SMALL WHEELS, BIG DREAMS

Local Shops Driving the Next Generation

The Museum of American Speed is teaming up with auto body shops across Nebraska for a fun, statewide project that puts a creative spin on classic pedal cars, all to support youth education. These businesses have the chance to sponsor and customize a retro 1955 Chevy pedal car, turning them into one-of-a-kind creations with bold paint schemes, unique details, and plenty of personality.

Once finished, these eye-catching works of art will be featured at the Museum of American Speed, select Pump & Pantry locations, and the Nebraska State Fair, giving the public plenty of chances to check them out before they’re auctioned off this fall.

“This is a great way to show off the talent and creativity of Nebraska’s auto body community while making a real impact on hands-on learning for students,” said Tim Matthews, the Museum’s Curator.
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Proceeds from the auction will go directly toward the Museum’s youth education programs, helping spark interest and opportunity for the next generation of automotive enthusiasts and professionals.

The auction will be held online and scheduled for November, 2026. 

Learn how to get involved and reach out today!
Kevin Sanders 
[email protected]
402-423-5769

Donate to support this project

DONATE TODAY

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Green Machine
The Green Machine was a collaborative and rewarding project for Eustis Body Shop.

The name comes from its bold Kawasaki green color, which they chose to make the car pop and stand out for the Museum of American Speed’s youth education program auction. Eustis wanted to create a playful, cartoon-themed pedal car, so they added a motor and lowered the stance to give it a more distinctive look.

Built by:
​Eustis Body Shop
4900 Rentworth Dr,
Lincoln, NE 68516
(402) 423-3038

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The Barn Find  
Eustis's vision for this car was a classic barn find.

They wanted to find a way to keep it old school and unique. There is nothing more unique than patina because it can never be the same as another's.

​For color, their team created a custom reddish-brown to imitate the old red primer used in that generation, then applied the classic GM baby blue on top, feathered to achieve a faux patina, and finished with a semi-gloss satin clear.

Built by:
Eustis Body Shop
105 Johansen Dr,
​Cozad, NE 69130
(308) 784-2151

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Original EBS Cruiser
Paying homage to their roots, Eustis based the name and design of this pedal car on the original Body Shop location in Eustis, Neb.

47 years ago, Eustis Body Shop was founded in small-town Eustis, NE, a population of around 400 people. Since then, Eustis Body Shop has impressively evolved to 8 locations.

Staying true to their roots, they designed this car around an original two-tone '55 Chevy color scheme. It's painted complimentary metallic black and red. 

Built by:
Eustis Body Shop
110 N. Main Street,
​Eustis, NE 69028
(308) 486-5515​

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Oakley
We started with PPG 3-stage cherry bomb Red, and paired that with a PPG 3-stage Starlight White, two-tone, then PPG Chroma Silver, and topped it with 12 coats of PPG Clear Coat.

The Steering wheel is painted with PPG straight black, and the inside of the frame is coated with Hammertone Black.

Design-wise, we had one thing in mind: “Man, you just can’t take your eyes off that thing”.

We wanted the wow factor just like chefs do with food. With the curvature of the body, we knew depth, color, and reflections were going to be a big part of making this the perfect combination for anyone to take home.

We created the blood red color with a candy pigment to give it the depth we needed to pair with the rest of the car. Two-toning the white on the back half was a sweet twist of modern ideas and a custom pearl that makes it look like you are looking at stars mid-daylight.

We added shadowing to the taillights and created a custom look to the headlights to make them look the part, but actually make them look like they are on!
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The Silver color on the moldings, bumpers, and grille was meant to be a silver lining to the finish. Using a Liquid Metal in the formula, we were really happy with how this came out. With our color combinations and 12 coats of clear coat, we are happy to present our version of PIMP MY RIDE!


Paint by:
Morrow Collision Center
2801 N 83rd St 
Lincoln, NE 68507

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JORDY
“Jordy” was inspired by a woman who is near and dear to us.

Jordy always pushes us to reach higher, to never settle for anything less than our best. We used the multi-designed paint scheme to showcase many different design styles, but they live together on one canvas.

There can be clean, straight, and crisp lines, but there can also be off-the-wall craziness, and it can still be beautiful.

We never settle, never try to stay in the norm, always strive for greatness no matter how it may look, and never let others dictate what your best is. 
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Paint by:
Twin Rivers Body Shop
1920 W 9th St
North Platte, NE 69101

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HALF PINT EXPRESS
Don't let its size fool you. Half Pint Express is packed with custom style and hometown pride.

Created by Scott Anderson and Nathan Rice, this custom '55 Chevy pedal car draws inspiration from Levander's Body Shop's own branded Mustang. The bright-blue paint, two-tone finish, and signature door graphics capture the look of the full-size vehicle while giving this "half pint" version a personality all its own.

Every detail was thoughtfully finished, including custom-painted wheels, headlights, and taillights, a flat-black windshield frame, and gloss-black front and rear bumpers. The result is a pedal car that's as fun as it is beautifully crafted.

The name Half Pint Express was chosen simply because, as the builders put it, "We just thought it was a cute name for a cute car!" Their enthusiasm for this project says it all, and Scott and Nathan are already planning what next year's entry will look like. 

Paint by:
​Levander's Body Shop
248 N 44th Street
Lincoln, NE 68503
Phone: (531) 324-3747