Volo's Auto Museum revs up car lovers

If you love a particular car from a movie or a television show, there's a good chance you can find it at the Volo Auto Museum. The massive space houses more than 100 original Hollywood cars, the biggest collection in North America. The eclectic collection features everything from the "Back to the Future" DeLorean to KITT from "Knight Rider" and The General Lee from "The Dukes of Hazzard."

"Primarily what we do is sell collector cars," owner Greg Grams said. "Throughout the museum we sprinkle Hollywood cars."

The museum has been in business in the same location since 1960, but 2009 has been one of their biggest summers ever. Families looking for an affordable way to spend a day have been flocking in, and Gram has expanded the number of cars on display to 250 to give them more to look at.

The space is very family-friendly. Taking photos is encouraged, and there are a few vehicles kids can sit in. Repeat visitors can always see something different as the museum's collection regularly rotates with about 45 cars changing each month as new vehicles are bought and restored and others are sold.

You can always count on seeing some of the vehicles that Gram describes as "irreplaceable." One of his most prized is the semitrailer truck driven by actor Heath Ledger as the Joker in last summer's "The Dark Knight." With the windshield riddled with fake bullets, visitors can listen to audio of the Joker. The Gotham City police car Ledger rode in sits nearby.

Restoring Hollywood cars takes a lot of work since many are in bad shape by the time they get to the museum. Along with improving the condition, many cars are displayed with video playing from the show or movie and occasionally models of characters. You'll spot a statue of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator next to a hearse he drove in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" and a huge Grinch face coming out of the wall next to a car from "The Cat in the Hat."

Getting up close to these vehicles provides an education in how car stunts are done. A car from "The Fast and the Furious" that was driven backward has actually been constructed so that the front of the car looks like it would be the rear. A stunt driver could sit and drive forward while it appears the star is maneuvering in reverse.

Vehicles from the film "Death Race" show the details that were used to transform a brand new Mustang by adding jet fighter seats that could be ejected from the vehicle, gun turrets and fake armor. Gram said the work cost the studio $300,000.

Along with recognizable vehicles, the museum also is a showcase for the bizarre. Items include a limousine transformed into a fire truck, the world's largest lawn mower and a series of vehicles paying tribute to celebrities, including a sparkling gold Cadillac with a Fiberglass statue of Marilyn Monroe laid out on the hood.

Admission to the auto museum includes access to the Military Combat Zone, which displays war scenes and items from Gram's extensive private collection.

"I've been collecting for years and I wanted to give something back," he said.

All of the military vehicles have been restored to operable condition. Bigger vehicles like an anti-aircraft helicopter from Vietnam and a prototype jet engine from 1945 are housed outside, while the indoor area features a huge range of items dating from the Civil War to the Gulf War. The collection features plenty of hard-to-find oddities, from dishes stamped with the crest of the Third Reich to watches with Saddam Hussein's image.

"I never was in the war," Gram said. "My number was too high. One way to find out about it is to buy everything."

<p class="News"><b>Volo Auto Museum</b></p> <p class="News">27582 Volo Village, Volo, (815) 385-3644; <a href="http://volocars.com" target="new">volocars.com</a></p> <p class="News"><b>Hours:</b> 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily</p> <p class="News"><b>Admission:</b> $9, $7 for seniors, $5 for kids ages 5 to 12, kids under age 5 free</p>