Society for the Eradication of Panthers from the Automotive World

"Sweet Trav" (thespunbearing) 09/19/2014 at 15:31 • Filed to: SEPAW

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In 1965 the USA was crazy about the new Ford Mustang. Offered with a Hi-Po 289 V8, Ford simply couldn't build enough examples of the original pony car fast enough. Cross-town rivals General Motors wanted in on the pony car action. GM's top secret pony car project was code-named Panther.

Small details were leaked and it was rumored that GM was building a competitor to the red-hot mustang. GM even had a little fun and sense of humor back then when it came to their business.

They sent two cryptic telegrams to the automotive press to set up the reveal. Something tells me John L. Cutter, then Chevrolet public relations spokesperson was on the good drugs when he released the first telegram.

"...Please save noon of June 28 for important SEPAW meeting. Hope you can be on hand to help scratch a cat. Details will follow... Signed John L. Cutter - Secretary SEPAW"

The next day journalists were greeted with the second seemingly bat-shit telegram

"Society for the Eradication of Panthers from the Automotive World will hold first and last meeting on June 28... signed John L. Cutter - Secretary SEPAW"

Under-fucking-standably confused the journalists showed up on June 28th at the Statler-Hilton Hotel in Detroit for a GM run press conference.

At the press conference the Chevrolet General Manager Pete Estes announced that all those in attendance at the press-conference were now charter members of the " Society for the Elimination of Panthers from the Automotive World" and that this was the first and last meeting of the group. He would later go on to reveal the new Camaro name.

Later in the Q&A portion of the press conference a journalist, I'm guessing Matt Hardigree's dad asked:

"What is a Camaro?" The General Motors spokesperson responded " It's a small vicious animal that eat's Mustangs"

The rest, as they say is history, and that is the story of the first and last meeting of The Society for the Eradication of Panthers from the Automotive World.

For Sweden > Sweet Trav 09/19/2014 at 15:33

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no

Sweet Trav > For Sweden 09/19/2014 at 15:35

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Are you secretly handing out telegrams for SEPAW?

anonsagainstanonymous > Sweet Trav 09/19/2014 at 15:47

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"Statler-Hilton Hotel " I can think of a nickname or two for this hotel.

camaroboy68ss > Sweet Trav 09/19/2014 at 16:39

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this conference was also the first ever conference call to other cities in the US, the phone company had to figure it all out before the actual meeting. They pulled it off and now I get to "enjoy" that success quite often.