What’s
Happening! |
- The summer break for the work crew is
over and they started up again in early September. And again, although
the official Tues work sessions were suspended during the summer, work
continued in several areas by guys who just can't wait to have it
finished.
- The trailer design issue is now
resolved. As you recall, this $30,000 trailer was not built exactly to
our specs and when it came in, it was obvious that it was not going to
work. The crew worked with the dealer and modifications were
successfully made that are acceptable. So we're ready to roll when the
vehicle is ready.
- Thanks to Ed DeVries for providing a
place to store the 50' long trailer in a new storage facility. He had
to add 10' to the end of the building to allow for the length of the
trailer. The door height is high enough to allow the trailer to be
backed into garage and stored with the Futurliner on it - no small
feat!
- The trailer was purchased by NATMUS, is
owned by them and insured by them. It did require though that a loan
be taken out to pay for it and the loan has an outstanding balance of
$25,000. So if you are still looking for a way to help the project,
supporting the cost of the trailer would be very much appreciated.
- The other major effort is directed at
rebuilding both upper 16' long side doors. They were found to have
enough weakening of the steel supports that they sag when fully open.
Efforts to strengthen have helped but not solved the situation so new
ones will be built by Sparta Steel.
- Work continues by Warren Veurink on the
upholstery in the cab with 4 more sections being completed over the
summer.
- Another donation was made by Fred
Hoffman who owns Star Truck Rentals in Grand Rapids. Fred offered the
services of a tractor (with him driving it) to take the trailer from
the dealer to the storage facility.
- The other good news is that the
Futurliner model being built by John Betts from Retro 123 is now for
sale. This is a large scale model with excellent detail including all
doors that operate and is approximately 3' long. They have obtained a
licensing agreement with GM for its production and a portion of the
proceeds will go to NATMUS to support this project. With the
complexity of the model, they are making just a few dozen each month.
Cost is $1845 + shipping and handling. We expect to have photos on our
web site soon. To purchase one, contact them at 815-338-7693 (in IL)
or check out their web site at www.retro1-2-3.com. All sales and
shipping are being handled directly by Retro.
- More information is coming in about the
Futurliner used by Oral Roberts in his ministries. When we get the
complete picture, we will share it with you in a future newsletter.
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| American
Crossroads Display |
The group continues
discussion with GM on the possibility of having the display turned over
to the crew for rebuilding and ultimately having it back in the
Futurliner. The crew is anxious to take on the next step and already has
identified a location that would house both the display and the vehicle
during the restoration of the display.
|
| History |
We have mentioned
previously that we discovered that our Futurliner, #10, had been used by
the Goebel Beer Company. When we disassembled the Futurliner we discovered
some Goebel Beer literature behind the seats in the cockpit. Later,
volunteer Howard Sullivan, looking through literature at a swap meet found
a post card with a Goebel Beer Futurliner. Now the rest of the story.
Fred and Marge
Carpenter have a business selling automobilia and they attend many car
meets over the eastern half of the country. This summer they were at the
annual Oldsmobile Homecoming and along with their material, they always
show case some Futurliner material. Fred and Marge have been great in
promoting this project through their business contacts and are a key part
of the work crew.
Al Batts has made
several color booklets for the volunteers to carry with them. Fred had one
of these hanging at his booth in Lansing. One of the attendee's saw the
booklet and exclaimed to Fred that he knew the person that drove the
Goebel Futurliner. Immediately Fred turned his business over to Marge and
Fred engaged this person in conversation. To make a long story short, Fred
was promised that this person would get the person who was the Goebel
Futurliner driver to call Fred. Subsequently Fred Carpenter received a
call from Frank Frye who worked for Goebel Beer in the late 1950's. Here
is Frank and Jack Frye's story that Fred received by phone as well as
letter:
- "The public relations department of
Goebel Brewing Company on Rivard St. in Detroit bought Futurliner #10
(our present Futurliner) in 1956. Goebel had it refurbished at a
display firm in Detroit. (The black and white photo shows the right
side with painted graphics on the side just above the aluminum ribbed
trim and GOEBEL BEER on the front and the sides.)
- The refurbishment for Goebel Brewing
Company included making the curb side a stage for the speaker for
Goebel. In fact the photo shows Frank Frye himself making his speech.
On the opposite side is a miniature brewery that lays out how Goebel
Brewing makes their beer.
- Frank Frye was the first driver in 1957
or 1958. Frank worked previously as a part time tour guide in the
Goebel Circus Room all through college. He then took the full time
driving job for about 2 years.
- As Frank recalls, Goebel used it
initially only in Michigan. However, since Goebel also marketed in the
French Quarter of New Orleans, Frank remembers driving it down there
for two or three weeks. (Does any one down in New Orleans have photos
or have time to search the local newspapers or library?)
- Frank used to keep a cooler of canned
been behind the driver's seat which was dispensed only to the local
beer distributor sponsoring the activity. [Beer was never dispensed to
the public.] One time, in Lansing, Michigan the radiator sprung a leak
and the engine was over heating, so Frank poured several cans of beer
into the radiator and limped to the nearest GM Dealer for service. As
a result Frank make it to the next activity on time.
- Since the Futurliner had a complete and
powerful P.A. system, it was usually used as a central stage for many
types of outdoor activities. Homecoming affairs for many smaller towns
in Michigan were one of Goebel's most frequently requested activities
with fairs and parades also quite popular.
- When Frank left Goebel Brewing in 1958
to resume his graduate school work, his brother, Jack Frye, took over
as the driver of the Land Cruiser. Shortly thereafter, Goebel Brewing
started to experience financial problems and in 1960 had to
discontinue the Land Cruiser program. Jack Frye was laid off and
Goebel sold the Land Cruiser to Pulte Construction in Detroit. Pulte
Construction subsequently hired Jack Frye to drive the vehicle to
Florida where they had a large subdivision building project they
wanted to promote. Just southeast of Tallahassee, near the town of
Perry, the engine threw a rod and caught fire. Jack had to scramble
out of the vehicle and seek help. Jack also remembers that a local
newspaper reporter came out to the site of the breakdown and took
pictures. He subsequently make arrangements to have the vehicle towed
to Pulte's construction site where he left it and returned to
Detroit."
- This unit was then sold to Dreisbach
Cadillac and it still had their Cadillac emblems on it when we
received it in 1998. Somewhere a long the time line, Joe Bortz
purchased unit #10 and donated it to NATMUS. The rest is history as
they say.
We want to thank Frank
and Jack Frye for providing this information. This type of information
again fills in more details of the history of Futurliner #10 and its usage
after its time spent with GM's historic Parade of Progress. We also want
to thank Fred Carpenter for pursuing these contacts.
|
| Parader's
Advance Promotion Book |
Frank Faraone, a Parader
during the Parade of Progress, has just donated his entire collection of
photos from his Parader's "Advance Promotion" book. There are 28
photos with just a few described below. (Later Jim Crame, our web master,
will be adding some of these to the web site.)
- For you Corvette fans, one photo of the
new Corvette. The title below the car states "The Experimental
Sports Car Now in Limited Production". This photo is a 3/4 view
looking over from the left side into the driver's and passenger's
area. There were also two photos of the 1903 Oldsmobile "Old
Scout" automobile
- One photo of the inside of a Futurliner
that was converted to a field office when the Parade was showing.
- One photo shows the back side or working
side of the American Crossroads display with all its motors and
mechanism.
- One photos shows a Chevrolet pickup
truck, short box, with printing on the side "GM" and
"PARADE OF PROGRESS".
- Although the photo is black and white it
appears the truck was the same shade as the Futurliner, Target Red.
(Anyone willing to donate such a truck for our first Parade of
Progress Parade?)
- There are seven photos of various
demonstrations that were done either in the Aero Dome tent or the
Futurliner and two photos of Futurliner #10, our Futurliner. The
balance are various scenes of the Parade of Progress show as well as
parade photos.
Frank Faraone, a Napa,
California resident has been a continuous supporter of this project and we
again thank him for all of his contributions.
|
| Kettering
University Alumni |
- On Friday 9/12, the Futurliner
Restoration Team hosted the 100 Alumni from Kettering University,
formally General Motors Institute. With 30 of the volunteers plus John
Martin Smith and his wife Bobbie from NATMUS, it was a full day. One
highlight of the visit was the chance to see the Futurliner fired up
and driven down the driveway into the sunset. The sunset scene was for
the video being prepared by Don Bratt on the overall project.
|
| Financial
Status + Poster & Hats: |
- Posters and hats
are
available thru NATMUS for $10 each plus $3 shipping. Quantity orders
will have a break on shipping and will be approximately 20% above the
single item shipping charge. Contact Bobbie Smith at NATMUS for
specifics for your quantity. An order form and additional info is on the
web site and the mailing address is below on the Donation Form. Please
use the full street address and not the PO box. Credit cards are
accepted at the museum.
- You can also see the poster (along with its history) and the hat on
the web site (
http://www.futurliner.com/poster.htm).
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