Kendrick Robins Futurliner
GM Futurliner Restoration Project
National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States

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(NOTE: Mr. Robins moved to Waterford, ME after this article was written. There is a 2005 updated at the bottom of this page.)

In the Spring of 2000, Don Mayton traveled to New Hampshire to locate and take pictures of a Futurliner owned by Kendrick Robbins. It took Don quite a bit of detective work to track down the vehicle. Don was not able to make contact with Kendrick who lives and works in Maine and rents the New Hampshire home, but he had three possible locations where he could go to.
    At the first town he stopped at, he inquired at a tire and automotive store. They had never heard of the Futurliner nor of Kendrick. They sent Don to the police station where he was told Kendrick lived in the next town but they didn't have an address.
    The next town was 10 miles away but when Don stopped at the police station, they would not give out the address. He was told to go to City Hall where he could look up the address on tax records. The address was easily accessed on the computer and was only a few blocks away.

 

When Don arrived at the location of where Kendrick's street was thought to be, there were about five very narrow (driveway size) streets headed off in different directions and none was the street he was looking for. Don inquired from a man coming out of the local VFW and he stated he never heard of the street. The man pointed to the post office across the street and told Don to check with them. Fortunately, they knew of Kendrick and provided specific directions that took Don back to the VFW. He was instructed to go up a very narrow street, turn onto another narrow street and turn again onto another narrow street. How Kendrick ever got the Futurliner to this location is a mystery.

Like all the unrestored Futurliners, this one is very bad with years of weathering and lots of rust. Many key parts, such as doors, engine, transmissions, windshield, rubber bumpers, trim pieces etc., have been removed and stored elsewhere. The person that was renting the home did not have Kendrick's phone number but stated that he does show up once a month to collect rent.

Don then proceeded to the junkyard where the Futurliner came out of. It was still in operation and run by the widow of the original owner. She did remember the Futurliner and said it had been gone for about 10 years. It had been driven into the junkyard in the mid 80s. She could not remember where it had come.
2005 UPDATE -- The following was received from Joseph Brown: "I personally viewed the Kenndrick Robbins Futurliner in Waterford, ME on Jan. 5, 2005. It is in very bad condition, the engine was removed with a torch, and no holds barred. the bottom half of a side door has fallen off, there is very little left of the drivers compartment, over all for a vehicle that was driven in the 80s it is very hard to imagine that it will ever see another highway on its on power. The Futurliner is for sale."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you have any additional information about the history or whereabouts of additional Futurliners, we would like to hear from you. Our objective is to capture as much of the history of these vehicles as possible.

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