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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.
Nov 8, 2007 - Swap Meet Do's and Don'tsWorking in the automotive industry as I do, and being a car nut as I am, I am fortunate to get to read many different magazines. My current office receives no fewer than 20 automotive magazine titles a month. I've mentioned my dislike for mainstream magazines before, but this doesn't extend to niche magazines, which can be really good (and sometimes REALLY bad, but that's for another blog). Today I am reading Street Thunder, which is a bi-monthly magazine published by the National Street Machine Club. If you like modified cars, you should look into this club and magazine. Another thing you may have gathered from reading earlier posts, I like lists. Perhaps it comes from a background where making bullet-pointed PowerPoint presentations is the norm. I don't know, but whenever an editor decides to make a list of things (best of, worst of, what to do, what to avoid, etc), I will give it a once over. The list in the current Street Thunder (page 54, November/December 2007 issue) talks about the "Do's & Don'ts" of swap meets. I love swap meets, automotive and otherwise, even if I rarely buy anything. I've got a house full of stuff (read into this the George Carlin bit where your sh** is stuff and to everyone else, your stuff is sh**) that I've acquired over the years of attending swap meets, flea markets, yard sales, garage sales, tag sales, estate sales, and auctions. So this article definitely caught my eye. Scott Parkhurst, the author of this article, goes into some excellent points directed toward automotive swap meets. If you're buying used things (parts or whole cars), be ready to spend more money on them. Buyer beware at these events because its up to you to know that this item is worth the money to you; the laws of supply and demand are critical at a swap meet, any item is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it no matter what the seller thinks it may be worth. But the part about this list I liked the most pertained to preparedness. As a veteran of some of the world's largest automotive swap meets, primarily Carlisle and Hershey, I agree with these points. "4. Do make a list of specific things you're looking for prior to entering the gate." Because I usually buy literature, I have what is known to my friends as the "anti-shopping" list, which contains all of the books and magazines that I already own and don't want to duplicate. If I need something for the MG, I will have a list of the specifics which will include sizes and colors, when appropriate. "5. Do bring a cellular phone or two-way radio." Assuming you're not alone, this is very important. You will, at some point, get separated from your partner. And if you're not attending the show with someone, you may need to contact someone back home (a friend or spouse) about something they may need or something expensive you want (this one pertains to the spouse more than the friend, unless you're trying to get them to talk you out of buying a 1978 Cadillac Hearse or a "very nice" Yugo). "6. Do walk the entire swap meet before buying anything." Years ago, my buddies and I were walking around the swap meet at Lime Rock. My collection of Automobile Quarterly magazine was missing one key issue: Volume 4, Number 4. This highly-desired issue typically sells for around $100 when most other issues can be purchased for $10 or $20. But we found a copy of it for $75 and my friends decided to buy it for me for my birthday. My new book in hand, we continued to stroll around when we found another copy of the same book being offered for $10 only 20 minutes later. It pays to shop around BEFORE making the purchase. And one more that may be too obvious for the writers to include: "Do dress appropriately." When going to Hershey or Carlisle, prepare for rain because these car shows and precipitation usually go hand-in-hand. Because of the timing of these two shows, you can catch an 80-degree day or you could catch a 30-degree day...know which one it is before leaving the house and pack accordingly. Wear good walking shoes because you're going to put more than a few miles on your sneakers or boots that day, no matter what swap meet you attend. And know what you're planning to buy so that you know how to get it home: if you're buying literature or small parts, a large book bag might work, but if you're buying larger parts, make sure you bring a wagon (and a vehicle large enough to carry that set of fenders home). I was never a Boy Scout. But I learned from friends who were to "be prepared." This is one of those cases when that knowledge comes in handy.
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