Aaron Whisenhunt is a very fortunate guy…he inherited the “car gene” from a loving father whose dad was also afflicted … spending his Friday nights racing on dirt tracks followed by Saturdays back behind the wheel on asphalt.
Growing up in West Texas, Aaron went to Texas Tech to earn his mechanical engineering degree and started his professional life in field engineering and construction.
In 2008, Aaron married Kacey, the daughter of Greg and Michelle Mauzy. Greg was a Midland oil and gas guy who simply loved cars. Now, Aaron had a father-in-law who was a serial car collector! Greg’s mission was to someday build a museum to showcase his collection, which reached over 140 cars. He and his understanding wife agreed that building another garage at home and renting storage were not the answer.
Within a few years, Aaron’s professional career was flourishing as operations manager for a large engineering firm in Fort Worth. It was a wonderful time for the young family. Aaron and Kacey delivered two beautiful daughters; their extended family was close by in Midland/Odessa … there is a lot to be thankful for.
Without warning, tragedy struck in 2015 when Greg Muazy died of a sudden heart attack. He had just celebrated his 57th birthday on January 31.
The family wanted to commemorate and celebrate Greg’s life. With encouragement and support from Kacey and her brother Dustin, Aaron and his mother-in-law, Michelle, were determined to fulfill the museum mission that Greg had always dreamed of. But it would be much more than just a showcase. Aaron abandoned his engineering career and set out to create a premier place for restoration, service, consignment sales, and consulting to serve those individuals who are devoted to collector cars.
Named after his late father-in-law’s birth date, 1 THIRTYONE MOTORCARS, LLC opened in 2020 in a beautiful, purpose-built facility on the west side of Fort Worth. It took 18 months to construct, and it now houses a devoted staff that includes Aaron as CEO and Kacey in the CFO role. The family collection is in a massive showroom along with some incredible additions.
I asked Aaron to pick two cars for this article.
The first was an easy choice … perhaps the most coveted model from the most storied marque. A 1991 Ferrari F 40 … the last Ferrari built under the direction of the master himself, Enzo Ferrari. Introduced in June 1987, Enzo died a year later in August 1988. The “F 40” designation was to mark the 40th anniversary of the company he founded. Today, it is nearly 40 years since the introduction of the F 40, and it is still at the very top of any Ferrari collector’s list. Current values are scary, with a recent sale topping $11 million!
Ferrari magic: squeezing 478 horsepower out of a 179 cubic inch V8 in a package that weighs only 2,723 pounds created the first production car to exceed 200 mph.
Plus, it was only available in red … looks great in pictures, magnificent in person. Produced for 7 years, 1987 through 1992, only 1311 were built. Just 56 of those had the plexiglass slider side windows … one of those details that the purist can’t resist.
Aaron’s second choice is even more important to him than the F 40 … a sentimental tribute to his late father-in-law, it was the last car he acquired before his untimely passing.
A 1967 Camaro Z28 with the rare Z4 option that included factory exhaust headers, cold-air air intake, traction bars, and tachometer. With no external badging or spoilers and other signifiers, the Marina blue coupe looks tame. Only the white “racing stripes” indicate that this is a very special Camaro.
It is perfectly restored in every detail. 302 cubic inch V8, 4-speed manual, and the other Z4 goodies make this a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
(My apologies. The cars deserve better photography. The weather did not cooperate on picture day.)
This was my first opportunity to meet Aaron and Kacey. Their girls are now 11 and 14. Elizabeth, the oldest, is a natural athlete, especially in soccer. Emily is still exploring, but she has shown some interest in cars, so it is possible there might be some gasoline in her blood, too.
The overall facility and collection are hard to adequately describe. As I walked the rows of cars, I would pick a favorite only to find something better on the next aisle. Take your own tour at 131motorcars.com.
In this month of Thanksgiving, I hope the story told here conveys the love and caring between these two families. By coincidence or perhaps providence, they shared a special connection. They came together as one with a mission to build a tribute in memory of a man who was special to all those who knew and loved him.
Aaron assures me that Greg Mauzy would be proud and thankful.
