Category Archives: Events

Next Stop, Woodward Dream Cruise August 16th

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Hi Everyone,

Now that the Blue Suede Cruise is over, I am revving up for an exciting and exhilarating at the Woodward Dream Cruise this Saturday, August 16 with my Wanda Team and friends from Lingenfelter Performance Engineering.

Along with me signing autographs and distributing information on Wanda products, Lingenfelter will be showcasing a few of their gorgeous, high powered cars that are painted with Wanda finishes. I love the Woodward Dream Cruise because it’s not just a car show; it’s a glimpse of the past and an event where car enthusiasts show their love of all things automotive.

Did you know that the Dream Cruise started as a fundraiser for a soccer field in Ferndale Michigan in 1995?  Yes, that’s right and in a few short years, it evolved into the world’s largest one-day automotive event currently attracting over 1 million visitors.  With that many people attending it’s not hard to imagine the 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom and collector vehicles driving along the 16-mile stretch of Woodward Avenue through the communities of Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac and Royal Oak.

Wow! The Woodward Dream Cruise is a spectacular experience to drive or watch! Just seeing the cars, both classic and new racing their engines and cruising up and down the streets of the birthplace of the American automobile is so cool.

 

I hope to see you all there!

Summer Road Trips with Wanda

Hi Everyone,

I hope you’re enjoying the warmth and fun of the summer season—I know I sure am! The summer months for me are always busy with lots of traveling to various trade shows and events, where I get to see many old friends and make new ones.

On June 7th the Wanda team participated in the third annual KC Auto Paint Auto Show in Prescott, Arizona. As always, KC’s owners pulled out all the stops to ensure a great time of “giving back to the community.” One whole city block was closed in front of the store so that 77 area car buffs could show off their custom hot rods and cars. Each visitor brought a donated can of food as their entry fee to enjoy a full day of BBQ, live music, door prizes and exhibit booths. More than 300 people attended this fantastic event and even got a chance to learn how my Wanda brand refinish products deliver simplicity, color, and value. The collected food goods were then transported to a local food bank.

I then made a quick trip to Canal Fulton, Ohio, on July 12th to join the folks at United Paint Supply for a customer golf outing. It was a fun, laid back event where my Wanda brand got lots of attention at hole #1!

On July 18-20, I hosted the 13th Annual AkzoNobel Wanda Blue Suede Cruise event at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, along with the whole Wanda team. This is the fourth straight year that we’ve been the title sponsor of Blue Suede Cruise and it was hands-down the best year yet! The weekend kicked-off on Friday with record-breaking attendance. The weather was beautiful and it was amazing to see the hundreds of candy-colored hot rods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trick trucks lined up. Dare-devils enjoyed the quarter-mile fun runs down the famed Summit Motorsports Park race track, and young and old alike enjoyed a great cookout and sock hop. On Saturday there were more fun runs, a vintage fashion show, my Wanda Coloring Land for kids age 2-16, and the Wanda Challenge flag start race. That was a real blast with eight racers and a variety of cars from a Gasser, to a Tempest, even a Henry J that was painted in my Wanda bright green color! Who knows, maybe my Wanda products helped give it the boost it needed to win the race! Visitors really enjoyed the Wanda Car Care Clinics co-hosted with Presta Car Care products, where they learned how to turn their cars from bare metal to gorgeous color—all protected with Presta’s great car care products. Later that night I was honored to serve as Grand Marshall of the Neon of Lights Parade. The evening concluded with an amazing fireworks show and live performance by the legendary Van-Dells. The event concluded on Sunday, but not until after I got to choose the winner of the Wanda Choice Award. The honor went to Mark Jaynes and his gorgeous two-toned 1940 Mercury Eight Convertible. Of course, another important highlight of the weekend was seeing Jim Hurst win the 2014 Crusin’ Times Hot Rod Build-off. His custom 1951 Chevy was a real beauty—and painted in my Wanda Blue Suede color. If you didn’t get a chance to participate in this year’s Blue Suede Cruise, I hope you’ll make plans now to attend next year. Check out some these great photos of the event.

Next on my calendar is the annual Woodward’s Dream Cruise on August 16th in Detroit, Michigan. Situated between the cities of Ferndale and Pontiac, Michigan, this wildly popular event draws more than a million car enthusiasts who gather to show off their custom and classic wheels as they cruise up and down Woodward’s Main Street. I will join the team at the Lingenfelter Performance Engineering exhibit booth, where my custom Wanda paint and finishes will be showcased on several LPE concept cars. I look forward to another fun day of meeting new people, signing autographs, and cheering on the many gorgeous—and sometimes zany—vehicles on parade.

With the fall season just around the corner, I’ll soon be setting my sights on the 2014 SEMA trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 4-7, so stay tuned for more information about this exciting event and more, by visiting www.wandarefinish.us. Or visit my Facebook page for quick updates.

Until then,

Wanda Sponsors 13th Annual “Blue Suede Cruise” Event

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Hi Everyone, I’m pleased to announce that for the fourth straight year, the Wanda brand will be the title sponsor of the 13th Annual AkzoNobel Wanda Brand Blue Suede Cruise event July 18-20, 2014, at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH!

Blue Suede Cruise is the largest Midwest street rod event of year—and one of the most fun, because it’s set to a retro 1950s theme—with hundreds of gleaming Hot Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars and Trick Trucks 1972 and older on display. In addition to the general car show, car buffs will enjoy a host of activities all weekend long, including:

  • Car Care Clinics hosted by Wanda
  • Quarter-mile Fun Runs
  • The Wanda Challenge Run
  • Exhibitor Booths
  • Wanda’s Coloring Land for Kids and Wanda Diner
  • Neon of Lights Parade with “Wanda” as Grand Marshall
  • Nitro Dragsters and Jet Cars
  • Live Concert with the “Van-Dells” and Fireworks Display
  • Major Door Prizes
  • Nostalgia Drag Racing Show
  • Vintage Fashion Show

I’m also proud to once again be a co-sponsor of the second annual Cruisin’ Times Hot Rod Build-Off, held in conjunction with Blue Suede Cruise. The Cruisin’ Times Hot Rod Build-Off was created in 2013 by Cruisin’ Times editor, John Shapiro, as a way for amateurs to try their hand at custom car building. Two candidates are chosen from a pool of submissions to participate in the yearlong project.

Gary Boron and Jim Hurst have been selected for the 2014 competition and will engage in a classic Ford and Chevy lover’s face-off. Gary will build a custom car using a Ford body from the years 1949 to 1953. Jim will build a custom Chevy using a body from the same time period—both to be painted in Wanda’s Blue Suede color.

The builders, along with the magazine’s editor, visited the Wanda team in Troy, MI, last December to learn how to properly spray the refinish system. Gary and Jim will drive their custom cars into Summit Motorsports Park on July 18th for show-goers to vote on the winning car. Good luck, gentlemen!

A complete schedule of events during Blue Suede Cruise will be available on the convenient Wanda mobile website at wandarefinish.us. For event updates throughout the weekend, visit my Wanda Facebook Page. With a weekend this jam-packed with activities for the whole family, you won’t want to miss out on this year’s Blue Suede Cruise. I hope to see you there! Until then,

Wanda Heads West for SEMA 2013

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Hi Everyone,

The colors and cooler temperatures of the fall season are upon us and you know what that means…it’s time to head west for the annual SEMA car show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, November 5-8! We’re just a couple of days away until the show opens and I’m super excited because this year will be unlike any other.

I will be there with the Wanda team to introduce show attendees to the simplicity, color, and value of my Wanda refinish brand at the AkzoNobel Booth #25043. The booth is located in the South Hall’s popular Racing & Performance area and is designed in an open, free-flowing configuration, with modular kiosks strategically placed to highlight each of AkzoNobel’s SikkensLesonal, and Wanda brand refinish systems. At AkzoNobel, our research and technical experts are hard at work every day to ensure that no matter what size of job is required, our top-quality products will provide the performance, color match accuracy, and application-ease our customers depend on.

Of course, you can still expect to see my custom Wanda paint and finish stylings to be showcased on a brilliant Pacific Blue Karl Kustom Z06 ‘67 Coupe Corvette. And as always, I’ll be ready to sign autographs or snap my picture with Wanda fans throughout the week, so please stop by to say hello.

Be sure to get regular show updates on the Wanda Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wandarefinish.And don’t forget to check out my exciting new mobile website at www.wandarefinish.us, or wandarefinishmobile.com. See you there!

Hope to See You this Weekend at the AkzoNobel Wanda Blue Suede Cruise!

Hi Everyone,
wanda blue suede cruise 1

I can hardly believe we’re already in middle of summer and that I’ll be seeing some of you next week July 19-21, 2013, at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH, for the 12th annual AkzoNobel Wanda Blue Suede Cruise event, where I’ve been the proud title sponsor for three straight years!

Set to a fun and upbeat 1950’s retro theme, this year’s Blue Suede Cruise promises to be bigger and better than ever. In addition to the car show featuring gleaming Hot Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars and Trick Trucks from 1972 and older, car care clinics hosted by Wanda Automotive Finishes, quarter-mile fun runs, Wanda Challenge Run, exhibitor booths, Wanda’s Coloring Land for kids, fireworks display and Neon of Lights Parade with me as Grand Marshall, show attendees will be treated to brand new events including:

wanda blue suede cruise 2–  Nitro Dragsters and Jet Cars

–  Live concert with Jay & The Americans (“This Magic Moment”)

–  Major door prizes all weekend long

–  Nostalgia Drag Racing show

–  Flame-throwing

Another Blue Suede Cruise “first” includes the Cruisin’ Times Hot Rod Build-Off, in which two amateur builders selected by the magazine will drive their custom Model A cars painted in a Wanda “blue suede” finish into Summit Motorsports Park on July 19th to face off for the title.

wanda blue suede cruise 3Event-goers are also encouraged to stop by the Wanda booth, where they’ll not only learn about the simplicity, color, and value of using my Wanda and Wanda Waterbase refinish products, but also see the spotlight shine on the Curing Kids’ Cancer organization and the classic 1932 Ford 3-window coupe on display.

Legendary performance car builder, Ken Lingenfelter of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering (LPE), recently purchased the charity car at the Mecum Spring Auction in Indianapolis, IN, to support the organization. Together, LPE and Wanda brand will promote the Curing Kids’ Cancer cause at the event and invite representatives from the organization to share their life-saving work with booth visitors and receive donations.

wanda blue suede cruise 4A complete schedule of events during Blue Suede Cruise can be found on my convenient new Wanda Mobile Website! Just go to wandarefinish.us, or wandarefinish.com and click on either Canada or United States. The mobile site provides a full web experience that’s easy to navigate with great graphics, and information that can be accessed in multiple languages. Or visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wandarefinish for event updates throughout the weekend.

Car lovers and families alike will enjoy the wide variety of races and activities, so make plans now to attend this one-of-a-kind event!

Wanda Sponsors 36th Annual Bearing Burners Car Show

Wanda Sponsors 36th Annual Bearing Burners Car Show - 01Hi Everyone,

I joined hundreds of car enthusiasts on May 5th as the main sponsor of the Bearing Burners Auto Club’s 36th Annual GM Car Show & Swap Meet. Located on the grounds of the General Motors Technology Center in Warren, Michigan, we were treated to an eye-full of gorgeous hot rods, customs, trucks, and competition cars of every make and model!

The Bearing Burners Auto Club has quite a legacy in Michigan. The club was established in 1950 and within a year joined forces with the Michigan Hot Rod Association. By 1959 the club was large enough to join the National Hot Rod Association, and in 1961, incorporated in Michigan as a non-profit organization.

Wanda Sponsors 36th Annual Bearing Burners Car Show - 02In addition to providing valuable support to Autorama events, the Bearing Burners Auto Club hosts and sponsors other auto events such as the Annual Ice Runs during the 1960’s, and popular Freedom Hill and Downtown Mt. Clemens car shows.

The event is unique in that it is both a car show and swap meet, where attendees can purchase specialty items and parts for their cars—and even purchase cars that are there for sale.

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In conjunction with Wanda distributor PF3 Paint Supply, we had a large display showcasing Lingenfelter Performance Engineering vehicles complete with Wanda coatings—including the retro-styled C6 Z06 Corvette from Karl Kustoms and the Lingenfelter Camaro LTA 655 HP Convertible.

And boy did they get attention! Over 40 class awards are given at the daylong event, so every car lover has a chance to show off their vehicle and win one of the coveted Bearing Burner’s letterman’s jackets. For the second year in a row I served as one of the presenters in handing out special prizes during the awards ceremony, and also selected the winner of theWanda’s Choice Award.

Wanda Sponsors 36th Annual Bearing Burners Car Show - 04I chose a gorgeous 1939 Packard painted in a cool metallic ivory. Congratulations to Ed Michael on winning the Wanda Choice Award!

Of course I also had the pleasure of meeting new fans at the Wanda booth, where I signed autographs and shared the many benefits of my Wanda brand’s simplicity, color, and value promise.

Wanda Sponsors 36th Annual Bearing Burners Car Show - 05Show-goers were excited to learn about how easy the Wanda and Wanda Waterbase systems are to use, and how they can achieve terrific color accuracy and a “right-the-first-time” finish. It was a jam-packed day of fun and I’ll look forward to seeing everyone again next year!

In the meantime, I’m getting ready to head south to the North Florida Auto Body Association Golf Outing in Jacksonville, Florida, for a special golf tournament sponsored by our own AkzoNobel Distributor, LKQ Keystone Automotive. We’ll be onsite to meet and support LKQ Jacksonville and talk about the Wanda brand with their customers.

Wanda Sponsors 36th Annual Bearing Burners Car Show - 06You can always find out where I’ll be next on Facebook and Twitter, so check in often for updates. For more information about Wanda brand products, visit our website.

Until then,

Wanda

 

1 STOP Auto Body Supplies Hosts An Evening with Wanda

1 STOP Evening with Wanda Clinic 4.19.13
Hi Everyone,

On Friday, April 19, I had the pleasure of hosting an Evening with Wanda event at one of our newer California distributor locations at 1 Stop Auto Body Supplies in Riverside. Owners Ramon Martinez and Israel Hernandez invited their customers to come and enjoy the fresh “street tacos” cooked right onsite, and to participate in a fun afternoon of learning about Wanda brand products and its incredible simplicity, color and value platform.

California is a regulated market, so painters and shop owners were interested in hearing about how Wanda Waterbase can help them speed up production in the paint booth through easy application and a simplified system. Guests enjoyed the lively “Jeopardy” quiz game that taught important facts about the Wanda brand and the great prizes for answering the questions. And of course, I enjoyed signing autographs and taking pictures with new Wanda fans! Check out some of the pictures of the event in my Photo Gallery.

And this new distributor’s hard work is paying off because in just less than a year in business, they have new shops converting to Wanda each week. Here’s a little bit about their story:

For Ramon, the vision and desire to own his own company began while still an employee at another distributorship. While there he was introduced to AkzoNobel’s Wanda Waterbase refinish system. Intrigued by Wanda’s impressive Color Pro documentation tools, easy-to-use system and value pricing, he decided that if he ever owned his own business one day, he’d launch it with Wanda products.

Little did he know that his vision would become a reality just two months later in August 2012, when he and Israel, had the opportunity to launch 1 Stop Auto Body Supplies. It wasn’t long before the company’s growth necessitated a larger facility than the one they first launched their business from.

Ramon says, “We are excited about the company’s growth in such a short time and are grateful for the Wanda team’s great support. Our body shop customers really enjoy the ease-of-use and color match accuracy of Wanda Waterbase on both their small and complete repair jobs and feel like they’re getting a lot of value for the money.”

Today, 1 Stop Auto Body Supplies employs two other staff members and are committed to providing California’s southland with continued customer service excellence and segment-leading products.

Well, I’ve got a super busy summer event schedule planned, so be sure to check Facebook and Twitter for updates. For more information about Wanda brand products, visit our website.

Until then,

Wanda

Wanda Ushers in the Spring Season at Detroit Autorama and I-X Piston Power Show

2013 Detroit & Cleveland Autorama

Hi Everyone,

I can’t think of a better way to usher in the spring season than by attending the 61st Annual Detroit Autorama at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan! This city is famous for its love of automobiles and the Detroit Autorama is one of their favorite ways to show it. More than 150,000 car builders and enthusiasts attended the show March 8-10th to view hundreds of gorgeous hot rods, competition cars, specialty and concept vehicles, manufacturer’s displays—and even three generations of the “Batmobile”—from the 1966 Dean Jefferies original Batmobile, to the 1989 Batman Returns model, and the 2005 “Tumbler” from Batman Begins. Lots of other celebrities made appearances, including Gene Winfields, “Chop Shop,” who had everyone amazed by their live demonstrations.

The Detroit Autorama is hosted by the Michigan Hot Rod Association and one of the show’s highlights was the unveiling of the 50th Annual Ridler Award winner. The Association presented Ron Cizek with the award for his beautiful custom burgundy 1940 Ford. More than 30 previous Ridler Award recipients were also present at the ceremony. Part of what makes the Ridler Award so special is that it’s given to the best custom vehicle that makes its debut at this show exclusively. The award is affectionately named after Don Ridler, who was hired by the Association back in the 1950’s to help promote the fledgling Autorama show. Don’s creativity and professionalism were foundational in helping Autorama become the success it is today and even paved the way for the show to move to its present home at the Cobo Center in 1961. After Don’s untimely death in 1963, the Association decided to honor him by naming an award given in his name.  The Ridler Award is presented to the best vehicle that emphasizes creativityengineering, and workmanship.

But the fun didn’t stop there. I was honored to be a guest at the Lingenfelter Performance Engineering (LPE) booth, where I signed autographs and posters that promoted the upcoming Wanda Blue Suede Cruise car show at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH, in July. LPE showcased three of their spectacular concept cars, one of which was painted with custom Wanda finishes and styling effects. I also made appearances at the Summit Motorsports Parkexhibit and the Bearing Burners Auto Club booth, where I got to see lots of Wanda fans from last year’s events!

Next, I headed to Cleveland, OH, for the second annual I-X Piston Powered Show, March 15-17, at the million-square-foot I-X Center. The show is unique in that it’s based around classic cars, vintage airplanes, boats, and custom motorcycles. In the fall of 2012, organizers of the Cleveland Autorama agreed to sell the 46-year-old sanctioned custom car show to the I-X Center, which enabled a combined mega production featuring the best that both shows have to offer. I was amazed at the tens of thousands of show-goers who came to this new show from Northern Ohio and beyond, and appreciated the great response from folks who visited me at the Summit Motorsport Park exhibit.

To check out where I’ll be in April, or to get regular updates on all of my upcoming activities, visit Facebook andTwitter. For more information about Wanda Waterbase and the full range of Wanda products and color tools, visit our website.

Until then,

Wanda

Pulling Out the Stops for Wanda’s Blue Suede Cruise

BSC Card front final (1)

Hi Everyone,

Most of you know that I’m super proud of the fact that my Wanda brand has been the title sponsor of the AkzoNobel Wanda Blue Suede Cruiseat Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH, for the last two years.  Well, I’m excited to announce that Wanda will again sponsor this fun family event July 19-21, 2013—which promises to be even bigger and better than ever! (Check out these great shots from last year)

You can still expect so see lots of 1972 and older hot rods, muscle cars, trick trucks, and customs and classics at the car show; participate in the unlimited quarter-mile fun runs, dance to some fantastic 50’s music, explore the exhibitor booths (including my own Wanda exhibit displaying my Wanda Waterbase and Wanda brand products), and enjoy the spectacular fireworks and Neon of Lights parade—but there are a few new additions this year you won’t want to miss, so make plans now to attend!

For starters, the first-ever Cruisin’ Times Hot Rod Build-Off which features two amateur builders selected from amongst hundreds of applicants vying for the opportunity. Congrats to Bill Huff of Canton, OH, and Jeff Shuman of East Rochester, OH. They’ve each built some pretty impressive cars in the past and are excited about the magazine’s challenge to “utilize a Model A sedan body” and paint the finished car in “Blue Suede,” using Wanda paint. Both cars will leave their garages and roll into Summit Motorsports Park on Friday, July 19th under their own power as crowds cheer them on! Stay tuned, as we keep you posted on the build-off’s progress. Or follow the story in its entirety atwww.cruisintimes.org.

Other Wanda Blue Suede Cruise “firsts” include:

  • Nitro Dragsters and Jet Cars
  • Appearance by chart topping vocal group, Jay & The Americans (“This Magic Moment”)
  • Major Door Prizes
  • Special Nostalgia Drag Racing Show

In the meantime, I’m getting ready for my upcoming appearances at the famed 61st Annual Detroit Autorama Car Show March 8-10, and theAnnual I-X Piston Power Show March 15-17, in Cleveland, OH—I hope to see you there! Get regular updates on all of my upcoming activities on Facebook and Twitter. For more information about Wanda Waterbase and the full range of Wanda products and color tools, visit our website.

Until then,

Wanda

Wanda’s Fall Wrap-Up

2012 Blog Photo Final

 

Hi Everyone,

Can you believe we’ve already rounded the corner of summer into the fall season? The year has certainly flown by fast, and it’s impossible to count all of the wonderful shop owners, distributors and car enthusiasts I’ve met during the many events I’ve participated in throughout the year. One thing is for sure, I have more Wanda fans than ever, and my Wanda Waterbase system is quickly becoming a favorite amongst shops in Canada and on California’s West Coast!

Following a busy summer schedule, I travelled back to Detroit to attend the famous Woodward Dream Cruise annual event on August 18. An estimated 1.35 million classic car owners and enthusiasts flocked to the event, which sits between the cities of Ferndale and Pontiac, MI. Roughly 40,000 gleaming classic cars participated in the daylong cruise up and down Woodward’s main street, while everyone else just had fun cheering them on or hanging out with friends and enjoying the beautiful weather. From dawn, until past dusk, I had a blast meeting with new and existing Wanda fans and signing autographs. Whew! What a memorable day it was celebrating the event’s 18th year, which began as fundraising event for a new soccer field in Ferndale.

I then returned to Norwalk, OH, to attend the inaugural Lingenfelter Performance Nationals, held at Summit Motorsports Park, September 21-23. The unique three-day event was an opportunity to level the playing field between professional and amateur drivers via a myriad of drag and autocross races, and included an “Outlaw ProMod Quick 8 Shootout,” and Show N’ Shine car show. I was especially proud that Wanda Refinish helped sponsor the inaugural event, and I even got to serve as the official starter for the OPTIMA® Ultimate Street Car Invitational qualifying event—it made me want to grab my helmet and compete myself! Click on my Photo Gallery to see fun Wanda events throughout the year.

Now it’s time to set my sights on the automotive industry’s biggest event of the year—SEMA 2012 in Las Vegas, NV, October 30 – November 2. I’m looking forward to meeting collision repair professionals, distributors, and enthusiasts alike. I’ll be at booth #24649 located in the Central Hall Performance & Racing area, and sharing with visitors how Wanda brand products measure “performance” in three exciting ways—simplicity, color, and value. Of course my Wanda Waterbase system will also be on display, along with two stunning Lingenfelter Performance Engineering concept cars, both painted in custom Wanda finishes!

If you’re planning to attend SEMA 2012, be one of the first 150 visitors to receive a free Wanda t-shirt (limited sizes). Just click on www.wandarefinish.us/sema2012.aspx to register now. Then show your ID at the booth to verify registration and receive your new shirt.

For more information about Wanda and Wanda Waterbase products, visit the Wanda website atwww.wandarefinish.com. And be sure to visit my Facebook page, or follow me on Twitter to learn more about new events and activities I’m cooking up for 2013!

Until next time,

Wanda

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