GM Futurliner Progress Photos
GM Futurliner Restoration Project
National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States

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    This is the first step in the process to build a mold for making the wide whitewall tires for the Futurliner restoration. The original tires had raised lettering stating "Parade of Progress" (see below) among other things. From one of the best original tires we had on hand we are making a mold to make a 1/8" think whitewall which will be bonded to a new set of tires.
    We made a first pour from the original tire. We decided to do a double pour to eliminate the possibility of damaging the tire with the hard epoxy resin. We will pour another silicon from this and then use that mold to produce the hard tool.
Parade of Progress

Here is a close up of one of the tire seals in our first impression. (About the size of a nickel.) As you can see, it replicated the seal very well. The white stuff is mold-release. We put a lot of mold-release on the tire before pouring this stuff on so we don't damage the tire. Ross at Select Manufacturing Services was concerned about the clarity of this seal in trying to make a mold of the face of the tire. This seal has a US in the center and spelled out around the rim of the seal is: "UNITED STATES RUBBER COMPANY". These letters are so small that I could not read them on the tire. As you can see the mold will produce them as clear as the original tire. If you want to see other products that Select Manufacturing Services makes look at their web site www.selecteng.com

A few of the running lights are tested.

Dick Saddler & Marty Reed make use of hammer technology to do a little shaping.

Custom pipes have been made for exhaust system.


Wayne Jackson checks the headlights.

 

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