What do women know about cars?

A while back I posed a question that caused a bit of a stir. Do Women have a place in the Classic Car Business?

This would be my favorite response.

About AskPatty.com, Inc.:

Ask Patty provides women consumers an opportunity to send questions about car buying, selling, repair and maintenance to a panel of expert automotive women and is a safe online place to share and discuss their car buying experiences. Women can submit posts directly to the Ask Patty website by going to http://www.askpatty.com  

The Ask Patty advisory panel of automotive expert women is headed up by Deborah Renshaw -- professional NASCAR driver, and is comprised of women who hold various leadership positions in the automotive industry.

Women purchase over 50 percent of all vehicles sold in the United States each year and influence 85 percent of the buying decisions, spending over $80 billion. Yet, shopping for and buying a car can be a challenge for women who are first time car buyers or for women who had a bad experience in the past with a car salesman or dealership.

Properly armed with the right tools and training your dealerships can increase its share of the largest and fastest growing demographic of new vehicle buyers in the U.S. -- Women Consumers. 

The Ask Patty Certified Dealer program was designed specifically for car dealerships to attract, sell, retain and keep loyal women consumers.

AskPatty.com is a member and 2006 corporate sponsor of the Women's Automotive Association International based in Detroit, MI, (http://www.waai.com), on the Women's Board of the Car Care Council, (http://carcare.org), a SEMA member (http://www.SEMA.org) and a member of the SEMA Business Women's Networking Group

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While Chasing Classic Cars IV

           

                                                     A Rainy Day, a Hidden Gem, and a Classic Car Legend at the AACA Museum

 

While attending the Carlisle Show this past weekend, I found myself detouring due to some uncooperative weather. Friday was cold and miserable — perfect conditions to explore somewhere indoors. So I headed over to the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum in Hershey, PA.

   

And honestly? I’m glad it rained.

The museum is a dream for classic car lovers. Beautifully curated exhibits, an incredible variety of vintage cars — and most notably, amazing people.

That’s where I met Walt Weidner, a 93-year-old volunteer who is nothing short of a living legend.

Meet Walt: The Museum’s Oldest Treasure

Walt isn’t just a volunteer — he’s part of the museum’s very foundation. He proudly told me he was around before any of the cars even arrived, helping during the building’s construction back in 2000.

Still sharp, witty, and full of incredible knowledge, Walt lives in an assisted living community but spends his time volunteering at the museum, chatting with guests and sharing stories you won’t find in any guidebook.

Walt’s not just a storyteller — he’s a restorer too. Over the years, he’s brought four classic cars back to life:

• A 1975 Bricklin (with notoriously tricky gullwing doors — made in Canada!)
• A 1927 Franklin
• A 1931 Franklin
• A 1938 Graham

His attention to detail and deep appreciation for automotive history are evident with every story he tells.

Classic Car Nuggets You Didn’t Know (Until You Talk to Walt)

Here are just a few gems Walt dropped while we toured the museum:

🚘 1931 Cadillac Town Sedan – It had a unique cable-driven windshield wiper system that moved back and forth instead of in a circular motion.

🚚 1914 Jefferys Truck – The first vehicle with both 4WD and 4-wheel brakes. It was in high demand by the French and Russian military during World War I.

🔦 1924 Moon – This vintage car featured a built-in trouble light mounted on the dashboard. You could pull it out and use it all around the car — pure genius!

And the best part? Walt has written a book! Titled “6 Unfamiliar Cars & Their Stories,” it’s available at the museum, with all proceeds supporting the AACA. He’s already teasing a second book — and promised it includes a little-known fact about which car company turned a profit during the Great Depression. Walt, we’re waiting!

Make Time for This Museum — and Walt

Whether you’re a lifelong classic car enthusiast or just curious about automotive history, the AACA Museum is a must-visit. And if you’re lucky, Walt will be there, ready with a story, a smile, and maybe a secret or two from the past.

In my ongoing journey chasing classic cars, I’ve discovered a true gem — not just in the museum, but in Walt Weidner, Hershey’s most beloved antique.

Do yourself a favor: Visit the AACA Museum, and if you see Walt, stop and chat. It’ll be the highlight of your trip.

The Museum is amazing and full of excellent autos. Best of all, I metWalt. Walt Weidner a 93 year old volunteer attendant and car buff aficionado.  

The museum picked the perfect volunteers. Walt and Dennis, another attendant, were not only cordial they were very knowledgeable. Both had been involved with Classic Cars for many years and both were glad to share their knowledge with visitors.

Not only was I able to enjoy some great cars, I got an automotive history lesson as I went along taking pictures and writing notes.

Allow me tell you about Walt.

Walt is 93 years old, lives at an assisted living facility and volunteers at the Museum. Truly he is 93 years young. He brags about being at the Museum before any of the cars. He was there during the building’s construction in year 2000.

Walt has always had a love affair with cars. Over the years, he has restored 4 cars bringing them back to museum quality.

His cars were a 1975 Bricklin. What’s a Bricklin, you ask? Walt informed me that these were Canadian built. The most difficult part of the restoration was the winged Doors. His other beauties are a 1927 Franklin, a 1931 Franklin and a 1938 Graham. Good taste Walt!

Spending time with Walt, you will find out all kinds of Classic Car Historical tidbits.

 For example did you know that:

1. Did you know that the 1931 Cadillac Town Sedan had unique windshield wipers? These wipers were on a cable system and clean the windows in a back and forth motions.

2. Did you know the 1914 Jefferies Truck was the first vehicle with 4wd and 4wheel brake systems? These were highly sought after vehicles by the French and Russian Governments during WWI.

3. Did you know that the 1924 Moon had a hardwired light mounted on its dash board that could be pulled out of the car and it reached all around the vehicle to act as a trouble light?

Walt shared these as well as many other details as we walked the Museum. The coolest thing about Walt is that he has written a book titled “6 Unfamiliar Cars & Their Stories.” He assured me that I would love the book and all proceeds benefit the AACA Museum here at Hershey. Soon, he hopes to have his second book completed. Of course, he teased me a bit by telling me that this book will reveal a very little known fact. It will reveal which car company made a profit during the great depression.

Walt, I am waiting.

While Chasing Classic Cars, I have found another gem. The Hershey AACA Museum and its best antique, Walt Weidner. Do yourself a favor; make time to tour this museum. Oh yes, make sure to say hello to Walt.  

   

D

1939 Cord L-29

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Top 10 worst car names of all time

Hagerty News
April 29, 2011

Some car names just make sense. The curvy Volkswagen Beetle, the devilishly powerful Lamborghini Diablo and the superfast Ford Mustang were given monikers designed to call attention to each vehicle’s unique characteristics.

But not every car is so fortunate. Whether these vehicles were top sellers or commercial failures, they all have one thing in common: prime real estate on our list of the worst car names of all time.

Honda That's

1. Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan (1967-75): Well, a really bizarre-looking car needs a really bizarre name, and former seaplane mogul turned automaker Bruce Baldwin Mohs came through on both counts with his Ostentatienne Opera Sedan. Incidentally, we have no idea what it means, either.
2. Zimmer Quicksilver (1984-88): Quicksilver is an archaic name for mercury, exposure to which causes all sorts of neurological impairments, a few of which may have afflicted those who came up with the idea of designing a hyper-expensive luxury sport coupe around the lackluster Pontiac Fiero. 
3. Studebaker Dictator (1927-37): In fairness to Studebaker, when they named the car Hitler, Mussolini and Franco hadn’t yet given dictators the black eye they later would, but still, naming a car after an undemocratic, authoritarian head of state seems more than a bit weird. Ford Führer, anyone?
4. Geely Beauty Leopard (introduced in 2003): If you imagine being a non-English speaker, it’s conceivable that pairing the words “beauty” and “leopard” might have a certain cachet. Or not. The car itself is a relatively non-descript Chinese compact whose only claim to fame is that it sported the world’s first in-car karaoke machine. 
5. Mitsubishi MAUS (Mini Active Urban Sandal) (1995): The name conjures the image of a smelly, worn-out pair of flip flops, so it’s no wonder this micro compact concept car flopped. Little was heard of it after the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show. 
6. Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard (1991-2004): A compact SUV produced by Isuzu in Japan, the real mystery here was why anyone thought this was a better name than “Amigo” or “Rodeo,” the way the car was marketed outside of Japan, unless both Amigo and Rodeo mean something rude in Japanese.
7. Honda That’s (2002-07): A tiny urban car built in Japan for the home market. Honda’s rationale for the name was that it wanted people to see the car and exclaim, “That’s it!” They more likely exclaimed, “That’s totally lame!” 
8. Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear (1994-2007): Mitsubishi has an illustrious history of nonsense names like Starion, Cordia and Tredia, so Delica isn’t out of character in that mishmash. The “Space Gear” part likely refers to the chubby minivan configuration of the vehicle and contributes immensely to the overall absurdity of the name.
9. Datsun Fairlady (1959-70): Nothing says macho sports car like show tunes. Amazingly, Nissan named its sporting roadster after the musical “My Fair Lady,” thereby alienating at least 50 percent of the market for the car. 
10. Mazda Bongo Friendee (1995-2005): To non-English speakers, this probably sounds like it means something. To English speakers, it just sounds silly and is perhaps even the silliest sounding name on the list. Other than the nutty name, it’s a rather nondescript minivan.    

It doesn't matter what the name of the car is, you should have Hagerty Insurance a name you can trust with you loved one.

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