| What's
Happening |
- Nine shows were completed this year as
noted below. This is a huge undertaking since it takes a small army of
volunteers, their wives, and others to transport the Futurliner, wash it
upon its arrival, set up the tent and tables to sell a variety of items
that both promote the history of the project and history of the Parade
of Progress and additionally serve to raise much needed funds to support
the project.
- At the Auburn show, Parader John Conroy
organized a reunion of former Paraders. Although 15 expressed interest
in attending, several had to cancel for various reasons. However they
had a good time meeting with some of the volunteers and NATMUS personnel
and enjoying the parade together.
- The big car show in Iola WI was a big
hit with the Futurliner being a featured attraction. Again, we had brisk
donations, sales of hats, DVD, etc and tons of people waiting in line to
sit in the drivers seat for a minute. A total of 22 volunteers were at
the show helping around the display (not all at the same time
obviously).
- A new 5 minute video was developed by
Ryan and Lynda DeVries working with Bob VerMeulen and is used at shows
like Hershey. We also purchased a large screen TV that provides a much
better viewing opportunity for visitors.
- At Hershey, the vehicle was judged for
the first time to AACA standards and was awarded a First Jr., the
highest award an AACA vehicle can achieve in its first show. The next
time it is judged at an AACA event, it will be eligible for a First
Senior award.
- Hershey had a good number of volunteers
that helped. Eight were at the museum for the display prior to the car
show and we counted 31 volunteers with their wives at the swap meet
manning the table and controlling traffic at the front steps.
- A new display was unveiled at Hershey
that included a rotating display that features the Soap Box Derby, a
sample of the Retro 1-2-3 model, and a mannequin dressed in original
uniform. A new large screen TV playing the new 5 minute video is mounted
overhead and provides a good overview of the parade and the project for
visitors.
- Sales of various items have been very
rewarding. Sale items include the DVD and VHS, T-shirts, polo shirts,
hats, magnets, posters, etc. All have been selling very well and keep
the volunteers at the table busy all day. The video is great for car
club meetings since it is just 45 min long with original footage of
early 1950s news about the Parade of Progress, the full restoration
project and shows the teamwork possible when a diverse group of guys get
together with a common goal (and of course great leadership by Don). The
video was even used recently by the GM Plant in Grand Rapids as a
training film to show this very fact.
- Several work sessions have been held
this fall to modify or fix a number of small items that came up during
the various shows. Improving the large side door seals is one item,
especially after the traditional Hershey rain. Motors are being checked,
carburetor and fuel pumps have been improved, and other normal
maintenance items are complete.
- The Futurliner model made by Retro 1-2-3
has had great success with all the publicity this year of the
Futurliners in general and our project specifically. If you need one,
better hurry since it is a limited production run.
- A French company is making a small model
(1:64) scale) of the Futurliner and we believe it is in production. The
company is Corine Ragueneau-Norev SA, and info can be found at
www.norev.com. We have supplied basic info for them but otherwise this
is a private project. They have received a license from GM for this
project however.
- Our volunteer Ed DeVries has recently
been elected to the Board of Directors of NATMUS. Ed will be
particularly helpful in planning for the display of the Futurliner at
the museum.
2006 Schedule - Completed
March 12 - Amelia Island, Florida
May 13 - Tulip Time in Holland, MI
June 14 - AACA Millennium Show in Grand Rapids, MI
July 6-9 - Iola Wisconsin
August 6 - Meadowbrook show in Rochester, MI
Sept 1-3 - Labor Day parade in Auburn, Indiana
Sept 17 - Glenmoor Gathering near Canton, OH
Oct 2-7 - AACA Museum, swap meet & show at Hershey, PA
Oct 20 - GM Grand Rapids Metal Fab Plant 70th Anniversary
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2007 Shows - Tentative Plan |
- Show requests are coming in for 2007
and 2008 with decisions on some of these pending. So far, the
tentative plan is to take the Futurliner to the following shows and
events. Each show has a lead volunteer who is responsible for making
all the arrangements including transportation, volunteer staffing and
overall day schedule.
June 9 -- “Vicksburg Old Car Festival, Vicksburg, MI
June 10 -- Concours d' Elegance, Ault Park in Cincinnati OH (www.ohioconcours.com)
June 15-16 -- Mild to Wild show, Holland MI
July 13-14 -- Zeeland, MI
Aug. 4-5 -- Red barns, Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, MI
Sept 15-16 -- Salisbury House, Des Moines, Iowa
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NATMUS |
National Automotive and Truck Museum -
Auburn Indiana
- We are long overdue on featuring our
NATMUS museum in the newsletter. The museum owns the vehicle, collects
and disperses the donations you have all sent to help this project,
and provides insurance and other legal assistance. NATMUS is
developing plans to modify their building to allow the vehicle to be
displayed inside the museum with their vast collection of cars, trucks
and other memorabilia.
- John Martin Smith was instrumental in
forming the prestigious Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum that opened in
1974 in the building that housed the corporate headquarters and grand
showroom from 1930. NATMUS is a newer museum opened by John in 1994.
NATMUS is located adjacent to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum near
the center of Auburn. Both museums are designated the Auburn Cord
Duesenberg Automobile Facility National Historic Landmark. NATMUS
utilizes the two remaining factory buildings of the Auburn Automobile
Company--the L29/Experimental Building circa 1928, where the first one
hundred 810 Cords and prototype Auburns, Cords, and Duesenbergs were
built, and the Service and Parts Building circa 1923, where an owner
could bring an Auburn, Cord, or Duesenberg for “factory
service.NATMUS exhibits include cars, trucks, the International
Gallery of Trucks and Engines and much more memorabilia. Approximately
150 vehicles are displayed in the museum -- about equal in numbers of
trucks and cars -- along with an extensive collection of automotive
models and toys, pedal cars, and racing memorabilia.
- NATMUS also has an interesting display
from the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair wonderfully displayed in an antique
display case from the headquarters office building.
- For the Futurliner project, NATMUS
recorded over 630people making donations since 2001 with several of
these contributing multiple times. This does not include al the folks
who purchased items at all the shows to support the project.
- The current staff of the museum
includes 5 employees that attend to museum, admissions, sales in the
gift shop, maintenance and overall operations. Many other volunteers
support this staff in all areas. The museum greatly appreciates all
the donations to both the museum and the Futurliner project plus the
many donations of vehicles and other items.
- If you can get to Auburn in the NE
part of Indiana, check them out at 1000 Gordon M. Buehrig Place (20
miles north of Ft. Wayne on I-69). Call them at 260-925-9100, pull up
the web site at www.natmus.org. A
visit will be a time well spent.
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Star Trucking |
- We want to acknowledge the tremendous
contributions of both Star Trucking in Grand Rapids and one of their
drivers, Fred Hoffman. Fred has volunteered his own vacation time to
drive a Star tractor pulling our Futurliner trailer to many shows all
summer. At Hershey, for example, this meant two round trips for Fred
since it was delivered there on Sept. 30 and was returned to Michigan on
Oct 8 after the show. Star has allowed Fred to use their tractor at a
very nominal rate, far less that the standard commercial rate. And since
Fred is one of the few trained drivers of the Futurliner, he can drive
it on and off the trailer for us.
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Financial Status |
- Financial status - Poster, Hats, Shirts & a Neat Video:
We continue to have a number of interesting items available thru NATMUS
as fund-raisers for the Futurliner Restoration Project. The 40 minute
video includes 5 minutes of original movie footage from the early 50s
with many shots of Futurliners in action. The remainder covers this
restoration project – the people and the technical challenges. The
video is titled Miracle at Beaverdam, is available on either VHS
or DVD and can be requested from NATMUS for $25 (including S&H).
- Posters and hats are available thru
NATMUS for $10 each plus $3 shipping. You can also see the poster (along
with its history) and the hat on the web site (http://www.futurliner.com/poster.htm).
- T-shirts are available for $20 with a
color photo of the Futurliner and the words Miracle at Beaverdam.
- The Futurliner model built by Retro 123
is a large-scale model (33-long) with excellent detail including
operating doors and top light bar. Retro 1-2-3 has obtained a licensing
agreement with GM for its production and a portion of the proceeds are
returned to NATMUS to support this project. Cost is $1845 + shipping and
handling. Photos are on our website. To purchase one, contact Retro at
815-338-7693 (in IL) or check out their web site at www.retro1-2-3.com.
They are nearly SOLD OUT so hurry if you are interested.
- Donations are still required for ongoing
repairs and maintenance of the Futurliner. Many people have been very
generous in their financial support of the project and all donations are
deeply appreciated. You can be proud to be a part of this very special
and unique restoration project. Donations can be sent to NATMUS, 1000
Gordon M. Buehrig Place, Auburn, IN 46706.
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