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

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The photo was taken at the Walmart Block Party at the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Kentucky, on Friday, September 25th during the Somernites Cruisein.

Kids are third graders from Hopkins Elementary School in Somerset.

Poster for the Somernites Cruise.

    Show season 2010 ended in the same area of the country that the 1953 Futurliner #10 began its final trek. On April 15, 1953 the final Parade of Progress began in Lexington, KY at the U of K campus and from Sept. 24-25, 2010 Futurliner # 10 was on display in Somerset, KY. It turns out there were numerous similarities at the Somernites Cruise 10th Anniversary show to past events.
    Former Paraders tell us of the challenges to keep the Futurliners and displays in working order and maintained. We experienced this with #10 when somewhere between Michigan and Kentucky the wind caught hold of one of the side windows and blew it out. So throughout the weekend corrective measures had to be taken. These included parking under the hotel canopy the night rain was forecasted to covering the window area with plastic, etc. for the trip back to Michigan.
    Friday morning, #10 was escorted to the Pulaski County Public Library. While here we had an opportunity to become like the former Previews of Progress that went to schools to do mini Parade of Progress shows but this time the students came to us. We had students from 1st grade, 3rd grade and all the way to high school visit us and hear about the history of the Futurliners. Many others, even a couple from the Netherlands stopped by that day.
    Later that afternoon we moved #10 to the Center for Rural Development as part of the Wal-Mart Block Party. As day turned to night we were able to light up the area with the use of the light bar on top of the Futurliner.
    Saturday, we were escorted to the town square where we set up beside the sponsoring Citizens National Bank. Past and future met up again as the U of K students had their solar car there, too. Many spectators took photos of these two futuristic vehicles. There was a steady stream of visitors to #10 during this 10th anniversary show. After the show was over, things were packed up and stowed away and the Futurliner made one final cruise on US-27 back to the hotel. Here the crew loaded #10 onto the trailer and covered the missing window area for the trip back.
    The organizers and staff of Somernites Cruise were gracious and helpful hosts, providing us with escorts when moving the Futurliner, getting sponsorship for our appearance, doing advanced promotions, providing air-conditioned hospitality rooms at the library and downtown, and aiding is spur of the moment needs like getting the proper electrical power to the Futurliner to run the displays.

Blown out window while being transported.

View from the driver vantage point.

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