Enthusiasts everywhere know of the General Motors Parade of Progress and its fabulous fleet of GM Futurliners. Now here’s some original color footage of the show and the vehicles in action.
Conceived by General Motors research guru Charles F. “Boss” Kettering and originally launched in 1936, the GM Parade of Progress was designed to tell the story of American technology and progress—and GM’s prominent role in the process—in towns big and small all across the country. Not a car show per se, the Parade of Progress instead focused on how technical advances were improving daily life, from kitchen to countryside.
Two generations of custom-built motor coaches were constructed to support the traveling tent show: an original run of eight streamlined GMC vans in 1936, and the 12 flashy Futurliners that made their debut at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Nearly 12 feet tall and 33 feet long, the futuristic coaches made quite an impact as they traveled in caravans across America. Nine of the 12 Futurliners are known to exist, and one immaculately restored example has sold at auction for $4 million.
With all the attention lavished on the fabulous Futurliners in recent years, it’s possible we’ve lost some sense of what the Parade of Progress itself was about. This little GM promo reel should help us to understand it a little better. Video below.
The Futurliner is always something I’ve wanted to see up close and personal. I followed a group of guys online as they spent several years restoring one. I was amazed at how badly it was rusted out but those guys worked undaunted until it was complete. I have to add that if you ever lost your power steering, you were in serious trouble; those dual front wheels would be impossible to control.
Something I noticed in the film: I saw a good puff of black come out of the exhaust pipe of one of those which made me think that maybe one or more of those was diesel powered. From what I read they were all powered by 302 gas engines. I wonder if a 6-71 Detroit got put in one or more of them?
The You Tube links at the end of this article are also very interesting. Huge job in restoring as they all seem to be very badly rusted out and weathered.
One being restored in Scandivania and one painted green in another part of the US.
All those flash looks,, and 38 mph flat out cruising with a Chevy 6 and hydramatic.
There is a Futureliner at the NATM in Auburn, Indiana. They also recently acquired one of the trailers that were used with the exhibit, Just like the one in the top right of the above photo!