FIRST TUESDAY: EDSEL OWNERS
NBC ID: AR3YBRVBXK | Production Unit: First Tuesday (1/7/69-9/7/71and9/5/72-8/7/73) | Media Type: Aired Show | Media ID: M690902 | Event Date(s): 09/02/1969Transcript
Event Date(s): 09/02/1969 | Event Location(s): Indianapolis, Indiana | Description: BSP: M690902 WR R1-2 CASSETTES 1 & 2 FROM PRT 1027 ON 6-25-99. BSP: 97H2218 TAG FROM PRT#1027. FIRST TUESDAY: EDSEL OWNERS REPORT ON EDSEL OWNERS CONVENTION. VANOCUR: TWELVE YEARS AGO FORD PRESENTED EDSEL WITH SOMETHING LESS THAN A SMASHING SUCCESS. AMERICANS STILL LAUGH AT THE EDSEL. BUT A NEW BREED OF EDSEL OWNER MAY HAVE REASON TO LAUGH BACK. FIVE HUNDRED MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL EDSEL OWNERS CLUB ARE CREATING A NEW DEMAND FOR THE ONCE OBSOLETE CAR. THEY DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS LOSER-LOVERS. VANOCUR VO EDSELS GOING AROUND INDIANAPOLIS 500 SPEEDWAY: TODAY THE EDSEL HAS ATTRACTED A BRAND OF TENACIOUS ADMIRERS. THEIR MISSION IS TO RESTORE THE CAR TO ITS RIGHTFUL LOFTY PLACE IN AUTOMOTIVE ANNALS. THEY ALSO HOPE THIS WILL INCREASE MARKET VALUE. A COMMON COMPLAINT IS THAT HIPPIES STEAL THE GREEN E EMBLEMS TO WEAR WITH THEIR LOVE BEADS. SCENES OF EDSEL OWNERS TALKING. PERRY PIPER AND EDSEL HENRY FORD (NO RELATION TO THE DETROIT FORDS) DISCUSS HOW MANY EDSELS THEY OWN: SOME FOUR; SOME 8; SOME 14. VANOCUR: THE FIRST EDSEL HIT THE SHOWROOMS IN 1958. THE LAST ONE HIT THE ASSEMBLY LINE IN 1960. FORD MADE 110000 EDSELS AND LOST 250 MILLION DOLLARS. PIPER: THE OVERALL EDSEL PICTURE SHOWS MORE FIRSTS THAN ANY OTHER CAR. DUAL HEADLIGHTS; RUBBER BUMPER GUARDS; PUSH BUTTON STEERING WHEEL; ADJUSTABLE DIAL FOR HEATER CONTROL; MOBILE RANGER AIR CONDITIONER. THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS AS FANTASTIC IN 1958 AS SOME OF THE THINGS THE ASTRONAUTS ARE DOING. FORD: WHEN NIXON WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT HE HAD A NIXON STICKER ON HIS CITATION CONVERTIBLE SO HE HELPED QUITE A LOT GETTING HIM ELECTED. DAVID JENKINS SAYS HES A THREE-TIME LOSER: HE WORKED FOR PACKARD; KAISER-FRAISER; AND EDSEL. HE ATTRIBUTES THE EDSEL FAILURE TO BAD TIMING. VANOCUR: JENKINS AND SPUTNIK HURT AMERICAN PRESTIGE; CAR PURCHASES FELL OFF; AND THE ECONOMY CAR BECAME THE BIG THING. PRIZES ARE GIVEN TO OWNERS OF THE BEST EDSELS. A PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY TALKS ABOUT THEIR 16 EDSELS. OTHER CLUB MEMBERS DISCUSS THEIRS. PIPER DISCUSSES THE VARIOUS EDSEL MODELS AND THEIR SCARCITY. VANOCUR: ITS ENCOURAGING TO FIND PEOPLE STILL COMMITTED TO LOST CAUSES. ITS EASY TO CHEER A WINNER BUT TAKES IMAGINATION TO REVERE A MAN WHO SNATCHES DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF SUCCESS. EDSEL OWNERS ARE NOT ALONE. FRIENDS OF RICHARD THE THIRD ARE DEDICATED TO PROVING HE WAS REALLY CAPTAIN NICE. MILLARD FILLMORE DAY MEMORIAL SOCIETY IS DEDICATED TO PROVING OUR 13TH PRESIDENT WAS SOMETHING MORE THAN A WHIG DROP-OUT. THE REAL CHAMPIONS HAVE TO BE BRITAIN'S FLAT EARTH SOCIETY WHO STILL STICK TO THEIR GUNS. THE EDSEL OWNER IS A MEMBER OF A CULT. AT LONG LAST THE EDSEL BESTOWS STATUS AND DISTINCTION ALTHOUGH NOT QUITE IN THE WAY ITS MAKERS HAD IN MIND. AVAILABLE ON FILM: PROT PIX & TRK ORIGINAL ELEMENTS ON LOC 2-53. ALSO AVAILABLE ON KINESCOPE IN KINE BOX 75 (PARTS 1-4) AND ON PRT1027 & PRT2353 (BOTH B &W KINE PRINTS) FOOTAGE NOT SCREENED -- INFO FROM PROGRAM ANALYSIS CARD. Producers: NBC