Event Coverage 2nd Annual Midwest Forty Ford Gathering - September 24/25, 2021

Due to popular demand, I've decided to make the Midwest Forty Ford Gathering an annual event. This afternoon, I received the artwork that B-Scott cooked up for the t-shirts. The image with the '40 Deck Lid stuff is the front left screen print and the '40 pickup is for the back of the shirts.

While the event is focused on 1940 Fords, other cars are welcome to come and participate.

The event will be held at the Crane, MO City Park, however, due to lodging being non-existent down in Crane, we'll use the Quality Inn & Suites Chesterfield Village as the "host hotel". https://www.guestreservations.com/quality-inn-suites-springfield/booking

The event date is officially September 25, however, many of the out of town folks will be coming in on Friday, September 24. For those folks, I will plan on being at the host hotel to check in participants and hand out their event t-shirts. Since most folks spent their time hanging out in the parking lot, that should work out great. There's several restaurants within walking distance from the hotel, or you can hop in your '40 and find something else within a few minutes drive.

We'll do the same as last year on Saturday morning, and meet up over in the parking lot behind the restaurants by 8:30AM and leave promptly at 9:00 to make the 30 mile drive down to Crane. We'll more than likely take the same back road route to get there, as it provided some cool scenery along the way.

I do have one food vendor that has reached out to me and expressed an interest in bringing their food truck to the park. There are also a few restaurants in town that would love to have your lunch business. You are also more than welcome to brown bag it.

There will be no trophies or awards, just a cool location to hang out with a bunch of other '40 Ford owners. My little buddy Robert, who gave out trophies for his "Birthday Car Show" last year has been dealing with some serious health issues over the last month or so. I don't know if he will be up to it by then, but he always has free reign to hand out awards if he's up to it.

Last year, there was quite a demand for folks who wanted to buy t-shirts who couldn't make it to the event. For those folks, you can order t-shirts here: https://streetrodder.net/shop/ There are very limited quantities of last year's t-shirts that are also available there, as well.

For those who want to register, I'm using a Google form to gather the information, but it requires a manual payment via PayPal or sending a check the old fashioned way.
https://forms.gle/3GJfpmzW6fuwwESYA

Looking forward to seeing those who register, and thanks to those who order shirts to help support the event! If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an e-mail.

bret
417-773-0769
[email protected]

BTW...Here's a link to the coverage from last year's event.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...rd-80th-birthday-gathering-9-26-2020.1194045/

 

Back up........Outstanding graphics by B-Scott!

 

I’m certainly going to try and make it, Bret. Unfortunately, I’m currently supporting some family health issues that will certainly take priority. The next year is going to be touch and go. The graphics on the shirt look great! Hope to see everyone there!

 

How many cars do you expect? And... are other cars also welcome?

 

Bret,
We are planning to be there again. We really enjoyed last year.

 

Last year we had about 75 cars total, with about 40 Forty Fords, 3 '41s, and a handful of 39s. Based on the layout of the park, it kind of has a couple natural "sections" and most of the Forty's were parked together while the other cars gravitated to the other area. Some of the guys who registered didn't come due to the Covid situation.

Based on what has been the trend with our Hot Rod Hundred events, we will have some who don't come the second year, but more who didn't make it the first time around show up for the second event. It would be killer if we could get 75 Forties and then some "bonus" cars on top of that.

 

Registered and paid.
Registered and paid for Hot Rod Hundred also.
And Stray Kat 500 for that matter.
I am ready to do some driving!

 

We are planning on making the trip. I have a cousin in Walnut Shade MO so we will base from there. Bringing our '40 Standard Tudor that Dad bought for $100 near Bethel MO in early 1965. Uncle in IL drove it to Oregon for us in 1969. We moved to Oregon in fall of '68. Was planning to visit my uncle Charles this September too but he passed recently. Still going to visit my aunt and family, in West Frankfort IL.

Dave

 

Way cool, Dave! Looks like a 1900 mile run one way to Springfield from where you are. Way to put the pressure on me! ;-)

 

@bchrismer , it may be much farther than that if we include Carlsbad Caverns in the trip!

Dave

 

Well worth the visit! I remember going to Carlsbad Caverns in my youth. The Caverns are impressive! Going back to the cave at dusk (Ranger supervised), and watching the mass exodus of bats for feeding is incredible!

 

Since this event is one that I do, with the help of a small circle of friends, it's easy for me to miss things that can make it better, especially when it comes to helping promote interaction between participants. There were two specific requests that I had from last year that I hope we resolve with the following:

The first thing requested was "Name stickers" because a lot of times hot rod folks aren't good at introducing themselves to each other. Truth be told, I did actually buy 100 of them, but failed to make them available to the participants.

The second item requested were windshield stickers to allow folks to know who belongs to which vehicle. A huge thanks to Dale, @Weedburner 40, for volunteering to provide windshield stickers to help ID who goes with which vehicle.

My goal is to keep this thing as basic and laid back as possible where there aren't a lot of distractions from hanging out, making friends, and having a reunion of friends.

 

Not being as helpful as Dale, but still wishing to help out, I will write my own name on the "Name Sticker".

 

I'll do the same. No more being just "that bald guy with the white beard and glasses!"

 

Due to the number of t-shirts that were ordered last year, I'm planning on doing the t-shirts in waves. I'll be ordering t-shirts the first week of May for anyone who pre-orders before then. That will allow me to ship them out upon receiving them around the first of June. At that point, I'll be focusing on registrations for the event in September, with the next t-shirt order going in sometime around mid August. Any of those not attending who order during that time will have shirts mailed after the event. Then will be the 'last and final' order for any screw ups that I may have along the way.

If you want to get in on the pre-orders, feel free to do so at https://streetrodder.net/shop There's still a few shirts from last year that are available, but I'll probably sell what is left of those at the 2nd Annual Forty Ford Gathering.

 

I painted the '40 replacement rear end for my '40 Sedan today. Bearing race surfaces on both housings were terrible. Got a good one from a friend out of a '40 4dr. Hoping for warm weather again in 2 or 3 days so I can pull it outside and swap rear ends. Then F-100 brakes for the front and a new pair of water pumps. Shouldn't be a problem being ready for September!

Dave

 

Just a quick update. I did order the first round of t-shirts for the event and expect those within the next week or two (hopefully). I'll ship out the shirts that were pre-ordered at that time.

 

Sounds like a great event. Thanks for all your hard work to put it on bchrismer.

 

I just registered and paid. Rear end is in the '40 and brakes are done. Water pumps and Fluid Damper next.
Can't wait!

Dave

 

All of the t-shirts that were pre-ordered through https://streetrodder.net/shop/ before May 1 have been mailed out (and a few of them who ordered later). I'm just about out of the shirts from the initial order. If you can't make the event but would like to get the t-shirt, I am working towards placing another order around July 15. It takes B-Scott around a month to source all the shirts and get them printed, so they won't ship until around mid-late August.

Just a quick "thank you" for the long distance support of this event. Your pre-orders help me to get the word out about the event and also provides some money to cover park rental, and event stickers, etc. With these being events that I don't seek sponsorship for, every t-shirt sold helps.

 

@Dan Hay

 

We are home from Bonneville and are working on the '40 in earnest now. One of the things that has long needed fixed is the drivers side of the Standard grille. I need a replacement. Any '40 guys out there have a drivers side or both you would sell?

Buying new spark plugs today. Did compression check yesterday and plugs are just crusty on the outside, otherwise ok.

Rear hub bearings cleaned and greased along with new seals. Rear end is now finished.

Water pumps are next along with a fluid damper.

F-100 front brakes are on the list if enough time.

Less than a month until we leave for MO.

Dave

 

Water pumps and fluid damper are installed and car is back together. New plugs and new belts coming Tuesday. I have decided I am going to do the F-100 brakes on the front as mine are funky now.

Here's a couple pics.

Dave

 

OH MAN!!! I love it!

 

Damn sexy looking sedan there !

 

Thanks @bchrismer and @stillrunners . It's not as nice as it looks but works ok. Just rough enough to not sweat somebody bumpin' up against it, but good enough to be proud of it. I'm not into show cars, I like drivers.

Dave

 

That's the kind I dig!

 

Yep, drivers , "trailers are for horses " except when the "ol girl" can't make it on it's own!!!

 

Only about a month to wait!!!

 

Best Of Luck On The Run And The T-Shirts Are Just Excellent....Appreciated...