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Auto Hoax from 1970s
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Posted By:
John
Nov 17, 2004
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I remember an incident from 25 to 30 years ago during the Energy Crisis of the 1970's. Sixty Minutes aired a report about a feisty single mother who had designed a three wheeled automobile that could perform as well as a regular car but get 70-80 miles per gallon. The big three automakers where not interested in her design so she was starting her own company to make and sell this vehicle. I think she had given the car a goofy name such as "The Melvin" or something like that. Sixty Minutes was airing the report to showcase the self-destructive complacency of American automakers compared to the initiative of individual Americans.
A year later, I read in a magazine (I think it was "Parade") about how this woman was actually a ############ con-man who had just been busted for fraud, having pocketed considerable sums from private investors who did not realize that there was no car, only a mockup used to scam gullible investors and Sixty Minutes investigators.
Repeated internet searches have yielded nothing on this. Does anyone recall this incident, its details, or where information on it can be found?
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Comments
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Page 3 of 3 pages < 1 2 3 |
Ed Samson
in Northbrook, IL
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Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 | 10:21 AM
Being in aftermarket automotive research at the time, I remember following this story as it unfolded in the trade press. I just read, on 3-wheelers.com, that one of the Dale cars is at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, USA. |
Carl Carpenter
in Arizona
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 | 12:31 AM
I remember the Dale car well. when I was a senior in high school I would frequently visit the 20th Century Motor Car Company in Sherman Oaks/ Encino, Ca. They had the car on a turntable. I have an original information packet that was mailed to me from the company in 1975 detailing their car and future offerings. I also have several brochures.
I picked up the brochures when the car was on display at the L.A car show, right as the fraud story was hitting the news, thinking that they would be a valuable future momento.
Carl |
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