Summer sun glinting off gleaming paint, highlighting the sleek lines of your favourite vehicles from decades past ... Yes, summer and classic cars just seem made for each other. (And if you prefer the dull black of a rusty rat-rod, well, that's fine, too!)
It's a perfect pairing the team at White Rock's Ocean Park Ford know a little something about as planning is well under way for the annual hot rod show – cruising into the dealership Sept. 14.
While always a late summer highlight for hot rod fans, this year will be a little more poignant as organizers and enthusiasts remember show founder and long-time Ocean Park Ford owner, Ron Ford, who recently passed away.
“My father, Ron Ford, has been an inspiration to me and countless others,” reflects Rick Ford. “His compassion, loyalty and unwavering commitment to our employees have shaped Ocean Park Ford into more than just a dealership – it’s a family. For 37 years, he has led with integrity, treating everyone with kindness and respect.
“As I step into this role, I realize the enormity of the task ahead – my father’s shoes are not just big; they’re legendary. Filling them won’t be easy, but we are determined to honour his legacy. We continue fostering the same sense of community, valuing our team members as individuals, and striving for excellence,” Rick says.
The annual hot rod show is an extension of that commitment to community. Hosted in partnership with the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation, all food and beverage proceeds from the show go to the hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation Department – to the tune of more than $50,000 over the years.
Ron's passion for the classics began as a young teen with his first project, undertaken with a friend: a 1934 Ford cabriolet they chopped and channelled.
That experience fuelled Ron’s passion for hot rods, and he amassed a significant collection over the years, including one of the earliest Fords – a 1915 Model T roadster. The vehicle earned a prominent place in Ron’s garage for more than 50 years, a classic parked alongside a 1940 Ford woody, a rare 1932 Ford Phaeton, Model A roadster and many others. In fact, some aficionados suggest he might have the best selection of historic hot rods in the country.
A tradition roars to life
After initially joining the car business as a salesman for Kerfoot Datsun in White Rock, Ron’s connection to Fords led the car manufacturer to ask him to establish what would become Ocean Park Ford in 1986.
Later, when the president of Ford Canada was due to visit, Ron asked some of his friends to bring their Ford street rods for a display, and the Ocean Park Ford Hot Rod Show was born – a show that remains one of the best-attended shows in the area.
That legacy will be on full display at this year's Ocean Park Ford Hot Rod Show Sept. 14, an opportunity to remember Ron, and his passion for cars and community.
Drop by with your vehicle and browse the assembled classics from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hot dogs will be available with soft drinks by donation to Peace Arch Hospital‘s cardiac care unit.
Learn more, and see some photos from previous shows, at oceanparkford.com/annual-hot-rod-show And if the hot rods leave you thinking about Ford's modern classics, the Ocean Park team can help you with that, too!
