The Futura and Its Legacy.

They are good-looking automobiles in all their forms ! Once, back in the 1960's, I recall briefly seeing one of the original Chrysler turbine automobiles driving down the road near here in Riverside, IL. I have a Yat Ming 1/18 diecast of that beautiful car.

Posted by: @rich-sufficool

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@marty-johnson If they kept them, they'd have to pay duty on them. For many they'd have to do gray market upgrade to meet Federal standards.

- I don't think that was the case.  The cars Ford had for testing were all purchased from local dealers and, consequently, US-compliant.  We used to have a ball test-driving them.  It was okay to abuse them like crazy.  There was a high-speed oval circling the testing area.  On the infield, there were obstacles designed to test the limits of the transmissions.  For example, one of the tests was to drive down a steep incline and then, while it was still moving at speed, throw the transmission into park!  I distinctly remember the noise it made as the parking pawl was straining under the abuse.  Good times and memories, for sure!  

 

@marty-johnson ....seems like maybe YOU should've paid Ford - and not the other way 'round.

The 1:18 Futura is the first model I bought in this scale and love it.  As a young child I was actually able to touch the Futura at a car show and remember that moment clearly to this day.  I will never forgive Barris for what he did to this beautiful car.  My uncle was chosen to test the Turbine so I got to ride in it once. Wish I had taken a picture of it parked next to Dads 1963 T-Bird at my uncles driveway.

Posted by: @abaucom

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"My uncle was chosen to test the Turbine, so I got to ride in it once."

To be clear:  You touched the Ford Futura and rode in a Chrysler Turbine, correct?         NICE!  👍 👍 👍    

I understand your sadness regarding Barris's "treatment"  of the Futura, but as Marty noted, the car was in rough shape when Barris acquired and his efforts, in effect, allow the car to live on today.    Without Barris, would we even be discussing the Futura?        Would there even be replicas of it? 

BTW: I'm NOT as big a Batman car fan as I am a Futura fan - I really like it.    My other FoMoCo  concept cars I'd love to own are the '54 XM-800, '55 Mystere, and the 1956 XM-Turnpike.