Cars and Dolls #17 - Aloha Wanderwell / Ford Model T

[Otto Puzzell]

No, not exactly. But time behind the wheel was a big part of her job.

[pnegyesi]

Sorry, somehow I missed that exchange. Was she a promoter of a car brand?

[Otto Puzzell]

While this brand of cars was widely used by racers - and by ordinary folks - she was not promoting a racing car.

[Ray B.]

Was she a German?

[Otto Puzzell]

No sir

[Ray B.]

British?

[Otto Puzzell]

Nope

[Ray B.]

French?

[pnegyesi]

Was she a relative of the car brand's director?

[Otto Puzzell]

French?

No sir

[Otto Puzzell]

Was she a relative of the car brand's director?

No sir

[RayTheRat]

I don't know why I keep beating my head on this one, but let's try Alice H. Ramsey who, in 1909, drove a 30 HP Maxwell from New York to San Francisco.  She was 22 years old at the time.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

[Otto Puzzell]

It sure doesn't look like her. Because it isn't.

Her automotive exploits are, however, closer to those of the puzzle girl, than some of the other guesses.

[Ray B.]

Not from the USA
Not from the UK
Not from Germany
Not from France

Italy?

[Otto Puzzell]

Getting colder. Not from Italy.

[Ray B.]

Two last geographical guesses then I try more intelligent ways.
Canada?

[Otto Puzzell]

Clever lad!

Canada is correct.

[RayTheRat]

It sure doesn't look like her. Because it isn't.

I suppose that might explain it.    Like I said, I can recognize cars easier than faces.  And I spose I'm not smart enough to know when to give up.

Let's try a Canadian-born woman racer (I know you said she wasn't a racer, but....), Kay Petre (Kathleen Coad Defries) who was associated with several cars, Wolseley Hornet, 2-litre Bugatti, a Riley and an Austin 7.  But I spose the most significant car would be the ex-John Cobb 1924 Delage 10.5 litre V12 that she drove at Brooklands, averaging almost 135 mph in a "duel" with Gwenda Stewart.  Kay lost the contest when Gwenda ran almost 136 in a Derby-Miller special.

This photo shows a woman who looks a lot more like the original (at least to someone with my limited facial recognition ability):

[Otto Puzzell]

A race driver?

No, not exactly. But time behind the wheel was a big part of her job.

So, no, she was not a racer.

[pnegyesi]

Was she promoting driving, driving by women?

[Otto Puzzell]

That may have been a side effect, but was not her motivation.

[Ray B.]

Did she flew airplanes too?

[Otto Puzzell]

Not that I know of

[neilshouse]

Aloha Wanderwell? Ford Model T?

[Otto Puzzell]

Ta-da!

That wasn't so hard, now was it?