaBadia to see if he has the same size oil pan.
• Tom also suggested we take photos of everything that we need so we can use those because of all variations out there.

PARTS FOUND AT CARLISLE and HERSHEY
    Annually many in the old car community head east to two significant old car events. First is a car swap meet held in Carlisle, PA. and the following week is the largest antique car show and swap meet in the world in Hershey, PA. Many of the Futurliner Restoration volunteers working on the project attend these two shows. Prior to these shows, we passed out a list of parts needed for the Futurliner restoration to those planning to go to Carlisle or Hershey. However, our expectations to find anything was low since there were only 12 Futurliners built in 1940 and they were basically hand built.
    This year we did hit pay dirt on one item. The running or clearance lights that are mounted near the top of the Futurliner in both the front and back were all needed. Two are required in the front and two in the back. Up to this point anyone who attended a antique swap meet we would ask to look for these. Even the vendors that dealt with these types of lights could not identify them. Wayne Jackson took one of the originals and found exactly what we needed. The reason no one could identify or recognize what we needed is that when GM built the Futurliner they took the front fender parking light that is mounted on the top of the 1940 Chevy truck front fenders, cut 2/3s of the tail off of this parking light, reformed the cover, then rechromed the cover and housing. Fortunately, when Wayne came across the 1940 Chevy pickup truck parking light housings he recognized the alternations. Although they will need to be altered and rechromed they are not deteriorated beyond use as our originals are. He also found out that Chevrolet truck used this style parking light housing up through 1946. We still need to find the glass lens that are used in these lights. We are following us leads that Wayne gave us on this.
    At Del Carpenter's swap spot and Ed DeVries swap spot Futurliner fliers were available as well as pins to those who wanted to contribute to the restoration project. We did raise over $70 .
    Over at Ryan and Linda DeVries swap spot was a beautiful leaded glass creation of the Futurliner. This is the second one that Linda has made and has done an outstanding job. I purchased this one.
    While at Hershey I was able to look up Tom Langdon (Stove Bolt Engine Co. and INLINERS). Tom is a retired GM engine engineer working on GMC engines most of his career. He is a wealth of information about the 302 engine. Tom was most helpful in giving us leads for finding all the parts we need to complete the engine restoration that Bill Bicknell is working on. He directed me to talk to David DellaBadia and Dave will be looking through his stuff to see if he can help us. I will not list our engine needs here since we are following up on leads and may already have found the items. Both of these men are very supportive of our restoration project.
    What we did not find are hubcaps and literature. Keep looking everyone. I appreciate everyone's help.

KETTERING UNIVERSITY VISIT
    Gary Erwin from the Kettering University, Flint, Michigan came to review our progress. Just as a reminder, it was Charles Kettering back at the 1933-1934 Worlds Fair in Chicago that came up with the idea of taking the exciting technology of that era out to the far ends of the United States. His plan to do this was with a program called the Parade of Progress. The first "Parade" was in 1936 using eight vehicles called "Streamliners". The program was so successful that a second "Parade" was launched in 1941 using 12 new vehicles called Futurliners.
    It was the Kettering Archives that we obtained the largest volume of material concerning the Parade of Progress.
    Gary is Editor in Chief of the "Kettering Perspective" magazine that goes out to over 6, 000 subscribers. He ran an article about the Futurliner Restoration about a year ago. He plans to run a follow-up article in a few months.

Don Mayton Replies . . .
    Steve, thanks for the help in promoting our project. By now, you know that this is an all volunteer project sponsored by the National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States (NATMUS) located in Auburn, Indiana. The Futurliner is located here at my place in Zeeland, Michigan, which is on the western side of Michigan next to Lake Michigan. We have an all-volunteer crew that works on it and it great to receive support from your organization. I have passed on your web address to our web person and we will link yours to ours. Thanks again for your support.

INLINERS INTERNATIONAL
    Jack Halton from Winter Park, Florida has been most helpful in giving a source for us to purchase NOS (New Old Stock) short block 302 GMC engines for our Futurliner restoration. He belongs to and organization called Inliners International www.inliners.org
    "Inliners International was founded in 1981 by four people who shared the love of inline engines."
    Jack has also put our Futurliner project on their web site. It has already generated some e-mails and phone calls. I recently talked to Mike from Memory Lane Restoration Services located in Orlando, Florida.
    He recalls many years ago seeing a Futurliner in a junkyard near Brockport, New York along route 104. This route runs along Lake Ontario (east - west). Brockport, NY is located between Buffalo and Rochester, NY. He could not remember the name of the junkyard except that it was a two-letter name like someone's initials. So, you Futurliner sleuths that live in this area you need to check it out. Mike says someplace in all his stuff he believes that he has photos of this Futurliner. Again, we welcome this information and another information or photos. Remember we have tracked down the existence of nine of these Futurliners getting leads like this. Keep up the good work.

INDUSTRIAL NUCLEONICS
    I also received in the mail a photocopy of a page out of Industrial Nucleonics 1962 - 1963 Annual Report. The photograph of their plant shows in the back corner of their parking lot two Futurliners. Industrial Nucleonics used the Futurliners for displaying their scientific testing equipment. According to them, they had three of these Futurliners and one was scrapped as a result of a wreck. The other two were sold and as of now, they do not know who to. Industrial Nucleonics is located in Columbus, Ohio so you Ohio sleuths we need your help. The wrecked one would account for the 10th one and the other two would be numbers 11 and 12.

FUTURLINER - LEADED - GLASS
    Linda DeVries just completed a 5-1/4" X 15-1/2" leaded glass of the Futurliner. She did an outstanding job. We have not decided how to display it but Ed DeVries, her father-in-law intends to take it to Hershey. So, look up Ed in the Yellow Field. He will be next to Bruce Beimers, and Del Carpenter all Futurliner volunteers. I scanned it on my computer but I could not fit it all in.

      
Australian, Allen Adams, paid a visit to the Futurliner project. Allen is Director of the Sydney Buick Club and was quite impressed with the project.

E-MAIL RECEIVED: Dear Don,
    I just discovered your wonderful web site after reading about the GM Futurliner restoration project which you and your crew are doing in Zeeland. I am an avid car history buff and noted your web site in the Car Collector magazine article this month. I applaud your efforts to restore the sad, rusting hulk of one of the Liners.
    I grew up in Flint, Michigan. I remember vividly seeing the Futurliners when they came to Flint about 1955 for what I believe was the celebration of the 50 Millionth GM car to be built. Dinah Shore was the Grand Marshall of the parade down Saginaw Street in Flint and the parade included a gold painted 50 Millionth car which was a '55 Chevrolet. That was the year I graduated from Flint Central High and went on to attend what was then called General Motors Institute.
    For some years afterward, my job as a salesman required me to drive all the roads throughout Michigan. One gray winter afternoon, about 1970-71, I can remember exiting the expressway (seems to me it was near P. J. Hoffmaster State Park). I can remember seeing a junkyard by the expressway exit on the north side of the ramp road. Through the fence, I saw what I perceived to be a rusting hulk of one of those fabulous GM Futurliners sitting there in the snow. I stopped my car and climbed up the outside of the fence to where I could just see over the top. I was correct. How sad, I thought, to find this once awesome vehicle relegated to a junkyard. I lamented not having a camera with me so I could snap a photo of it before it disappeared forever. Could this be the same unit, which you are lovingly restoring? I would be fascinated to know.
    I thought little over the passing years about my brush with automotive history that overcast winter afternoon until, in the past several years, I began to read little tidbits here and there about the surviving number of the original twelve copies of the Futurliners. I had no idea that any had survived.
    I will be visiting your web site to keep track of your progress...and hope that when the restoration is complete and on display, I will certainly make a "pilgrimage" to Auburn to view the results. Keep up the great work!
Larry Moyer
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

    The just released issue of Car Collector Magazine - September 2000 has an article on page 60 titled "THE GENERAL MOTORS FUTURLINER --- A Few Have Survived." The author Bob Juneau called last spring and asked lots of questions and I directed him to our web site in addition to answering his questions. There are photos of the original Futurliners as well as Bob Veldez's Futurliner (California - Motorhome). Some of the photos came from the web pages that Jim Crame put together. Our project (NATMUS) is mentioned towards the end with our web page.

E-MAIL RECEIVED: I am very pleased to see a site for the Futurliner. I have obsessed over these vehicles since I saw my first one in book commemorating the 75^th anniversary of GM. I was nine years old. Over the years, I caught little bits and pieces of information regarding the whereabouts and condition of all 12 machines. I have seen more than 10 different pictures of the one you are currently restoring with the paint it had when you found it. One of which is when "Cadillac" was freshly applied. I am currently looking for that picture to forward to you. I would like to make a trip to see your Futurliner as I have never actually seen one. I would like to have your input as to when would be the best time to make the trip. Again, thank you very much for the web site and for all the original photos of the Futurliners. It has been informative and very interesting.
BOB CROWELL
Fargo, ND

(Note from the new Executive Director of NATMUS) --
    I met you at the NATMUS Tour in April to see the Futurliner progress and since then have accepted the position of the first Executive Director of the Museum.
    We are having our tour series visit our Museum in Auburn on August 12, 13, 2000 with an emphasis on Car Clubs but wanted to alert you of the event. When I was at your place there were several people who had never seen our facility and this would be a good time to have them come. I would appreciate it if you could give me some names of people to contact from Michigan who would like to come. I'll send you some more information, but it is going to be a good event. We are making a lot of progress.
    I get a large number of notes from people all over the country about the Web-Site for the Futurliner. They love it and are sending in some contributions. Keep up the good work. I have joined the group of you crazy people and can see why you are all so enthusiastic about this project.
    You can contact me at this E-Mail address or by phone at the museum (219-925-9100) or at the E-Mail, natmus@ctlnet.com.
    I hope you can make the trip in August. We have picked out a home for the restored Futurliner and want to show it to you.
    John R. Wilks, Executive Director NATMUS

• The roof is so deteriorated due to rust that a new one has to be constructed and building from a drawing will be a lot simpler and more accurate.
• From our conversations with "Paraders" on the Parade of Progress in the 1950's we have discovered that the roof was weak and when all the doors were raised and the lighting fin was raised the roof sagged. The sag was so great that often the doors could only be latched with the help of many "Paraders" pushing on the sides. The people that restored the Canadian Futurliner (FIDO) have already experienced problems with their roof sagging and latching the large 16' doors. The redesign will allow us to correct this condition.
• With a drawing of the roof, we will be able to ask a fabricator to build us a new roof. Hopefully, we can find a business to sponsor this effort or a fabricator to do it at cost.

Paul spent about 3 hours here as we discussed what the new design must encompass:

• Adequate strength to correct the sagging with both 16' overhead doors up, the lighting fin up, and the auxiliary door light bars unfolded and in their extended position. (These auxiliary door light bars are mounted to the outer edge of the upper doors. When the doors are opened the auxiliary door light bars are folded out and all their weight is cantilevered from the overhead door hinge.)
• Method to tie in the new roof structure to the front cab framing and the rear framing of the Futurliner.
• Method to seal the lighting bar and the upper door from rainwater. It appears there was not good sealing on the original Futurliner.
• A place to lay in the required electrical cables for the lighting fin and the limit switches in the upper roof.
• The final design must follow the original contours of the Futurliner. The intent of the design is to strengthen the roof and not change the outside look.

Paul plans to return on June 26, 2000 (Monday) and make the many measurements so that an accurate design can be completed. Preparations for that visit will include:

• Method to weigh one upper 16' door.
• Method to weigh the lighting fin.
• Method to weigh one of the auxiliary door light bars.
• Obtaining a roll around scaffold or adequate extension ladders for working off of to make all the required measurements.( We will be working at the 12' level.)
• Borrowing a band saw for cutting wood templates of the cross section of the roof, upper door section and the lighting fin.
• Lining up volunteers to help the day Paul comes.

PETER PAN FUTURLINER
    Carol and I on our way to visit our daughter in Connecticut stopped at Peter Pan Bus Company (Springfield, Massachusetts) to view the progress of their Futurliner restoration/modernization project. Mr. Peter Picknelly, Chairman of Peter Pan had invited us to stop and in addition invited us to lunch with him and Bill Sinico the manager of Coach Builders (Peter Pan's coach building operation).
    I was amazed at the progress since we had been there last fall. Mechanically the coach is all together. That includes all the engine, transmission, brakes, and everything to make it run. The braking system is a modern safety system they designed similar to what is used on school buses. They are still in the check out phase of all these systems. Due to the structural weakness of the roof they reinforced it by building an arch support. Unless you are looking for this support, you cannot see it the way they have it blended into the interior of the roof area. They built new 16' upper and lower display side doors out of aluminum. These 16' side display doors are all in place and while we were there they operated the left side. The lighting fin at the top is operational with all its lights. Due to the large bundle of wires that would be required to place the fluorescence ballast remotely from the lighting fixtures they mounted the ballast inside the top lighting fin. That does add some weight to the lighting fin.
    In the display area of the Futurliner they have it completely done with all the lights, a TV monitor and modern electronics. All the electric's is powered by a Honda Generator located in the back at the same place where the original PTO driven generator was located. This interior is finished in a gray carpet material on the inside of the doors and the ceiling and looks great. The floor is plywood and yet to be covered.
    The exterior is in primer and the lower aluminum ribbing is installed. They plan their final paint to be the color and theme used on the Peter Pan Coaches. Yet to be done here is the rubber strips along the lower sides and installing the windshield. They had enough front and rear rubber bumper sections between their two Futurliners to salvage one set. They repaired the original set where their were tears with epoxy materials and next they will paint them. They will be using standard Firestone truck tires of the correct size.
    In the drivers cockpit they have a new instrument panel of their design with modern gages. The original drivers seat they restored. All the upholstery for the drivers cockpit had just arrived and has to be installed. The color of the upholstery in this area is maroon. Since I do not do well on identifying colors I might get corrected on the color.
    They have done a lot of work in the last few months and will end up with an outstanding Futurliner. It is really great that these historic vehicles are being saved. Although it has been modernized the fact that its use will be as originally intended as a display vehicle it will allow the public to appreciate its history. Its first use will be in Springfield in the middle of June (I think they said June 14, 2000) at a community event sponsored by Peter Pan. Look for its debut in the Springfield newspapers during this time.
    After looking at the Futurliner we were treated to lunch at an old German restaurant in Springfield. The contacts that we have had with Peter Pan has really helped us in our restoration. I appreciate their openness to share their information as they progressed in their restoration. Again lots of pictures were taken and they plan to send us pictures once it has been painted. We have added a few to our web site.

Howdy,
    I have been checking out the GM Futurliner Restoration Project web site, (I'll be adding a link to it on my site) and mite have a bit of insight to the three switches on the floor. I work on buses for a living and the three on the floor are, from left to right, Left turn, high beam, Right turn. Most GM buses are this was and I'm guessing the these trucks are the same. Do all the floor switches look like dimmer switches? are the two outside one Momentary and the center one clicks? How many post are on each switch?
Michael "Jolly" Goodfellow


To Jolly from Jeff:

Thanks for your response.

    The three switches are 1) an air valve (probably the air horn as in my BlueBird), 2) a dimmer type switch (assumed to be a dimmer), and 3) a momentary which I have been told was an override for the autronic eye /automatic dimmer so that it didn't flash the high-beams in sync with an overhead flashing stoplight. The third doesn't make much sense since there is a manual dimmer switch there also, as the high-beams wouldn't flash if they were turned off. The turn-signal possibility intrigues me as I haven't yet determined how the turn-signals operated. Is it possible that a toggle selected left and right, and there is only one momentary on the floor for flashers? Would you be able to elaborate on how the bus turn-signal buttons work?
    Thanks again for your help, we'll figure out this mystery yet.

To Jeff from Jolly:
    Would you be able to elaborate on how the bus turn-signal buttons work?
    They are a momentary switch that you hold down with your foot, there is a flasher in line before the switches. After you make the turn, remove foot. They are on the left side and only used with an auto trans, if you had a clutch your left foot would already have something to do. I did put turn signals on an old truck with a three position toggle mounted side ways, selections was left, off, right. It is also possible that they had no turn signals as they were not required back then. Are there any turn lights on the outside of the Futurliner? Are any of the switches still hooked up? I'm located in Utah and it would be hard for me to make a trip out just to look at your wiring, but this is my "thing" any help I can give I will. I really like the GM Futurliner and would like to see them out and about again.

To Jolly from Jeff:
    Yes, the Futurliner did have turn signals. The signals were lights which shone through an arrow shaped lens, I do not know whether they flashed. I have not found any double-throw switches, but there were pushbutton switches on both ends of the switch banks. It is of course illogical that the driver would be expected to operate and hold a pushbutton while turning the steering wheel, the floor-mounted button is quite likely the flasher button as you have proposed. If this is so, and there are no double-throw or selector switches Is it possible that there was simply an on/off switch for each turn signal (left or right) and whichever one is turned on would flash when the button is depressed? Is there commonly an inside indicator or repeater that flashes with the turn-signal on these old rigs? Is it also possible that the turn-signal arrows turned on and did not flash? If you have seen any or all of these items in an old bus or truck it might lead us closer to our answers.
    Thanks again for your help, and I hope that you do have a chance to see the Futurliner. If you're ever in West Michigan, Don Mayton and the crew always welcome visitors and volunteers to the project, Tuesdays are the normal "work day".
    Otherwise, perhaps the Futurliner will someday tour your town again, I hope so.

"Dear Don,
    Over eight years ago Vic Garske took this Parade of Progress book to the Detroit Historical Museum believing it would be a worthwhile donation.
    We have thought for some time this book should go to the Futurliner Restoration Project.
    Vic and I contacted the Detroit Museum, April 12. We went to see the Museum Registrar at historic Ft.Wayne. Our mission was to try to retrieve this book. We were successful. This book had not been logged into the museum records. Consequently, it was legally still ours. Here it is.
    We want you to have it. We know it will be an appreciated addition to your Parade of Progress collection.

Sincerely,
Tom Van Voorhis"

    This book is a treasure of old newspaper clippings and original photos. It will double the size of our material. Look for it to be incorporated into our web site soon.

Ernest J. Borsich
Montana Representative
2240 Abbeyville Rd.
Valley City, Ohio 44280 - 9538

    Dan has already figured out what must be done structurally to strengthen the roof. His biggest job is to take accurate measurements and then figure out how to tie in the new roof with the old Futurliner.

BRAD BOYAJIAN
    We met Brad, his restored Bill Putman, and helper Reg. They were great hosts and showed us everything about their Futurliners. Again I learned a few new things about the Futurliners as well as their construction. Like the NATMUS Futurliner these both have extensive rust and one has extensive structural damage from being rear ended at one time in its life. We have established excellent communication with Brad and as our restorations progress we will share ideas and where possible expenses. Brad has an extensive collection and just to mention a few old vehicles that I saw:

MIKE KADLETZ
    Mike was away on business and I met briefly with his shop manager Harold Brown. Like the other Futurliners Mike's has extensive rust. They have started the forever job of replacing rusted metal but that is the only way to restore these mammoths. Again we have established excellent communications and will continue to share information as we discover it. Mike has a collection of many antique Fire Trucks ranging from 1940s up through the 1970s.

NEW INFORMATION
    The following is a summary of new information observed as a result of visiting both Brad's and Mike's Futurliners.

    A Construction – The three rubber bumper strips starting at the front bumper and ending up at the rear bumper. Beginning at the side lower doors these rubber strips terminate and the outer sheet metal of these doors takes the same shape as the rubber strips.
    B Construction – The three rubber strips are mounted to the sides of the side doors. These doors have straight metal that the rubber strips mount to.
    Both methods of construction look the same in appearance. Since we know at this point two Futurliners have "A" construction method, and two Futurliners have "B" construction, that raises the following questions:

    We appreciate all the information that we are getting to help us complete this restoration.

"Hi Don:
    Sure enjoy receiving the restoration updates. In your last missive you requested some tech data. From memory, I recall a conversation with Bill Roddewig, who was the vehicle maintenance manager when I was hired for the Parade. We talked about the previous model of the "liner" (pre-’53) and I was told that they were powered by a four cylinder diesel engine (I suspect they were Detroit Diesels) and had mechanical transmissions referred to as 4X4. Each tranny had four speeds for a total of 16 speeds forward. The older truck drivers know about this configuration and because of the length of the shift levers, the vehicle was a "bear" to drive. With a Plexiglas roof and no air, things got rather sweaty and it was one reason for adding a canopy over the cockpit when the units were rebuilt.
    I hope this fills some gaps, as I said that was the information that was given to me back in Feb. of 1953.
    Best Regards,
Ed Harben"

Tom Kuhlman
Buchanan, MI

    Reply: I told Jeffery to go for the safest system and that we would figure out how to pay for it. Don

    This information came from a letter that was sent from Bill Braun to Joe Bortz. In addition, the letter also had what bank the check was drawn on. One paragraph mentioned that Vic Hyde in Niles, Michigan had a Futurliner but as the date of this letter (May 6, 1988) he had sold it. Vic Hyde was interviewed in the Special Interest Autos magazine in their March-April 1977 issue and at that time, he owned a Futurliner.
    I would appreciate feedback of those that have Futurliners to let me know of your serial numbers and engine numbers and we will try to continue to track the history of each of them.
    If any of you in the Chicago area can get a handle on these previous owners I would appreciate the help.