An Early Ford Ecosystem

Minnesota was good to me. After two weeks on the road, I’m able to take a quick breather before I leave for my next trip. As I was scanning my list of what to write about for today’s column, my mind immediately skipped back to Back to the Fifties.

The show itself is massive. So big, in fact, that when I tell people that there were over 10,000 cars and 20,000 spectators, they think I’m bluffing. I’m not. They’re all there. Maybe more? It’s hard saying for sure.

Yes, the show is impressive. Yes, it fills three very dense days. But today, I want to zero in on one pocket of it—a show within a show if you will. It was its own early Ford ecosystem.

It’s not hard to get lost at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Lose focus for a second and you’ll get swept up in the crowd, head spinning as you look for the Cheese Curd stand that you used as a way-marking point the previous day. Disorientation aside, I somehow managed to find that elusive show within a show not once but twice.

Organized by the team at Swillco Speed Shop and John Sticha of 32 Percenter, this gathering is all about the traditional cars we love. Walking up, the I couldn’t decide what to check out first. The heavily raked Model A coupe with old black lacquer or the chopped five-window with piecrust slicks and magnesium American 12 spokes? Or what about that flathead-powered A roadster with the satin paint and mechanical brakes? I bounced around like a pinball from car to car, enjoying the shade and taking in every detail. Minnesota is a hotbed for traditional hot rodding, and these machines are some fine examples of that. Let’s take a walk through the small show (with a few favorites from the big show thrown in for good measure). I have a feeling you’ll like what you see.

—Joey Ukrop