Fabulous Fords Forever 2001

Once again, the Blue Oval faithful gathered at Knott's Berry Farm amusement park in Buena Park, California, for what is billed as the largest all-Ford show in North America. Every April, Ford fans and fanatics make the pilgrimage to Knott's to see their favorite trucks, cars, and familiar faces. The annual show has been successfully drawing hundreds of trucks and cars and tens of thousands of spectators for a bit of fun in the California springtime sunshine for more than a decade, and 2001 was no different.

Unlike most automotive shows that focus on more narrowly defined subject material, such as classic trucks or Mustangs or vintage Broncos, the Fabulous Ford show has a bit of something for everyone -- everyone who likes Fords, that is. It is a very different kind of show where you can find groups of similar-yet-different vehicles parked in clusters throughout the show grounds. It is not uncommon to pass a section of Ford-powered Pantera sports cars parked next to a group of vintage Lincolns next to a row of F-100 trucks -- late-models, classics, factory show cars, SVT concepts, 2WDs, 4WDs -- you name it, and if it has a Ford component in it, you'll probably find several at this event.

The show is held in a giant parking lot adjacent to the world-famous Knott's Berry Farm amusement park. The park offers plenty of diversion for spouses and kids who may grow weary of looking at automotive rides and wish to seek out some rides of a more interactive and thrilling nature. As a bonus, crowds are usually light and the lines short at the amusement park during the early spring event. There are a lot of things to do and see at this one-day event. Spending an entire day from dawn to dark checking out examples of every Ford ever made and then touring a full-blown, world-class amusement park makes for one very long day.

Various vendors and manufacturers of Ford-related parts and equipment can be found at the show as well as many media and industry celebrities. Lindsay Wagner is always on hand as a Ford spokesperson, and Linda Vaughn rarely misses a show. You never know who you'll run into. This year, we found the crowd lined up for autographs from Camee Edelbrock.

If Fords are your thing, this is one show you might want to check out. One day in the California sunshine and you can see an example of just about everything that the Blue Oval company ever produced. Like a walk through time, the Fabulous Fords show covers the past, present, and future of one of the world's largest automakers, all in one quick tour.