To start this off I’m going to set straight exactly what show we attended. We drove to Plum Corner in Rochester for the one and only “Flathead Jacks” 10th annual Gathering of the Faithful New England Speed Meeting. We have attended this show for a few years now, every year guarantees cool cars and cold people since it’s in October in New England. 
This show draws a lot of cars that don’t go to everyday cruise nights and local shows. The type of cars that show up are old roundy rounds, midgets, vintage racers and of course the enthusiasts. This pre- 1960 show draws mostly hot rods, though you will see some customs and muscle cars in the mix. The Gathering is one of the only shows around where you can see a variety of cars from vintage slingshots, old race cars and hot rods in the same place.
On the front row sat a black on black 1931 Ford Model A roadster which wore old salt flat numbers 37b. Under the louvered hood was a warmed over 1941 Flathead motor. The motor had been bored to 239 cubic inches with Edelbrock heads ported and polished to let the flatty breathe deeper. Bolted to the top of the motor is a Thickstun 2×2 manifold with two Holly 94’s (Ford of course) to complete the hopped up motor. This roadster is a real driver and has frequented the salt flats on the west coast numerous times in the last few years. 
A few hours into the show everyone huddled around the stage with coffee in hand while a seminar was put on by Mac Van Pelt. Mac is the author of the How-to manual “The Ins and Outs of Early Ford Transmissions”. Mac pulled apart and went through an early Ford transmission in great depth with lots of questions and answers interspersed enabling the studious crowd to absorb his knowledge.
This was the ending show of my Massachusetts season and what a way to end the year. I can’t wait for the spring!
Matt Wood
Piecrustmagazine 