Reflections of the Edsel Days
By Tom Sneary February 8, 2001
Qualifications to become a District or Asst. District Manager
In addition to the regular requirements, we were thoroughly investigated by the FBI, and we
had to have had retail automobile sales experience and also wholesale (manufacturer) automobile
experience. The reason for both the retail and wholesale automobile experience became
evident when we received one of our first assignments. We were to individually prepare a
report, based on our experience, on what was wrong with the automobile business from: (1) the
purchaser's stand point; (2) the dealer's standpoint; (3) the factory's standpoint. All
negative points. We then sent these to the Home Office and shortly we all met, and based
on these submittals, the Claims, Policies, and Procedures for the Edsel Division were
written. Almost every negative was responded to in a positive statement. This book,
about six inches thick, then became our "Bible".
Our District Office
Bob Sanford and I started from a suite of rooms at the old Statler Hotel in Dallas. After
dealing with a number of leasing firms, we finally settled on the Mercantile Bank building,
across the street from the Statler Hotel, for our District Office. From here we then
started the interviewing and selection of our staff of thirty employees. We had six
departments: Administration; Market Representation; Service; Distribution; Management Services;
and Zone Managers. One policy we were required to follow, which was rather unusual, was
that every six months we were to add a university graduate to our staff, and we were to release
one of our staff. All personnel were informed of this policy. This was part of the
management style of those days - have everyone in fear of losing their job. We had fully
signed a dealer in each of our assigned 52 markets by announcement day. The Dallas District
was second in the nation in percent of sales quota.
Our Zone Manager for West Texas had quite an experience. In driving from Amarillo to
Lubbock he got caught in a sand storm, and had to have his car repainted.
Theme and Main Reason for the Edsel
In the 1950s the badge of success for a man was the size and date of the car he owned. As
an example: if he was a salesman today and tomorrow he was promoted to sales manager, about the
first thing he did was buy a new and bigger car than he was then driving, but in the same car
"family". He would have no problem if he was driving a Chevrolet, for it was only a few
more dollars to get into a Pontiac. The same if he was driving a Plymouth, for it was only
a few more dollars to get into a Dodge. If he was driving a Ford, he had a problem, for it
took quite a few more dollars to get into a Mercury, and he would be forced to get out of the
Ford "Family" and go to either the General Motors "family" or the Chrysler "family". The
Ranger and Pacer were to fill this "gap" and the Corsair and Citation were to fill the "gap"
between the Mercury and Lincoln. Therefore the theme: THE CAR FOR THE YOUNG MAN ON HIS
WAY UP.
Dealer Selection Process
After getting the office space and equipment finalized, and most of the key personnel on board,
Bob Sanford and I called on bankers, chambers of commerce, and civic clubs to give them the
Edsel story. After our Zone Managers had been oriented, we then were all trained in the
"Recruiting of an Edsel Dealer". This process required we interview bankers, chambers of
commerce, etc. to determine the three "best businessmen" in a city in which we were to
place a dealer, and we were then to do our best to sign one of these men to our "Interim
Franchise". This often resulted in our selection being an existing automobile
dealer. If the selected person was an automobile dealer, after we signed an "Interim
Franchise" with him, he was to write VOLUNTARILY CANCELED on his current franchise, sign it,
and give it to us and then we mailed it to his manufacturer's office. The "Interim
Franchise" contained listed items the dealer was to perform, and when he had completed these
items, we then signed a franchise with him. After we had signed a franchise with the
dealer, he could then go to New Orleans where our Regional personnel would take him to a
private showing of the Edsel line of cars.
During this recruiting process we could not contact or talk with anyone connected with a
Ford product franchise. Nor could we select anyone who had any investment or involvement
with a firm who had a Ford product franchise. This policy caused a real problem for
me. I had signed an "Interim Franchise" with a man in Wichita Falls, Texas who was
building a new building to house his Edsel dealership, and I had also signed an "Interim
Franchise" with a man in Duncan Oklahoma who was enlarging his building to meet our
requirements. One day I received a phone call from a friend in the Home Office
who tipped me off that a Ford dealer had just left the office, with the full franchise for
Edsel in both Wichita Falls, Texas and Duncan, Oklahoma. Sure enough, in a few days
I was instructed to bring in the 'Interim Franchise" from both of these men where they had
signed across it "Voluntarily Terminated". This was not an easy assignment, but I was
successful.
The introduction of the Edsel to our franchised dealers was really something. No
expense was spared to put on the finest show ever. It required removing a section
of the outside wall of the Statler Hotel to allow us to get the cars into their
ballroom. The dinner, which was served to the dealers and their personnel, was
of several courses. Then the floor show, which led to the unveiling of the cars,
was performed by a group from New York's Broadway. This event was a tremendous
success and set the stage for a grand announcement day show at the dealerships.
Prior to conducting sales training sessions with all of our dealers' sales personnel,
I had become friends with my counterpart men with General Motors and Chrysler, who
also had offices in Dallas, and worked out a deal for them to lend us one of each of
their line of cars in the Edsel field, and we would lend them Edsels when we had
them. I then held a two-day "school" with all of our field men, and allowed them
to drive and compare our competition. From this experience, we all were then
really equipped to hold sales training sessions with our dealers' sales personnel.
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
From my first contact with Edsel personnel, it was impressed upon me that the Edsel
Division of Ford Motor Company was to be a completely separate division. As
divorced from Ford Motor Company as General Motors Corporation is from Ford Motor
Company. We would have new manufacturing facilities completely separated from
Ford. We were not allowed to have any contact with any person connected with
Ford Motor Company, and supposedly they were instructed to have no contact with any
of us. This also meant our dealers could have no interest in any Ford Motor
Company franchise.
In those days especially, a new car dealer could make full gross profit on new car
sales for the first thirty to sixty days of a new model. However, it was rare
if a new car dealer could receive his full thirty or sixty day allotment. Part
of our franchise package was a written commitment stating the dealer would have his
full thirty day allotment on hand before announcement day.
We were informed the separate plants were behind schedule and the Ranger and Pacer
for our District would come from the Ford Plant in Louisville, Kentucky and the
Corsair and Citation would come from the Lincoln-Mercury plant in
Michigan. The Ranger and Pacer were on a Ford chassis and the Corsair and
Citation were on a Mercury chassis.
The first cars shipped came to the Ford Plant on Grand Avenue in Dallas. One
morning about 3:00 A.M., I received a phone call from our Service Manager, Bill
Showalter, urging me to get dressed and rush down to the Ford Plant. What
I saw was unbelievable. Some of the car doors were roped closed. Some
bumpers were roped up. Many of the cars equipped with the air bag shocks were
practically on the ground. The "gear shift" was in the center of the steering
wheel and if you used reverse, the trunk lid would open. Unbelievable. We
then learned the dealers were receiving cars in the same condition. We were
then instructed to contact all of our dealers and ask them if they preferred to
receive their allotment with these kinds of cars, or take half their allotment with
the cars in standard condition. Many of our dealers were former new car
dealers who had canceled their franchises thirty to sixty days earlier and had no
new cars to sell for some time. By far the majority replied to ship their
allotment and they would fix them. Unfortunately many could not be fixed. The
condition of the cars could not be kept quiet and competition had a "field
day". It cost a fortune to get the cars corrected.
One of my friends in the Home Office remarked to me, after it was apparent Edsel was
not going to continue, that he brought to management's attention, based on his studies,
the "badge" of success was changing. The young executives were changing from
showing their success by buying a larger and current car. He noticed a sharply
rising rate of motor boat purchases. There was also a rising rate of swimming
pool purchases and lake lot purchases. THE CAR FOR THE YOUNG MAN ON HIS WAY UP
was on its way out. Incidently, this was the time the DeSoto was dropped by
Chrysler.
Selling Price
It is difficult for us in the year 2001 to relate to the list price of the Edsel in
1957. The list price of the 1958 Ranger 2-Door Sedan was $2,484.00. The
most expensive model, the 1958 Citation 2-Door Convertible was $3,766.00. However,
a gallon of Borden milk cost $0.43; l-lb. of margarine cost $0.20; 2 bath bars of
Palmolive soap cost $0.25. Many changes in many things have transpired over 44 years.
About the Author
Tom F. Sneary was Assistant District Manager, Edsel Division, Ford Motor Company,
Dallas District from January 1957 to February 1958. He was 38 years old at
the time, some seven years the youngest of the 48 District and Assistant District
Managers.
Upon graduation from Central High School, Kansas City, Missouri in 1936, Tom
entered the Kansas City Junior College, with the ambition of becoming a
CPA. In the daytime he worked in the accounting department of the local
Studebaker Distributor, Armacost Motor Company. He became a commission new
car salesman in 1938 until 1942, but continued his CPA studies at night.
In March 1942 he entered the U. S. Army as a Private. He graduated from
Infantry Officer Candidate School, Ft. Benning, Georgia December 1942. He
served in Africa and Italy as an Infantry Platoon Leader. He received three
Purple Heart Medals, two Bronze Star Medals, one Silver Star Medal, and the Combat
Infantryman Badge. He was released from the Army in September 1945 as a Captain.
He completed his work on his business administration degree at Northwestern
University and graduated in June 1946. He joined the Studebaker Corporation
in July 1946 and became a District Sales Manager, serving in this capacity
in Wichita, Kansas; Lexington, Kentucky; Louisville, Kentucky. Tom then
served as Assistant Zone Manager in Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois until
January 1957, at which time he became the Assistant District Manager, Edsel
Division, Ford Motor Company, Dallas District with Bob Sanford, District Manager.
The author passed away on July 8, 2007 at the age of 88.