No Time for Clowning Around

In 2026, U.S. Route 66—a more than 2,400-mile highway connecting Chicago to Santa Monica—will celebrate its centennial. The highway showed how innovation, ingenuity and hard work could contribute to western expansion, freedom, mobility and the pursuit of the American dream. Route 66, designed in 1926, facilitated long-distance travel long before the interstate highway system as we know it today.

Route 66 winds through Santa Rosa, New Mexico, birthplace of James “Bozo” Cordova. Growing up, Bozo had no idea how significant a role Route 66 would play in his work and in his family’s lives.

Bozo, a self-described class clown, was known in school for joking and poking fun at others. That’s not how he earned the nickname. When he was a kid, not everyone in the neighborhood had a television. James’ family did, and each day after school, a bunch of his friends would head to his house to watch The Bozo Show, a kids’ comedy program. The kids put two and two together—they were watching the show at James’ house and James was the funny one—so they started calling him Bozo.

The name stuck. More than 65 years later, he answers more often to Bozo than James or Jim.

Bozo’s not too sure how many generations his family goes back in New Mexico. “A bunch,” he says.

His father was from Pastura and worked on the Union Pacific Railroad. Later in life, Bozo’s mom and dad worked together at the old Sun ’n Sand Motel.

Bozo was one of 10 children, five boys and five girls. As proud as he was of his parents’ work ethic, accomplishments and sacrifices they made for the family, he wanted something else—something larger than life.

Growing up, Bozo watched all the different cars traveling east and west on Route 66, an endless stream of Americana. To an impressionable young boy, this was what life was all about: four wheels, sleek lines, a cool paint job, lots of chrome and a big V-8 engine.

Bozo built his first car at age 12 and was hooked. He credits Don Wylie of Fort Sumner, owner of Fort Sumner Body Shop, with teaching him the nuts and bolts of car restoration.

“Don was my mentor,” Bozo says. “Man, he taught me almost everything I know.”

He opened Bozo’s Garage in Santa Rosa in 1980. It was a full-service garage and wrecking service. For 45 years, he and his crew have been a lifeline for many stranded motorists traveling along Interstate 40 and old Route 66.

Bozo’s Garage does ground-up restorations. This includes disassembly, body work, rust repair, fabrication, motor and drivetrain work, electrical, interior, upholstery, painting, reassembly and testing.

In September 2000, Bozo opened Route 66 Auto Museum just across the street from the garage.

The museum showcases a diverse collection of more than 30 beautifully restored cars, including classic, vintage, antique and custom cars and hot rods. Additionally, the museum has a unique selection of antique bicycles, neon and porcelain signs, motorcycles, glass fuel pumps and more.

The idea of the museum came years earlier when Bozo was restoring cars in his home garage. He says people would come over and want to see all of his cars. Many asked if he could restore their cars.

Bozo thinks Anna, his wife and business partner, was very relieved when the museum opened. The number of people coming to their home had, in his words, “really become a little too much.”

Anna has been by his side through thick and thin. Together, they built two successful businesses. However, things haven’t always been easy.

“The museum really struggled the first couple of years, but we stuck with it,” Bozo says. “I had a brain aneurism in 1999 and struggle with health issues even today.”

The hardest thing the Cordovas faced was the loss of their son Tim two years ago.

“We were completely devastated,” Anna says. “The only way Bozo and I got through that terrible time was by God’s mercy.”

Bozo agrees. “The Lord was and is our strength,” he says. “Given everything, we still consider ourselves blessed. Anna and I live with the comfort knowing that we will see Tim again one day.”

Bozo and his team at Bozo’s Garage have restored too many cars to count. Many say they have only seen one side of Bozo as he always seems to have his head under a hood. Bozo may be his nickname, but he has no time for clowning around. He is always on to his next project.

At least he has a helper in Anna. Besides being a business partner, Anna gets to choose the paint color.

“Anna has a good eye for paint color and besides, I’m color blind,” Bozo chuckles.

The museum stays busy year-round. The number of visitors peaks in summer when folks are on family vacation. Snowbirds traveling along Route 66 in fall and winter help balance things out.

People come from far and wide to see a piece of American history: cars from a bygone era. Anna says the museum has a reputation that spans across the country and into several countries around the world.

“We have visitors from as far away as Poland, Italy, Spain, the UK, you name it,” Anna says. “We’ve made many good friends along the way, too.”

“Route 66 has been very good to us,” Bozo says.

The museum is well worth the admission price of $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12 for the self-guided tour. There is a quaint gift shop at the front of the museum. It has collectible magnets, Route 66 memorabilia, museum and Bozo’s Garage T-shirts, and much more.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, there’s a good chance Bozzette’s Food Truck will be in the parking lot.

From the truck, Bozo and Anna’s daughter, Stacy “Bozzette” Wylie, serves some of the best New Mexican/American food around, with tacos a highlight.

The Cordovas are glad to answer any questions visitors have about the cars on display or general questions about automobile restorations.

Anna is proud of the work they’ve done restoring vehicles.

“We’ve made a lot of peoples’ dreams come true,” she says, gleaming with pride.

James “Bozo” Cordova passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Aug. 30. Rest in peace, Bozo.