EVENT:. 2003 Prowl/M•E•L & Ford Picnic
SPONSOR:. Cascade Cougar Club
DATE:. July 27, 2003
LOCATION:. Cedar River Park - Renton, Washington

By Marc Ogren

Over the years, people have come to think of Prowl as a pretty special event and 2003 was no disappointment! Variety seemed to be the operative word, for events and cars. The busy schedule included a Friday evening reception, Saturday's countryside cruise plus BBQ and the Mercury/Edsel/Lincoln & Ford Picnic on Prowl Sunday. Spectacular NW weather featuring clear blue skies and brilliant sunshine greeted Prowlers the entire weekend. On Sunday, Prowl sponsor Cascade Lincoln Mercury brought a selection of new offerings to contrast with the vintage iron on the showfield.

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The "West Wing" view gives an idea of the scope of the show. A similar view was repeated looking South.
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A group of Cougar ragtops lead the way to Show Central.
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An excellent grouping of '67 standards.
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1968 standard Cougs were also abundant.
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The touching story of Dan & Dixie Miniken's Eliminator clone catches Mike Hainsworth's interest. Many more '70 Cougs await his inspection.
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CCC Senior Cougars always look great.
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Young Owner class (under 25) featured Tyler Husby ('69), Kyle Welch ('70) and Ryan Anderson ('58 Edsel - not shown).
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Sunshine and First Gen ragtops make a great combination.
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An extra scoop or two never hurts on a hot day.
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Seldom seen '60s Mercs seemed to stretch forever. Unfortuntely, the ponies on the infield dusted this display.
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1950s exuberance--Big M style. Flamboyant '57 Mercury blends pink and black color scheme with chrome and gold trim.
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1955 Merc puts up a good front.
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1964 Cyclone and '65 Caliente demonstrate Comet evolution.
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Edsels galore! A record turnout of the ephemeral marque.
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1958 Edsels show their colors.
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A small slice in a long line of lovely Lincolns. (Yes, that's Tony Fisher gleaming in the foreground.)
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Luxury personified. Note the similarity in grilles between this '63 Continental and the '64 Comet pictured above.
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Talk about variety. How about a '47 V-12 Lincoln, flathead Merc convertibles from '48 and '53 plus a'62 Meteor with a first year 221 small block?
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Ford Skyliner retractables are alway a special sight, made even more so by the factory supercharger fitted to the red and white '57 at left.
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Part of a superb collection of T-Birds, including three supercharged models.
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Fabulous Fords: '55 Crown Victoria and '57 Courier represent the best of Fifties flair. Both are pasts winners of Prowl's 'Best Ford' trophy.
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Fastbacks for fast forward motoring. '66 Shelby GT350 and '65 2+2 Mustang offer variations on a winning concept.
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Line em up and light em off! Don't let the umbrella fool ya...these snakes are ready to strike.
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1974 Ford XB Fairmont from Down Under heads a line of import Fords also represented by English and German marques.
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Customized shoebox Fords bracket a fiery leadsled Merc sporting DeSoto grille and sombrero hubcaps. James Dean lives!
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Thirties styling triumphs merge with individual creativity and ingenuity on Street Rod Row.
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Rods and old trucks go well together.
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1953 Mercury M-100 is a rare and beautiful sight.
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Sprinkle in some classy Rancheros and you have a full day of feasting on the motorized banquet that was Prowl 2003.
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PHOTOS BY RANDY SMITHHISLER, RANDY LINTOTT AND OTHERS
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