Visit our Popular Forums

ALANSD · 11-16-2002, 01:09 PM

I know these have been shown before but if you haven't seen them its worth another post. I really like the look!

NewStreamer · 11-17-2002, 02:07 AM

Alansd,

Amazing...

I was curious and foud an interesting related site : futurliner.com

Ron

ALANSD · 11-17-2002, 07:35 AM

yes I have been there as well. The restoration projects are amazing. Almost as involved as our own 74Argosy owner.....

john hd · 11-17-2002, 08:14 AM

here is another GM product from the same era

john

Motorhome Mechanix · 11-21-2002, 10:16 PM

ALAN:
Anyone owning a vintage motorhome ought to find information on the Futurliner of interest -- in fact, I've been working on a story for MOTORHOME MECHANIX on the unique vehicles with Don Mayton, head of the restoration project seen at www.Futurliner.com.

We are also planning a pictorial retrospective featuring many of the various buses of the '30s and '40s. Granted, they aren't motorhomes (although a lot of enthusiasts are transforming them into living quarters) -- but like the Futurliner, buses such as the Aerocoach, Flxible Clipper and even some of the old GMC Silversides are simply too good to overlook.

Bruce Hampson

ALANSD · 11-22-2002, 06:34 AM

I agree- I like perusing the info on the web for Bus conversions also, there are so many creative and interesting ones out there.
EBAY has an Airstream funeral coach that was converted to a band tour bus.

I would like to see someone take an Oscar Myer weiner mobile and make that into a motorhome...would be appropriate at July 4th picnics......

InsideOut · 11-22-2002, 11:56 AM

...and we all complain about availability & prices of Airstream replacement parts!

Shari

CanoeStream · 01-23-2006, 04:54 PM

GM Futurliner tour bus

This General Motors Futurliner was one of only 12 such vehicles ever built. They were introduced in 1940 as part of GM's "Parade of Progress," spun out of the 1933-34 World's Fair, themed "A Century Of Progress." There are nine known Futurliners that have survived. Three are in operating condition, including this 1950 model which sold at an auction last week for US$4,320,000. From the vehicle Web site:

Their sides opened up to form 16-foot self-contained, fully-lighted exhibits and stages which allowed the large crowds to tour the displays at their own pace. Many of the displays were animated and ran continuously. In the 1954 "Parade of Progress" the Futurliners' animated displays showed the evolution of communities, high compression engines and an automobile assembly line. Others displayed a cutaway jet engine, household appliances, powdered metal technology, "binaural" sound, microwave cooking, Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild concept car models and precision measurement technology among many others.

The Futurliners are imposing vehicles, 33 feet long, 8 feet wide and standing 11 feet 7 inches tall at the top of the driver's canopy. The driver's eyes are about 10 feet off the ground and in front of the steering wheels. In 1953 the driver's position was modified with a closed roof and air conditioning; the 1940 bubble-top version sat atop the front-mounted engine with no shade or air conditioning and was like riding in a heated greenhouse. Dual tires on both the front and rear axles were a unique Futurliner feature that made power steering a necessity. Power was provided by a 302 cubic inch inline six-cylinder GMC gasoline engine driving through a four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission used in Korean War-era Army trucks.

Link

overlander63 · 01-23-2006, 05:39 PM

Here's on that needs a little work, and is for sale:

dkutz · 01-23-2006, 08:45 PM

where did you find the one that 'needs restoration?" might be worth it if it sells for 4 mil

C Johnson · 01-23-2006, 11:20 PM

Did anyone go thru the whole set of pictures from Don Maytons Resto ? All I can say is woow. I am humbled. I thought the floor project in my Caravel was tough. Hell I had it easy !!

It is a really incredible piece of Americana isn' t it ?

Chris

How did I know that a Futurliner thread was around the bend ? hmmmm...........

overlander63 · 01-24-2006, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C Johnson

How did I know that a Futurliner thread was around the bend ? hmmmm...........

The thread has been here for several years. People have just now rediscovered it, and started posting to it again.

flyfshr · 01-24-2006, 06:27 AM

That auction where the Futurliner sold just the other day was at Barrett Jackson here in Scottsdale. Only the world's largest collector car auction. Most of the auction was shown live on the Speed channel and it was amazing to watch the bids coming in for the Futurliner. It sure would make the ultimate tow vehicle and you could put your daily driver with a small aluminum boat on top of your car inside the Futurliner and have everything you need travel with you. Now we're talking.

Brad
FF

ALANSD · 01-24-2006, 06:34 AM

Barrett Jackson was awesome...I watched too many hours of it. The prices were mostly out of sight, not market reflective, more like auction craziness.
It is a hoot to see the cars though and get caught up in all the nostalgia.
A twin to my old 66 GTO sold for 65,000....a Porsche 356 sold for over 100,000. And an Amphicar ( not too good on the water or land..but quite cute) sold for way too much.
We kept expecting to see a cool Airstream roll out there...but no such luck.

flyfshr · 01-24-2006, 06:41 AM

BJ was awesome. We watched a bunch of it too and after a few hours, the prices didn't seem as bad. There were a few deals but doubt they would have seemed to be so if we had just tuned in. We kept looking for an Airstream too, maybe next year.

Brad
FF