10/24/2022
n 1933, “A Century of Progress” World’s Fair opened on 427 acres at Chicago’s Navy Pier. The focus was on scientific and technological progress of the current times. Chicago hosted that fair for over 2 years and accommodated over 48 million visitors. A number of automobile manufactures introduced concept cars during the two year run of the fair. Cadillac wowed crowds with their Fastback Fleetwood V-16, which was touted as a styling triumph of it’s time. Not to be outdone by Cadillac, Lincoln presented a rear engine precursor to what would become the production front engine Zephyr. But the judges’ favorite was Packard, with their Dietrich modified Packard 12, which received top honors and was named “Car of the Dome”.
After touring over a million miles and displaying to over twelve million people in the U.S., GM executives decided it was time for a change-one that would make the “Parade of Progress” bigger and better. In 1939, GM introduced 12 Futurliners, hand built buses that could house each technological display in its main body. The estimated cost of each Futurliner in 1939 was said to be $100,000 each. They had a pilot type driver’s compartment with center mounted steering wheel, rubber bumpers, spectacular in appearance, and were easy to clean and operate. Now the caravan was even more impressive, including concept cars, 8 Streamliners, 9 Semi’s and now 12 Futurliners. It must have been quite a site to see heading to small cities across America, better than even the circus coming to town. But that image would have to wait; World War II halted all of GM’s plans, but only temporarily.
