Should I have said Yes?

A bittersweet reflection on my meeting a hot rod legend.

Foreword

For anyone unfamiliar with Gene Winfield, he was a legendary American custom car builder, painter, and fabricator known for his groundbreaking techniques in the hot rod and custom car world. His work influenced generations of car enthusiasts, from Hollywood movie cars to iconic chopped Mercurys. Beyond his craftsmanship, he was famous for his charm, indefatigable energy, and love of dancing—especially with a pretty girl on his arm.

This week, on March 4th, 2025, Gene Winfield passed away at 97 after a brief illness. The hot rod world mourns the loss of this legend, a man whose impact on custom culture will never fade. His passing made me want to share this story—my own unforgettable moment with Gene.

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Meeting Mr. Winfield

Part One
2013

Every hot rodder I know seems to have a Gene Winfield story to tell. He’s visited their shops and garages, they’ve taken a class with him, or they’ve chopped a car alongside him. There are thousands of pictures floating around of Gene with fellow customizers.

Of course, for as many pictures as there are of Gene with hot rodders, there are just as many of him with his arms around a pretty girl. And that’s where my story begins.

Rick Finamore, who ran World of Wheels*, announced that Gene Winfield was coming to the 2013 show to do his first chop as part of a national tour. This created a buzz among all of us—he was going to work with the local car club Kingpins to chop my friend Alex Smith’s Mercury.

The show was held at the Seaport Convention Center in downtown Boston at the tail end of March. The air outside was raw, with that lingering bite of winter coming off the harbor. Inside, though, the place was alive with the rumble of conversation, the shine of freshly waxed hot rods, and the electric anticipation of Gene’s arrival.

My role at World of Wheels was organizing the Pin-Up Contest alongside the flame-haired beauty Ginger Jordan. Ginger wasn’t just any pin-up girl—she had won Miss World of Wheels in its first year in 2011. In 2013, we were running the contest for the third year in a row under our Bombshell Betties pin-up group. It was our job to bring vintage glamour to the show, and we took that responsibility seriously.

I remember discussing it with Lance “Milltown Tattoo” Ferrell while getting some ink done. Lance was the organizer of the Milltown Car Show—the same show that had given me my first real introduction to the pin-up world. I told him how excited I was that Gene was coming to Boston.

The first thing Lance said to me was, “Watch yourself, Doreen. Gene will be all over you. He’s known to like the young ladies!”

We laughed about it, but the comment stuck with me.

That Friday night, I arrived at the convention center dressed as a pin-up sailor girl, my navy pumps clicking against the floor as I made my way through the crowd. The air inside was thick with the unmistakable scents of a car show—leather interiors, tire dressing, and the rich, waxy aroma of Meguiar’s polish, mixing with the faint trace of motor oil and gasoline lingering from the cars on display.

Ginger introduced me to Gene, and I stuck out my hand.

“I’m so honored to meet you, Mr. Winfield.”

He smiled and took my hand, holding it a second longer than expected.

“I like your tattoo,” he said, nodding toward the swallow peaking out from my sailor top, inked just above my heart.

I felt the weight of his gaze as he scanned me from the top of my sailor hat to the bottom of my heels. Then, turning to one of the car guys who was holding a camera (Yes, you, Chris Dargue), he asked for a picture of us together.

As Gene slipped both arms around my waist from the back, I caught the scent of his cologne—something deep and masculine, with a hint of spice. It made me weak for a second, the kind of scent that lingers in your thoughts long after someone walks away.

Later that evening, the band Whiskey Kill—a high-energy rockabilly group from New Hampshire—started playing. The bass thumped, the guitars wailed, and Gene turned to me in the middle of it all and held out his hand.

“Would you like to dance?”

Not only was he a legendary car customizer, but he was also known for loving to dance. And, well, so do I. So we cut a rug while Josh Elzey of TWiG Photography snapped photos. I was thrilled, completely caught up in the moment, the music, and Gene’s effortless charm.

The next day, when I checked in at the Bombshell Betties pin-up booth, Gene was waiting. His face lit up when he saw me, and before I could even take off my coat, he asked:

“Would you come to dinner with me after the show tonight?”

I felt the blood rush to my face in a hot blush. I was flattered. More than flattered. This was Gene Winfield asking me to dinner—the most famous car customizer in the world, a hero to hot rodders everywhere. And yet, I had a boyfriend. (who was conspicuously NOT at the show, but that’s another story)

A small war broke out in my head.

Saying yes felt like the adventure of a lifetime—an innocent dinner, just the two of us talking about cars and dancing and who knows what else. But saying no? That meant being loyal, doing the right thing, and staying true to the man waiting for me back home.

Lance’s warning rang in my ears.

I took a deep breath and smiled.

“I would love to, Gene, but I don’t think my boyfriend would appreciate that too much.”

His smile dimmed. I don’t know if he was surprised, shocked, or both. He was Gene Winfield, after all.

And that was it. I had said no to dinner with a legend.

Later, Ginger told me that Gene had asked if I’d be attending the show the next day.

“No,” she told him. “She’s working in the garage on her boyfriend’s car.”

“Couldn’t you call her and ask her to come?” he had asked.

I have to admit—I regretted turning him down. The dinner was completely innocent. Hmmm…

So, to make myself feel better, I made a promise: If Gene came to Boston the following year, I would take him out dancing.

And that is Part Two of my story… Stay tuned

*Footnote:

World of Wheels is a nationwide custom car show series that showcases hot rods, classic cars, and custom builds across the U.S. Each year, it brings together car enthusiasts, builders, and legends of the industry for a weekend of automotive artistry. The event also features live demonstrations, special guests, and, in recent years, an old-school pin-up contest to celebrate vintage style and culture.