Canyon RV Park at Featherly 

Twenty-eighteen marked the 36th Anniversary of the F-100 Western Nationals hosted by the Orange County Chapter of Pickups Limited. PUL was launched in 1968 which adds up to 2018 being the 50th Anniversary of the Club dedicated to the preservation, promotion and pride in ownership of the 1953-56 Ford F-Series pickups. Pickups Limited’s founding father, Lee Hill and club Historian Gary Ewing hosted a huge display of historical memorability and collector items to celebrate this year’s anniversary.

Pat Ford of F-100 Supernationals fame once described these pickups as “ugly, old fat-fendered trucks” in a tongue-in-cheek joke during his awards ceremony, and that description stuck. And it is the love and passion for this unique full-fendered truck design that binds yesterday’s and today’s F-1 and F-100 classic trucks owners into a unique Ford family.

…preservation, promotion and pride in ownership of the 1953-56 Ford F-Series pickups.

Southern California’s Canyon RV Park at Featherly provides grass covered grounds with ample parking for the trucks on display under a huge canopy of shade trees which is welcomed during the summer months. Once again, the F-100 Western Nationals proved to be the West Coast’s finest gathering of Ford pickups and panels as the event featured 200-plus show-quality classic trucks. No doubt the images of this show validate this claim.

The weekend fun actually began 24 hours earlier with a Friday Cruise; a chance for out-of-towners to get a taste of Southern California. PUL’s Events Director, Chris Travers organized this year’s cruise which began in Yorba Linda and wound through Orange County’s two-lane roads on the way to a local tech facility as well as a stop in Huntington Beach at Foose Designs. Chip was on hand for a meet and greet. The Cruise wrapped up with lunch and an ocean front drive through Newport Beach and beyond.

Saturday morning, 200-plus trucks rolled into the show as music of the fifties and sixties filled the air along with the aroma of fresh tri-tip to complete this park-like setting. Winners were soon being announced for raffle prizes as Mid-Fifty donated bed wood and stainless hardware as a major prize complemented by products from CPP, LMC and a host of other truck-oriented companies.

Once again, the F-100 Western Nationals proved to be the West Coast’s finest gathering of Ford pickups and panels.

Show Chairman, Ed Oe, did a masterful job of promoting the 2018 event through flyers, e-mail blasts and media postings as well as directing a staff of PUL volunteers for the gate, parking and registration duties. A look at the grounds revealed everything from patina projects to $200K show rides to the accolade of hundreds of spectators. Club President, Rich Miller added, “ This is one of the nicest shows we have hosted; great diversity, everyone got recognized and all had a great time. The increase in truck quality creates good momentum for next year’s show.”

Seems as though we all have a dad, uncle, neighbor or friend that has owned a classic Ford truck, coupled with fond memories of truck-oriented experiences.

If you wish to scratch your itch for “old, fat-fendered trucks” mark your calendar for April 6th, 2019 to ensure you attend this fun, annual event! Pickups Limited is a registered California non-profit with the receipts from this year’s show being donated to charity.

More info at  f100westernnationals.com

…the event featured 200-plus show-quality classic trucks

Seems as though we all have a dad, uncle, neighbor or friend that has owned a classic Ford truck, coupled with fond memories of truck-oriented experiences

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