Puzzle #90 - Solved! Keen Steamliner

[Motorace]

BTW, Motorace, is your fractured French a pun that I am missing or are you big into phonetic spelling?   

"Honi soit qui mal y pense" is an Old French saying from medieval times. 

I learned this saying from a fine French lady who was a friend of my parents.  We were having dinner at her house, when my Mom expressed disapproval of someone's behavior that was covered in the news, (like the 1960's equivalent of Britney Spears going out in public without panties). 

In response, our hostess nonchalantly responded "Honi soit qui mal y pense".  All conversation stopped to ask what she had said, as no one in my family spoke French.  She explained that it was an old French saying, which she roughly translated as "Cursed be him who evil of it thinks". 

I was astonished as I certainly didn't have the courage to publicly challenge my Mom's usually decisive opinions, and it was the first time I'd ever heard anyone else do it in public.  Although I'm making it sound like I wanted to rebel against my Mom's strong opinions, I'm actually grateful for my Mom's wanting to instill strong values in me, but I also saw that there was some kernel of truth in the way that the French lady did not feel the need to react to what others were doing.

I've never forgotten that moment, and I've come to share somewhat the French lady's opinion that people who publicly express complaints about others can be as much of a pain in the ass as the people being complained about.  It's fine to have strong values, but it's a waste of breath to tell others that they also should comply since if they didn't ask for your opinion then they are not listening anyway. 

"Honi soit qui mal y pense" has come to symbolize for me that I make more of a contribution to others by listening than by telling them what they are doing wrong.  If, on the other hand, someone wants to tell me how wrong that I am when I didn't ask their opinion, it grants me permission to think "So what if they think evil of me – it's usually their personal problem, not mine; and I do not have to react to it."

Interestingly, in researching the correct spelling of it, I also came to learn that it is the motto of the "Most Noble Order of the Garter" – an English organization – probably dating back to when French was the language of the royal court.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Garter

I hope this answers your question.  You're the first person to ask what it meant.

[Otto Puzzell]

Ah, but the car......the car's the thing, you see.

[Motorace]

Ah - the bumper car?

[Ultra]

I was glad he asked as I, too, was curious as to the meaning.

[Otto Puzzell]

As scintillating as the discussion of the finer points of the Most Noble Order of the Garter had been , it derailed the progress toward the solution of the car in the puzzle. 

[rchirnom]

Is this a Del Mar microcar out of San Diego?  Looks very similar to the drawings I found, but couldn't find an actual picture.

[Otto Puzzell]

No sir.

[Ultra]

After almost eight months without a correct reply, this puzzle is the first in the history of the site to return to the front page.

What an ignominious moment for all AutoPuzzlers. 

[Ultra]

Here is a hint for those of you not to keen on deep research.

Hope it helps. 

[GRAYWOLF]

Was Clark Kent's initials AS?

[grobmotorix]

Is it driven by an Onan-engine?

[Ultra]

Is it driven by an Onan-engine?

[erbas]

keen steamliner

This will get me at least two points 

[grobmotorix]

I agree, award him two...

[Ultra]

I agree, award him two...

I did!



The longest running puzzle ever on this site is solved! 

[Otto Puzzell]

Here's a look at that powerplant.