Located inside the Route 66 Association of Illinois building, the Hall of Fame & Museum pays tribute to artifacts from the Illinois portion of the historic Route 66. One of the items in this museum’s collection is Bob Waldmire’s 1972 Volkswagon Microbus.
Waldmire, an acclaimed artist, had a big influence on the art and culture of Route 66 and was the inspiration for the hippie VW bus Fillmore featured in Pixar’s Cars franchise.
“The Bob Waldmire 1972 VW Microbus. Bob Waldmire traveled up and down Route 66 in this van. The VW van served as the model for the character of Fillmore, voiced by George Carlin, in the Pixar film, “CARS”. Bob was a wonderful artist and Route 66 enthusiast. He passed away in December of 2009.”
– Plaque posted to the car
The Pixar team originally wanted to name the character Waldmire instead of Fillmore, but when asked for permission, the artist denied the request on the grounds that he didn’t want Disney to have toys based on his character in Happy Meals. Waldmire stated, “I couldn’t have them selling a bus with my name at a McDonald’s if I’m an ethical vegetarian.”
Address: 110 W Howard St, Pontiac, IL 61764
Visitor Information: Route 66 Association of Illinois
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110 W Howard St, Pontiac, IL 61764
