A Chicago-area man has acquired vehicles featured in James Bond movies -- a collection estimated to be worth $15 million.
The exhibition of the Bond vehicles is used to help fund an undergraduate research scholarship fund for the media department at the University of Illinois.Doug Redenius' first encounter with the fictional British secret agent James Bond occurred at an Illinois movie theatre back in 1964.
That purchase was the basis for a collection which now includes 42 vehicles from Bond films. Redenius, a longtime resident of St. Anne, Illinois, in Kankakee County, now houses most of these vehicles in an undisclosed airplane hangar about an hour outside of Chicago city limits. The foundation, which is dedicated to the study and preservation of literary works by Bond creator Ian Fleming, showcases its 007 movie vehicles solely for charity. For instance, the exhibition of the Bond vehicles is used to help fund an undergraduate research scholarship fund for the media department at the University of Illinois.
"We're celebrating our 30th anniversary, while the Bond film franchise is celebrating its 60th anniversary - the first Bond film was 'Dr. No' in 1962. And the first Bond novel was Fleming's 'Casino Royale,' which was published 70 years ago. So we're celebrating a lot of anniversaries." "Once we got established, people began tipping us off on where to find some of these vehicles after their movies wrapped," Redenius said.
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Chicago-area man collects '007' vehicles for charityA Chicago-area man has acquired vehicles featured in James Bond movies -- a collection estimated to be worth $15 million.
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Chicago-area man collects '007' vehicles for charityThe exhibition of the Bond vehicles is used to help fund an undergraduate research scholarship fund for the media department at the University of Illinois.
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Chicago-area man collects '007' vehicles for charityA Chicago-area man has acquired vehicles featured in James Bond movies -- a collection estimated to be worth $15 million.
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