Bronco Driver pic-FFF, Is there a problem?

[sfaforester]

I've never been to Fabulous Ford Forever in CA but it struck me funny when I saw the Bronco Driver pic (pg 46) of the Best of show in the truck class. The red bronco (heck they don't even say what year it is). Now I love the fact that we can all cut our fenders and jack em up and make em rock craw with the best of them but I don't see how this bronco deserves this award. The picture below that picture shows a thunderbird, the eb, and a cobra. (forgive me if those are not correctly identified). But somethings wrong with this picture. The vehicles beside this souped up bronco are restored vehicles, meaning thats they way they looked back when they came off the show room floor. Why would they award those guys that kind of trophy and give the truck catagory trophy to a non-restored vehicle? I personally think there should be a completely well restored early bronco in the place of that one.

Thoughts?

 

[Dusty]

Restored stockers win it most of the time. Modified mustangs and other cars sometimes win their categories too. I think its a nice acknowledgement that there are wider variety of enthusiasts than just stock restorers. The trail rigs are the ones that actually get USED rather than just parked in a garage between shows. Fab Fords has always been a great showcase for all classic Fords, both those still being used (or used up!) and/or modified, and those that represent the original form of the vehicle.

 

[HILLBILLYNA68]

I may be wrong, but I seriously doubt that rig gets USED on the trail. If mine looked that good theres no way I could beat the fenders off it. That's one nice truck. Glade to see a EB win no matter if its a stocker or trail rig.

 

[sstlaure]

I know a couple of the stockers that Jeff @ JBG has have won some awards. He's got some CRAZY clean trucks, but those don't get used. The ones he drives are all modified. I think that there should be some division within the truck classes (stock/modified/street/offroad etc.)

 

[67EB_in_619]

divisions/categories are a good idea.. but there are all kinds of hotrod coups that get awards etc.. its not just about stock restoration.. I just think that there is an understanding with the judges that stock restos are REALLY tough.. a labor of love.. and thats why you see so many being rewarded.

But yea... classes would be a good idea.

 

[welndmn]

I have not got my copy yet

 

[supermottl]

Hey, I just won 2nd in a "trail modified" category at ECBR. So, I aggree with the different classes as well.. otherwise it would be comparing apples and road apples...

 

[Rustytruck]

You have to remember the FFF is not a commercial car show with awards for all kinds of classes. It is to spotlight the efforts of ford enthuists in the local car clubs. Having restored a stock Mustang and building my Bronco the 2 animals are not alike in efforts. Building a stocker means finding all the right parts made by Ford and assembling it the way Ford did. Building your own version of a Ford Bronco is Far easier but still alot of work. Restoring a Stock Bronco to Ford specs is far easier than trying to do it to a 63 Lincoln Continental. Just because of sheer parts. This whole show only comes about because of the dedicated individuals in the various car clubs and for the most part these are very picky restorers dedicated to the pureness in the breed. They are the only ones finatical enough to go to meetings and give up their time for what is dear to their hearts while your out 4 wheeling. Their judges come from these ranks. Just to get a Bronco picked is an honor and to have a modifyed one get reconized is a huge honor for its owner. its like OJ winning best man at a KKK ralley. If you havent been to one of these shows you dont realize how small a part the Bronco is to this show. its like you in your Bronco showing up to Camp Jeep. This has gotten far better in the last few years based on the sheer numbers of Broncos showing up and becoming a force to be reconed with. But it wasnt too very long ago their was only a couple of Bronco's there and we were shoved off in overflow parking with the trailers. Of course we now demand the overflow parking area. This show you pay to park there and the spectators come for free. This is an enthuist show so as long as its Ford your welcome no matter the condition. Of course a rusted out Bronco is more welcome than a rusted out Pinto but thats just because we are all nicer and understand where that truck is going to end up.
This is one show you have to see at least once. Its for the average Joe not Joe big bucks with roped off cars and bad attitude if your not one of the big dogs.

 

[PS]

FabFords is an unjudged show, the diffent catagories/models get separated, but other than that there are no classes (unlike the society we all live in). There are three awards given out: Best of Show, Best Thunderbird, and Best Truck. Each of these three awards are named after a real person who had much to do with the growth of the show (and it is HUGE) and are a way for the powers-that-be to recognize certain vehicles that are exemplery examples. The Bronco that won Best Truck was picked by Bill Stroppe's son and a couple of other very knowledgable Bronco guys, and if you ever get the chance to see this truck in person, you will see what they did; a well engineered ride that sets a very high standard. The Cobra is not a restored example, it is a 100,000+ mile car owned by the fellow who drove it off the lot new. The Thunderbird is owned by the son of the original owner and underwent a drawn-out restoration process, a labor of love (can't we all relate?). The award is for Best Truck, not Best Restored Truck, Best Untouched Stock Truck, Best Blue Truck with Chrome Wheels and White Interior, or Best Green Truck with Purple Polka Dots. But if the Best Truck, in their opinion, was one of these it would have been picked. The Red Bronco that won the award is owned, and built, by a guy that lives in San Diego (I think) and gets used off road regularly.

The vibe at FabFords is totally noncompetitive and personally I like the unjudged shows a whole lot better than judged. I mean, how many weird dudes with feather dusters can you stand in a day?

 

[toddz69]

I mean, how many weird dudes with feather dusters can you stand in a day?

I see plenty of wierd dudes with feather dusters at FFF, just not in the Bronco section .

I agree with your comments too-I like the uncompetitive, nonjudging atmosphere of the show too. Makes me feel OK about bringing my old beater every year.

Todd Z.

 

[73stallion]

guys, willie stroppe chose that truck to win the "stroppe trophy".

and yes, he does wheel it!


btw, if memory serves me correctly that 289 cobra was a 1 owner car that was all origional. it even has the tires on it that it rolled off the floor with, not replacements. there was a lot of background behind that cobra.

 

[Sabas]

The Bronco that won does get wheeled offroad. I met him @ Bronco Daze & he does wheel it.

 

[sfaforester]

guys, willie stroppe chose that truck to win the "stroppe trophy".

And that matters how? ie Just because Hank Williams Jr was a great man doesn't mean his son is worth a dam.


I think the eb is really cool, and I think its even better that he actually wheels it. I just felt like going with the theme of awarding trophies they would pick an original.

 

[73stallion]

origionality would have been nice, yes.

now that i think about it, i'm surprised willie didn't pick marks (from wild horses) origional, in beautiful condition, all origional, almost mint conditioned stroppe bronco. after all, willie is bill stroppe's son. if i were his son and i saw a rig my dad built in perfect condition like that, i'd trophy it.

 

[sfaforester]

origionality would have been nice, yes.

now that i think about it, i'm surprised willie didn't pick marks (from wild horses) origional, in beautiful condition, all origional, almost mint conditioned stroppe bronco. after all, willie is bill stroppe's son. if i were his son and i saw a rig my dad built in perfect condition like that, i'd trophy it.

Yeah but someone would see that as a conflict of interest. ?

 

[PS]

I stand by my earlier comments about the award for Best Truck, not Best Stock Truck, or whatever. There would have been maybe two trucks to choose from if the award was only for originals, and I highly doubt either of them is truly original anyway.

As the owner of a (in my opinion) nicely modified, but certainly not radical, Bronco I appreciate the fact that all the Broncos were viewed to be equal. The red truck was chosen for award because of the thoroughness of design and quality of execution. Besides, if the award was only for stockers, there would be a lot of ticked off owners of modified rigs.

That Cobra was especially cool though...can you imagine it as your daily driver for ten years? Oh yeah.

 

[bbolander]

Boy, what a thread this is. Like many of you I never would have guessed that a modified EB would be picked for a trophy at Fab Fords with all the classic restoration enthusiast history there. Years ago we felt uncomfortable vibes from the other club council members about our modified EBs even being in the show, let alone being featured. We had a stock restored EB picked for the Pepper award the year of the 30th EB anniversary.

Dennis Gage featured one of our modifed EBs on his TV show about Fab Fords as well. He's surely a classic oriented guy.

Then Willie suprised us all a couple of years by picking a great modifed grey EB from Fullerton. His pick this year is a great example of a highly modified, show quality EB that is regularly used on the trails as well. I think it's great that Willie steps out and picks the vehicle that impresses him the most rather than feeling limited to stock restorations only.

When we featured EBs during the year of the 35th we had all kinds of EBs in the center display area. It was a great display that drew a big crowd.

In our case we have a lot of highly modified EBs of show quality along with our few stockers of show quality. And we have a lot of drivers that aren't show quality. Best of all worlds which makes it a great show for everyone.

I think people are recognizing that what we're doing with EBs makes them better than original and respect us for it.

 

[Fathom]

It was very impressive to see in person!

 

[thesnake]

I'd have to go with the unjudged and "open" to all. Whether a stocker is picked or a modified bronco, that fact the bronco makes the grade is just a feather in the cap.

 

[watfab]

A different take on this....

Seeing this tread again made me go back and look at the bronco driver mag that had FFF in it and I have to say I was kinda bummed about the way the article was put together now after rereading it again.
The article was kinda divided into two separate articles, one about the red trophy winner and then the coverage of the event itself. I agree that the Bronco winning the trophy was fully deserving of it, it is an outstanding rig, and there was a nice write up about it. Where I am bummed is with the other half of the article. I saw more EB's in one place than I have ever seen at any event. I would have much rather seen pictures in the magazine of the actual broncos that were there instead of pictures of the gas doors and mirrors. I was there and entered my bronco for the first time and had a great time and met some great people, but I took my camera mainly to take pictures of all of the ideas that I saw and liked and might want to incorporate into mine and then maybe get a few pictures of the outstanding rigs.
I might be alone in this but I sure would have rather opened my magazine up to the FFF event to see pictures of the many Broncos there (to keep and show my friends and family who couldn't attend), not pages of mirrors and gas doors.
I still feel that "Bronco Driver" is the class of the field in Bronco magazines and will be a lifetime subscriber, but I am going to share my thoughts with them and suggest that they separate these in the future, coverage of events with lots of pictures of rigs and then separate articles about mirror mods and filler door mods.

(soap box is now open)
Wade