SEMA SAN Strike Force - Bob Ford Jr. with 1956 Mercury Monterey

“It has been a lifetime of cars for me,” explains Bob Ford, Jr.  The family’s name is all too fitting given their deep affinity for vintage Ford products.  “I have a long history in the automotive field, going back at least to the age of eight years old, to my family’s 1956 Mercury Monterey.  The car was sold when my dad found the car he really wanted—a 1958 Edsel.  It would be the first of four which also remain in the family.  Dad towed my convertible home in 1981 from Ontario, Canada, and we restored it together.  The first drive was the day I turned 17, got my license and drove it to school!”

Bob’s four-wheeled bona-fides developed through further hands-on experience with several frame-off chassis restorations of cars in his family.  “My specialty is doing interiors and detail items, including engine compartments.”  He strives to restore his own vehicles to 100-point show quality, with a personal collection made up of classics and muscle cars.  These rides have won numerous awards at shows in his Canadian homeland as well as the United States.  Bob’s skills have allowed him to become a national judge for the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada (NAACC) and a concours event judge for the last five years thanks to NAACC’s John Carlson.

Hailing from St. John's, Newfoundland—the most easterly city in North America—Bob has become highly active in the automotive community.  For more than 30 years, he has been a member of the Newfoundland Antique & Classic Car Club (NACCC) and the Falcon Club of America (FCA).  He has also been a member of the Edsel Owners Club and the International Edsel Club for many years as well as the Henry Ford Heritage Association more recently.  His work as membership director for the NAACC has led to involvement in promoting our hobby’s annual summer holiday.  He and the NAACC annually secure proclamations issued by the provincial governments to officially declare July as “Automotive Heritage Month.”  This special occasion is held concurrently with the SEMA-supported “Collector Car Appreciation Day” (CCAD) each year.

To be continued next edition