• The "official" Tuesday work sessions have been suspended for the summer so that this diligent and talented crew can have the summer with their families and other hobbies. No doubt though, many will work at home on parts of the Futurliner. Just can’t keep these guys away from the project!
• Bendix has offered to supply parts required to rebuild the complete brake systems. Thanks to the efforts of Jeff Miller for these contacts and all his work. Chuck Eberling at Bendix is our contact. Parts should start arriving this summer and assembly will start this fall. This is the only part of the vehicle not being restored to the original design for obvious safety reasons.
• Major accomplishments on the vehicle include:
• The rebuilt engine has been delivered by Bill Bicknell and is ready for installation. (more details below)
• Drivetrain – All the components are restored and on site. The front axle, rear axle, differential, rear transmission and drive shaft are all complete and installed. The engine and Hydramatic transmission are sitting in crates and ready for installation when the groups starts again in Sept. The driveshaft for the PTO is restored but not yet delivered.
• The wiring is starting to be developed by Jeff Dornbush.
• The cockpit upper section still requires major metal work but the lower section is all structurally in place. Once the top is completed, then the sheet metal skin can be installed. Wally Snow is repairing all the metal around the top windshield framework while Dick Saddler continues to work on the inside of the cockpit including the top hatch.
• The large aluminum grill has been repaired by Ryan DeVries and is being completed and polished.
• One of the jobs to be started this fall is the reconstruction of the lower stage doors. These doors are 16’ long and are rusted badly. We have borrowed a car body turnover unit to mount one door at a time to work on them.
• Sandblasting of the body is pretty much completed. This proved to be no small task, especially in the winter and was done mostly on-site by Del Carpenter and Don.
• GM Powertrain Div. completed and shipped back the rebuilt military type Hydramatic transmission.
• As we have mentioned, Bill Bicknell has completed the engine rebuild that was more than just routine. Though the engine removed from our vehicle appeared to be a replacement with few miles, he started with an NOS short block. Bill completely disassembled it, cleaned it out (many chips were still in it) and started from there. Unfortunately, the engine from our vehicle was a commercial type rather than the original military type so numerous parts had to be obtained including engine mounts, accessories, electric fuel pump, distributor, etc. These all had to be restored and rebuilt so our engine can be as it was in 1953 for the start of the Parade of Progress. This is the GMC 302 cu. in in-line 6 cylinder engine. The parts Bill needed were obtained from all over including Florida, California, NC, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan and Canada thanks to the big following this project has generated around the country.
• Two additional carburetors have been obtained and one will be rebuilt by Dean Tryon as a spare. The second will be used for parts since it is missing the throttle linkage. Both are the governor types.
• The air cleaner has been restored and painted by Stu Allen in Clio Michigan.
• Our continued appreciation to the Inliners International Group for all the information and parts their members have supplied on the Futurliner engine. Their web site is "www.inliners.com" if you would like to learn more about them.
• The portable display that Mike Ball has developed has been used many times this winter and spring. It has proven invaluable in sharing the project status with others and has resulted in numerous people coming forth with information, parts, donations or services.

Over 50 people from the National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States made their annual visit via a chartered bus to the Zeeland work site where the Futurliner is being restored. The volunteers showed up by car (both antique and modern). Bill Bicknell pointed out an interesting fact - in 1953, the first showing of the Parade of Progress after World War II occurred on May 12, 1953 exactly 48 years ago that day. Highlights include:

• Steve Cordes volunteered to take the wheels, dismount the tires, sandblast and paint them. He was visiting with the Tin Can Tourist group in May.
• Jeff Dornbush recently joined the band of Tuesday volunteers.
• Steve Carpenter (owner of Grand Northern Products) donated 650 # of aluminum oxide for sandblasting the unit.
• Montana Paints thru Wyrick Products continues to supply all the paint products.

• For those of you who cannot work in Zeeland or at your home on the project, the opportunity to support it financially is certainly appreciated. Although there are many services and parts donated, a significant amount of parts and services must be purchased. Any help here is greatly appreciated.

• The project continues to attract numerous organizations for a visit to Zeeland. In June, the VMCCA’s 1 & 2-cyl car tour stopped with 26 cars. The Coopersville (Michigan) Museum and their supporters toured also in June. In May, the Tin Can Tourist group visited Zeeland following their annual get together in central Michigan. In April, 32 members of the Flint, Michigan AACA visited and presented a cash donation to the project.
• The restoration project was mentioned again in the June 14 issue of Old Cars Weekly and specifically picked up on the point in a recent newsletter about the running lights that were used (and modified) from early 40-‘s GM vehicles.

• We received a note and photos from Chris Contes (GM Proving Grounds – Mesa Arizona) with info and 6 photos of 2 Futurliners in a wrecking yard near Phoenix in 1997. These 2 were subsequently sold to Brad Boyajian and Mike Kadletz. More recent photos of both are on our web site.
• The Peter Pan restored Futurliner was featured in a Memorial Day event sponsored by Peter Pan along with 60 converted coaches. Jim Stacy wrote that he had the opportunity to view and ride in it. They are using a new 4-71 Detroit Diesel turbocharged engine.