A village in central Illinois has agreed to refurbish a retired ballistic missile that has long been stationed at a local airfield.
Last week, leaders in Rantoul agreed to hire a local dealership with a body shop, Crispin Auto Sales, to refurbish a rusting Minuteman II missile. This missile was originally installed at Chanute Air Force Base, which closed in 1993.
The missile now stands along U.S. Route 45 at what was once the West Gate of the Air Force base.
“It’s like our own Eiffel Tower,” Julio Crispin, owner of Crispin Auto Sales, told FenderBender in a web call.
“They’re aiming for a glossy finish,” Crispin said. “You can’t really achieve that with residential or even commercial paint.” He explained that the material of the rocket is why his particular automotive services were requested.
To illustrate the amount of paint and finish he will need to restore the Cold War-era relic, he compared the surface area of the missile to that of six minivans.
As one could imagine, there aren’t any OEM procedures to follow for a missile that was almost used to start World War III. So, he will use PPG paint and finish products because they are always readily available in his area and his staff is most familiar with them. Familiarity with tools and equipment will be key to completing such a unique project that isn't vehicle related.
“There are priming products for aluminum and a lot of steel that needs to be treated,” he explained. “There’s a bit of rust that needs to be ground down and then we seal that.”
This project doesn’t just change what his employees would normally do, but it also changes contracts. Crispin can’t start until he finalizes his due diligence with his insurance.
“It’s such a peculiar thing,” he explained. “The insurance dynamics for my painters to be 52 feet in the air is not the traditional insurance I have for them.”
Because of how the missile is mounted, he can’t place it on its side so his painters can work from the ground. All the work must be done on location.
Crispin doesn’t just own a body shop and a dealership, he also runs a construction company, Rantoul Warehouse Group. Employees from there will also participate in the refurbishing of the missile.
“There’s steel, there’s concrete, and there’s a lot of different elements to this, so it definitely takes all hands-on deck for sure,” Crispin said.
The only thing he foresees subcontracting, as of April 16, is the signage on the missile.
According to local outlets, the project will cost $47,000 and Crispin anticipates completion in three months, or two months if weather permits.
The missile was one of many across the U.S., acting as a deterrent to imminent attacks, especially after the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 when thousands of other Minuteman missiles were installed across the country.
