Volunteer Spotlight
Name: Steve Dietz
Volunteer Position(s): Archive, Docent, Special Events
Volunteer Since: November 2016
Q: When and how did you become a motorsports enthusiast?
Started with my dad who was in a combat engineers unit during WWII, he was responsible for maintaining and repairing supply trucks and other vehicles, he brought home all that knowledge and he was a do it yourself mechanic and passed that on to me. Also had an Uncle Rohm who was a car nut and owned a variety of cars including one of the first VW bugs in Los Angeles. MG’s, huge Pontiac sleds, Nashes, and others. He, my dad, and I always went to the L.A. car shows to see the new models in the 1950’s and 1960’s. We also lived within earshot of the Pomona drag strip and attended that as well as other motorsports events.
Q: What kind of influence has that had on your life?
Always maintained and repaired own cars, made tuition money in college by repairing other people’s VWs, have been involved with car clubs and car shows for a few decades.
Q: What makes volunteering at World of Speed meaningful to you?
Seeing such great collections and working with enthusiastic people at WOS who are so into motorsports. It’s always fun to talk with visitors and other volunteers and hear their car stories. WOS makes the effort and takes the time to make their volunteers feel valued, some nice perks come with the “job”. And, of course, there are Susan’s homemade cookies.
Q: What is the most memorable experience of your time volunteering?
Meeting Damon Coates and members of his family recently when he and other current and retired members of the Clackamas County Sheriff Department came to WOS. One of the visitors who was there for the event is an old friend who was my next door neighbor for years and a former CCSD Public Information Officer.
Q: What do you wish other people knew about World of Speed?
What a fun volunteer opportunity it can be with the wide variety of opportunities to help at WOS and outside events.
Q: If you could choose any vehicle to be displayed in the museum, what would it be?
Wellll…if it hasn’t already been done, it would be great to see the front room filled with VWs. Bugs, Ghias, and buses of different generations.
Q: What is your dream car?
Somewhere out there might be my first car, a 1965 VW split windshield bus owned from 1966 to 1971. How many times have I heard at WOS from visitors about their first car, “I wish I still had that.”? Me too!
