’57 Chevy Raises a Ruckus

A roadside display at Volo Village Road and Route 120 near Volo, Ill., is dropping the jaws of car-savvy travelers. Volo Auto Museum placed a cherry red, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible with lustrous chrome at its corner pedestal sign. The intention was to grab attention, and attention it is grabbing.

VOLO, Ill. – A roadside display at Volo Village Road and Route 120 near Volo, Illinois, is dropping the jaws of car-savvy travelers.

Volo Auto Museum placed a cherry red, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible with lustrous chrome at its corner pedestal sign. The intention was to grab attention, and attention it is grabbing.

Many passersby are calling the museum to express concern about the well-being of the iconic car.

Having driven past this American classic outdoors, exposed to the weather — with the top down no less — collectors and the public are in a dither. The museum has received numerous calls complaining about the potential desecration of this seemingly exquisite example of the ultimate “Tri-Chevy.”

However, the car will not deteriorate because it is a fiberglass fake.

The Volo Auto Museum bought the faux car from a Hollywood film company that built it as a low-cost prop. The car is made of a one-piece fiberglass body mounted on a light-duty steel frame, museum co-owner Brian Grams said.

“Add some chrome and whitewall tires and you have a very convincing imitation,” he said. “The museum is using the car as a representation of the 300 collector cars for sale indoors.”

The museum is located at 27582 W. Volo Village Road in Volo and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For information, call 815-385-3644 or visit volocars.com.

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