Joliet business adds kitsch to Route 66

Noting the Route 66 attractions on the Broadway alignment of Joliet, Ill., Dick’s Towing decided to get into the act, according to the Herald News.

He pulled two vintage vehicles from storage and had them hoisted to the top of a block building he owns on the southeastern edge of his property on the 900 block of Broadway, which was part of Route 66.

A 1949 Pontiac Chieftan and a 1941 International pickup truck are now perched on the roof with their tires hanging over the edge. Both vehicles were repainted, and the pickup was tricked out to look like a tow truck that is pulling the Chieftan. […]

Bartel, 68, is a lifelong resident of Joliet, and he grew up in and around the Route 66 corridor. He went to school at St. Mary’s, ate snacks at the Donut Hut and bought Lionel trains at Emil and Ed’s Hobby Shop. He said he loves the old history of the route and is happy to add to the hoopla. […]

This summer, Bartel said he will add to the building vintage signs and photos that his son, Dick K. Bartel, has collected through the years.

A photo gallery of crews putting the two vehicles on the roof can be seen here.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.