Going to Chicago For a McDonald's Commercial

Shortly after the 4th of July, while I was still down at the lake and on limited email access, I received the following email:

Hi Jim,
I saw a picture of your beautiful 1954 School Bus on the Stovebolt website and was wondering if you still have it.
I am working on a television commercial for McDonalds in the Chicago area this month and we are looking for a bus from that era. The commercial is a period piece and will be shot on July 27th at the original McDonalds in DesPlaines, IL.
If you still have the bus and think you might be interested in having in a commercial, please let me know.

I replied via my iPhone that it sounded interesting but I didn't feel like driving the bus all the way to Chicago and back.

I shared the email with my brothers and a couple of friends. They all encouraged me to do it. I was still ambivalent about the deal, I hadn't been feeling too good lately and I thought this was one of those deals that talked better than it was.

Then I got another email asking if I would be interested in driving the bus in the commercial and, if so, please send photographs of me. I did.

Then I got an email asking for clothing sizes and hat size.

I called the guy back up and during the course of the conversation he made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

So tomorrow, my grandsons Trey and Austin are heading to Chicago with me in the Suburban.

Yesterday (Saturday) my brother Tom came up with his flatbed, we re-wired, put a new fuel pump on the bus, bought a new battery for it, bled the brakes and loaded it on his trailer and hooked it up behind my Suburban.

Today, I detailed out the bus, it's cleaner than it ever has been since I owned it.

Here's what Bungalow Bill had to say about the trip--
The Bus is Headed to De Plaines

Just a mile or so from where I used to live in Chicagoland was the McDonald's museum. It was a classic style McDonald's missing Ronald because back in those days it was Speedy.

Well, it just so happens, Springfield's most famous bus is about to receive some fame in Europe. Busplunge blogger Jim Lee has negotiated a deal with Oak Park based McDonald's to drive the bus up to Des Plaines, Illinois, to the McDonald's museum to be featured in a new McDonald's commercial that will air in Europe.

Congratulations to Jim for this honor. The bus has been featured in numerous parades and political campaigns. Even Congressman Billy Long wanted to go for a bus ride at one time before he was elected.

The boys and I are planning on leaving at 4 am tomorrow morning. We will be tweeting and blogging and facebooking, so watch for us!

It's our great summer adventure, Part II. Ain't life grand!