The 22nd annual Fabulous Fords Forever show at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California was held for 2007 on Sunday, April 22nd, 2007. Always a must see event for Ford aficionados in Southern California the Knott's extravaganza kicks off the Ford show season for those on the West Coast. This year was the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford or "deuce coupe", the 50th for the landmark 1957 Fairlane and also the 40th anniversary of the Mercury Cougar. Naturally beautiful examples of all three types did abound.
There is so much ground to cover at the one day only show, and with only five hours, it was difficult to see everything we'd like. The truth is that we had to pick some favorites and chase after those. We chose to look at the three anniversary models and then also seek out some of the things here that are a little out of the mainstream. A good example of this is one 1972 Pinto we found. It was interesting to see one of these cars in perfect shape after so much time. Just as with the Mustang II it's easy to forget how ubiquitous these little cars were. Many people loved them while others used to look down their noses at the economical Pinto. However they were very popular V-8 conversion cars. We had one friend with a 302 in his Pinto and he had no problem getting the respect he deserved. The weather was nice and cool that day making for a pleasant outing. Take a little stroll with us with through the rows at the Fabulous Fords show and we'll see just a few of the highlights from the enormous and spectacular gathering.
We always start off the show...
We always start off the show by looking over the vintage Mustangs first. This 1966 GT fastback is decked out and looking good in subtle road racer attire. There's a healthy looking 289 under hood sporting dual quad Holley carbs.
Making our way thru the Mustangs...
Making our way thru the Mustangs we always like to stop off and look at the gathering of Boss 302's. This beautiful car is of particular interest because it is one of the very few 1969 models, which we seldom see.
The Cobra troops were out...
The Cobra troops were out in force both in replica and original form. Of all the Shelby Cobras there this big block car with the bare aluminum body had the most a unique look to it.
This little Sunbeam Tiger...
This little Sunbeam Tiger was an especially nice example of the breed. We've always been intrigued by these cars and can't imagine what one would be like with a 347.
Here's the little Pinto we...
Here's the little Pinto we were ranting about. Replete with the factory mustard paint color this car didn't have a scratch on it.
We were trying to make our...
We were trying to make our way over to the Fairlane section and were stopped in our tracks by this thing. Only out of production for a short time now the Ford GT will forever rule the roost and belongs in Mustang & Fords Magazine because of its vintage heritage. The dark blue color with the white stripes is an especially beautiful combination.
We've always had a soft spot...
We've always had a soft spot for Fairlanes and this pastel yellow 1966 hardtop with the 390 engine would certainly fill our bill as an A list Blue Oval muscle car.
Here's another Fairlane high...
Here's another Fairlane high on the dream list. This one is a 1967 copy and not only is it a candy apple red convertible it's a GT to boot. This is one of Ford's best body styles ever and the convertible option makes it the ultimate fun car with plenty of space for four.
Moving in the direction of...
Moving in the direction of the older Fords we came across this cherry 1937 Ford four-door convertible. This was the year that the flat head V-8 became available in two displacements: 136 cubic inches or 2.2 liters and the 221 cubic inch, which is a 3.6 liter engine.
Moving off the show field...
Moving off the show field and onto the center pavilion our first encounter is with this dark blue 1932 Ford Deluxe Three Window Coupe. It's the V-8 version, which was new that year. This is the car that started hot rodding, the holy grail of the whole hobby. Originally the flathead engine in this beautiful example was rated at 65 horsepower with a displacement of 221 cubic inches. However, the owner of this '32 coupe has added a Mercury crank increasing the displacement to 239 cubic inches. The motor has a "slingshot" intake manifold atop Offenhauser cylinder heads and twin 97 mm carbs. The whole package cranks out 100 horsepower. She's also got a column-shift transmission and Lincoln brakes behind Kelsey Hayes wire wheels. Talk about bad to the bone this it.
It was hard to move along...
It was hard to move along from the deuce coupe but there were other honorees to visit. Commemorating the anniversary of the 1957 Fairlane is this beautifully preserved 1957 Fairlane four door sedan police car. As is the case today, the Ford was the standard for police and Highway Patrol agencies nationwide. With so much hoopla about the '57 Chevy it's often overlooked that the Ford outsold the Chevrolet version that year by a ratio of about 3:1.
Another interesting 1957 Ford...
Another interesting 1957 Ford Fairlane at the show was this awesome Del Rio Ranch Wagon. This was the upscale model of the two door Ranch Wagon. Formerly the Park Lane, this car was Ford's answer to the Chevy Nomad. It was a beautiful wagon with its two tone paint job and elaborate body moldings.
Also in the center pavilion...
Also in the center pavilion was this line up of vintage Cougars. There was at least one beautiful example of each year of the vintage period represented.
Of all the Cougars at the...
Of all the Cougars at the show this car was among our favorites. This 1969 Cougar convertible is perfect in every way. It's the desirable XR-7 version with an S code 390 big block engine and air conditioning.