Replica of popular cartoon character pops up at Cruisin’ to Newton

While many classic vehicle enthusiasts attend car shows to show off their wheels, Gale Gregg just wants to make children smile with his 1959 Chevy truck.

The Des Moines resident and his wife, Michelle, attend car shows all over central Iowa, to show off the ‘59 Chevy that bares a resemblance to Tow Mater, the popular sidekick from Disney/Pixar’s “Cars” franchise.

Gale found the rust-colored truck in a field close to two years ago,  and instantly knew that it would make a perfect replica of Mater. After the purchase, he found windshield shades on eBay that replicated Mater’s eyes and made the character’s signature buck teeth himself.

For a number of years, the Greggs were foster parents and took in more than 40 kids, Gale said. He said that once Michelle started having a few health issues, they had to stop fostering kids. Not being able to help kids out bothered Gale, and when he saw the Chevy in the field, a light bulb went off and he knew what he had to do.

“This is a new way of taking care of kids,” Gale said about his Mater truck.

On Saturday, Gale made an appearance at the Cruisin’ to Newton car show on the square, and just a little past noon he estimated that more than 60 kids had come by to pose with Mater.

Gale can’t even count the number of car shows he’s brought Mater to, and he said that at a car show this past April, there was a 10 minute line of kids waiting to have their picture taking.

“People ask me do I win awards at car shows and things like that. I do, but none of that really matters to me. I get an award every time a kid smiles,” Gale said.

Contact Senior Staff Writer Ty Rushing at (641) 792-3121 ext. 6532 or at trushing@newtondailynews.com.