• The weekly work sessions have resumed after the annual summer break with the number of volunteers continuing to grow. There are frequently 16-20 workers at the Tuesday sessions plus the efforts of Carol Mayton and other wives feeding lunch to this crew. Although the "official" Tuesday work sessions were suspended during the summer, work still got done in many areas as noted below. Just can’t keep this crew (and Don) totally off the project during the summer break!
• One of the most significant and visible accomplishments is completion of the large side doors, motors, gear trains and electrical controls. All 4 doors now operate and were demonstrated at the September Paraders reunion. Thanks to Jeff Dornbush and other volunteers for all their help in this milestone achievement.
• Most of the structural work has been completed and installation of the outside "skin" is underway. This step also emphasizes how much progress is being made.
• The lighting fin reconstruction is well underway with $1500 worth of fluorescent light fixtures donated by Graybar Electric. These lighting fixtures have been installed by Bud Dinger and Ron Elzinger. The motors and gear train to operate the light bar have been installed by Ed DeVries and John Winsink. Ryan DeVries manufactured the coupling for this gear train at home.
• A second engine (plus various related parts) was donated to the project by Tom Kuhlman from his collection of military hardware. Bill Bicknell in Ohio has picked up the engine from Don and has started the rebuilding process. This engine came fully dressed. Including this carburetor, we now have 5 complete carburetors and 3 kits ready for rebuilding. A few engine parts are needed however, as listed below though.
• The wheels have all been removed, sandblasted and are now ready for a powder coating paint.
• The dash has been rebuilt with new gages thanks to Wally Snow.
• Mike Ball continues to organize and catalog all the literature donated to the project. His job became even bigger with the wealth of info from the reunion on 9/4.
• The brake system is 90% complete with parts donated by Bendix and installation by Del Carpenter and Wayne Jackson.
• The large 110 VAC generator and it’s control panel have been rebuilt thanks to River City Electronics (did the job at cost) and to the local GM plant for picking up the cost. These were received just in time for the reunion.
• Out in California, Brad Boyajian picked up the donated Futurliner (as described in previous newsletters), removed the parts we need and we are awaiting delivery of these parts to Michigan by GM. Some of these parts include the cast front and rear rubber sections, front axle assembly, front wheels (unique to this axle) and the red and yellow running lights that are unique.
• These newsletters list much of the volunteer effort but certainly not all of the workers involved. The weekly e-mail work reports by Don list all of the workers involved each week.

• A big THANK YOU goes to Jim & Jean Morris, Jim Tolley and Don for organizing the reunion last month at Saugatuck, Michigan with a visit to the Futurliner project site. Don and the volunteers did an outstanding job of setting up various displays of engine, transmissions, generator, miscellaneous hardware, photos, press releases, uniforms, and of course, the vehicle.
• A total of 46 Paraders and wives attended including Ray & Wanda Aro, Ray & Ann Borowiak, Frank Bredewig, Jack & Iris Burke, Bill Caswell, John Conroy, Douglas Dean, Merlin & Delores Fiegley, Tony & Eleanor Gagliardi, Jim & Jane Gentzel, Bob Gregory, Ed & Betty Harben, Harry & Virginia Hardenbrook, Bob Hunter, Raffee & Esther Johns, Louanne Kay, Ken & Kathy Kiernan, Bob & Patricia Martin, Jack & June Martin, Wilf & Jane McConkey, Jim & Jean Morris, Tom & Janis Pond, Don & Ginger Schimmel, Chuck & Barbara Tangora, Jim & Mary Tolley, Tom VanVoorhis, Connie Vaughan and Ed & Florence Wheelden.
• About 100 people in total enjoyed the reunion including the Paraders, most of the volunteer worker crew, representatives from NATMUS and others. Our thanks to GM Public Relations for providing the lunch for everyone after the morning at Don’s.
• Bruce Berghoff has started to write a book about the Parade of Progress history and he (along with his wife and daughter), interviewed at least 18 of the Paraders that day for added background information. Bruce also wrote the book "GM’s Motorama" and was recommended by Larry Gustin and others to do one on the Futurliners. We appreciate Bruce’s efforts here and look forward to his results.
• Our thanks also to Ron Verhey for contributing the bus that brought the Paraders from Saugatuck to Zeeland and back that day.
• In John Martin Smith’s comments at the lunch, he reported that in 2005, the annual reunion of the ATHS (Antique Truck Historical Society) will be held at NATMUS. His goal is to have the Futurliner present for that event. Don’s goal is to have the vehicle on the road in 2004.
• The original uniforms donated by Raffee Johns were set up on 3 mannequins in the display area to bring back memories for the Paraders. Thanks again Raffee for the uniforms and thanks to Stan Bower and Bud Dinger for obtaining the mannequins.
• The Holland Sentinal newspaper had a photographer and a reporter on hand and published a very good article the next day about the event.
• The Grand Rapids TV Channel 8 sent a cameraman and reporter to Don’s a few weeks after the reunion and aired 2 consecutive segments on the evening news.
• Ed and Betty Harben wrote a note to Don after the reunion – "Words cannot express the feeling of history being recreated by you and the volunteers when Betty and I saw the Futurliner and the exhibits that were prepared for our viewing. With the Paraders that I knew, it was like going back in time and recalling memories that were created when the Parade left Detroit in April of 1953. We want to thank you and all the volunteers for creating these memories. The effort and work that were done to make this event possible will be remembered as a part of our personal history. We appreciate the time spent and the dedication that was manifested by all the volunteers.".
• Another interesting note also came from Louanne Kay. She writes to Don and the crew: "Thanks so much for your hospitality for the Paraders. It was a wonderful visit and enjoyed by everyone. You have taken on a monumental task and have accomplished so much. All the workers should feel pleased that so much has come from so little. I came on behalf of my husband Dick who is now paralyzed and was on the Parade in 1954-55. I took many pictures and he was glad to see old friends and the activities via the camera. Thanks again to your and your wife. I’m looking forward to the next reunion."
• Vic Garske was very disappointed in not being able to attend but a broken leg is slowing him down for a little while. The Paraders all sent him a get-well card from the reunion and Vic writes: " Many thanks for your good wishes expressed on the joint Paraders card. See you at the next reunion."
• As a result of the reunion, the Paraders have provided more photos and memorabilia. We are in the process of copying this information so we can return the originals back to the Paraders.

• The cab air conditioning unit is being rebuilt by Quality Air Heating and Cooling Co. in Grand Rapids. Thanks to Harry Vredevoogd and Joe Beyer for their support.

• Engine parts required for the 302 cu. in. six cylinder engine:
• Distributors, Delco # 1112300 (2 needed)
• Oil pump and discharge tube from a commercial 302 engine
• Oil pan and dip stick
• Tires are still a big question. Don is working with a contact in China to see if they can be made there with the proper original style sidewall letters.
• We would like to have the uniforms reproduced to use when the Futurliner is on display. Cost estimates so far are prohibitive but if anyone has suggestions or a volunteer, please let us know.

• A poster has been developed from a painting by John Falter which was the cover of the 1953 GM Annual Report. John Falter was a popular artist and did many covers for the Saturday Evening Post (and other magazines) until he died in 1982. When he attended a Parade of Progress in 1953, he took many photos of the Futurliners and displays and then using his artistic license, painted a canvas of the essential elements of the Parade. John Falter tried to "bring out some of the homeliness and humor of mid-western town and home life" and hence, the title of the poster is "We Hope To Set a Boy to Dreaming". It is very well done and a collectors item for all of you who are interested in the history and the restoration project.
• This canvas has been carefully recreated in the form of a 18" x 22" poster that will be sold to help raise funds to complete the project. They are being sold at Hershey this month at 5 booths by members of the work crew and will also be available from NATMUS. Cost is $10 each plus $3 shipping and handling. All proceeds go to the restoration project.
• The new Futurliner baseball type hats developed by Al Batts and given to the Paraders at the 9/4 reunion were also sold at Hershey. They will also be available through NATMUS for $10 each. They are dark blue with an excellent red and silver embroidery of the Futurliner on the front. They look great and should bring more visibility (and money) to the project.

Our thanks to the folks selling posters and hats at Hershey: Fred Carpenter, Del Carpenter, Ed DeVries, Wes Myrick, Bruce Beimers, Bud Dinger, Wayne Jackson, Connie DeYong, Bobbie Smith, Stu Allen, Arnie Seeger, Don Mayton and Dean Tryon.

• For all of you out there following the project and not able to help on-site, the biggest need continues to be financial contributions to replenish the treasury. As you know, all of the donations go directly to NATMUS and they control expenditure payments for the project. And since it is a museum donation, it is tax deductible to the contributors. Please consider how you might help, or in many cases, continue to help financially.

• We have been tabulating the workdays spent on-site since regular Tues work sessions started in 1999. Through this fall, we have had a total of over 1000 man-days spent (contributed) just in the on-site work. If we had to pay for this labor at $50/hour, we would have spent over $400,000. Amazing! And this does not include all the work done at home by many of the workers nor all the donated materials and services from dozens of other people and companies!