Two vehicles owned by the late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, including his beloved 1972 Volkswagen minibus, will go on display at the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, reported the Illinois Route 66 Association website today.
The other vehicle is a school bus Waldmire converted into a small home at the family property in Rochester, Ill., near Springfield.
The association’s website had been teasing about a big announcement coming for nearly two weeks.
From the website:
In honor of this auspicious acquisition, we are declaring the month of August “Bob Waldlmire Month” here on our website. That means that we will be featuring many more stories about Bob Waldmire and especially about these possessions of his that we will now proudly display. Details about the van and bus, additional photos, more about Bob and their connection to Route 66 will all be coming your way this month! […]
These items are available for our Museum and Hall of Fame to display because of the tireless efforts of one man, our Association Treasurer, Marty Blitstein. For many months, Marty has coordinated with the Waldmire family, the City of Pontiac, IL and other parties to make this acquisition possible.
When the Waldmire vehicles will go on display at the museum will be announced at a later date.
Waldmire died of cancer in December 2009. The dedicated hippie (and his minivan) were an indirect inspiration to the character of Fillmore in the 2006 Disney/Pixar hit animated movie “Cars.”
It’s my understanding that Waldmire’s minivan will eventually be displayed at a Route 66 museum in Tulsa. But since construction hasn’t started on that project, it’s safe to say that the minivan will remain in Illinois for at least a couple of years.
Bob Waldmire Month – Excellent!!