TMSBrad

<center>FORD PAINTS THE TOWN “FORD BLUE” FOR DREAM CRUISE </center>

• Ford Motor Company is transforming downtown Birmingham into "Ford Cruisin' Legends" for the Woodward Dream Cruise - with displays from Ford, Lincoln Mercury, Ford Racing, SVT, Saleen, Roush, Mobility Motoring, Hard Rock Cafe's "50 Years of Rock" Mobile Tour, Harley Davidson, and a first-time Ford Cruisin' Concours.
• Ford Cruisin' Legends Park celebrates fast cars and great music - marking the 40th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, the 50th anniversary of the Ford Thunderbird and the 50th anniversary of rock 'n' roll music.
• Ford announces the schedule of events, celebrations and appearances planned for Cruisin' Legends - including classic rock 'n' roll bands provided by the Hard Rock Cafe.

DEABORN, MI, July 23, 2004 - Ford Motor Company is transforming Birmingham's Shain Park into Ford Cruisin' Legends Park for the Woodward Dream Cruise, including a dance card full of some first-time events celebrating two touchstones of American culture: fast cars and great music.

People who want to paint the town during the Dream Cruise can visit Cruisin' Legends to steep themselves in the glory days when muscle cars were on the road, and rock was on the radio.

"We're celebrating the 40th anniversary of America's quintessential muscle car, the Ford Mustang, the 50th anniversary of America's prototypical "cruisin'" car, the Ford Thunderbird,' said Jim O'Connor, group vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service. "Add to that the 50th anniversary of rock 'n' roll music, and our partnership with Hard Rock Cafe, and we've got the best ticket in town for enthusiasts of classic cars and great music."

Friday, August 20

Ford World Headquarters Dream Cruise Kick-off - Employees and Ford car club enthusiasts are invited to display their classic cruisers in the front parking lot of the Ford World Headquarters building on the morning of Friday, August 20. Employees from the Dearborn-area will be welcomed to enjoy the car show as Ford Motor Company kicks-off the Dream Cruise in its hometown. Around noon, employees can watch a parade of classics leave the World Headquarters parking lot to cruise up Woodward, celebrating Ford's history of cruisin' legends.

Ford's Charity Celebration - Ford will bring music legends Wilson Pickett, Bad Company's Paul Rogers and Morris Day & The Time for an exclusive charity celebration in downtown Birmingham from 6-11 p.m. Ticket purchasers will be able to enjoy Ford's great classic cars, concept cars, Ford Cruisin' Legends Park, the "History of Rock" from Hard Rock Cafe and live entertainment while supporting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. For the Charity Celebration reservation information or to purchase reservations, please call 248-827-3015. Tickets are $175, and Ford will donate the net proceeds from the Friday celebration to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Saturday, August 21

Highlights for Downtown Birmingham:

• For the first time, Ford will host a Ford Cruisin' Legends Concours - affording Ford and Lincoln Mercury classic vehicle owners the rare opportunity for their vehicles to receive special recognition from a select panel of judges chaired by Peter Horbury, executive director, North American Design, Ford Motor Company. Award categories include: Chairman's Choice - Best of Show, Children's Choice, Best SVT Vehicle, Best Hot Rod, Best Custom, Best Classic, Best Ford Vehicle, Best Lincoln Mercury Vehicle. For additional information about the contest, send an email to: cruisin@ford.com. The concours will take place on Saturday, August 21 at 11 a.m.
• Visitors to the Ford Division Pavilion of Cruisin' Legends Park will be able to get up close and personal with Ford's famous "Trilogy" display - which includes the 2005 Ford GT super car, the 2005 Mustang GT and the 2005 Shelby Cobra.
• Entertainment at the Ford Division Pavilion will include the Randy Bachman Band, Twin Pigs, The Beat Club and a children's favorite, The Candyband.
• The Hard Rock Cafe's "50 Years of Rock" Mobile Tour - which marks the 50th anniversary of rock 'n' roll music - commemorated by the recording of Elvis Presley's "That's All Right" at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee on July 5, 1954. The exhibit will take fans through a journey, combining a retrospective look at rock 'n' roll with the Hard Rock experience - complete with legendary pieces of memorabilia from the past several decades of rock.
• The Ford Mustang 40-city tour will make a stop at Cruisin' Legends, starring a 2005 Ford Mustang GT. Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and Ford Racing will also have displays.
• The Ford Experience Tour features Ford concepts and new vehicles, such as the Ford Five Hundred and the Ford Freestyle. Lucky winners at the Ford Trivia Challenge will receive prizes. All pedestrians and cruisers are welcome to visit, enjoy the music and receive a free Mustang poster.
• Lincoln Mercury classics and concepts will be on display throughout the weekend at the Lincoln Mercury Lounge, located in the Townsend Hotel Ballroom - with a backdrop of cool jazz from the Ellie Epstein quintet.
• Hog Heaven, located in front of Birmingham City Hall, will showcase Ford Motor Company concept trucks and incredible Harley Davidson motorcycles throughout the weekend.
• Ford's commitment to people with disabilities extends to the Cruisin' Legends festivities with the Ford Cruisin' Mobility display. Ford Mobility Motoring will have on hand a modified F-150, a Focus rally simulator and Cruisin with Kids Tent. The interactive Focus Simulator is equipped with hand control that provides the user an authentic driving experience for people with special transportation needs. The modified F-150 equipped with turn out seats, hand controls and All Terrain Vehicle will demonstrate the people with disabilities can go anywhere at anytime.
• The Metro Detroit Ford Dealers Family Fun Area will be located in Ford Cruisin' Legends Park where families can enjoy face painters, clowns and other children's activities.

Saturday, Aug. 21 Performance Schedule for Ford Cruisin' Legends Pavilion
8 a.m. - 11 a.m. WCSX-FM's Over-Easy Morning Radio Show
11 a.m. - Noon Ford Cruisin' Legends Concours Award Presentation
Noon - 6:00 p.m. WCSX FM's Classic Rock Weekend Special
Noon - 1 p.m. The Candyband
1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Ford Experience Trailer Trivia Challenge No. 1
1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Twin Pigs
3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Ford Experience Trailer Trivia Challenge No. 1
4:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. The Beat Club
5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Ford Experience Trailer Trivia Challenge No. 3
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The Randy Bachman Band

Team Mustang & "Mustang Alley" - Mustang Alley, sponsored by Ford Motor Company's Team Mustang will include a display of more than 300 classic and current Mustangs and an aftermarket parts vendor area in Ferndale. Also on display will be the largest display of yellow Mustangs ever assembled. Mustang Alley is located on West 9 Mile Road and Woodward in Ferndale. It will be open from 12:00 - 4:30 p.m. on August 20 and from 5:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. on August 21.

Mustang Milestones

Mustang has become an icon of American culture, thanks to 40 years of innovative design and affordable performance:

• The very first Mustang - the 1962 Mustang I Concept - was a two-seat, mid-engine sports car whose name was a tribute to the legendary North American P51 Mustang fighter plane from World War II. It made its debut in October of that year at the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, New York.
• The world debut of Mustang occurred at the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York on April 17, 1964. The price at launch: $2,368.
• The first regular production Mustang was a Wimbledon White convertible with a 260-cubic inch V-8 that rolled off the assembly line on March 9, 1964. The original car is now on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.
• Mustang sales exceeded even Ford's most optimistic projections. At the car's launch, the company expected annual sales of about 100,000 units. But 22,000 Mustang orders were taken on the first day, and sales reached an astounding 417,000 in car's first 12 months.
• Mustang sales reached the one million-mark in 1966. To-date, more than eight million have been sold, and it has been the best-selling sports car for 17 years straight years.
• Mustangs have figured prominently in the movies, including the James Bond films "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds are Forever," "Bullitt," starring Steve McQueen and "Gone in 60 Seconds (both the original 1974 film and the 2000 remake starring Nicholas Cage).

Thunderbird Milestones

• Since introduction, the flight of the Thunderbird has included classic two-seaters, cherished roadsters, convertibles and four-door models, as well as exciting hardtops and sedans - more than 1.2 million of them.
• First public appearance was Feb. 20, 1954, at Detroit's first post-war auto show.
• The first 1955 Thunderbird came off the line at Ford Motor Company's Dearborn Assembly Plant on Sept. 9, 1954.
• Thunderbird went on sale Oct. 22, 1954 - starting a legend that would grow with each generation of Thunderbird cars.
• 2002 Ford Thunderbird world debut, January 8, 2001, North American International Auto Show, Detroit, Michigan.
• 2002 - For the first time in more than 35 years, two American convertible icons - the Ford Thunderbird and Ford Mustang - are side-by-side in dealer showrooms across America.

Evil_Capri

Anyone going? I am thinking about it.

ecgirard2

I'm going to go. It is only a couple hour drive from Atlanta.

TMSBrad

Birmingham, MI, not Birmingham, AL

ecgirard2

I guess I should have read a little closer.

Amy V6

Woodward Dream Cruise baby!! Largest cruising event in THE WORLD!!

I'll be there 5th year in a row for me. This is the "offical" 10th year for the cruise, but people have been doing this for awhile. It's HUGE!!

Galaxie

I think I might go as well.. represent Canada :moose:

Shea

Booyaah. I'm usually in D-toilet every year to see the Wings, but since their dismal performance in playoffs the last coupla years, I'll have to make it out on the 21st to see the Trilogy again.

Skorch52

Since moving to PA last year, I missed the 03 cruise and I'm gonna miss it again this year... It's an 8 hour trip - a little far to drive my 66 - and the four speed makes cruising a bit of an exercise.

I'm planning my vacation for next year though... hopefully I'll be able to borrow a trailer, or take my 05 SE

Tony Alonso

Check out this Mach 1 Registry thread that describes our group's plans. We are hooking up with the Bullitt folks in a designated area of Mustang Alley. I plan to be there since I missed last year because of the power outage.

Amy V6

The power outage didn't stop it last year I had a blast last year... that area had their power back on the night before.

Tony Alonso

Amy V6,

The power outage stopped ME! I was sure where I'd be able to get gas after the trip up from Cincinnati, and the hotel where I was going to stay was out of juice until the next day.

Ohio promises to not trip the switch this year...

Amy V6

I noticed that all our Ohio people from a local club I'm in chickened out because of not knowing where to get gas and the whole power outage.

Yea... NO POPPING THE SWITCH THIS YEAR!!

TMSBrad

<center>FORD AND HARD ROCK CAFE CELEBRATE ROCK HISTORY, AMERICAN POP CULTURE</center>

• This summer marks the 40th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, the 50th anniversary of the Ford Thunderbird and the 50th anniversary of rock ‘n' roll music.
• Ford is launching the Ford Cruisin’ Legends event, to mark the birthdays of these legendary "cruisin’" cars and their role in rock ‘n’ roll history.
• Ford will bring the Mustang together with the voice that helped make the car an American icon. Wilson Pickett will be on hand to sing Mustang Sally.
• Ford will also bring music legends to the event – Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers, Morris Day & The Time, The Randy Bachman Band and the Candyband – along with the Hard Rock Cafe’s "50 Years of Rock" Mobile Tour.

DEABORN, MI, August 16, 2004 – Ladies and Gentleman, start your engines. This summer marks milestones in two watershed areas of American culture: fast cars and great music. And Ford's "cruisin' legends" are at the heart of both.

This summer marks the 40th anniversary of America’s quintessential muscle car, the Ford Mustang, the 50th anniversary of America's prototypical "cruisin’" car, the Ford Thunderbird, and the 50th anniversary of rock ‘n’ roll music – commemorated by the recording of Elvis Presley's "That All Right" at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee on July 5, 1954.

The natural connection between these milestones has inspired Ford Motor Company to create an event celebrating the cultural birthdays. The event is called Ford Cruisin’ Legends and will take place on August 20-21 in Birmingham, Michigan.

On August 20, Ford will bring music legends to the event – including Wilson Pickett, Bad Company and Morris Day & The Time – along with the Hard Rock Cafe’s "50 Years of Rock" Mobile Tour, to help raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Ford’s History in Rock

From the very beginning, muscle cars and music were tied together; an entire generation grew up with rock and roll on the radio, and a hot car in the driveway. "Crusin’ legends like the Ford Mustang and Ford Thunderbird, and great rock tunes simply grew up together, they inspired one another and are part of the same American cultural experience," said Jim O’Connor, group vice president, North America Marketing, Sales & Service. "The Ford Cruisin’ Legends event is aimed at celebrating that connection. And what better place to do it than the country’s largest one-day automotive enthusiast event, the Woodward Dream Cruise?"

The list of popular songs referencing Ford vehicles goes back to 1906, with Out in an Automobile, by Collins and Harlan. When the first Ford Mustang rolled off the assembly line in 1964, an American icon was born. The Mustang has been inspiring rockers ever since – ranging from Wilson Pickett's Mustang Sally, to the contemporary Sheryl Crow song "Steve McQueen," with McQueen’s Mustang Bullitt at the center of the song and the music video. The same is true for the Ford Thunderbird, which inspired a wide range of bands to sing tribute to the car – ranging from the Beach Boys to Quiet Riot, from ZZ Top to the Troggs, from Joe Messina to Booker T. Washington White. Ford trucks have also been a staple in American song – from The Eagle’s image of the ‘It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me," in Take it Easy, to Toby Keith’s words, which capture his love for Ford trucks: "I'd rather walk 10 miles and be down on my luck, than ride around the block in another kind of pick-up truck."

Few companies have produced more products worthy of raising America to song. "Almost everyone’s life has been intertwined in some way with a Ford vehicle: owning a great car, riding in a friend’s, singing about one of our great nameplates or seeing Ford vehicles on the silver screen. Ford is a thread in the fabric of our culture," said O'Connor.

Rock Legends, Cruisin’ Legends

The lineup of automotive "cruisin’ legends" will be matched in kind to the lineup of rock ‘n’ roll legends Ford is bringing to the event.

"We had to have Wilson Pickett to help celebrate the legacy of Mustang," said O’Connor. "Overall, we have bands that represent something for everyone. Wilson Pickett will meet the needs of those who crave the Motown sound, Bad Company will meet the needs of those who are classic rock fans, and Morris Day & The Time will meet the needs of those who love to dance."

The bands will play as part of Ford’s Charity Preview on Friday, August 20 from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. on the main stage in Downtown Birmingham, next to Hard Rock Cafe’s "50 Years of Rock" Mobile Tour. The Hard Rock Cafe mobile exhibit will take fans through a journey, combining a retrospective look at rock ‘n’ roll with the Hard Rock experience – complete with legendary pieces of memorabilia from the past several decades of rock

"The Ford Mustang, Thunderbird and rock ‘n’ roll music have made a tremendous impact on American culture," said Brian Siemienas, director of marketing, Hard Rock Cafe. "We are thrilled to be able to bring our multi-city mobile tour, highlighting the history of rock ‘n’ roll, to Ford Cruisin’ Legends."

Ford: Inspiring 100 Years of Popular Culture

Most people associate Henry Ford with the automotive revolution. But few know that Ford was a pioneer of the big screen as well. In 1903, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company, the first automotive company to bring cars to the masses. However, Ford saw himself not only as a person who helped others in their physical mobility – he wanted to aid in their emotional journeys as well. So in 1914 he established his own film unit – called Ford Motion Pictures – which became the world’s largest film producer in the 1920s.

"If Henry Ford were still making movies today, they would be, The Fast and Furious meets the Hallmark Channel," said Jill Fannon, manager, Global Marketing, Ford Motor Company. "He would make movies that balance high adventure with human values, while showcasing what his cars can do."

While Hollywood stars cultivated glamorous on-screen and off-screen images, Ford’s travelogue films emphasized travel, rural life and simple tranquility. The National Archives in Washington D.C., houses more than 3,000 films produced by Ford Motor Company from 1903 to 1954.

Henry Ford was about empowering people to go wherever they wanted, both geographically and emotionally. Ford created a car that was affordable to nearly everyone, putting millions of people on the road. He also brought air travel to the masses, with Ford Motor Company being the largest commercial aircraft manufacturer in the 1920s. "Apart from making available the means by which people could take to the road or to the sky, Ford wanted to inspire people to actually make the trip – and that’s where the travelogue movies came in," said Fannon. "The Ford Motion Pictures movies showed viewers the possibilities of the world beyond their backyards, and inspired people to explore, to travel and meet adventure."

Although hard-working, plain-spoken Henry Ford bore little resemblance to the famous and flamboyant Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille, the careers of both men were closely intertwined. Not only was the Model T an important star in early comedies alongside Harold Lloyd, Laurel and Hardy and of course the Keystone Kops, the hard-working and reliable Model T was just as important behind the scenes. On-location filming in southern California made the Model T indispensable to early film crews.

Ford’s vision for the connection between cars and movies grew even further. He recognized the promotional value of the movies and was the first to place cars in Hollywood shows. From there, Ford vehicles embarked on a long and rich career as the co-stars to many of our culture’s most-loved heroes and icon movie characters.

"Ford’s long and storied history gives the vehicles a unique image that is perfect for pairing with American heroes," said Fannon. "Whether it’s the bad-boy hero like Steve McQueen, the anti-hero like James Dean, or the 007 secret agent provocateur, can you imagine these characters without their Ford cars?"

The list of heroic characters and their Ford cars is long. Here are a few: James Dean’s 1949 Mercury in Rebel Without a Cause, John Travolta’s 1946 Fat Fender Ford Coupe, "Greased Lightning," in Grease, Steve McQueen’s 1968 Mustang GT 390 in Bullitt, Sean Connery’s 1964 Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger, and Batman’s Batmobile – originally a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car, Farah Fawcett’s 1970s Mustang Cobra in Charlie’s Angels, Thelma and Louise’s convertible Thunderbird in Thelma and Louise, Laura Croft’s Land Rover in Tomb Raider – all played roles in creating the heroes and anti-heroes that are part of our cultural legacy.

Not only did Ford and Hollywood cross paths at the nation’s silver screens and drive-ins, but they also met on television. In 1966, Batman drove a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car, powered by a 429 Ford Full Race engine, off the lot at 20th Century Fox and straight into America’s living rooms. The Batmobile, the world’s most popular TV film car, was created by Hollywood’s George Barris, the "King of Kustomizers."

"We all aspire to be like our heroes," said Fannon. "There’s something inherent in human nature that makes us want to be part of that which is legendary. Providing cars for our culture’s greatest heroes, and by making these cars available to the public for purchase, allows people to come one step closer to their favorite heroes and to actually live their fantasy."

Ford’s impact on popular culture has not stopped there. It has touched the worlds of music and literature as well. In 1936, E.B. White’s ode to the Model T, "Farewell My Lovely" was published in The New Yorker. The classic essay mourned the loss of the popular Model T just as it was disappearing from the cultural landscape. The Model T ended production in 1927.

Dr Iven

Wow, cool read! I'm glad there's not a big tie-in with Mustangs and rap music.

distortion

I have not missed a cruise yet. It is amazing what you will see there. It seems to be the same weekend as Nascar in MI. Have seen Nascar semi's stop and pull there car out and drive for a bit down Woodward.