What’s
Happening! |
The tremendous efforts of the 17
"hands-on" volunteers have made major progress since we last reported last
January. This group meets at Don’s most every week to help. Key accomplishments
include:
- The gas tanks have been cleaned, repaired, sealed and painted.
- The four drive shafts that connect the Hyra-Matic transmission to the 3 speed/PTO
transmission and then to the differential have been completely restored. Our volunteers Del
Carpenter and Basil Lewis disassembled them, had them sand blasted and painted. The
bearings were all repacked with new grease and then assembled. Now after the differential
is installed they will be installed.
- The differential was removed and another firm Weller Truck took on the
responsibility of completely restoring this item. It was returned not only restored but
also in new primer paint and shrink-wrapped. We thank Weller Truck for that donation.
- Our volunteers struggled for weeks disassembling the rear wheels, brakes and axles.
Since everything is extremely large, we were often borrowing tools that we simply did not
have. Weller Truck again donated their services by restoring the rear brake drums
and pressed in new bearing races. Once all the new seals, bearings and relined brake shoes
arrived, our crew reassembled the entire rear axle assembly. Next on their list of things
to do will be to install the restored differential.
- Only the left front wheel and brake assembly has been disassembled. So far the bearings
look fine. As we disassemble mechanical parts, we do not find wear. In fact, no
gears or bearings are even worn! However since the Futurliner sat for so long, we do find
that the cooling and heating cycle over the years has caused condensation and every time
we open up a gear box we find a lot of water and very little oil. As a result we have a
lot of moisture damage that requires bearings to be replaced. So far the pitting is not
too bad on the gears and we have been able to emery cloth away pitting that we’ve
seen on the shafts.
- As you can see the mechanical work is progressing at a steady pace.
- On the body side we have a crew at the front removing one a piece of metal at a
time, fabricating new and then welding it in place. Since every piece must be hand
fabricated it is a slow process. In fact it takes three of us hand-fabricating metal to
keep up with our welder Conrad DeJong. The lower bottom of the floor is completely
done waiting for final painting. The floor level at the stage has had all of the rusted
metal reinforced and welded. Now the crew is concentrating on the right side of the cab.
The stairs to the cockpit have had all the rusted metal removed and most replaced.
- Jim Baker
has been methodically removing the large sheet metal panels and all the
rustee braces inside the rear of the Futurliner. With help from others, he removed the
large screw driven assemblies that raise the lower 16’ overhead side door. After the
screw assemblies were removed, Tom Kuhlman has managed to get them freed up from
years of rust.
- Looking at future work, the major challenge will be the restoration of the roof,
the 16' upper display doors, the 16' lower platform doors, the lower cargo doors and the
rear people doors.
- The roof is completely rusted and we intend to construct a new one.
- We know the upper 16' display doors have some structural rust and will require extensive
repairs. The 16' lower platform doors will have to be made new. We just took apart the
first lower cargo door. It appears it cannot be saved and it will have to be
reconstructed.
|
Work
Group |
- A hardy group of volunteers continues to work every Tues on the Futurliner in Don’s
new (and heated) "Futurliner" pole barn in Zeeland. There are 21 people involved
in these weekly sessions (not everyone works every week of course but a big volunteer
crew). So far, there have been over 170 man-days of work put in just "on-site".
Plus these guys (and gals) put in as many hours again on Futurliner projects at home and
supply much of the materials used each week. No small task! And, until just recently when
the new pole barn was completed, they worked all winter in the unheated barn –
incredible dedication!
- Special thanks too to Carol Mayton and other wives for
providing lunches and refreshments for these hardy soles.
|
Other
Volunteers |
- The number of people continuing to step forward and volunteer the use of their
facilities or help off-site is incredible. Recent additions include (in addition to those
mentioned in previous newsletters):
- Craig Waldron
of Troutville VA has supplied safety equipment for the team including
glasses, ear plugs, gloves etc.
- Dan Mayo
has started working to provide us a drawing of the roof so that a new one
can be fabricated. The old one is rusted beyond repair and must be replaced.
- Matt Beranek
and Todd Gold in Denver, CO have volunteered to provide the
labor to upholster the seats.
- John Weller
of Hudsonville MI has overhauled the differential, rear brake drums and
recently the rear wheel bearings.
- Gordon DeBaar
has restored the rear 3-speed/PTO transmission and worked with the
team on getting hard to find seals, bearings and tools.
- Parker Auto & Truck
has relined and painted the rear brake shoes.
- Jeffrey Miller
is working with a major brake company to redesign the complete
braking system and upgrade it for better safety than the 1950’s design.
- Joe Lockhard
of Applied Industrial Technology in Flint MI has supplied the bearings
for both the primary 3rd transmission and the spare 3rd
transmission.
- Bill and Jack Braun, owners of a junkyard in Western Michigan supplied us details
when they purchased 2 Futurliners from the State of Michigan in the late 1960’s.
|
| Paraders |
- Jim Morris
sent us over 40 slides from the early 50’s Parades that were very
interesting. We’ve converted 16 of these to prints and flimsies to use in the
presentation. Jim also sent us his address list of former Paraders to add to our
distribution list. We understand the Jim was one of the few who traveled with the Parade
from 1953 thru 1956 when it was terminated. Jim also writes that he would like to see a
Parader reunion in the next few years with this project vehicle at the forefront. Thanks
Jim for your photos and information.
- Our list of former Paraders is now at 52 so a reunion in the future could be a
big event.
|
| Press Articles |
- The press release written by Jim Crame has had wide circulation with excellent results.
So far, we’re seen our project written up in:
- Special Interest Autos – Dec 99 (general write-up on all Futurliners)
- The Journal Gazette (Auburn IN) - 1999
- Old Cars Weekly – 2/17/00
- Kettering University Alumni newsletter – Winter 2000
- Chicago Tribune newspaper – 3/9/00
- Flint (MI) Journal newspaper – 3/16/00
- Michigan Traveler magazine - March 2000
- Cars & Parts magazine – April 2000
- Auto Restorer – April 2000
- The articles have helped generate awareness and have resulted in additional funds,
additional volunteers and more information and photos about the Parade of Progress and the
Futurliners.
|
Other
FUTURLINER
Status &
History |
- Don and Carol took a day out of a recent Calif. vacation trip to see two Futurliners
under restoration at Brad Boyajian’s and one vehicle belonging to Mike
Kadletz. These visits were very helpful in identifying and confirming how the
Futurliners were built and in sharing what each of us has learned as these are being
restored. These Futurliners, like the NATMUS one, are in a great state of deterioration
and will require major rebuilding.
- The American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) will hold it’s 2005 National
Truck Show in Auburn Indiana and the Futurliner will be a prominent part of the display
according to John Martin Smith, President of NATMUS.
- Peter Pan Bus Lines
in Springfield Mass. is targeting this summer the completion of
their Futurliner. It will be updated to a modern drivetrain and used for leasing to other
companies for product advertising purposes.
- We have communicated in the past that we have been able to locate 9 of the original 12
Futurliners. In fact we have pictures of these nine that are less that a year old. Just a
quick refresher - there are only 2 restored, Bob Valdez's in California and the Canadian
FIDO Futurliner. We have described these in a previous newsletter. To look at pictures of
all of these 9 check our web site as described above.
|
Financial
Status |
As of Feb., over $14,000 has been contributed
to NATMUS for this project by over 80 different contributors. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that we have spent over $13,000 so far on items that had to be purchased.
So, you can see the major need today is not as much for "hands-on" volunteers,
but providing them with the resources (as in $) to get the job done. If you know of anyone
who would like to be a financial supporter, please have them contact NATMUS. A copy of the
contribution form is included in this newsletter. The major expenses so far includes the
purchase of numerous parts in Canada that cost us $10,760 which has seriously depleted the
funds available. As you recall these funds are being handled totally by the NATMUS in
Auburn, Indiana as are all donations received. The project committee submits requests for
the use of these funds to NATMUS for approval and is reimbursed accordingly.
If you would like to contribute (or know someone who would like to help), please use
the form in this newsletter. Thanks for all of your support so far
Any comments or suggestions you would like to see in the newsletter can be forwarded to
the editor below. We welcome your thoughts . The objective is to publish this quarterly
this year to everyone involved or interested. This newsletter goes out to nearly 800
people who have expressed interest (or hopefully will in the near future). The response
has been rewarding. |
