PRESERVING A HUSKER LEGEND

Help Restore Bob Devaney's 1964 Dodge Custom 880 Convertible

Some discoveries happen in the most unexpected places.

In June 2026, while helping clean out an old building in Goehner, Nebraska, Museum Curator Tim Matthews made an astonishing discovery. Tucked away in a dusty back room sat a car many enthusiasts had heard rumors about for years: Bob Devaney's 1964 Dodge Custom 880 Convertible.
The building belonged to Bethine Wermeskerch, one of the museum's longest-serving volunteers, and her late husband Roger Wermeskerch, a beloved volunteer and devoted Mopar enthusiast who passed away in 2020. Over decades, Roger assembled an incredible collection of rare Mopar automobiles, parts, and automobilia. Yet among all the treasures he collected, one stood out because of its local history.

This beautiful Dodge convertible once belonged to legendary Nebraska football coach Bob Devaney, the man who transformed the University of Nebraska football program and became one of the most respected figures in state history. Period photographs show Devaney taking delivery of the car at DeBrown's Dodge in Lincoln, posing alongside dealership owner Wally DeBrown. The image captures a different era in Nebraska, when community leaders, local businesses, and beloved coaches shared a close relationship.
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Roger Wermeskerch had heard stories that Devaney's Dodge survived, and he spent years tracking it down. In November 2008, after a lengthy search, he successfully acquired the car from the Cameron Family Trust, ensuring that this remarkable piece of Nebraska automotive and sports history would be preserved.

Today, the car remains largely untouched, waiting for its next chapter.

Our Goal: Return the Car to Like-New Condition

The museum has launched a full restoration effort to return Bob Devaney's Dodge Custom 880 Convertible to the condition it would have appeared in when the coach first drove it away from the dealership in 1964.

Our restoration budget goal is $200,000, and we need your help.
We are seeking:

• Cash donations to fund restoration work
• Parts donations and hard-to-find original components
• Specialized services and expertise
• Corporate sponsors and individual supporters
• Volunteers who want to help preserve Nebraska history

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Every contribution, large or small, brings this unique automobile one step closer to its return to the road.

Be Part of the Story
This is more than a classic car restoration. It is the preservation of a tangible connection to Nebraska's sports heritage, automotive history, and the people who helped shape our state.
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With your support, future generations will be able to see the very car associated with one of Nebraska's most iconic coaches and experience a remarkable story that nearly disappeared forever.

Join us in bringing Bob Devaney's Dodge back to life. Donate, contribute parts, or become a restoration partner today.