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This 32nd issue of our newsletter continues our plan for semi-annual newsletters now that the vehicle is completed and on the show circuit. This project has been an all-volunteer effort with the goal of restoring one of the twelve GM Futurliners, originally built in 1940, to it’s original and functional condition. The vehicle was donated to the National Automotive and Truck Museum by Joe Bortz in the early 1990’s and is still owned by the museum in Auburn, Indiana. The restoration project was led by volunteer Don Mayton in Zeeland, Michigan with a group of nearly 40 volunteers participating. |
Don M.
Mayton, Project Director |
Dean G.
Tryon, Newsletter Editor |
| 2008 Show Plans (check the web site for updates) |
• March 14-15 – AACA Grand National show &
Southeast Winter meet - Melbourne, Florida • April 3-6 – AACA Southeast Spring meet – Concord, NC (near Charlotte at the speedway) • June 1 – CCCA National Meet – Red Barns, Hickory Corners, MI (near Kalamazoo) • June 7 – Fleetwood Country Cruize in, London Ontario Canada (www.fleetwoodcountrycruzein.com • June 27-28 - Sloan Summer Fair – Flint, MI • July 4-6 – Haggerty Car show - Traverse City, MI • Aug 17 – Pebble Beach CA • August 22, 23 - Metro Cruise- Grand Rapids, MI • Counting the above shows for 2008, the Futurliner has been displayed in 10 states and in Canada since 2005 with several of these states seeing multiple shows. These states include California, Florida, Illinois., Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Tennessee, Wisconsin plus London Ontario Canada. Thanks to the dedicated teams of volunteers who accompany the vehicle to these shows. |
| What’s Happening Lately: |
• Don received a letter from the AACA
National Headquarters this past November, 2007, inviting him to the AACA
Annual meeting in Philadelphia. The purpose of the invitation , quoting
the letter: "It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the
Publication Committee of the Antique Automobile Club of America has
named you as the recipient of a 2007 National Award as result of writing
your wonderful article in Antique Automobile, "G. M. Futurliner". Don
continues: “This is the first national meeting that I attended and it was very interesting and I do thank the local AACA club for providing this benefit and would encourage future members to attend. I managed to meet other AACA officers, those from other AACA local clubs and folks I had known for years just going to other AACA events. At the banquet on Saturday, Carol and I, representing the local AACA club as well as all the volunteers that worked on the Futurliner received "THE M. J. DURYEA MEMORIAL CUP" which was a beautiful silver platter. This award is truly a work of all the Futurliner volunteers and every volunteer should be proud of this AACA National Award which is the only one is given each year at the AACA National meeting in Philadelphia. THE M. J. DURYEA MEMORIAL CUP Awarded at the AACA Annual Meeting to an AACA member for outstanding contribution to automotive history through the ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE magazine during the year. Presented first in 1958 by the AACA in memory of Merle J. Duryea (1895 - 1957), a former president and editor who contributed more to the success and growth of the AACA than any other individual in his time. Again, this is the Futurliner volunteer's award. Congratulations!” • And another award - At the March 2008 AACA show in Melbourne, FL, the Futurliner was entered in the once per year Antique Automobile Club of America Grand National event in Melbourne, Florida. Our volunteers faithfully prepared the Futurliner here in Michigan and it was trucked to Florida. Trucker George Crouse and his company, Crouse Transportation Services of Carroll Iowa, provided the transportation as a donation other than fuel costs. We really appreciate that since without folks volunteering their services the Futurliner would not be there. Our volunteers at this show were lead by Al Scholten and his wife Carol, Del and Sue Carpenter, Ron and Elaine Elzinga, George Ferris, Wes Myrick, Jerry and Dee Sigler, and John Wissink. All our volunteers efforts paid off as Del Carpenter at the awards banquet accepted the GRAND NATIONAL 2nd place award. We are very proud of this achievement of the quality of the Futurliner's restoration. By achieving this award we will be eligible to attend a future AACA GRAND NATIONAL event. There is only one AACA Grand National event scheduled per year in the USA. The next one for 2009 is in Topeka, Kansas. This will be another opportunity to take the Futurliner to another location as well as educating others of the Futurliners, the Parade of Progress, even the Streamliners so that this part of automotive history is not lost. Will we go to Topeka? That depends on three items: 1) Donations from an individual, or company to cover the expenses of getting the Futurliner to and from Kansas as well as volunteers expenses. 2) Schedule. We already have some shows being booked for 2009. 3) Availability of our volunteers. It takes a minimum of six volunteers to host the Futurliner. • The volunteers continue to meet monthly to review show plans, establish show work assignments, do routine maintenance on the vehicle and enjoy each others company. Many of them so much enjoyed working on the project, they now help Don restore his 1929 Buick on the “non-Futurliner” days. |
| Joe Bortz | As you know, the vehicle that is now our restored #10 was at one time owned by Joe Bortz in Illinois. Joe owned 8 of the 12 at one time and they were parked along Hwy 41 in Lake Bluff, North Chicago IL. (We occasionally get notes from people who recall seeing them back the 80’s and early 90’s.) Here is a photo of Joe taken back in the 1991 with his son Marc. Neither of these vehicles in this particular photo is #10. One of these became Brad Boyajian’s project and the other one here one went to the FIDO Co. in Canada. This “FIDO” vehicle was the sold a few years ago at Barrett-Jackson for $4,000,000. Joe’s donation of #10 to NATMUS in the mid-90’s was the start of this restoration project. |
| Futurliner Book |
The new book published last
year is selling extremely well. General Motors Parade of Progress & A
Futurliner Returns has been published by the National Automotive and Truck
Museum of the United States, Inc. (NATMUS). It is getting rave reviews
from everyone who reads it. With 232 glossy 8 1/2 x 11 pages (24 in color) and 380 pictures, the book tells two big stories: 1) the story of the General Motors Parade of Progress from 1933 to 1956 and 2) the amazing story of the resurrection and authentic restoration of Futurliner #10 in Beaverdam, Michigan by a group of highly motivated volunteers referred to as The Restoration Team. In addition, there are stories told by Paraders (men who traveled with and presented the various exhibits that constituted the parade) along with stories of each of the 9 (out of 12) surviving Futurliners. The “General Motors Parade of Progress” section and the “Paraders’ Profiles” were written by Bruce Berghoff of Arcadia, Michigan, author of The GM Motorama: Dream Cars of the Fifties. The story of the restoration of Futurliner #10 was written by George Ferris, author of several articles on automotive history. Ably edited by Donald Bratt, a restoration team member, the book is available through the Futurliner web site www.Futurliner.org with links to the NATMUS store or by calling NATMUS at (260) 925-9100. The price by mail is $35 (which includes postage, taxes and handling) or $29.95 at the NATMUS museum store. All proceeds go to the National Automotive and Truck Museum for the preservation and ongoing exhibit of Futurliner #10. |
| Financial status - Poster, Hats, “T” Shirts & a Neat Video |
• Items available thru NATMUS serve as both
fund-raisers for the Futurliner Restoration Project and interesting
memorabilia for all of you. The video, titled “Miracle at Beaverdam”, is
available on either VHS or DVD and can be requested from NATMUS for $25
(including S&H). • A scale model is now available for $40 plus $10 S/H. It is 1/64 scale or about 6” long. It is an excellent replica as you can see and comes in a clear plastic display case. • Posters, polo and “T” shirts and hats are available thru NATMUS. Prices and photos are on the web site - (http://www.futurliner.com/poster.htm • Donations are still required for on-going 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 and they are fully tax deductible. |
| Miscellaneous |
• We get numerous requests to bring the
Futurliner to shows around the country. This is no small effort of course
with something this size which requires a sizable staff to accompany it.
Because of this complexity, the crew and NATMUS have established the
guidelines that were detailed in the last issue (#31 – Nov 2007). • NATMUS has dropped the “.com” web site address but retained the “.org” - www.natmus.org . |
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