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About Me
My work has appeared in a number of major publications either as writer, photographer, or source. I enjoy talking about all things automotive. Recent Posts
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CarSpace Hudson's BlogAll around the car world there are stories and these are just a few of them. A new blog is posted every Monday. Sometimes more often. Feb 18, 2008 - Sadly, Another ObituaryThe other night, I was saddened to hear of the passing someone important to me. After my father, he was one of the most influential men in my life. His name was Stanley Stephenson and he was well-known in the automotive publishing world.
I met Stan when I was about 10 or 12. My uncle introduced me to him as they were old friends. As a lifelong automotive enthusiast, I was so excited to meet the editor of a car magazine and I’m sure I talked his ear off at the time. I ran into him once in a while when we would visit my uncle, but it wasn’t until I moved to Philadelphia that he made a real impact in my life.
In 1992, I moved to Philly and started working auditing welfare cases. After a month or so, I realized that this job would not provide enough challenge for me and I started looking for a new career path. I read about a company in West Chester that provided automotive information to car magazines, so I looked into them. Hoping that Stan could provide even more information, I called him. He said that he knew of the guy in charge of the company but didn’t know him personally. Stan told me that Bill, the owner of the company in question, wouldn’t hire me because of my lack of experience. However, he told me of another person who might give me a chance; the publisher at Chilton Book Company.
My interview at Chilton was hard on my nerves. I wanted to work there but I had very limited hands-on experience compared to the established editors. I met with about six senior editors over my hour-long interview. In one meeting, one of the senior editors said “if Stan recommended him, that’s good enough for me.” It was on my ride home that this statement hit me and I realized that they would be making me an offer, simply because Stan was my reference. I’m not sure that I ever really thanked him for that. I worked at Chilton for the next five years.
I will miss running into Stan at car shows and reading his articles in various publications. A piece of him comes out whenever I write one of my articles. He has been very influential in my career and, as was Stan's way, I hope to pay-it-forward when the opportunity arises.
Stan called me up just a few months ago to tell me that he was cleaning out his library and wanted to know if I wanted any of his books. He presented me with a small box of books and press kits. While others might not appreciate the growth in my automotive library, I appreciate his contribution and, sadly, I’ll remember that brief visit as our last meeting.
Aug 20, 2007 - Automotive HeroesKids have all kinds of heroes. Ask a kid who they’d like to meet and star athletes or famous actors or the top musical acts will be on that list. When I was a kid, there weren’t too many of those on my list. I was never so caught up in sports that any athlete fit into that category for me. While I love movies, there aren’t too many actors that I would go out of my way to meet. And I have met a few musicians and comedians over the years, none of them were ever on my list of “must meet” people. My lists were more tailored to my interest in cars and trucks. And my list gets longer or shorter based on things I hear about these particular people. I have no desire to meet most of the upper management of any of the world’s automotive companies…just being an executive doesn’t rank you high in my book. But if they’ve done something out of the ordinary, that will change things. In my travels, probably the most famous automotive person I met was Bob Lutz (in his Chrysler and GM lives). I have interviewed automotive personalities like Gerald Wiegert (founder of Vector Aeromotive) and E.T. Gregorie (designer of a number of vehicles including a few famous Ford products). I’ve also met people like Joel Piatkowski (chief designer for Hyundai Motor America) and J Mays (vice president of design for Ford). But the most important and personally satisfying introductions have been to automotive historians. You may not know their names, but if you have any interest in automotive history (and you probably do if you’re reading this), you should look into their work. I’ve been lucky to have met people like David E. Davis and Karl Ludvigsen. I’ve actually spoken casually with writers like Michael Lamm. And I’m proud to know some less well-known but still very important historians such as Fred Roe and the late Richard Scharchburg (the automotive archives at Kettering University is named for him). It might seem odd to some that the highlight of my automotive career so far was to meet one particular woman. There aren’t many women in the automotive field relative to the number of men that overwhelm this industry. It has traditionally been an “old boys club,” and it still is in many ways. That’s not to say that women have not made their impressions known. Women like Sue Davis (formerly with the Stanley Musuem) and the late Helen Earley (great Oldsmobile historian) have shown the boys a thing or two. But the key person, to me, is Beverly Rae Kimes. Ms Kimes got me involved with the Society of Automotive Historians before we even met (see an earlier blog). I usually get to see Bev a few times a year and I look forward to her infectious attitude every time. Bev was the editor of Automobile Quarterly for a number of years. She has since written a number of books and articles that delve deep into the history of a vehicle or event or company. Any Mercedes-Benz fan should know her writing through “The Star and the Laurel,” which was written to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Daimler and Benz. I hope whatever your passion is, you find someone who is an inspiration. Someone who makes you want to be better and sets an example for you. People like Bev Kimes and Mike Lamm and Fred Roe have set that example for me professionally.
Jul 31, 2007 - Oh, the People You Will Meet!The September issue of Car and Driver arrived the other day and one particular road test gave me a flashback. I’ve been working in and around the automotive industry for a number of years and it always amazes me that there is such a wide variety of abilities in the people who are supposed to be the face to the public and the media. There are people who you will go out of your way to see at every event and there are people you will avoid as if your life (and more importantly, your sanity) depended on it. I remember a woman who worked at Honda that everyone spoke of in only the most glowing terms and there were similar people Subaru and Ford. But unfortunately, it’s the people on the other end of the spectrum who you tend to remember the most. This particular issue of Car and Driver features a test of a Slovakian kit car that looks quite exotic. So exotic, in fact, that I went out of my way to catch a look at one a snap a picture or two. I was walking around a car show where the K1 Attack was shown. As I walked over, I noticed that someone was being interviewed just in front of the car. The videographer was setting up so I quickly snapped a picture before they were ready for the camera to roll. As I walked away, the interviewer tried to impress his interviewee by making some disparaging remark about any shmo with a camera, obviously trying to put himself on a plane higher than me. He was obviously younger than me so I was to assume that, unless he had being interviewing people since he was in diapers, I had more experience than him. But because I didn’t have an entourage or a broadcast-quality video camera, I must be one of the unwashed masses. I felt secure enough that I didn’t have to flash the media credentials in my pocket just to make myself feel important. And because I’m a nice person, I didn’t embarrass this cub reporter in front of his “big interview.” Now, as I’m reading what I’ve written, I feel like you, the reader, are going to get the wrong idea of me. I love working in this industry. Aside from that rare person, I’ve enjoyed the company of most automotive people (media, PR, and others) that I’ve met along the way. I do not, in any way, want you to think that I think highly of myself, because I don’t. But when others put me down, I will get a bit defensive. There’s a pecking order in this industry, and you’re made aware of it quite often. There are precious few people you must bow down to, but you also know that your experience and stature places you on a certain rung of the ladder. Just because you have a cameraman with you doesn’t put you near the top and just because you carry a lowly digital camera doesn’t mean you’re on the ground floor. If I were to run into you at a car show, I would treat you just as you would treat me. If you’re taking a picture, I will step back and help prevent others from stepping into your frame. But I would hope to have you treat me just the same. When someone acts as if they’re more important than anyone else around them, they’re not going to get any special treatment from me. I’ve been surprised by the people who are nice to me and sometimes equally surprised by the people who weren’t. There was a gentleman from a Washington DC TV station. You wouldn’t know him to see him, but if you lived in the area, you would know his voice. We ran into each other a few times and each time he would re-introduce himself as having “an old car and a young wife,” and then proceed to show me a picture of his ’59 Rolls-Royce. Another car show, another DC personality. I was fighting through a crowd at the New York Auto Show, looking down and trying my best not to step on anyone’s feet, when I caught a glimpse of a name tag. I read “John Harter” and I immediately remembered that I watched his on-air road tests on WJLA. I told him that I watched him every week and he replied by joking that he thought only his mother watched. I was reporting on an awards ceremony where a rather famous and prolific automotive writer was honored. After I took his picture, I told him that he had authored the first automotive book I was ever given. He is quite the writer so he started to name off some of his most important works, but I just answered no. When I named the book, he laughed and said, “the funny thing is, I don’t remember writing that one.” Apparently, the book had been culled together from various pieces he wrote so he never specifically sat down to write that book, but we had a laugh about it. These are the people you want to meet. These are the people who make the automotive industry so dynamic and interesting. From the most experienced CEO to most-knowledgeable historian to the private car collector to the budding enthusiast, there’s nothing quite like the automotive world. I wish I could introduce you to some of the people I’ve met along the way. Some are funny (intentionally or not), some are scholarly, many are respectful, and all add some color to the world. And you can meet some of them on your own; just visit a local car show or cruise night. You’re bound to find some colorful people there. And then you’ll have a few stories of your own to share. I’d love to hear them!
Jul 30, 2007 - Me, My Father, and My MGOne late December afternoon, my friend and I were driving around rural Bedford County Pennsylvania. It was winter break from college and we were exploring. We were driving on roads I was vaguely familiar with since my summer job working with PennDOT. And this was a particularly out-of-the-way region of the county. We passed under an old brick railroad overpass and emerged to find a nice little house situated there. Aside from it being an older home with a little porch out front and a garage out back, I don’t recall too many details about it. I do, however, remember the little car parked in the yard right next to the road. Snow covered the faded orange MG Midget. The body had some rust, but was in good condition. The roof had a hole about 18 inches across where snow could cover the vinyl seats. The inspection sticker expired a year earlier and the useless rear window sported a University of Miami sticker. It was love at first sight. “It needs me,” was my first thought. But I was just a poor college student. A few months later, school was over for the year and I was working in a local quarry. My bank account sported a positive balance in the triple digits. And my mind returned to that house next to the railroad tracks in Everett. I had to find it. I retraced my steps and found the MG just as before, but this time without the snow. The home owner told me the whole story of the car. Mr Ritchey’s daughter had purchased this car and used it for a few years. She parked it in the yard and there it sat for years. A gentleman purchased the car for $400 but could not drive it away. Another failed attempt to take it left the car as an oversized lawn ornament in Mr Ritchey’s property. Until I arrived. I was given the name and address of the car’s owner and I promptly contacted him. My letter, in my best legal-ese, stated the current state of affairs. This poor car had been left at Mr Ritchey’s house and was the responsibility of the new owner. Mr Ritchey, as I so eloquently wrote, could have the car removed at the new owner’s expense. And I felt that it was in his best interest to sell it to me for $250; a $150 loss to him. My letter was mailed on Monday. On Friday of that week, the owner of the car called me. He had moved away from the address I was given and the US Postal Service had taken all of three days to find him. He accepted my offer with no conditions. We planned to meet the very next day. All of this planning had been made without the knowledge of my parents. I was old enough to buy a car, but I didn’t think my parents would appreciate this project car darkening their doorstep. Just as I was planning to make the roadtrip out to buy the car, I told my mother. Since I didn’t have a checking account, she took my $250 and wrote a check for the same amount. And, against her better judgement, she sent me on my way. The following Tuesday, I had planned on having the car delivered to my friend’s house where I would work on it. That afternoon, my mother called me at work to request that I tell my father about the car. Let me back up a step or two. My father was a powerful man. He stood only about 5’10 but his rounded chest hid his 220-pound heft. He experienced many ups and downs to that point from plucking chickens for a living to his position as Captain of the State Police. I learned much from his past experiences and I tried to show my maturity by demonstrating that I’ve listened to (and heard) all of his stories and warnings. But my father was not a car person and only tolerated my love of all things automotive. I called Dad. I explained that I had purchased a car and that I wanted to have it brought home. He immediately went into defensive position. What did I pay for it? How could he complain about a $250 car that I had an MG expert look at? Did I have a notary sign the proper documents? Yes…the seller and I found a notary and that’s where the money changed hands. How was I getting the car moved there and how much did I pay for it? I hired a rollback truck to haul the car about 10 miles for $10 (this still astounds even me). He had no more questions. He said, “bring it home.” And so I did. I arrived just seconds before the car. My father walked out of the house with his stern look of disapproval. I had nothing but a shi---, er, crap-eating smile on my face. The poor little car was off-loaded and parked in front of the house. And then my father took charge. He moved the car to the backyard. We immediately put it up on cinderblocks and took off the tires. We surveyed the car to find out what our next steps should be. We removed a wasp’s nest. We removed the old carpeting and seats. Replaced the battery and transmission. Replace a burned valve. Replaced the carpeting and various other old pieces. We eventually got it running. Those moments working on or driving that car with my father will always stay with me. My father passed away a number of years ago but I still have that car. The car still talks to me just like it did when I first saw it that December afternoon. It yells from its shed (which itself cost a few times more than all of the money I’ve put into the car) to take it out and drive it around. It’s currently on its third “restoration” since I’ve owned it. And I plan to drive it around in memory of my father. While it was my first car, it was his last. If you see a faded orange MG puttering around with its driver smiling ear-to-ear, give me a thumb’s up!
Jul 23, 2007 - Another Saturday, Another Car Show“Put 100 cars in a parking lot and I’ll have a good time.” This is my standard answer when someone asks what I thought of a particular car show. In most areas, you can find three or four car shows in any given weekend. You can probably find a dozen or more within driving distance on any particular Saturday between May and September in the United States. Unfortunately, I have other things in my life that prevent me from attending each and every one of the shows that are within range in this rather car-show-rich region. So I get rather picky about the shows I attend. Among my favorites are the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), the Burn Prevention Concours d’Elegance of the Eastern United States, the Fall AACA Meet and flea market in Hershey (Pennsylvania), and three particular Carlisle shows. I have a special place for the Burn Prevention show. It remains one of the best Concours events in the United States even though new shows of this type are popping up left and right. In 2000, I was honored when I was asked to judge at this show. For the next six years, I worked the field judging the vehicles in attendance and it’s a great way to view these cars; especially when you are teamed with one or two other car fanatics who see things you miss (and vice versa). When I judge a car show, I want to disagree with my fellow judges. As the first judge announces that his/her choices are car A, car B, and car C, I just want to offer another choice by pointing out the significant points of car X or car Y. Like I said, these are car fanatics and usually the best cars are car A, car B, and car C and cars X and Y are not nearly as nice. But when you can persuade a fellow judge to see your point of view, it just boosts your confidence in your judging and debating skills. This year, I was unable to attend and judge the Burn Prevention show. As I was realizing this, I started looking for other shows that could replace it in my schedule. I couldn’t possibly go an entire summer without a concours event, could I? Fortunately, there was another regional car show. The five-year-old York County Heritage Trust Concours d’Elegance fit into the calendar just right. I contacted the show and found that my judging background could be of assistance to them as well. My team of judges included an architectural and automotive restorer and a former public relations person for a few import brands. As is always my desire, I was able to learn quite a bit from these two very knowledgeable gentlemen. Details about Rolls-Royce and Porsche flowed in my own private little automotive history class. Our category was European cars after World War II. The cars listed in our category that intrigued me most included the Lotus Cortina and Jaguar saloon, the latter of which never actually made it to the show. A couple of Volvos and a Jaguar were also in the group. But the stand outs were a white Bentley S2 sedan and a 1976 Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible. The Bentley and Rolls-Royce were obviously in a class by themselves and picking a winner between them came down to nit-picky things. Both cars were in spectacular condition; the Bentley was fully restored while the Rolls-Royce was all original. Positive aspects of the Rolls-Royce included a few that I saw as negatives. The owner told us that the 1,800-mile car had never been in the rain and the car’s top had never been put down. My thoughts go back to a long-held mantra of mine: “if you’re not going to drive it, sell it to someone who will.” Cars are meant to be driven. While some of them might be pretty…some can even be considered to be artwork…they’re still just transportation. Driving them is part of the enjoyment of ownership. A convertible top that has never been folded is like having a piece of chocolate that you can’t eat. As we continued to look at all of the cars to pick Best of Show, we came across a classic Cadillac V16. This long black Caddy had all of the makings of a show winner. Lines of a car that manufacturers couldn’t possibly produce (which is why the body was custom-built by a coachbuilder). Engineering that was absolutely unique to the time period and featured a 45-degree V16 engine. Seven-passenger seating in some of the opulent materials of the day. In our minds, this was the winner. And that was set in our minds for about five minutes. After we passed a classic Chrysler and a Wills St. Claire, there it was: a French Vanilla 1948 Delahaye. The body of the Delahaye 135 was built by Figoni & Falaschi which made the car a standout. Chrome mouldings wrapped from below the car up over the tail of the car on each fender with an accent like a spit curl coming in from each trim piece. It was an award-winning exterior, but that wasn’t what cinched it for us. We peeked into many cars that Saturday morning. Interiors of cars of the 1930s and 1940s are considerably different those of today. Where today’s interiors are all about safety and ergonomics, cars of 50 and 60 years ago featured styled interiors. Some of the interiors of these show cars turned metal dashboards and one even had an attractive design with simulated sunbeams radiating from an imagined sun just below the center of the dashboard. But the Delahaye had the most unique treatment. Gazing across the instrument panel, you noticed that each and switch or knob, even the tiny steering column-mounted shift lever, was Lucite. The almost-crystal-looking features gave a ghostly appearance to the dashboard. But over on the right side of the interior was a large steering wheel, which, except for the center hub, was entirely Lucite. This was the hands-down winner for us. And most of the other judges must have agreed since it did take the title of Best of Show.” While these fantastic marvels of opulence are the most expensive vehicles at a concours event, they’re not usually the reason why I enjoy them. The biggest draw for me comes in the form of the rare cars that attract fewer people. Vehicles like the odd-ball Thrif-T three-wheeler presented as being so rare that the owner couldn’t find out how many had been produced by the Springfield, Massachusetts-based Tri-Wheel Motor Corporation. Four themes were evident. First was the featured designer Giugiaro who created the original Volkswagen Golf (known in the US as the Rabbit), the infamous Delorean, and a number of exotics from Maserati and Iso. Second was the featured year of 1957 represented by Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth models. Third was the anniversary of the New York to Paris race where an American Thomas Flyer, similar to the one on display, won. And because this show was in York, a local flavor was also spun into the gathering. Four locally built Pullman cars and the locally built Hart-Kraft truck. When you go to one of these car shows, you could accidentally learn something. Whether it’s an appreciation for the beauty of these cars or the history lesson that comes from hearing how or why some of these vehicles came into being, a day at a car show is more than just walking around and looking at cars. And if you’re like my judging partner, it can become a day where you can bond with your child. Someday I hope to pass my love and appreciate for all things automotive to my children. In the meantime, I can just encourage others to take your kid to a car show. Perhaps I can get a few more people to enjoy car shows like I do. And maybe I’ll encourage another group of people to put their “100 cars in a parking lot” where I and many others can “have a good time.”
Jul 16, 2007 - Alone in the Car WorldGrowing up, I was always into cars. When I was not quite three years old, I could name cars from their headlights or taillights as they passed my parents car at night. I was dragging my parents to the car dealerships every September and October until I was old enough to drive there myself. I've "designed" cars and trucks since I was six even submitting a design to Ford before I was eight. But it was always just me. My folks thought of cars at merely transportation. Some of my friends liked cars, but none were nearly as fanatical as I was. I was so starved for automotive companionship that I would talk anyone's ear off if given the chance. I couldn't hold a conversation without it somehow leading to cars. It was the one topic I knew. It was a curse, atleast that's how my parents saw it. When I was twelve or so, my father sat me down once and told me that I had to find more interests. I liked music although I couldn't play an instrument or hold a note. I liked art but I was far from gifted. Cars were my world. After my father's brief talking-to, I left his room dejected. He left the room shortly afterward to find me looking into the toilet bowl. "These toilets are very interesting," I told him. He never brought the subject up again. I met my first automotive professional when I was about thirteen. He was an editor of a car magazine and a friend of my uncle. I knew car salemen but they were salemen, not car people. This was a real, honest-to-gawd car person. And I'm sure he couldn't wait for me to leave that evening. I talked cars for as long as he sat still. Years passed and I went off to college and graduated. With my degree in hand, I went looking for a job. I sold cars. I worked on cars. I wrote about cars. I worked with many, many people but still couldn't find car people like me. I even joined the Antique Automobile Club of America and found them not to be interested enough in cars for me. One evening I was watching a show on the A&E network. It ranked the top 10 cars of all time and had the usual suspects such as the Model T and the Beetle. As the show counted off each car, people discussed why this car was so important. Of all the people interviewed, one woman changed my life. Her name was Beverly Rae Kimes. The caption below her name read "President, Society of Automotive Historians." What kind of group is the "Society of Automotive Historians," I asked myself. I immediately went on a search to find this group. In the age before widespread use of the internet, I tapped into a friend who was a historian, albeit architectural. She quickly returned with a contact name and address. At the first meeting, I felt right at home. It didn't matter that I was almost half the age of the next youngest attendee. There was a bond right away. These were my people...REAL car people. After years of searching, I was home. Whether you're into tuner cars or old American hot rods or diesel trucks, finding people who speak your language is important. Having an outlet where you can explore things you know and things you'd like to know is a must in order to keep growing and keep your interests fresh. That group exists. If you haven't found them yet, keep looking. If you have found them, enjoy every minute. And if you're lucky, you might fall into a crowd that speaks your language and lives your lifestyle...and earns a living talking and doing just that. I have been so lucky. And I hope you have the same sort of luck! Keep Motoring!
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