NATMUS is the proud owner of the GM Futurliner #10, one of the twelve Futurliners built by GM for the Parade of Progress tours in the 1940s and 1950s.
Our Futurliner is #10 and was donated to NATMUS in early 1990s and began restoration in 1998. Today the Futurliner is showcased in our museum and travels across the Midwest throughout the year for shows and special occasions.
This Futurliner is proudly listed on The National Historic Vehicle Register to showcase and recognize its historic status.
Restoration of the Futurliner #10
Donated to NATMUS in the early 90’s by Joe Bortz of Bortz Auto Collection, the Futurliner #10 was in disrepair. As anyone who has restored a vehicle can attest, it was much worse than it looked – and it looked bad. A group of volunteers in the West Michigan area began restoring the vehicle in late 1998.
Led by Don Mayton, we owe a great deal of thanks to him and all the volunteers and contributors that helped with this project!
With volunteer labor and countless donations of materials and money, Futurliner #10 was completed 7 years later.
History of the Futurliner #10
Of the 12 Futurliners made, our Futurliner was #10. Each one had different displays, most had two. While some information may be lost to history, we’ve been able to determine what #10 displayed during the ‘53-56 Parade of Progress.
Today, only 9 Futurliners remain, the other 3 have been lost to history. We are delighted to have such a unique piece of history showcased in our museum.
Playlist
0:16
0:16
