GM Futurliner No. 10 gains National Historic Vehicle Register status, finds home

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GM Futurliner

We couldn't even begin to count all the concept cars that General Motors has made over the years, but what we do know is that few have carried the kind of legend that the Futurliners have. Of the dozen such buses GM made, No. 10 (similar to the one pictured here) has arguably had the most colored history, but now it's finally getting the recognition it so richly deserves.

The tenth Futurliner toured the country as part of GM's Parade of Progress in 1940 before being "retired," but the 12-ton, 33-foot behemoth lived a rich life after its initial tour of duty. It had its engine and some of its bodywork replaced, and in the 1950s went back on tour across 35 states and three Canadian provinces. It subsequently changed hands time and time again, bouncing from the Michigan State Police to a musician, a brewery, a restaurant and a handful of museums, but now it's found what could be its final resting place.

Following an eight-year restoration, it's going on display at the National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States in Auburn, Indiana, and has earned its place in the National Historic Vehicle Register, with its documentation and photography to be cataloged with the Library of Congress. Read the full story of the most storied of the Futurliners over at Hemmings Daily.

GM Futurliner No. 10 gains National Historic Vehicle Register status, finds home originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Nov 2014 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meyers Manx receives electric powertrain and a big honor

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Meyers Manx prototype and Manx V

The Meyers Manx is one of the iconic vehicles of the 1960s and is partially responsible for popularizing the dune buggy. Now, the car has another accolade to add to its history. Company founder Bruce Meyers' original 1964 Manx prototype, nicknamed Old Red, is the second vehicle added to the National Historic Vehicle Register. The first one to make it onto the list was Shelby Daytona Coupe CSX2287.

Meyers' prototype Manx used a custom fiberglass monocoque that Volkswagen Beetle parts bolted to, but later models utilized the whole Beetle floorpan. The idea spawned a ton of copycats and became hugely popular. However, the original company went out of business in 1970. Meyers returned to the kit car world in the 2000s with Meyers Manx, Inc. offering a variety of kits to be built from VW components.

In addition to making it to the NHVR, the Manx is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new electric dune buggy in cooperation with REV-Tec from Las Vegas, NV. At the moment, it's only a prototype called the Manx V (pictured above with Old Red) and packs an electric motor with 83.6 peak horsepower or 40 hp continuous and a 10-kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery pack. The rear-wheel drive EV has a theoretical top speed of 62 miles per hour, but the company plans it as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, which limits it to 25 mph to 45 mph depending on the state. According to Autoweek, the business is aiming the V at tropical resorts and plans to release more details at the LA Auto Show in November.

John Dinkel a spokesperson for the project told Autoblog in an email that the price would be announced later but sales are planned for Q4 2014 or early 2015. Scroll down for a press release on the electric Manx and its specs.

Continue reading Meyers Manx receives electric powertrain and a big honor

Meyers Manx receives electric powertrain and a big honor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 May 2014 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meyers Manx receives electric powertrain and a big honor

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Meyers Manx prototype and Manx V

The Meyers Manx is one of the iconic vehicles of the 1960s and is partially responsible for popularizing the dune buggy. Now, the car has another accolade to add to its history. Company founder Bruce Meyers' original 1964 Manx prototype, nicknamed Old Red, is the second vehicle added to the National Historic Vehicle Register. The first one to make it onto the list was Shelby Daytona Coupe CSX2287.

Meyers' prototype Manx used a custom fiberglass monocoque that Volkswagen Beetle parts bolted to, but later models utilized the whole Beetle floorpan. The idea spawned a ton of copycats and became hugely popular. However, the original company went out of business in 1970. Meyers returned to the kit car world in the 2000s with Meyers Manx, Inc. offering a variety of kits to be built from VW components.

In addition to making it to the NHVR, the Manx is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new electric dune buggy in cooperation with REV-Tec from Las Vegas, NV. At the moment, it's only a prototype called the Manx V (pictured above with Old Red) and packs an electric motor with 83.6 peak horsepower or 40 hp continuous and a 10-kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery pack. The rear-wheel drive EV has a theoretical top speed of 62 miles per hour, but the company plans it as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, which limits it to 25 mph to 45 mph depending on the state. According to Autoweek, the business is aiming the V at tropical resorts and plans to release more details at the LA Auto Show in November.

John Dinkel a spokesperson for the project told Autoblog in an email that the price would be announced later but sales are planned for Q4 2014 or early 2015. Scroll down for a press release on the electric Manx and its specs.

Continue reading Meyers Manx receives electric powertrain and a big honor

Meyers Manx receives electric powertrain and a big honor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 May 2014 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shelby Daytona Coupe becomes first add to National Historic Vehicle Register

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1964 Shelby Daytona

The Shelby Daytona Coupe was the first American car ever to win the FIA World Sportscar Championship, and it won back-to-back class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring. As the car celebrates its 50th birthday this year, it has another honor to add to its list of accolades. The first vehicle to be placed on the National Historic Vehicle Register is 1964 Daytona Coupe serial number CSX2287, the prototype the rest of models were based on.

To be added to the list, an individual car must meet at least one of four criteria. It should be associated with an important American historic event, or it should be associated with important American historic figures. It should also have an exceptional value in its design or construction, or it should have exceptional informational value. The Daytona hits them all.

Carroll Shelby ticks the first two boxes easily. He was the consummate showman. He pitched himself as a hard working Texan who went to Europe to take on the best drivers in the world, and he famously wore his chicken farming overalls as he drove an Aston Martin to overall victory in the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. When his health got in the way, and he started building his own cars.

The car fills the other two requirements. Peter Brock, a talented racer in his own right who worked in Shelby's shop, took a bare Shelby Cobra chassis and formed an aluminum coupe body to lay over it. The most ingenious part was the cut-off Kamm-tail that improved aerodynamics while keeping weight down.

The Daytona Coupe never got to compete in its inaugural race in 1964 at Daytona because of a fire in the pits. However, it came back to take class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans. For the 1965 season, the team won the World Sportscar Championship.

Shelby Daytona Coupe CSX2287 is on display at the Washington Auto Show until February 2, and after that it is on display at the Simeone Foundation Auto Museum in Philadelphia, PA.

Shelby Daytona Coupe becomes first add to National Historic Vehicle Register originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Jan 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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