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by Doug Harley |
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September 4, 1957
was the culmination of many years of work for Ford Motor Company. It was on
this day that they achieved their dream of expanding the medium-priced field by
introducing a new car that they hoped would make them more competitive with both
GM and Chrysler. Thus, with great fanfare, the Edsel was born. |
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And what fanfare there was! During the previous six months, the motoring public
was bombarded with an advertising and promotions campaign, the like of which had
never been seen before. Through a calculated series of well placed magazine ads
and articles, the Edsel was heavily promoted as "the newest thing on wheels" and
a revolutionary new kind of automobile. Yet, prior to it's introduction, the
public saw very little of what this wonder machine really looked like. In fact,
the only part of the car that was officially released to the press was the hood
ornament. |
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By September 3rd, the empty showroom windows were either painted or
papered over in anticipation of the shiny new Edsels that would soon
appear. All dealer deliveries had been shipped covered from public view
and remained that way, in secure locations, to prevent prying eyes from
spoiling the surprise. Then, under the cover of darkness, scores of
Rangers, Pacers, Corsairs, Citations, Roundups, Villagers, and Bermudas
began slipping into dealer showrooms around the country. The preparations
complete, it was now time to throw the doors open and declare "This is the
Edsel". |
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By all accounts, September 4th was a major social event at most community Edsel
dealerships. Some dealers opened at
midnight,
but most waited until the following morning. In a preplanned corporate publicity
promotion, the first Edsel was sold at
12:01 am
to Dr. and Mrs. Frank Zeller of Winter Haven,
Florida,
who were good friends of the Ford family. Unfortunately, as the turquoise and
white Pacer convertible drove off into the darkness of the early morning, it
promptly ran out of gas as the dealer had forgotten to fill the tank in all the
mass confusion of the previous day. |
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Most dealers created a party-like atmosphere, often serving refreshments,
playing live music, and giving away door prizes, like new television sets. But
the dealers hardly needed to do much to attract interest in their new product.
Months of unbridled curiosity, due to the success of the corporate public
relations campaign, was about to explode. The showrooms were packed full of
families, dressed in their Sunday best, to get a glimpse of the "newest member
of the Ford family of fine cars". In some towns, the lines went around the
block. It is estimated that in excess of 2.5 million people visited the nearly
1200 Edsel dealer showrooms that day and by all indications, the introduction
was a huge success. |
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| You
can shift without taking a hand from the wheel. |
But despite all the hoopla, all was not as rosy as it appeared. It would be only
a matter of time before the forces inside the Ford Motor Company that created
this new wheeled wonder, would yield to the more powerful forces who felt
threatened by it and would set out to eliminate it. But, for one brief moment in
time, the spotlight shined brightly on this marvel of automotive technology, a
testament to the excess that would be the 1950s.
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1958 Edsel Line |
1958 Edsel Features |
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This is the Edsel:
And
now, Ladies and Gentlemen, live from Dearborn, through the magic of the
Internet, on your screen: the 1958 Edsel.
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Advance
Information From Your Edsel Dealer:
It's August, 1957 and
"E-Day" is right around the corner, on September 4. Ford Motor Company has
published an easy-to-read but none the less comprehensive guide to
America's most exciting new car: the Edsel: Ranger, Pacer, Corsair,
Citation, Roundup, Villager, and Bermuda - a whole line of glamorous new
beauties that are sure to make history like no other car...ever!
Ford recognizes you, the independent automotive service provider
as an important part of the community, and you are invited to take the
first look at the Edsel. No other car in the last 20 years has aroused so
much genuine interest...and stirred up so many rumors.
You can now be the
very first to know the facts...on these
18 more
reasons to LOVEfords.
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1958 Edsel Pointers
Brochure |
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