California Ford Fest Showcases Vintage Pickups
By Richard Truesdell
While mostly a celebration for the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, the recent 2014 Fabulous Fords Forever! show in Buena Park, Calif., also celebrated all things Ford — cars, pickup trucks, vans and even tractors. This particular show is the largest in the western states; it's where Southern California car club enthusiasts show off and admire their restored Ford favorites. Unfortunately, the promoters were not able to procure one of Ford's 2015 aluminum-bodied half-tons, so we had to make due with Super Dutys, Rangers, Lightnings and F-100s.
The biggest truck category at FFF! was the classic Bronco with close to 200 on display. Kiyoshi Uchiyama's 1967 Bronco, a roof- and doorless roadster, took home the Bill Stroppe Award as the event's best truck. His award was presented by Henry Ford III, who is now heading up efforts to rebuild Lincoln's marketing division.
Having an interest in vintage racecar transporters, we instantly gravitated to Gary Underwood's restored 1969 Ford in Marion Lee "Mickey" Thompson livery as our pick as the event's best truck. Underwood, a member of the Shelby American Automobile Club board of directors, explained that he's owned the truck for 12 years and that it was one of three built by the legendary racer (Underwood said he's restoring a second truck and the third remains unaccounted for).
While not a pickup truck, Mike McDaniel's 1969 Econoline pop-top camper was easily our favorite non-truck Ford of the show. McDaniel's Econoline was noteworthy because it sported its own Marti Report that showed that it was originally shipped to Vel's Parnelli Jones Ford in Torrance, Calif., and was first sold on Feb. 28, 1969. How's that for a vehicle pedigree?
FFF! is an annual event and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2015. For more details, including 2015 registration, click here or check out the group's Facebook page.
Photos by Richard Truesdell
Comments
Soweeeeet !!!
I love the Bronco and that old COE snub-nose and when's the last time anyone's seen a gen 2 Econoline?
LOL FORD MUST OF HAD 10 YEAR OLDS DO THEIR WHEEL WELL OPENINGS! THEY GOT SQUARES AND CIRCLES ON THE TRUCK! THEY MUST OF FORGOT THEY PUT SQUARE OPENINGS ON THE BED AND PUT ROUND ONES ON THE FRONT FENDERS! DOH
In my opinion the best model of the F-150 was the 1997-2003 model
Mark, thanks for the great pics. Enjoyed the article. Nice to see folks keeping up the older ones.
@Tom#3 - I've never been a fan of that generation. One of my favorites is the '79 F250. That year truck looks better as a 3/4 ton.
I live virtually every Ford design pre- 1980.
The 1980–86 trucks were ugly crap.
I liked the '87-91's but again more so in a 3/4 ton.
The F-350 with the Mustang on the back is the exact same colour as our old F-100 trayback we had when I was a teenager. The F-100 came from Canada.
I remember it needed to be buffed quite often to maintain it's beautiful colour as it tended to oxidise quite quickly.
My father sold the F-100 to my brother and my father bought a Nissan Cabstar, which I thought was a poor decision.
But, after driving the Cabstar, I found it did more work than the F-100, for half the price.
This was the most influential change regarding my views on diesel vs gasoline and the work a small diesel could achieve.
Thanks for all the comments on my FFF! coverage and photos.
Personally I'm a fan of the Fifth-generation 1967 to 1972 models. Almost two years ago I wrote a story for Mark on a 1967 Ford f-250 Camper Special. Here's a link.
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2012/07/classic-pickups-1967-f-250-camper-special.html
Just as a side note here, I wonder how many of these classic Fords have their original engine? and how many of them are powered by small block Chevy's either is the older engine line, or LS line? That and you will hardly ever see and old Chevy running an old Ford engine, I believe I have seen that once in my life.
@sandman4X4 - considering the fact that this is a premier Ford "love-in", I doubt it.
DOY IM MICHIGAN BOB, IM A CHEBBY GUY THROUGH AND THROUGH BUT MAN DO I JACK OFF TO FORD TRUCKS, I MEAN THEY LOOK SO MUCH BETTER. I MIGHT BE TOO STOOPPID TO DRIVE BUT IF I COULD ID DRIVE A FORD !!!! I ALSO GIVE OUT FREE TUG JOBS TO RAM OWNERS!!!!
I would love to have a '55-'56 F-100 big window. A '68-'77 un-cut Bronco with a 302 c.i. would also be nice. Maybe a '68-'70 Ranchero with a 428 c.i. Too many awesome Fords and not enough money.
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