Now into its scarcely believable 32nd year, Ford Fair occupied most of the available space at Silverstone. It’s interesting to see how the range of cars changes each year and one thing that certainly stood out for 2017 was the amount of Mustangs present. Mostly the UK versions but still quite a few imports.

Regular visitors will be familiar with the drill by now - an inital look at some of the more unusual vehicles and those that don’t fit neatly into the categorised galleries published in the coming weeks. Also included are some bonus teaser pics of cars that we’ll see more of later.

As usual the changeable UK weather resulted in an inconsistent set of photos which look like they were taken on different days. The sky in one direction was deep blue with white clouds, but the other way grey and overcast.

This brand new Ranger looked menacing in an all-black colour scheme. The pronounced crackle finish to the trim is something I’ve not seen before.

A tatty, unwashed Sierra looked completely out of place amongst all the pristine cars on the Fast Ford stand. Some visual clues hinted that all was not as you’d expect. More on this later!

An Escort Cosworth isn’t quite a chunky machine as standard, but this 700bhp Thundersaloon version take it to the extreme. Rebuilt after being unused for 15 years it was back on track.

We’ve featured Richard Scott’s Focus before, but the car continues to evolve each year with changes both subtle and unmissable. The quality of the build is unsurpassed and the whole package is spotlessly clean to boot. There are other Focus’ that use the same ingredients - cage, WRC bumpers and wing, light pods etc, but none that taste just so perfect!

I was a little late to the party here so I’m not sure if this GT40 was going round the track or just posing in the pits for photo opportunities. Either way it looked right at home, just as you’d expect.

Many owners begin cleaning their car as soon as they arrive at the show and don’t stop until they leave. When you’re competing for silverware a stray fingerprint or wayward leaf can cost you vital points.

K Sport had these brakes on display attached to a complete rear subframe with some adjustable hardware. I’m a little embarrassed to say I don’t recognise what car it’s for, maybe the Focus RS Mk3?

A regular fixture at Ford Fair, SCC’s Time Attack Fiesta still sets the standard for modified STs.

From the department of “Why has no-one done this before?” comes this A-Team style transit. Bonus points for the correct, or at least very close, wheels.

I’m not sure how many Ford Fairs ft has attended, but I know the first was 2002, which make it the 15th anniversary of having a stand. 2002 was also (I believe) the first year the show was at Silverstone.

I’ve mentioned (and experienced) the phenomenon of what I will call “Proximity invisibility”. If you have, for example, a standard or near standard Nitrous Blue Mk3 Focus RS, a car that will turn heads driving around on the roads suddently becomes almost invisible at the show due to perhaps literally a hundred other examples which all look identical. A bit of a deflating feeling when pulling into the show!

Show car owners come up with consistently inventive and unusual ideas to perform the simple task of opening a bonnet. This is perhaps the strangest I’ve seen yet though.

It shows serious commitment to a car to gut the interior and perform the borderline irreversible modification of a full multipoint weld in cage. It’s as purposeful as it is visually appealing though in this Fiesta.

Ford UK’s stand had a selection of cars including the latest Mk8 Fiesta in a line up with previous interations, although curiously missing the Mk7.

We saw it last year in white, but in my opinion the GT much more suits this hue.

Ford also also had the 2005 and original GT40 alongside the new GT, albeit cordoned off to protect from the sticky paws of the over-enthusiastic general public.