Museum to Save Studebaker ‘Muppet Movie’ Via GoFundMe Restoration Fund
The star car of the popular puppet movie is eagerly awaiting a complete overhaul to bring it back to life
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The Muppets movie caused a stir upon its release in 1979 – it would be the highest-grossing puppet film until The Muppets restart in 2011.
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Of course, there was a star cast, with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and a 1951 Commander Studebaker all gracing the big screen. Today, the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana, announced the opening of a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to restore the Stude used in the film.
Two identical 1951 Studebaker Commanders were used in the 1979 film. One was used primarily for longer shots and no longer exists. The other car, now in the museum’s possession, has been heavily modified to make the puppets appear to be driving the car. The puppeteers crouched under the dashboard as a small person hidden in the trunk drove the Studebaker using a video screen to see the road. It must have been a hell of an operation!
This car languished in Warner Brothers land for years until it was privately acquired and donated to the museum through a chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club.
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According to museum director Patrick Slebonick, it is not known when the car last ran and a full restoration is needed. The cost is estimated at $ 175,000 in total, and according to Slebonick, it will take about two years to restore once funding is secured. Special care will be taken to bring back the wild and colorful paint scheme as shown in the film.
The Muppets The car currently exists in the museum’s permanent collection and, once restored, will be on display in the museum and at various auto shows. Slebonick’s hope is that the restored car “will help people connect with the Studebaker legacy through this vehicle.”
Those wishing to follow the restoration can follow the Studebaker National Museum on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. Those who donate to GoFundMe will receive emails updating the restoration progress.
