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2007 Carlisle All Ford Nationals - All-Ford FindsBe It Parts, Cars, Or Fellowship, You'll Find It At Carlisle From the October, 2007 issue of Modified Mustangs & Fords By Mark Houlahan Photography by Mark Houlahan
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When the balmy spring weather turns towards the heat of summer, there's one thing we always look forward to-the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Held at the Carlisle Fairgrounds, this was the 13th year of the All-Ford Nats. The event never ceases to impress, with special guests from all corners of Ford performance and manufacturing as well as special invitational and anniversary displays. This year's All-Ford show was no different, with special guests David Pearson and Bud Moore of NASCAR fame in attendance, along with TV star Antonio Fargas who played Huggy Bear on the '70s hit Starsky & Hutch (with his own Starsky & Hutch edition Torino display). Ford drag racer Al Joniec joined the celebrity list, too, with a display of his race cars. It was a banner year for anniversaries as well. All over the Carlisle Fairgrounds were special displays such as the large gathering for the 40th anniversary of the Mercury Cougar inside building Y and adjacent to the Carlisle grandstands. In addition, 2007 marked the 50th anniversary of the Edsel and the Ranchero. There was the 25th anniversary of Ford's mid-'80s fun two-seater, the EXP, and its sister line, the Mercury LN7. Each year special display areas at the fairgrounds are offered to select vehicle lines, and for 2007, all years of the Mach 1 Mustang were invited to park in one location near Gate 1. Ford had a much larger presence at the Nats than in years past. Besides the usual Ford Racing Performance Parts display and new-model exhibition from local dealers, Ford stepped up in a big way by bringing several concept vehicles, including Ford's hot Interceptor concept based off of the new S197 Mustang platform and recently displayed at the North American International Auto Show. Ford also brought out its Super Duty Power Tour with a cutaway F-series Super Duty for everyone to inspect. Show attendees lined up for testdrives in Ford's newest sellers, including the Edge crossover, the Fusion, and more. Throw in the usual All-Ford show fun-the chicken-wing-eating contest; the burnout competition; the more than 2,000 display cars from the '20s to present day; and rows upon rows of new, used, and N.O.S. parts for your project vehicle-and you can see why attending the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals is tops on our list. Be sure to check out our Web site for more great photos.  With 82 acres of fairgrounds,...  With 82 acres of fairgrounds, you better be wearing comfortable walking shoes. Don't forget a hat, plenty of water, and that li'l red wagon to haul your parts back to the car.  Daniel Bauer's '55 Ranch Wagon...  Daniel Bauer's '55 Ranch Wagon was one of the first show vehicles we stumbled upon, and man, what a great display. While tastefully modified, Daniel's wagon looked ready for the great open road, towing a classic Airstream aluminum trailer.  Notice the rare Thermador...  Notice the rare Thermador car cooler hanging from the window. The Thermador used water-soaked fabric that was rotated into the unit's air stream to deliver cool air through the window opening. Daniel's unit has even been painted to match his wagon.  It wasn't all horsepower and...  It wasn't all horsepower and roses in the '70s, but Ford and its various divisions did their best to make the cars look fast. Steve Schrimscher's '73 Mercury Montego GT is a rare Merc and appeared ready to cruise or show.  Ford's '57-'59 Skyliner retractable...  Ford's '57-'59 Skyliner retractable hardtop may have not been a great sales success, but with its steel roof panel displayed midway between open and closed, there's no denying the allure of one parked at a show. There were several fine examples on display at the Carlisle Fairgrounds this year. Come on, Ford, build a two-door Crown Vic with a retractable top and add it to your retro-car series!  The mobile dyno was screaming...  The mobile dyno was screaming all weekend with Ford iron of just about every decade. When we happened by on Friday morning, Danny Breaden was blowing the cobwebs out of his 390-powered '64 Galaxie. The FE pumped out 308 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque.  While the majority of Mustang...  While the majority of Mustang show fields these days are overrun with '05-'07 Mustangs, it was great to see certain years and models displayed together, such as the die-hard Mustang IIs. Another display you couldn't miss was the Yellow Mustang Registry. While predominantly late-model in registrations, the YMR welcomes all years of yellow Mustangs.  If there's one predictable...  If there's one predictable event that happens every year at the Carlisle All-Ford Nats, it's the Friday rainstorms. Everyone in attendance lucked out with nary a drop on Friday and just a light sprinkle on Saturday. With the typical rains in mind, this vendor certainly has his pricing structure set up for a hefty profit.  The Mach 1 Reunion display...  The Mach 1 Reunion display was drool-inducing for fans of this model. From base Windsor cars to CJ Ram Air models and everything in between-including the '03/'04 Mach versions-there were Mach 1s literally in every direction. And the Winner Is...
For a complete list of winners from the '07 Carlisle All-Ford Nationals, more event photos, and details about upcoming Carlisle events, check out the Web site at carsatcarlisle.com/ford/index.asp. This Way to the Show
The All-Ford Nationals are held every June at the Carlisle Fairgrounds. Carlisle is a historical town in its own right and a stone's throw from battlefields, Hershey Park, and more. Access to the Carlisle area is easily made from the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76), Rte. 34, and Rte. 81. Visitors from New York; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Pittsburg; Baltimore; and places farther can easily reach the fairgrounds via these routes. Carlisle and surrounding locales have plenty of hotel rooms and camp sites (there's limited camping available on the Carlisle Fairgrounds as well). For more information on visiting the Carlisle Fairgrounds and surrounding areas, go to www.carsatcarlisle.com.  You didn't have to visit NAIAS...  You didn't have to visit NAIAS this year to see Ford's most talked about concept vehicles, the Interceptor and the Reflex. The Interceptor (left), built off of the new Mustang platform, features a Ford Racing Performance Parts 5.0 Cammer engine that runs on E-85 ethanol, makes 400 hp, and is backed by a manual six-speed trans. Inside are Ford's prototype inflatable rear seatbelts (think mini airbag in the belts), and patented belt-and-suspenders four-point restraints. Exterior designer Andreas Nilsson was on hand to discuss the concept and hand out hero cards. On the right is Ford's Reflex concept, which is a diesel-electric hybrid capable of 65 mpg and featuring reverse-opening butterfly-wing doors, on-board solar panels for battery charging, and a two-plus-one seating arrangement (one large back seat).  Ford displayed many '08 models,...  Ford displayed many '08 models, including the Edge, the Escape, the Fusion, and the F-150, with testdrives and contests available to all attendees through Ford's Ride and Drive demonstration. A cutaway of the new Ford F-series Super Duty showed all of the model's enhancements.  If you have the finances and...  If you have the finances and are itching for an addition to your growing collection of classic-Ford sheetmetal, then the car corral should be on your list of places to check out. Here you'll find everything from '30s pickups to new Shelby GT500s for sale. Carlisle Events even has an on-site notary to help you get your new ride home.  For those autograph seekers,...  For those autograph seekers, the All-Ford Nats can be one of the best places to bring your autograph book. Every year, the event brings in notable people from Ford's historic past, perhaps a designer of a famous car line, a race-car driver, or an engine builder. This year's guests included Bud Moore...  ...and David Pearson. Any...  ...and David Pearson. Any Ford person worth their Blue Oval knows these two greats, and the line to have them sign posters, jackets, and NASCAR memorabilia was as far as the eye could see.  Need some trick, new parts...  Need some trick, new parts for your restomod project? KAR Auto Group is always on hand at the Carlisle All-Ford Nats with demonstration vehicles and its newest products. George, Kevin, and the gang answer questions about rack-and-pinions, tilt wheels, EFI conversions, and more.  Maybe you're building a stout...  Maybe you're building a stout FE big-block for a Galaxie project and you want some old-school parts. If you don't mind a bit of walking and are good at sniffing out bargains, you'll likely find just what you need among the rows and rows of vendors.  Even if you're between projects...  Even if you're between projects and just want to add a little something to your automobilia collection, you can find it here, too. From a hat pin to original and reproduction metal signs, gas pumps, display cases, and more, there's something for everyone.  While getting the lay of the...  While getting the lay of the land late Thursday afternoon, we spotted this satin-black coupe parked by the grandstands and realized it was a build project from Autoworks Racing. As Matt Couper of Autoworks told us, the car is a testbed of new engineering and Autoworks product prototypes (door panels, body panels, and so on), and they drove it cross country from California to Pennsylvania to attend the Carlisle All-Ford Nats. Talk about a proving ground! These guys then planned to hook up with the Hot Rod Power Tour and work their way back to Cali. That's some road trip.  Late Saturday afternoon, we...  Late Saturday afternoon, we spotted a pair of Torinos looking rather lonely as many of the Fairlane Club of America show entries had headed back to the hotels for the evening. As we snapped a few pictures, the owners, George Spaeter (white '71) and Brady Morrow (red '70) stopped to chat. George opened with questions about our Factory Five Cobra replica build, and for the next 20 minutes, we had an engaging conversation that ran the full spectrum of car talk. It's unfortunate that most of our time on show fields is spent racing from one end to the other doing our jobs, but it was great to relax with these two real car guys for a little bit. The only thing missing were a couple of chairs, some drinks, and our own car to park next to theirs.  Getting upstage to see the...  Getting upstage to see the burnout contest first-hand meant ear protection (we can still smell burnt rubber when we inhale deeply), but it was worth it to see these crazy owners burn 'em until they popped, literally. The winner was Shane Hiney, who ran his '78 T-bird for more than five minutes until both rear tires shredded.  Select vehicles were invited...  Select vehicles were invited to be displayed in one of several indoor areas throughout the Carlisle Fairgrounds. We spotted this beautiful '69 Mach 1 indoors on Friday afternoon. Larry Payne didn't just swap an '04 Mach 1 engine into his car; he took the best of both cars and made one killer machine. The '69 sports the '04's firewall and floorpan assembly, as well as the '04 Mach's full interior and drivetrain (save for the 9-inch rear he already had). The car now sits on a custom full frame designed and built by Larry. We hope to meet up with him soon for a full feature on his super-sweet Mach project.
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