Futurliner Newsletter for June 1999

What’s Happening!	We should have noted in the first newsletter that this project never would have been started if the original Futurliner had not been donated to NATMUS by Joe Bortz of the Bortz Auto Collection in IL. Charlie Glick in Paris, Illinois traveled to Indiana and made forms of the cast aluminum letters from a Futurliner stored in a warehouse. Patterns were then made for each of the castings that have to be poured. Next off went Charlie to the foundry. What an outstanding job! This is one of the more difficult of the restoration jobs that had to be done and it is done! We also found a source to do the labor intensive buffing and polishing. More details later. Ron Bluhm from GM Power Train has been working with us to have GM Power Train restore the dual range Hydramatic transmission. This is not your usual Hydramatic of the 50’s era. It is coupled with a two speed gearbox bolted to the rear of the Hydramatic and has four gears in each of the two ranges (providing eight forward speeds). A second two-speed/PTO gearbox three quarters of the way back on the drive shaft multiplies the eight forward speeds into 16 forward speeds. In addition, the Hydramatic is the military version for very heavy work. Having the expertise of Ron and GM Power Train to overhaul this transmission again overcomes a major restoration hurdle. Ron has already been able to find more publications and photos of the Futurliners when they were at the Parade of Progress events. John Wiltjer (local BCA club) stopped out one day to look at this monster. After looking it over, he stated "I think I know where I can get plastic lens for the overhead door lighting bars". These lighting bars are over 15’ long and are attached to the upper side doors when they are opened. Two weeks later John shows up with enough new material for these lighting bars. Thanks John. The following week Ed Devries and his son Ryan stop by Don’s shop for a look. As they departed Ed picked up the radiator and stated "we will return it when it is done". Again, a big thanks! On March 20, a planning meeting occurred with Bill Bicknell, Nelson Hansen, Del Carpenter and Don Mayton. The planning centered on the overall strategy of the restoration along with the immediate need to remove the engine and transmission. Subsequent to that, Del and Don spend several sessions making the vehicle safe to work in and removed anything connected to the engine and transmission in preparation for their removal. Although the engine is seized, it appears that its overhaul will not be too difficult. After Del got covered with grease, oil and then a good coating of rust and dirt, the next session he showed up with his coveralls. Arnie Seeger continues to work with Joel Dirnberger to make sure that the model will be as accurate as possible. Arnie and his wife Shirley spent several days at the Mayton’s and while there took further measurements and photos to help Joel in the construction of the model. Joel Dirnberger is progressing on the 1:24^th scale model. The computer generated drawings and are great! We will give you lots of detail about Joel’s process and progress in the next newsletter. The drawing at the top of this newsletter is from Joel. A Futurliner work team showed up on 5/25 consisting of six volunteers plus Don. Del Carpenter-retired from Michigan State Road Commission. Del has over 20 antique cars, trucks, and tractors and has been giving up one day a week to work on the Futurliner project. He belongs to AACA and BCA.. Ed DeVries-is a self employed mason. He took several days out of his busy work schedule to work on the Futurliner. He has several old cars including two rare Minerva's and has been invited to both Pebble Beech and Meadow Brook this year. He is a regular Glidden tour participant and an AACA and BCA member. Jim Baker-likes to do old car research and he has already found Grand Rapids Press articles of when the Parade of Progress was in Grand Rapids Michigan. Bruce Beimers is a retired school teacher. He has a beautiful restored Cord and his wife is chairperson of the 2001 AACA Glidden Tour here in Michigan. Wayne Jackson retired from the General Motors Fisher Body plant in Grand Rapids. He has several old cars and belongs to the Chevy club and the AACA. Dick Modzeleski is a retired electrician from the General Motors Fisher Body plant in Grand Rapids. He willingly is helping because we needed an industrial electrician to try to sort out the wiring before we started disassembly. The group managed to get a lot done. Ed brought his 12,000 # fork truck which really helped. Jim and Dick started marking and separating wiring and making a wiring diagram. Wayne and Bruce removed the two rear doors and then went to the front and removed the front doors. The balance of the crew worked on removing the bottom access doors on each side. Then every one worked together to remove the large side doors on the left side of the vehicle. These doors are 16' long by about 5'. They are very heavy and took all of us plus the fork truck. Before these could be removed, the large 15' fold out lighting panels that are attached to the top of the overhead doors had to be removed. We started at 9AM and except for a lunch break finished up at 4:45PM. Next came the right side large 16' doors and the top lighting bar. Due to the extensive rust, most bolts had to be removed by cutting off with Ed DeVries hot wrench (torch), hand chisels, air chisels, breaking with a wrench or drilling them out. We did find extensive structural rust damage in the ceiling. Most of the roof structure will have to be replaced. With safety in mind, we had a perfect day with not even a scratch. Everyone was tired but they accomplished a lot. Another big work day was held on 6/2 with a crew consisting of Wayne Jackson, Ed DeVries, Del Carpenter, Jim baker, Wes Myrick and Don. After again dragging the Futurliner out of the barn, they removed the right side dual 16’ doors. This is the large upper overhead door and the door that serves as the stage or platform. Just before lunch, they tackled the large 15’ top fin or light bar. In the normal driving position, it is recessed into the roof. Once the Futurliner was at a show, the top would be raised via a complex gear mechanism. Their goal was to simply remove it to get to the top since there is extensive rust repair that has to be made. After spending time trying to figure out how to disassemble it, they left it for another day. In all the literature that we have it always refers to the top lighting bar as the "fin". Even the electrical panels refer to it as the "fin". So, when we refer to the "fin", it is the top 16' lighting bar that extends 7’ above the Futurliner. On the humorous but unfortunate side, we have had 2 instances of several people bidding against each other for Futurliner items auctioned on "ebay.com"! If you are inclined to bid on something for this project, you might like to know that Stu Allen, John Martin Smith and Joel Dirnberger have been competing. If only they knew, they could have saved some money. We can get you their e-mail addresses so you can avoid the competition if you like. Mary and Dave Bosell have offered to research information in the Detroit Public Library for us. Del Carpenter has supplied another radiator. Barry Palmer loaded up the jack shaft assembly to rebuild. This shaft, pillow blocks and double pulleys drive the air conditioner and the power steering pump from front of the engine. GM Powertrain is suggesting that the extra engine and transmission (that we have and will have restored) be put together for a powertrain display. It is also suggested that it be a fully operational display, mounted on a small trailer to be pulled by the Futurliner to a show. GM Powertrain is supportive and a spare rear transmission is being donated by Mario Petit of Montreal, Canada (owns the "FIDO" Futurliner). A simulated dash in envisioned so the completed display would have the engine, Hyramatic transmission, drive shaft to the rear transmission, radiator, etc.. The 1953 GM Annual Report cover was a color photo of three Futurliners and the large tent used with the Parade of Progress. We have a copy but it will not reproduce well in black and white.
Paraders	Don has received considerable information about past participants that we will highlight in future newsletters. They have supplied a lot of interesting information so far and we’re sure there is more to tap into. Don received an interesting note from Conrad (Connie) Vaughan who worked on these vehicles in their last 18 months of operation including the final teardown. Connie was "chosen" to shepherd a Futurliner from San Antonio to El Paso Texas, a long trip at 40 MPH! He also has a wheel cover he is donating to the project and Don is suggesting that it be a part of a display at NATMUS in Auburn Indiana along with photos etc. Bob Martin called us to offer help in the electrical systems of the displays. He was involved with them originally and was one of the first people hired when he was just 22. Fr. Frank Bredeweg has supplied us with a list of "Paraders" that we are in the process of contacting. He even might put together a reunion of "Paraders" in the future.
Financial Status	We keep getting asked about the financials. Here is where we stand. Based on the restoration that is currently in progress at the Peter Pan Bus Co. and the restoration that took place for the Futurliner that FIDO in Canada is using we must raise approximately $200,000 for our restoration. This is in addition to the "Partners" that have volunteered for the physical work. CASH - To date our financial "Partners" have contributed $8400. We have already committed $11,800 for parts from Canada and the foundry pour for our aluminum letters in Illinois. As soon as we receive enough cash we will be making a trip to Canada to pick up a spare windshield, two types of aluminum siding and rubber bumper strips. Summary of cash. Contributed $ 8,400 Committed $11,800 Balance ($3,400) (needed) IN KIND GIFTS - Here we are during an outstanding job. Our in kind gifts and commitments now total almost $59,000. I have listed below our in kind gifts: +Donation of Futurliner to museum. (appraised value) $30,000 (Complete) +Forms, patterns castings of letters. (C.Glick) $5,000 (Complete) +Engine overhaul and spare. (B. Bicknell) $7,000 (In process) +Hydamatic overhaul and spare, (GM Powertrain-R. Bluhm) $7,000 (In process) +Construction of a 1:24^th scale model. (J.Dirnberger) $1,000 (In process) +Plastic lens for overhead light bar on doors. (J.Wiltjer) $ 200 (Complete) +Administrative costs: Computer, mailing (P.Mayton) $1,000 (to date) Travel, mailing, phone, paper and tools. (D.Mayton) $3,000 (to date) Computer. (D.Tryon) $ 200 (to date) +Instrument panel overhaul. (D.Tryon) $ 500 (Planned) +Drivers seat overhaul. (D.Tryon) $ 200 (Planned) +Radiator overhaul. (E.Devries) $ 250 (In process) +Donation of spare engine and trans. (M.Kadletz) $1,000 (In process) +Disassembly for engine and trans removal. (D.Carpenter) $ 250 (In process) +Donation of 4,000# of outer sheet steel $2,000 (Complete) Total in kind as of June 1, 1999 $58,600
Other FUTURLINER Status & History	Numbers 6 and 7 as last reported in newsletter #1 were in a junkyard in Yuma, Arizona. Mike Kadletz of Bus Conversions Magazine, Long Beach, Calif. has recently purchased them. Mike and I have been able to exchange a lot of information and since Mike’s intention is to modernize the Futurliner to advertise his bus conversion business he has agreed to donate those parts that they are not going to need and we need to the museum. Already he has committed for us the 220-volt motor that operates the top lighting fin. In addition, he is giving us the original engine and transmission out of his Futurliner. 1-800-432-3525 or "www/bus.conversions" can reach Bus Conversions Magazine. Thanks Mike for all the help and donation of parts for the museum’s restoration. So, you can see that there is real progress being made and a small army of volunteers helping out in a variety of ways. Anything you might add to this project would certainly be appreciated - cash or actual work.

Futurliner News GM Futurliner Restoration Project National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States ISSUE #2 -- JUNE 1999
HOME Newsletters: June 1999 February 1999 Additional Newsletters	This issue is dedicated to our partners. Without the many volunteers working with our unique pay system (zero) we would not be as far along as we are. We actually had a ten-year goal and some of our volunteers are pushing for a five-year goal. That’s great! This is what has happened since the last newsletter.