Thursday, April 15, 2010

General Motors Futurama, 1964 NYWF

If I had a time machine and could go back to the 1964 New York World's Fair, there are many attractions and pavilions that I'd love to see. But General Motors' "Futurama" would be way up near the top of the list!

Check out this beautiful night shot of the impressively HUGE (110 feet high) leaning facade (look here for another perspective), made even more striking because of the dramatic lighting.


In the display area there were, of course, many General Motors automobiles to admire. But it was experimental cars such as this super-cool Firebird IV that made gramps look so thrilled (ha ha)! It looks like it should have been atomic ("Very atomic!".... anybody? anybody?) but in fact was to be powered by a gas turbine engine. You wouldn't even have to drive the thing when you were on the highway, since it would do the work for you while you ate a big plate of ribs.


Now for a somewhat rare interior of the ride itself; this delightful machine is a veritable factory on wheels; it will grind up those pesky forests and leave behind a fully paved roadway! I know I would rather have less forests and more roads ANY day.


Here's one of the futuristic cities that will be built as a result of those new roads. If nothing else it would be the perfect place to film a remake of "Logan's Run".

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15 comments:

  1. Kevin Kidney12:10 AM

    All of these are so neat!
    Do me a favor and save a spot in line for me at Futurama, if you get there first.
    Afterwards, Belgian waffles and Pepsi are on me.

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  2. Matt5:37 AM

    If only those 'I have seen the future' tabs worked as time portals, we could not only see the '64 fair, but my fave, the '39. I would LOVE to experience the Trylon and Perisphere up close and personal.

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  3. Matterhorn19596:55 AM

    Great interior images...and I third the time travel trip back to the Fair. I will splurge for everyone to ride the Ford Pavilion.

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  4. The Viewliner Limited7:10 AM

    The lighting on the Futurama Building is awesome. Why, why, why, didn't I go to this Fair?

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  5. Vintage Disneyland Tickets8:10 AM

    What a treat, each one is a marvelous little tale all its own!

    When you travel back to 1964, make SURE you DON'T encounter your younger self (tempting as it is), that could destroy the universe and spoil your whole day...

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  6. Rich T.1:19 PM

    Another great post, Major! And I, too, love The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. :)

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  7. Katella Gate2:09 PM

    Detroit's attempt to put gas turbine engines in cars was a very serious project, despite the "gee-wiz" styling of the car body. Between 1950 and 1970 dozens of cars and engines were built to the tune of several million dollars.

    Just when the reliability/cost factors were falling into place in the early 70's, along comes smog controls AND the Arab oil extortion, and the whole project just crashed and burned.

    And that "city of the future" looks Too Much like Major Matt Mason's Lunar Base. Obviously some Russky leaked the secret plans.

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  8. 210Frwy7:47 PM

    5000 fingers of Dr. T?

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  9. Rich T.8:19 PM

    Major was (I'm assuming) referencing the best line in the Dr. Seuss fantasy The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T:

    "Is it...atomic?"
    "Yes Sir, VERY atomic!"

    The movie warped my brain forever when I saw it on TV as a child, and I couldn't be more grateful. :)

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  10. Katella Gate8:36 PM

    Thanks for filling us in Rich T. about the "very atomic" reference.

    All I could think of was Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" in which desirable ladies are young and "very pneumatic".

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  11. Anonymous8:53 PM

    Thanks Major for uploading all these! I was just checking out these sweet photos and I thought 'you know its pretty great someone takes the time to share such interesting photos." thanks for all you've done over the years and keep'em coming!

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  12. Major Pepperidge10:03 PM

    Rich T., you win a cigar!

    Katella Gate, I like the word "pneumatic" used in that sense.

    And Austin, thanks for the comment!

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  13. Rich T.11:56 PM

    Major, a double-thanks from me today:

    Your Dr. T. reference prompted me to...just for the heck of it...check and--Holy cow, iTunes has the soundtrack album!

    Seuss goodness for my iPod! Thanks for setting that chain of events in motion! :)

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  14. Nancy4:26 AM

    still trying to get that time machine back, but when i do we are all going back to '64!

    more awesome photos of my fave pavillion. too bad that cars didnt evolve in the way they thought in the 60s....how cool to be driving around in that today. and those lights on the pavillion are gorgeous

    as a lover of sci-fi, Logan's Run is one of my favorite movies :-)

    thanks for a GREAT post!!

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  15. Anonymous7:15 AM

    Let's go for a ride !

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-5aK0H05jk


    Close-ups of these architectural miniatures here...


    http://www.fabiofeminofantascience.org/RETROFUTURE/RETROFUTURE2.html


    and here:

    http://www.fabiofeminofantascience.org/RETROFUTURE/RETROFUTURE3.html

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