Fozzie's Restored Studebaker Unveiled at The Studebaker National Museum!

After an 18-month restoration process Fozzie Bear’s ride is back in its natural habitat the Studebaker National Museum.

Over the weekend, the museum unveiled the restored 1951 Studebaker Commander  famously borrowed from Fozzie's uncle in The Muppet Movie.

Photo: Southbend Tribune

International Academy Award-winning costume, prop house and custom car builder Razorfly Studios in Sylva, North Carolina, was commissioned to do the restoration.

Restorers sandblasted the car down to the bare metal before coating the frame in a sealant to prevent further rust. then tried to replicate the specific psychedelic paint job Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem gave it. 

Photo: Southbend Tribune

Museum Curator Kyle Sater said he started choking up seeing the car roll out of its trailer "This car is more than a car," t's cross-generational — it's an icon... It symbolizes friendship and memory and nostalgia."

The film actually features two identical 1951 Studebaker Commanders. One car was used for long shots, while the second was modified so the puppeteers could control the Muppets from under the dashboard while a professional driver steered the car from the trunk using custom controls.

Following production, the car sat outdoors for years on a Warner Bros. backlot, until the Studebaker National Museum acquired it in 2004 as a donation from the Orange Empire Chapter of the Studebaker Driver’s Club in California.

A full restoration was always the intent when the museum first acquired the car, but it took time to get the money to do it. In January 2022, The museum  launched a crowdsourcing campaign hoping to get $175,000

Photo: Southbend Tribune

After raising around $100,000 from various donors, including private donors, a donation of replacement parts from Studebaker International and other contributors Stephen Allen’s LLC, Westmoreland Studebaker, Studebakers West and Midwest Studebaker, the work began in January 2024 and the car returned to the museum Thursday, July 10 2025.

Photo: Southbend Tribune

Part of the restoration included a "meticulous recreation of the psychedelic paint scheme" and restoring the car's mechanical systems and remote cockpit, which was used to operate the vehicle during filming. This was one of the greatest challenges, Zoran said.

Muppet Movie Cinematographer Isidore Mankofsky testing the car 

Razorfly aimed for perfection when renovating the 1951 Studebaker Commander by maintaining the spirit of the movie as well as the spirit of the vehicle design, Zoran said. The company conducted hours of research and even reached out to Disney to view behind-the-scenes footage of the film to make the vehicle drive again, rather than have it be a prop.

“We had to find out what they removed, what they modified," Zoran said. "All of those changes we had to then reverse and almost reverse engineer. We actually had to manufacture some parts to make the car back to (its) normal usability."

Below are some before and after photos:

Photo: Ed George

 

Photo: Ed George

UPDATE:

Here's Mid-Michigan Now's story on the unveiling as seen on FOX66 and NBC25:

More information about The Studebaker National Museum and Fozzie's car can be found here: https://studebakermuseum.org/exhibition/fozzies-studebaker

Help Restore Fozzie's Studebaker from The Muppet Movie!

The Studebaker National Museum, home to the iconic1951 Studebaker Commander driven by Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Movie is looking for help from fans to help restore it. 

Fozzie's Studebacker in its current condition 

According to their funding page "After filming ended, the Studebaker spent years on the Warner Brothers back lot; eventually, the car was gifted by the Studebaker Driver’s Club Orange Empire Chapter to the Museum in its current condition. The Museum is seeking funding to undertake an intensive restoration of the vehicle, which will bring back the psychedelic paint scheme fondly remembered by millions across the globe."

Fozzie's (hopefully restored) Studebacker

Before you get worried about the restoration the museum clarified that "besides restoring the eye-catching design, the car will be restored to operable condition and the special effects modifications, necessary to show the Muppets driving the car, will be preserved."

"By restoring the car, we will not only be able to preserve a valuable piece of movie history, but also engage visitors in the complex mechanical systems and effects that often go into some of their favorite films. The story of the car will appeal to young and old alike. In addition, having an eye-catching operable vehicle will allow us to loan out the vehicle for other museum exhibitions and car shows."

In the event that fundraiser is a success, the restoration process will take about two years and the museum will documented the process on social media.

Also, "in the unfortunate event that this donation campaign does not reach its goal, the money raised will be put into the restricted Muppet Car Restoration fund until sufficient funds have been raised to complete this project."

Let's not let that happen and help The Studebaker National Museum, move right along and get Fozzie’s (uncle's )Studebaker back on the road!

"Supporting this project will allow the car to delight and educate generations to come."

You can donate to the Studebaker National Museum's GoFundMe page.