(Words and photos by Joe Grippo) – We recently spent a few days wondering around 2018 Ford Nationals at the Carlisle Pennsylvania Fairgrounds. 3000 plus cars and Ford trucks packed the place but we spent most of the first day in the sizable Swap Meet digging through boxes and drooling over some of the unobtanium parts being offered up for sale. We found some stuff we were hunting down for our ’69 Mustang project. One observation we noted was that the prices of some NOS parts seemed to be coming back to earth. Pro Tip: the Carlisle Swap Meets are excellent sources for cheap tolls and garage supplies like 3M stripping wheels and wire ties.
This gallery features stuff spotted in the swap meet area and also some Ford Exotica. So, you have never see a 427 S.O.H.C. engine with twin Autolite inline carbs perched atop a sheet metal intake before? You can’t say that anymore. How about a an earlier Boss 429 FORD block letter valve cover purported to come from Smokey Yunick’s Best Damn Garage auction? More crazy stuff like intakes manifolds of all varieties, NOS sheet metal and super rare take off parts like an original Boss 429 fender complete with rolled inner fender lip for two grand were there for the taking. Bring good walking shoes and loads of cash.
Ford is firmly in the supercar business. On display across from the Fordson Tractor tent was a full complement of the new Ford GT including a full race prepped version and the latest ECO-Boost powered 2018 GT. We caught a glimpse of the new GT cruising the grounds and it sounded as evil as it looked. As cool as the that new GT was, I walked right by it when I spotted the orange 1973 Pantera seen in the gallery below. The DeTomaso Pantera is one of my dream cars and will be one of my first three purchases after I hit the Powerball. This example was a great original paint orange color with perfect patina and perfectly aged Campagnolo magnesium wheels. I had to change my shirt because it was soaked from my drool.
Joe, great pics. Get in line for buying a Pantera. And, I have a bone to pick with you on not getting one of those really cool FE intakes for me. I thought we were friends. I bought a Ford because of your bad influence!!