Every year Ford gets more...
Every year Ford gets more and more involved with the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals, including displays of new products, ride and drives, and more. At this year's show several daily seminars were held in front of the famous Carlisle grandstands detailing the latest from Ford to the crowd. Various Ford engineers and celebrities on hand gave the crowd the inside scoop. Here, Linsey Weenk, driver of the Built Ford Tough Blue Thunder monster truck (which was on display as well) describes some of the attributes of the '10 F-150 SVT Raptor pickup.
Variety is the spice of life they say, and nowhere will a Ford fan see more variety than at the annual Carlisle All-Ford Nationals, held at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the first weekend in June. With thousands of cars on the fairgrounds all weekend you're apt to see just about anything Ford has made over the last 105 years. For many it was their first real glimpse at the '10 Mustang GT500, the SVT F-150 Raptor, and other new Fords. For others it was a chance to see their favorite Fords that don't usually come out but a few times a year. Rarities like Cobra Jet drag cars, Mercury Montego GTs, Mustang IIs, Mavericks, Falcon sedan deliveries, trucks of all years and body styles, and much, much more. The Carlisle All-Ford Nationals is truly a homecoming for many a Ford fan.
This year's event was no different than the past events we've been to. Plenty of Blue Oval eye candy for everyone to see, no matter where your interests lie. Sure, the S197 Mustangs are a big part of the Mustang display section, but if that's not your current cup of tea, then no worries. We saw everything from '50s fullsize Fords to trucks, Lincolns, Mercs, race cars, and more. The 2009 Carlisle All-Ford Nationals hosted many sub-events this year, including a Mercury Montego GT reunion; 50th anniversary of the '59 Fords/Lincolns/Mercurys; 45th anniversary of the Mustang; an even bigger installation alley, with Ford Racing doing on-site installations this year; the return of the Ford Drive One experience; a Ford GT supercar display with Camilo Pardo, the car's designer on hand; and so much more. Check out the small sample we have here of our annual pilgrimage to the Carlisle Fairgrounds and be sure to look at the rest of our images available on our website at www.mustangandfords.com. See you there next year!
Friday at the fairgrounds...
Friday at the fairgrounds was the typical soggy and often muddy day that many All-Ford attendees have come to expect (and prepare for), but that didn't stop a lot of people from looking for that perfect part, early show deal, or getting a good parking spot for their car for Saturday.
Saturday was a much better...
Saturday was a much better day to take in the sights at the fairgrounds. As noted earlier, the S197 Mustangs take up a major section of show field property these days, a testament to their popularity and owners' enthusiasm to be part of our hobby, but you didn't have to look very far to catch some cool classic Mustangs either. We especially dug the clean look and 5.0L swap made to Kris Henneman's '68 Mustang coupe.
Dennis Fanale's first year...
Dennis Fanale's first year SN-95 (that's a '94 to those not up on their chassis designations) had a nice mix of early '90s mods (SVO side exhaust, BBK strut brace) and modern updates (FR500 replica wheels, BBK SSI intake) that all culminated in a nice-looking ride we'd be proud to have in our own garage. Someday I'll own a convertible!
Carlisle All-Ford featured...
Carlisle All-Ford featured its inaugural Coolest Club Hangout award to the club that showed the most spirit and had the best display for its club. The gang at the Yellow Mustang Registry went over the top with its luau theme, even handing out yellow leis.
Of course its tent was easy...
Of course its tent was easy to spot too, as it was right next to more than 50 yellow Mustangs of all years and body styles.
Over in Building Y this year...
Over in Building Y this year was the Montego GT Reunion invitational display. We took a quick stroll through and counted nearly a dozen of these rare beauties.