DEARBORN, MI – For years, enthusiast engineers and gearhead employees of Ford Motor Company would look forward to bringing their personal vehicles to what was known as the PDC Car and Truck Show, where they could showcase their private collector-car stock on the grassy areas in front of Ford’s sprawling Product Development Center along Rotunda Drive in Dearborn. The midsummer weekday show was fan favorite for anyone who worked on the Ford campus, regularly drawing some 500 vehicles. That yearly July gathering emphasized Ford’s product development and design innovations over the years to provide inspiration to today’s Ford engineering and design teams. The PDC event was a private vehicle show that was open to spectators and actually included all makes and models as long as they were invitee-owned and approved by Ford’s then-show’s organizer, Dave Glickman.
The show suffered a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but made a triumphant return for 2023 before show mastermind engineer Glickman retired from Ford, with seemingly no one able to muster the ability to keep the show tradition going. A group from Ford Research used to participate in the PDC show but later hosted their own show during Woodward week – known as the RIC Show and held in the revamped campus area alongside Village Road at the Ford Research and Innovation Center. When we got a tip on the time and location of this RCI gathering, we had to check it out.
As expected, it paled in comparison to Glickman’s old PDC show in size and scope, but it did serve to offer a similar eclectic mix of vehicles that the folks who work at the Ford Research and Innovation Center have an interest to own, including some from Brand-X. Some of the rides we saw on display there included an original unrestored 65 Mustang notchback with vibrant red interior. We also saw a gleaming pair of red SN95 Mustangs that included a very clean SVT “Terminator” Cobra. The vibe here was laid back while we strolled along the lawn next to the RIC building. We came across a variety of different old-school F-Series trucks and Broncos, and we couldn’t miss a pair of white SN95s, one of which was a rare, regional Woodward Dream Cruise Edition Mustang. (If you happen to know who the owner is, email us at ClubHub@Ford.com, as we’d love to do a story on that car!).
After checking out a few restored beauties such as a 70 Boss 302, a Fox Body Mustang set up for drag racing, and an older Ford truck wearing a gorgeous Grabber Green finish, we stopped by the registration table to say hello as RIC staffers and department heads enjoyed an outdoor cookout alongside their car show. We’re not sure that the old PDC show can ever be replicated, but we fully appreciated this RIC employee car show that gives its employees the chance to mingle – company picnic style – with their own cars on a beautiful summer day! Taje a look at some of the vehicles we found on display at the Ford RIC show in our exclusive photo gallery below:
FORD RACING PHOTOS / COURTESY JOE DELADVITCH
