Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

[Henry S.]

I reported awhile back about the new Chevrolet hall of Fame Museum that opened (March) in Decatur Illinois. The museum is owned and operated by LaVelle Hunt who has been involved for quite sometime with Indy Pace cars and has been an advocate for muscle cars forever. I believe LaVelle is also one of the Pace Car Registry directors. The website has recently been updated, here is the link: http://www.chevrolethalloffamemuseum.com/

This Saturday LaVelle will be hosting the War Memorial Charity Car Show. All funds raised will go towards a War Memorial that is being constructed in Mt. Zion, Illinois by Viet Nam veteran/school teacher, Bob Dondeville. Bob has created wax relief sculptures cast in bronze in honor of each war, WWI, WWII, Korean, Viet Nam and Mid East conflict. He presently is working on the last one which cost about $6600. They are displayed in the park across from the Mt. Zion PO.

Here's the link for the car show:

http://www.classicpony.com/Showz_Cruisez/ShowCalendar.htm

At 12:00 Bob will be introducing and honoring some of the servicemen we will have on hand that day. We are also having the Dalton City American Legion honor guard present the flag. All veterans participating in the car show will be asked to step forward and be honored. We will have a local Marine who lost a leg in Iraq pick out his choice and present the winner with a flag and flag pole donated by Lowe's. Bob McQuality from Mac's Custom Interiors who is a longtime classic car enthusiat and host of many car shows in the 70's, 80's and 90's will have a truck he built on display also. Below is the link and video for a military truck Bob has been working on to honor his father:

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=1296DEF4A5C22340&p_docnum=1

http://herald-review.com/multimedia/#vmix_media_id=4999203

We are hoping to have a truck built by a young man from Stewardson, Illinois also show up. His truck has the name of every military man or woman that has lost their life in Iraq/Afghanistan displayed on the truck.

There will be a raffle for a Dream Garage Giveaway that consists of fire proof cabinets produced by Justrite donated by John and Marsha Norman, along with a show car carpet donated by Mike Yeager and Midamerica. The display total cost is about $2000 and tickets will be $5.00 each or 3 for $10. No advance tickets were sold meaning someone that buys a ticket THAT DAY will win the Dream Garage Giveaway!

LaVelle has really stepped forward by hosting the car show and helping in making it a successful charity car show. We have had many sponsors step forward in these tough times to help support this cause.

Hope those of you in the area can come by and support the show Saturday and if you are ever in Decatur or close by stop in and check out the museum. You won't be disappointed!!

[Stuart F.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

Henry;

Without the benefit of a map, and my shrinking memory of Illinois, where exactly is Decatur? Is that the city due west of Champaign? We used to go there every so often when we were visiting with our sons when they attended U of I. In fact they used to work for a Gentleman there that had the ACE Rentacar business. They bought a stretched 85 Caddy from him also to use in their Limo business at Willard Airport and drove Hearses for him as well. My impression of the "Farm Boys" down state was that they really know how to build them - I recall their cruising down Green Street in Champaign.

Thanks for the info. I will forward it on to my sons. One, Brian, is a NCRS member and has a great 78 P.C., but he doesn't have too much time to check the TDB (jetBlue Pilot).

Stu Fox

[Henry S.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

Henry;

Without the benefit of a map, and my shrinking memory of Illinois, where exactly is Decatur? Is that the city due west of Champaign? We used to go there every so often when we were visiting with our sons when they attended U of I. In fact they used to work for a Gentleman there that had the ACE Rentacar business. They bought a stretched 85 Caddy from him also to use in their Limo business at Willard Airport and drove Hearses for him as well. My impression of the "Farm Boys" down state was that they really know how to build them - I recall their cruising down Green Street in Champaign.

Thanks for the info. I will forward it on to my sons. One, Brian, is a NCRS member and has a great 78 P.C., but he doesn't have too much time to check the TDB (jetBlue Pilot).

Stu Fox

Hi Stu, You're right on, Decatur is about 30-40 minutes West/Southwest of Champaign/ U of I. Straight out I72. I should have included a map but forgot to so here's the link if you want to send it to your son.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Decatur&state=IL&address=3635+E+State+Route+36&zipcode=62521-5080&country=US&latitude=39.825461&longitude=-88.896598&geocode=ADDRESS

We've gotten some good responses back from people that have some specialty cars that want to show them. LaVelle said there is a new SSR truck that's touring the US now that has something like a $60,000-80,000 paint job supposedly and all souped up that's going to be there. I haven't had a chance to find out anymore about it but it sounds pretty cool.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

Thanks Henry. Looks very familiar now. My boys went to U of I for about 5 years as they were in the Institute of Aviation and it took a little longer to get their degrees that way. Wish I had a dollar for every trip we made down there via I-57 from Chicago - sunshine, rain, or snow (and I do mean snow). We crossed the whole state there one day practically seeing an air show in Peoria, then traversing all the way into Indiana that night to some famous steak house where they fed you like cattle. Can't think of the name.

Thanks for the refresher map which I'll pass on to my sons. Brian was there just a couple weeks back. Took in the Bloomington at Saint Charles and visited with friends at the Institute in Champaign. His old buddy still runs a student bus service out of Champaign up to Chicago (O'Hare, etc.). Both my boys drove for him when they were in school.

Thanks again for the info.

Stu fox

[Henry S.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

Thanks Henry. Looks very familiar now. My boys went to U of I for about 5 years as they were in the Institute of Aviation and it took a little longer to get their degrees that way. Wish I had a dollar for every trip we made down there via I-57 from Chicago - sunshine, rain, or snow (and I do mean snow). We crossed the whole state there one day practically seeing an air show in Peoria, then traversing all the way into Indiana that night to some famous steak house where they fed you like cattle. Can't think of the name.

Thanks for the refresher map which I'll pass on to my sons. Brian was there just a couple weeks back. Took in the Bloomington at Saint Charles and visited with friends at the Institute in Champaign. His old buddy still runs a student bus service out of Champaign up to Chicago (O'Hare, etc.). Both my boys drove for him when they were in school.

Thanks again for the info.

Stu fox

I'm pretty sure you're talking about the "Beef House" in Covington, Indiana. Right across the border from Danville, Illinois on I 74. Been there many times taking that trip down the cattle chute!! GREAT STEAKS!!

[Steven B.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

I'm pretty sure you're talking about the "Beef House" in Covington, Indiana. Right across the border from Danville, Illinois on I 74. Been there many times taking that trip down the cattle chute!! GREAT STEAKS!!

The Beef House, where they used to raise their own beef and processed in a facility on the property. Great steaks and great roast beef! Great home made desserts, too! We used to stop each time we went from our home in Indianapolis to Bloomington and I did when I went from Indianapolis to State Farm, U of I, etc. for work. 'And the home made mashed potatoes and gravy, and----

[Stuart F.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

Oh stop it! You're making me hungry! Yes I recall it was good, but the thing that stands out in my mind was how they hustled you through like cattle too. They marched you in to sit at long tables along with a bunch of other hungry people. It's been quite a few years, but that ironically is the main memory I still recall. It was worth the drive though, and easy to find right off the highway.

Stu Fox

[Steven B.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

Oh stop it! You're making me hungry! Yes I recall it was good, but the thing that stands out in my mind was how they hustled you through like cattle too. They marched you in to sit at long tables along with a bunch of other hungry people. It's been quite a few years, but that ironically is the main memory I still recall. It was worth the drive though, and easy to find right off the highway.

Stu Fox

You are right Stu, they did move you through the place. Bloomington was always a good excuse to go to the Beer Nuts and Nestle Beich (fund raiser candy) factories. There was a place as good or better near Raleigh, looked like a barn and called the Beef Barn or something like that. 'Home made bread by the loaf. We are going to a steak house tonight, just decided. This thread just cost me.

[Henry S.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

The Beef House, where they used to raise their own beef and processed in a facility on the property. Great steaks and great roast beef! Great home made desserts, too! We used to stop each time we went from our home in Indianapolis to Bloomington and I did when I went from Indianapolis to State Farm, U of I, etc. for work. 'And the home made mashed potatoes and gravy, and----

Homemade strawberry jam to go on the hot homemade bread!! YUMMY YUMMY. If I remember right last time I was there they had added on again and it was like a maze to get through it. Since we're talking "eatin" there's Patty's Settlement that we hit on I24 East of Paducah when we head down to the "Vettes on the River" by Four Rivers Corvette Club. 2" pork chops, bread baked in clay flower pots, and of course HOMEMADE DESSERT!! What time's that reservation Steve??

[Steven B.]

Re: Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum and car show

Homemade strawberry jam to go on the hot homemade bread!! YUMMY YUMMY. If I remember right last time I was there they had added on again and it was like a maze to get through it. Since we're talking "eatin" there's Patty's Settlement that we hit on I24 East of Paducah when we head down to the "Vettes on the River" by Four Rivers Corvette Club. 2" pork chops, bread baked in clay flower pots, and of course HOMEMADE DESSERT!! What time's that reservation Steve??

6:00 pm Double C Steak House, Winnsboro, TX. Flat Iron steak, baked potato, salad, yeast rolls, fried pies. Mmmmmmmmm.