CLUB MEET: Fenland OSF
East Anglia’s finest Old Skool Fords.
On a hazy summer evening there’s nothing better than firing up an old Ford and taking a blast down to your local car meet. The sweet smell of burnt rubber mixed with the orchestral roar from a set of twin 45 Webers draws fans of retro machinery in like moths to a particularly bright flame. Add in the lure of cheesy chips and endless cups of steaming hot tea and coffee and you’ve got yourself a meet to remember.
And this is exactly what you can expect if you make the trip deep into the Cambridgeshire fens to join the Ford-loving guys and girls of the Fenland Old Skool Ford. They meet on the second Monday of each month in the car park of the Coffee Tree Xperience café in Guyhirn, which sits on the A47 between March and Wisbech. Such is the popularity of the monthly meets that they attract all manner of Ford fans from all across the area, with some, who have subsequently moved away from the region, even travelling many miles simply to attend and remain part of their close-knit group. And they bring an eclectic mix of cars with them too, with everything from Mk1 Cortinas with Zetec lumps to concours spec Cossies, Honda-engined Fiestas and track-ready Anglias. It’s all fair-game to these guys!
The majority of those in regular attendance are active members of the Facebook group, which was started around four years ago to be a central hub for the area for owners of any Ford model registered before 1990. From relatively small beginnings the club has grown to include over 1500 members online with around 50 of those regularly attending the monthly meets and being part of the club’s regular stands at the various classic Ford shows around the county.
And with such a strong following and varied mix of machinery on display, we decided to get down to the meet and have a gander at their finely fettled Fords for ourselves. Rolling up to the meet, we were greeted by a swarm of retro rides basking in the fading sunshine. Not only were they filling the café’s large parking area, but they had also spilled out onto the surrounding grass areas. In total we counted over 65 cars that had made it to the meet, each one as unique as their respective owners.
Walking around the meet, coffee in hand, it was clear to see the passion that the club has for their Fords, with members keen to not only show off their own steeds but also indulge in learning about the builds of others, offering advice and encouragement along the way. But it was the way that people exited the meet at the end of the night which was possibly the most impressive, with huge black elevens left by some of the more powerful cars as they sped off into the night in a cloud of tyre smoke!
So if you are a lover of old Fords and fancy getting involved or even popping along to a meet, check out their Facebook page of the same name. All new members have to apply to join via the page, where the moderators can then accept any requests. They’re a friendly bunch, always keen to welcome new members.