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Discussion Topic:
When is an Early Ford V8 not acceptable?
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1934 Ford |
10-12-2017 @ 3:02 PM
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Senior
Posts: 573
Joined: Oct 2009
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When is an Early Ford V8 not an early Ford that is acceptable? The usual question of accepting non “As they left the factory cars”, plays on my mind every time we ask those who run for EFV8C offices to take a position on newer or modified Fords. I enjoy all old cars and hate to see someone excluded due to personal tastes. Examples that stick in my craw: After completing the 1984 & 1987 editions of the Interstate Batteries Great American Race in a bone stock 1934 Ford Deluxe Tudor, we took it to a show along with another stock 34 Ford Standard Tudor. We left all the Great Race signage on the raced car thinking folks would like to see what the 4400 miles from Disneyland to Disney World looked like on the car. We were told it could not be registered or shown because of the advertising on the number shield and stickers on the car from contingency sponsors. They (Local AACA Region) refused to register the race car, so we parked both cars across the street and had our own show. They lost two registration fees and our respect , for non judged cars that would have added to their Show and to their profits. We know a guy who did a factory looking installation of a 60 HP Ford V8 engine in his 1931 Model A Roadster Pickup. You would have thought he shot the Pope. I would hope he would be welcome anywhere as well as the guy with a restored 1948 Willy’s Jeepster with a 1948 Ford Flathead V8 engine. What about the guy with a pristine 1932 Ford Roadster with a stock looking 1949 Flathead engine? It’s still a Early Ford V8 to me. Or the Resto-Mod that looks so good and stock that people have to ask for the hood to be opened to discover there is something other than the original engine in it? Some of those cars wouldn’t make it to a meet if they had to travel solely with original parts. I would like to see the regular classes plus a “Modified Section”. The 32 Roadster with the wrong engine is still a 1932 Ford to me, even if it had a Chevy V8 under the hood. ( I know a guy in Florida who drove his 327 Chevy powered 32 Ford Roadster to the L.A. Roadster Show 6 times , from Florida and it still looks like a 32 Ford Roadster! Hood and fenders, bumpers and wire wheels. Why not welcome him and his Ford too? This could be our key to increased membership. Remember car guys usually have more than one car and interests in the stock ones could be encouraged. I have both! You probably do too.
1934 Ford's since 1972
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nelsb01 |
10-12-2017 @ 4:10 PM
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Senior
Posts: 982
Joined: Oct 2009
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My first question to you would be: When was the last Early Ford V-8 Club National Meet you attended? All your questions have answers. The EFV-8C has as you say: As they left the factory (Concourse class) The vehicles: 1932 with a 1949 flathead (Touring A) Vehicles that members just want to enjoy (Touring) Vehicles with modified drive trains, paint, interiors (Display Class) As for the AACA.........well, I am not a member, so I can not address their issues. All these classes have been welcomed at Early Ford V-8 Club National Meets for quite a while. I am sure others will add to this -- but I believe we welcome all 1932-1953 (1954 Canadian) Ford Motor Company Vehicles. As for driving them across country, a very large group drove from the East coast to Tahoe in 2013. And just last month a 1949 Ford drove from Mass to Oregon for the 2017 Western Meet. PS- we have even had a 9N tractor with the V-8 conversion show up and be on the Concourse.
This message was edited by nelsb01 on 10-12-17 @ 4:15 PM
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3w2 |
10-12-2017 @ 5:23 PM
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Senior
Posts: 835
Joined: Oct 2009
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I find it interesting that personal taste seems in the minds of some to be a one-way street where one size fits all and anything goes or at least should. There are however other versions of personal taste that exclude the very things that they advocate. Evidently those other points of view aren't worth considering as being possibly equally legitimate. Those who believe that Chevrolet-powered Fords are still Fords, as an extreme example, and should form part of a wave of new members when the doors are thrown open seem to ignore that there exists a hard core of Club members who have bought into the Club's current mandate. The real unanswered and seemingly not even considered question is how many of that core will walk away when that mandate is abandoned or watered down to the point of being a joke. It is not zero. The Early Ford V8 Club of America has a written mandate, as do most other marque auto clubs. If you don't like the ground rules of this club either work to change them or move on to another club with a better fit to your personal tastes remembering that there will always be those with different personal tastes.
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kubes40 |
10-12-2017 @ 6:01 PM
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Senior
Posts: 3395
Joined: Oct 2009
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3W2, I feel you've made a very valid point. I have noticed this club slipping beyond it's mandate in recent years. Allowing electric fuel pumps on concourse judged cars w/o a standard point deduction is just one small example. Hey, there is a touring class boys... if you can;t get your car to run correctly with a proper pump, perhaps "touring" is a better fit for you. While I enjoy many facets of the car hobby, open the doors to hot rods, etc., and I for one am "outta here". There are clubs to fit everyone's tastes. This club, as I recall, was and is (supposed to be) about "factory cars".
Mike "Kube" Kubarth
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TonyM |
10-13-2017 @ 9:24 AM
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Member
Posts: 458
Joined: Sep 2010
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I am an historian, and it was the focus on "stock" Fords and the "preservation" aspect of this club that influenced me to join. I joined in 2010, before I even owned an early Ford. My membership/contacts here helped in my purchase of an original, largely unmolested 1937 Ford. I am here to enjoy stock early Fords. There are plenty of Street Rod clubs out there, so the SBC crowd don't have to come here and ruin our club. If the rules are watered down and the club abandons its current mission, then I will leave the club. . . . 78-730B
This message was edited by TonyM on 10-13-17 @ 9:26 AM
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MG |
10-13-2017 @ 10:52 AM
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Senior
Posts: 1254
Joined: Nov 2009
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To paraphrase Jimmy Stewart in the movie 'Flight Of The Phoenix', he said - "Why, I could tell you that there were times when you took real pride... in just getting there." - Jimmy was referring to pilots and their flying of airplanes. This is the attitude I have when driving my factory original '34 Ford to EFV8 Club National Meets - I take real pride in just getting there.... From the Movie > Frank Towns (Jimmy Stewart) establishes himself as a jaded veteran pilot who feels more sorrow than excitement at the way flying is changing during a conversation with Lew in the cockpit; this sentiment is part of the cause of the friction between Towns and Dorfmann. Captain Towns: "A pilot is supposed to use his own judgement, don't you think? If it weren't for that... I don't know, Lew. I suppose pilots are just as good now as they ever were, but they sure don't live the way we did. Why, I could tell you that there were times when you took real pride... in just getting there. Flying used to be fun, it really did, Lew... it used to be fun."
This message was edited by MG on 10-13-17 @ 11:27 AM
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40cpe |
10-13-2017 @ 11:10 AM
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Member
Posts: 472
Joined: Jan 2010
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It seems as if the club has already watered down the "rules" if you consider there are classes at meets that are for vehicles with some modifications. I suspect it is because the powers-that-be recognize that there are not enough hard core, non-compromising restorers to keep the doors open financially. Many of us will put hydraulic brakes, the wrong color floor mat, or a later flathead in our cars to enjoy them and keep them running. I suspect there is room here for all of us.
This message was edited by 40cpe on 10-13-17 @ 11:34 AM
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ford38v8 |
10-13-2017 @ 11:30 AM
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Senior
Posts: 2758
Joined: Oct 2009
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Without descending into a discussion of how many Concourse points to deduct for this or that modification, I believe that the present separation of classes works very well, has been and continues to be monitored and refined to meet demands of the modern world. The fact that change comes slowly is reassuring, as evolution is inevitable and constructive, while revolution is destructive by definition.
Alan
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engine |
10-13-2017 @ 12:04 PM
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New Member
Posts: 103
Joined: Dec 2012
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I for one when walking around at a car show happen to come across a Ford with a Chevy 350 in it I keep walking. I know it fits because it is a shorter block and it's a crate engine but I just don't like it. You sound like you may be running for a office in the club and you are putting out feelers to see what the response is. There's a California guy who is wanting to do just that, could that be you?
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woodiewagon46 |
10-13-2017 @ 12:11 PM
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Senior
Posts: 698
Joined: Nov 2012
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I have no problem if someone has a car entered in the Display Class, that is what is commonly called a "resto rod". Take for example a '34 or '40 Ford with a modern V-8 that has stock fenders and hood so that no one knows that the engine isn't stock. The '34 might not have spoke wheels and have perhaps '40 wheels. They may have disc brakes and radial tires but other wise look completely stock. To me that is perfectly fine in that class. I also don't have an issue with a concourse restoration with an electric fuel pump. Say someone wants to drive their V-8 but has vapor lock issues because they have heavy traffic issues and the electric pump will cure it. If the car is restored to absolute concourse condition and the only issue is an electric pump, to me it is still perfect. As everyone on this site knows it takes a ton of money to restore a car to concourse standards. The other issue is not only the restoration cost. No one that I know, that owns a concourse car drives it. So a car trailer and tow vehicle is now needed. Not too many people that want to get into this hobby have that amount of disposable money. Don't get me wrong, if someone shows up with a chopped and channeled hot rod with a big loud motor they must not be allowed in. I think we need to encourage as many people as we can to enter our hobby. Perhaps we need to define the Display class a little further.
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