Remembering GM’s Parade of Progress" Road Show

[kscarbel2]

The General Motors "Parade of Progress" was a large, multi-faceted road show that began touring across America in 1936. It represented an investment of millions of dollars and thousands of man hours.

To a country reeling from first depression and then war, it brought the future to hundreds of small towns and rural communities. Its stage show and animated exhibits presented a dramatic picture of the cavalcade of American progress, telling how scientific research and engineering helped improve lives. A jet engine, radar, diesel-electric power, television, an electric ping-pong game with stereo sound, and a microwave oven were shown to amazed audiences.

The Parade was staged by a group of 57 men, most of them young, single, and recent college graduates. They met the public, lectured at the exhibits, and ran the stage show. They also drove the vehicles, put the Aerodome tent up, tore it down, and did anything necessary to make the big show run smoothly.

The Parade of Progress stemmed from an idea by Charles Kettering, famed inventor and GM Research Director, who wanted to bring the story of industry and research to people throughout the country. It was originally built around eight streamlined vans, accompanied by all of GM's latest new cars. The original Parade started touring the country in 1936.

The second Parade was launched from the 1939 New York World's Fair and featured 12 purpose-built Futurliners, a giant 152-foot by 80-foot silver exoskeleton Aerodome tent, 26 major exhibits and over 44 vehicles.

With the outbreak World war II the tour ended: It had visited 251 towns and small cities in North America, reaching more than 12 Ω million people. The idea was revived in again 1953, but in 1956 the third and final Parade was cancelled.

The Futurliners were specially built to carry animated exhibits. On the show lot, their 16-foot side panels folded out to form marquees and stage platforms. Lighting towers pushed up from their tops and they had their own public address systems.

The GM Heritage Center has the only surviving Parade of Progress Futurliner display: "Our American Crossroads". It is a 10-minute mechanically animated display that covers 50 years as small town America is transformed by the automobile.

Additional photographs - https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/Featured_Innovations/1936_Parade_of_Progress.html

GM “Parade of Progress“ Brochure - https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/Featured-Innovations/1953_GM_Parade_of_Progress.pdf

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[41chevy]

Fantastic units. If you ever see the on from the National Automotive and Truck Museum of the U.S when it's on tour do it. The restoration was a amazing job! here's a link to it.

http://www.futurliner.org/photos.htm#FuturlinerNewsletters:

[b615rich]

Peter Pan bus lines in Springfield MA has a beautiful one. Detroit diesels. And look closely, dual wheels on the FRONT axle. The driver climbs a little ladder from the cargo bay and steers from the center.

[41chevy]

Peter Pan bus lines in Springfield MA has a beautiful one. Detroit diesels. And look closely, dual wheels on the FRONT axle. The driver climbs a little ladder from the cargo bay and steers from the center.

Coker Tire reproduced copies of the original 10x20 W.W. with the proper lettering. $35,000 for the tire mold . Raised letters on the wide whites 'GENERAL MOTORS", "PARADE OF PROGRESS", "U S ROYAL", "FLEETWAY

[kscarbel2]

General Motors "Parade of Progress" original brochure.

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/Featured-Innovations/1953_GM_Parade_of_Progress.pdf

[Bullheaded]

I always loved the looks of those Futurliner's. That would be cool to put some more power into and make it into an RV conversion.

[HeavyGunner]

3 hours ago, Bullheaded said:

I always loved the looks of those Futurliner's. That would be cool to put some more power into and make it into an RV conversion.

How fun would it be sitting up so high with that huge windshield taking in the sights going down the road.