Just a quick report from the "Designer Night" in Detroit last night. My wife and I got there early around 6ish and they were still bustn ***** to tie up loose ends. My friend Camilo Pardo (chief designer of the Ford GT), primary sponsor and organizer for this event at his warehouse "home" was just a veritable blurr. They had arranged to bring in a 60's era Lotus formula racer in museum condition (green with yellow stripe) as the center piece. The walls were plastered with assortment of Camilo's F1 paintings and paintings by other well known automotive painters of this current era. There were three seperate wet bars and at least 4 food stations, caterers and live entertainments. Two hours later, the place was filled back to back, shoulder to shoulder with designers, I'd estimate between four to five hundred! Practically all the VPs of the design world from every company were there. I happened to be standing near the entrance with my friends and guess who walked in? None other than Frank Stephenson, BMWs former VP of Mini design!! It was his design that evolved into our beloved Minis. I introduced my self quickly and then remembered that I had a test print of my Misfitoy folded up in my wallet so I showed it to him and got his autograph He enjoyed it very much and asked questions regarding the mods. At one point he asked if my hubs on the other side were blue instead of red. I laughed and asked what he meant and he said that's what they do in racing. Learn something new everyday.

I'll scanned it sometime and post it.


Sid


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I also got Frank's autograph in Detroit. I attended the Auto Week Design Conference early in the same day. Since I knew he was going to be there ahead of time. I pulled off the driver's side sun visor from my MINI and took it with me. I found him during a break and got him to autograph the visor. I think he was a little surprised to see me carrying it around, but he seemed humored by it.