OK

[Frosty]

OK guys, if you've ever seen the picture that I use of my Lemans in the FP Garage, it is parked next to GM Futureliner #10. It is owned by the National Automotive Truck Museum of the United States (NATMUS) in Auburn Indiana. It is one of 12 built by GM between 1939-1940 for its Parade of Progress. These custom built buses toured the country in the 40s and 50s with various futuristic science and technology displays of the day. This is the only fully restored Futureliner in existence, the others have been customized or changed in some other way, or they are still being restored. The last I knew, only 9 of the 12 Futureliners had been located (one was badly damaged and being used as a "parts" vehicle).

http://www.futurliner.com/other.htm

While watching Velocity channel last night, a new promo for the 2-hour season finale of "Bitchin' Rides" is showing the restoration (and I presume some customization) of a GM Futureliner. This 2-hour episode airs Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at 9 pm EDT on the Velocity channel (a Discovery channel network).

I have no idea if this is one of the nine known Futureliners or if it one of the previously un-located ones. We will have to find out together.

[Ghost]

NO WAY!

[Ringo64]

That's awesome! Going to have to find out if I get Velocity...

[stratman]

Got the DVR all set...

[stratman]

Unbelievable restoration! It took them like a year and a half of working on it every day to complete. If you missed it, I'm sure it will be repeated often because that's what the Velocity channel does, lol.

[Ghost]

saw it! but when they mentioned the engine, i thought "what?!" isnt it a little small?

[stratman]

Yeah, a little 6 cylinder for that giant bus! But I guess when it was built in 1939, that OHV 6 was pretty high tech considering pretty much all other engines of that period were flatheads.

[stratman]

Here is some more info on the Futurliner and it's restoration:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/06/21/most-original-unrestored-futurliner-goes-under-the-knife-for-full-restoration/

[Ghost]

wait wait wait wait wait. it was a four cylinder engine. thats part of why i was surprised.

[stratman]

wait wait wait wait wait. it was a four cylinder engine. thats part of why i was surprised.

According to the Hemmings article, the Futurliner had a Detroit Diesel 4 cylinder when built in 1939. When GM brought the Futurliner out for the "Parade of Progress" in 1953, they replaced the diesel with a GMC straight 6 gas engine. The GMC engine was restored along with the rest of the Futurliner. Who knows what became of the original diesel engine...

[Ghost]

i guess i missed that part. but my shock on the 4 cylinder is still the same.

[Frosty]

Futureliner #10 is the one I am most familiar with, having been inside it, as well as seen it twice up close. It has a Buick straight-6 engine tied to a Korean war-era tank transmission to drive it.

[Ghost]

lucky. how did it feel to be in it? dtive it?

[Frosty]

Didn't get to drive it, but I got to sit in the driver's seat. The driver seat sits very high. Think of driving a double decker bus from the second level, that's what it feels like sitting up that high. Plus there are 2 passenger seats behind the driver.

[Frosty]

My wife just told me about this today, but the news obviously has been out for awhile. Seems like car collector, Ron Pratte, will sell his completely restored Futureliner this January at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale Arizona and donating the proceeds to veterans charities. In fact, Pratte seems to be selling most of his car collection. Ron paid $4.2 million for it in 2006. This one was once used by the Michigan State Police after GM donated it to them plus a "parts" Futureliner (one of three that can not be restored).

Once called the Fido Futureliner, as it was owned in Canada and used to help sell cell phones. It toured all over Canada before being re-restored to its period correct Parade of Progress state. It is serial #011.

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Media/Home/Reader/sale-of-ron-prattes-1950-futurliner-at-2015-barrett-jackson

[Ringo64]

Any word on what it will go for?

[Frosty]

My wife said that Craig Jackson said that the first "$10 million" will take it. I doubt that it will go for less than what he paid for it.

[Ringo64]

Hope it goes for a good amount

[Frosty]

I was sent a list of old auto videos and these particular videos were on it. I thought it very appropriate to this thread:

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZGr3fLA5ow

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ7vvNT6TbA&list=PLE8FB64E37DC0D006

Starting at the 3:12 to the 7:18 mark of the second of the four videos, shows the one of the displays from the Parade of Progress. It flips to show the passage of time and progress of society and the motor car. That particular display is preserved at the GM Heritage Collection and it is still operational. I have no idea which Futureliner had this particular display in it.

[Frosty]

My wife just told me about this today, but the news obviously has been out for awhile. Seems like car collector, Ron Pratte, will sell his completely restored Futureliner this January at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale Arizona and donating the proceeds to veterans charities. In fact, Pratte seems to be selling most of his car collection. Ron paid $4.2 million for it in 2006. This one was once used by the Michigan State Police after GM donated it to them plus a "parts" Futureliner (one of three that can not be restored).

Once called the Fido Futureliner, as it was owned in Canada and used to help sell cell phones. It toured all over Canada before being re-restored to its period correct Parade of Progress state. It is serial #011.

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Media/Home/Reader/sale-of-ron-prattes-1950-futurliner-at-2015-barrett-jackson

Well, the Ron Pratte collection GM Futureliner sold this weekend at Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale Arizona. The proceeds of the sale are going to the Armed Forces Foundation. It sold for $4.1 million. Not exactly close to Craig Jackson's prediction, but still a large win for the Armed Forces Foundation.

Here is the article and the video of the sale.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/news/a24787/gm-futurliner-auction-raises-4-million-for-armed-forces-foundation/

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwoUCNFpfkI

[Ringo64]

That's a great win for the armed forces foundation! Glad a lot of these auctions are now going to charities.