Tag Archives: Vehicles

General Motors Futurliner Number 10 at the Tulsa Car Show

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The Futurliner was the hit of the car show. The open door to the left leads up stairs to the driver’s seat. There are two passenger seats behind the driver. The open door to the left leads to the engine compartment.

Something new came to Tulsa the other day. Or more accurately something old came to Tulsa looking like nothing I had ever seen. GM Futurliner Number 10 made a round downtown and then headed to the 2018 Tulsa Car Show where it was the main attraction. I had never heard of them but apparently they were popular in the day. General Motors made twelve Futurliners for the World’s Fair in 1939 and afterwards sent them across the country along with 32 support vehicles putting on a show at each stop called “Parade of Progress” trumpeting modern science and technology. Each vehicle was self contained with stage and lights and had their own segment of the exhibition. Number 10 was originally devoted to “Opportunity for Youth.”

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Another view. Up top you can see the built in floodlights to illuminate the stage.

The show was very popular but was halted during World War II and then started up again after the war and ended in 1955. A victim of a technology called television.

These things are huge, 11’6″ tall and 30 feet long and a wheelbase of 8 feet. They weigh 30,000 pounds. They were powered originally by a four cylinder engine and then later a six cylinder that had only 145 hp. The top speed was 50 mph. Number 10 is owned by the National Auto and Truck Museum in Auburn, Indiana. A representative of the museum said that it can be driven around town but for moves from town to town they load it up on a trailer.

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Here is the stage on the right hand side.

The design of the vehicle is beautiful, streamline art deco with shiny panels and bright red and a white top. I love the tires. Big old fat white walls. The hub cap had an atomic symbol on it. It sure recalls a bygone age of unbridled optimism in the future.  The vehicle is Art Deco on Steroids and is just so beautiful.

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Big fat white walls and the cool hubcap with the atomic symbol on it.

The Futurliners have a Tulsa connection. Oral Roberts, Tulsa’s own prosperity gospel preacher bought one and renamed it the “Cathedral Cruiser” and used it to barnstorm the United States, Mexico and South America.

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Sitting in the driver’s seat. I don’t think it had power steering.

Of the twelve original Futurliners only about eight or nine still exist and of those only a few have been restored like this one.

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What a view from the driver’s seat. I think it would be scary as heck to drive. You would never be wondering what it is happening up ahead.

I had never heard of Futurliners until I saw something posted online about this one parked downtown Thursday afternoon. I could have kicked myself because it was parked right across the street from where I work and I didn’t see it. I got a good look today at the car show and even got to sit in the drivers seat for a minute or so.

2016 Tulsa Leake Car Auction

Friday is my day off, Heather had to teach an exercise class, and Logan is out of school so I dragged him to the Fairgrounds to the Leake Car Auction.

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Lots and lots of cars there. I’m partial to red cars, lIke this Mustang above.

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Or the Porsche being cleaned up. It is hard to be a Porsche for styling.

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I also love the big American cars of the 1950’s like this 1954 Crestline Victoria. I love all the chrome, that beautiful blue color, and the swoopy curves.

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I don’t mean I ever want to own one I just like looking at them.

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I like the more homely but distinctive cars also such Trifun quarter ton truck. The three wheels are a gas.

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And the tilting bed. They said only 300 miles since new but the seats and everything else in the cab was very worn. It was a very hard 300 miles.

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And who doesn’t love a land cruiser. These are classic vehicles. 

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How about an air boat for hunting alligators?

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I love the camo but don’t you know that thing is loud.

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By far my favorite of the show was this heavily modified1967 Land Rover

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It had the best and most puzzling hood ornament.

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It looks like it could be chasing down lions and elephants in Africa.

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I like the “scouting seats” up above. Scouting seats my butt, I bet rich Texans sat up there and shot at critters. If somebody wants to buy it for me I would sit up there and shoot critters also, with my camera.