ROSEMONT, IL – Each November when the cold winds begin to blow, those pre-winter classic-car withdrawals begin to set in. So that’s when thousands of enthusiasts gather in suburban Chicago for the annual “Muscle Car Nats” – drawing car people young and old who have the passion for classic Detroit horsepower. Although the indoor event is headlined by Brand X with the official name being the “Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals,” the show is open to all makes and models of muscle cars. But make no mistake, Blue Oval loyalists always create quite a footprint at this annual show.

The two-day indoor event held the weekend before Thanksgiving showcases hundreds of collector cars and parts, plus industry celebrities and sponsor displays. Much of the buzz around the show this year centered on barn finds and Brand X collections, anniversaries and special displays. But there were tons of great Fords on display there too, so our own roving photographer, Bill Cook, made the trip just outside of the Windy City to attend and file this report:

“I made the weekend-drive run over to the Muscle Car Nationals in Rosemont (Chicago), as it’s one of my favorite car events. I arrived midday Friday and returned home Sunday.  The Donald E. Stephens Convention center is always packed with the finest muscle and concours cars for this show. This year was no exception. Once again, Bob Ashton and his fabulous team put on spectacular show which included vehicles from all parts of the U.S. The attendance was very strong with everyone having a great time, as evidenced by the smiles everywhere. It’s great to see good friends from around the country – kind of like a muscle car family reunion.”

Cook took more than 500 photos that weekend, so we sifted through the Fords to put together a gallery of some of our favorites for you to enjoy below:

FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTO GALLERY / COURTESY BILL COOK