DEARBORN, Mich. – While countless enthusiasts the world over enjoy the power and performance that the V-8 engine affords, there is one club whose sole mission is to celebrate America’s love affair with the V-8 that has been going on ever since Henry Ford first tantalized us with torque with the introduction for the famed Flathead V-8 back in 1932. The Early Ford V-8 Club of America’s slogan is “Preserving Flathead Fords Around the World.” Founded in San Leandro, California, in 1963, the club recognizes all Ford Motor Company vehicles made between 1932 and 1953, including Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. Today, with membership of over 9,000 across 125 Regional Groups worldwide, the Early Ford V-8 Club of America has expanded its restoration and preservation goal to also support commercial vehicles, tractors and other Ford-powered vehicles built around the world utilizing the 4-, 6-, 8-, and 12- cylinder engines produced by Ford Motor Company.

When we discovered that the Early Ford V-8 Club of America had scheduled its yearly Grand National Meet right here in Ford’s backyard with its “Dearborn’s the Scene in 2018” event June 11-15, we couldn’t help but to visit the club’s display field on show day. We couldn’t wait to check out some of the classic Ford rides that made their way to The Motor City for the convention. The five-day event included several attractions beyond the traditional club welcome reception and luncheon, raffles, swap meet, judges meetings, seminars and awards banquet. Tours to the Ford Piquette Plant, the Henry Ford Museum, a Picnic Day at Greenfield Village, the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, plus a stop at the Benson Ford Research Center and Bus Tour for the Ford Village Industries was all part of the action. What’s more, attendees also had access to the  Automotive Hall of Fame, the Detroit Institute of Arts (home of the Diego Rivera murals of the Rouge Plant), the National Automotive History Collection at the Skillman Branch of the Detroit Public Library, the Ford of Canada Archives at the University of Windsor, the Roush Automotive Collection in nearby Livonia, Michigan, a guided tour of the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, as well as seeing the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum (which includes a Hudson Auto Museum) less than a half-hour drive away.

With the cars being the stars here, our own Ford Performance Enthusiast Communications Manager, John Clor, drove over to the show lot behind Dearborn’s expansive Edward Hotel and Convention Center to stroll the car show and shoot photos of some of the outstanding vehicles that were on display there. He shares some of his favorites for you to enjoy in the gallery below:

FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY JOHN CLOR