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You Can Own A GM Futureliner …..


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Only one of 12 built. Extremely rare opportunity to own one of the most famous vehicles ever built by GM. This vehicle was restored in the late 1990's. It is retrofitted with a Detroit Diesel 4-71 and Allison automatic transmission. Original gas engine and transmission are included in the sale. It is not perfect, but darn close! Runs and drives down the highway very well at 50+ mph. Light bar works. Sides open & close. Steering was upgraded with power assist. This vehicle is used regularly for shows and events. This is believed to be "#7" of the 12 built by GM for the famous "Parade of Progress". Please do not waste my time - NO trades, NO ridiculous offers - the price is $998,900.00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Futurliner

Peter Pan is number 6 in the wikipedia list.  Number 7 in Germany.  The Germans may be interested

 

https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/43063/driving-one-of-gms-legendary-1939-futurliners-is-like-nothing-else

Seems to match vehicle for sale.  Peter Pan on the side and same engine

 

https://futurliner.org/fh.htm

https://www.kindigit.com/gallery/39-gm-futurliner/

Edited by 1939_Buick (see edit history)
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2 hours ago, 1939_Buick said:

This is believed to be "#7" of the 12 built by GM for the famous "Parade of Progress". Please do not waste my time - NO trades, NO ridiculous offers - the price is $998,900.00

 

If all 25,000 AACA members chipped in about $40.00 each and purchased it. we could have, drive and enjoy it for one day a piece. Cycling through all the members would only take 68 1/2 years. 

 

 

 

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7 hours ago, 1939_Buick said:

Steering was upgraded with power assist.

Wow, that must have been a treat to drive with manual steering!

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4 hours ago, Crusty Trucker said:

 

 

 

If all 25,000 AACA members chipped in about $40.00 each and purchased it. we could have, drive and enjoy it for one day a piece. Cycling through all the members would only take 68 1/2 years. 

 

 

 

I would give my 40 bugs that the Aaca could buy and display it. Why not?  This is a real icon of a bygone time. And I am not even a member of the Aaca... 😄

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Okay, let's get serious.  I pledge $500 to AACA to buy it.  If 1,999 of you match me, we will all own it and AACA will be the keeper of it for us.  I'm sure Steve will let us donors sit behind the wheel for a photo op.

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In 1993 we stopped at the ACD Museum in Auburn. Out in back by the other museum with the alphabet name we found this Futurliner. It was open and we climbed up into the cab, checked things out, and got this fine picture of Doug Seibert standing by the door.

004.jpg.af6b621b9c3773520a466fc673329c10.jpg

 

At Hershey around 2009 or 10 I paid my dollar and climbed in again AND got a post card with a very familiar picture, minus the Dougie.

The Cadillac emblem when we saw it matched the Cadillac flathead V8 power deep in the body webbing.

002.jpg.de268ba93b6de3f19f3891affb49f62d.jpg

Edited by 60FlatTop (see edit history)
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Okay, I want one.  Even though when I climbed into one several years ago I bumped my head (hard) both on the way in and the way out.

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On 8/6/2024 at 3:42 PM, plymouthcranbrook said:

I wonder if it is one of the two that were parked in a shop lot on US rt. 41 in North Chicago, Il back in the 80’s or maybe early 90’s. I used to see them regularly but one day they both disappeared. 

I remember seeing those two off Rt.41 on my way to Waukegan from Chicago.

 

Jerry B.

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On 8/5/2024 at 7:20 PM, Bhigdog said:

Looks neat but what is it good for? Wouldn,t even make a decent RV camper......bob

Would make one heck of a car hauler! (isnt that what it was originally?)

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12 hours ago, TAKerry said:

Would make one heck of a car hauler! (isnt that what it was originally?)

The GM Futureliners were mobile stages where entertaining and informative productions and demonstrations which centered on GM's many divisions and products were brought to thousands of locations throughout the country.  When country fairs and radio were the primary entertainment throughout the country, a visit by a GM Futurama was a big deal. Iirc, one of the future developments shown to the masses was a demonstration of television during the 1930's.

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7 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

I thought I saw at one time that one had a car inside showing it off as well. A look into the future of the automobile.

You may well have, one of the smaller concept cars.  This Futureliner is one of the postwar examples.  The pre-war version was the same configuration large van but styled differently.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I called my friend Greg Grams
at The Volo Museum within a few
hours of the listing on Facebook.

 

By the time he contacted the
Seller and made an offer that
was very close to the asking 
price it had been sold.

 

It would be interesting to 
know who bought it …..

 

 

Jim

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For years, the dedicated driver of this GM bus was my neighbor. He was a retired Peter Pan bus driver of over 40 years. He was kind enough to let me drive it around the parking lot at the bus station.  The conversion that was done is about the best it could be. It’s basically a modern drive line with the old shell. Even the air conditioning is modern. I have no clue what it’s worth.

 

Having driven almost every crazy and strange vehicle on the planet, this one takes the cake. The stairway up to the top is the definition of creepy and weird. Sitting in the center of the bus steering doesn’t feel right either. 

Edited by edinmass (see edit history)
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