Features I Rode in a GM Futurliner (well...kind of...)!!!

This weekend, we stopped by the National Auto and Truck Museum in Auburn Indiana to see the Futurliner, among other cool antique iron. We just made it in time - they were loading it up to go to the Indy 500. They were very cool guys - they let us get inside and even backed it off the trailer and straightened it up with us inside! I'll call that "riding in a Furturliner!" It just happened to be perfect timing...

 

That is one amazing bus. You got lucky

 

So cool...

 

Lucky duck !

 

Great Luck Aaron, now do a couple sketches of the Futurliner, including the interior. Looking forward to seeing them in a future FAS.

 

Very cool. Got to sit in the cab of one of them at Hershey a while back.

 

Counts as a ride to me! Way closer than any of us poor slobs will ever get! So damned lucky. Hope you bought a powerball ticket!

 

Very cool !!!

 

That is very cool!
Perfect timing indeed!

 

Been thinking about that already...

 

I followed the restoration of that Liner when they were restoring it. There wasn’t 1 square inch they did not touch or take apart. Amazing what they had to completely rebuild and reengineer. The sides, stages and roof panel light bar and mechanism. What I find even more amazing is they all still exist! All but the 2 most dammaged ones are either restored or are being restored.

 

Cool story, how many where there? Anyone have a link to info on them? I'm interested and would love to know more about them.

 

12, according to Wikipedia. There are some mini documentaries on Youtube, but I haven't watched any yet.

 

Pure American History

 

The most interesting thing about the Futureliners is they were originally built in 1939 and used very little when the war started. GM put them in storage until after the war when they decided to restart the Motoramas. They then pulled them out of storage and completely rebuilt them, new bodies, power train and all. Then in around 1950 or so they were rebuilt again where the drivers glass roofs were removed and a solid roof put in along with a/c. For years the Meuseum of Science and Industry in Chicago had a huge GM Motorama display with 1/2 of a Futurliner and some of the Motorama displays that were in them. I loved the Streets of Tomorrow where you got to steer the little car on the wire. Used to go there once a year as a kid seeing how we lived just over the border in Whiting Indiana at the time.

 

Home of the Pierogi Fest! I'll get there one of these years!

 

You know it! I haven’t been back there in about 10 years myself.

 

Wow, sometimes the 'right place right time'-thing works out perfect! Congrats! That's a chance you won't get too often

 

What a great experience. I’m a FoMoCo guy but the Futureliners are so cool and so much a part of Automotive history that I cannot help being drawn to them. I have seen the Kindig restored liner up close and it is more than impressive. Years ago I remember seeing at least four of them stored in a fenced in storage yard on Hwy. 41 just South of the Wisconsin/Illinois border. They were owned by a collector who still deals in unique and prototype vehicles. (Joe Bortz)

 

Wish I had a van size clone...

 

Damn, I swear I can even smell that thing. Thankfully some enterprising souls save this stuff. I want one for this camping season.

 

Man your lucky!! I'd love to ride in one. Lippy

 

Cool picture...bet someone had some 'splainin' to do!

@AaronThomasArt , I'd count that as a ride! Thanks for posting.

 

The Liner they rode in was donated to the museum by Joe Bortz. It is the one Geobel Beer bought and used for advertising. It also is the one used by GM for The Highways of Tomorrow displays. At one time or another I thank Joe owned most or all of them. I know he is credited with saving them. Boy I wish I would have paid attention in High School like I paid attention to the liners.

 

Now this has come up again, how many different versions and styles of the Futureliners were built.

I ran across this photo a while back. HRP

 

Back in the 60's the local Chevy dealer here actually had one of those. How he ended up with it I have no idea.

 

TITS!!!

 

That is the 1939 Liner. They were only used for a few months before the start of WWII. Then in the 40s after the war they were pulled out of storage and restyled. They had all glass drivers compartments and no a/c. The drivers complained they were being cooked alive. Then in about 1950 the drivers area was restyled again with a steel roof and a/c.