This 1964 Ford sponsored black and white film provides a magazine style look at recent victories for the company on the world stage, including the debut of the Liberty Ford Aurora concept car, the use of Mercury Marauders to launch soaring glider planes at Torrey Pines, the 1964 New York World’s Fair’s “Wonder Rotunda” exhibits, and recent challenges to Ferrari’s racing world dominance by the team of Carroll Shelby, Ken Price, Dan Gurney, and Phil Remington (TRT: 14:05).

Opening titles: “The TV Almanac” with reels of 16mm film. Narration promises “news and features from the world of leisure” (0:06). Title card: “Fast and Fabulous Wheels” with the trademark Ford font (0:29). A couple in 1890s period dress drives a simplistic early “quadracycle” motorcar. Alongside them, a concept car; a 1964 Liberty Ford Aurora. The space age station wagon sporting metallic embellishments sweeping back across the hood from the headlights (0:33). The Aurora in profile reveals a glass roof. A model appears wearing a houndstooth jumper (0:45). Inside the “central lounge area” of the car, an angled booth lined with pillows. Three children fill the rear-facing “romper room.” An automatically activated pane of glass rises between an adult driver and the children, isolating them (1:02). The domed glass roof features the ability to go from transparent to opaque. Narration mentions the car’s debut at the New York World’s Fair. A closeup on the unique headlight arrangement. A space age model with the Aurora, parked alongside the horseless carriage (1:11). “For Sportsmen Only” (1:38). A glider plane in flight. A woman in a sweater holds up a poster for the 18th annual “Soaring Championships, Torrey Pines.” A Mercury Marauder accelerates, lifting a powerless soaring plane (A Schweizer SGU 2-22CK, N38448A) into flight behind it. Another glider follows, then lands safely on a runway (Pratt Read PR-G1, N87610) (1:44). Spectators watch the championship aircraft. POV a glider making a landing (3:20). Soaring champion Ray Prinke is awarded a trophy and a kiss on the cheek from “glider queen” Lenore Plummer (3:31). “For the Season Ahead.” Illuminated cubic street lamps and Ford’s “Wonder Rotunda” at the New York World’s Fair. A then-new Ford Mustang (3:39). The “International Garden” shows diorama model reconstructions of historic cities. Walt Disney sits in the rear of a convertible with Robert Moses, driven by Henry Ford II (4:06). A Disneyland-like dark ride through a prehistoric diorama with animatronic dinosaurs, cavemen. An illustration of a futuristic city (4:32). The expo show floor. The Allegro, Cougar, and Aurora on display (4:50). “Family Recreation.” A caravan of “Dreamer” pickup campers and “Scotsman” travel trailers. A sign: “Welcome to Grand Lake Sailboat Bridge Area.” A mother and children inside the trailer. Circling the wagons (5:25). Launching a boat with the help of an F-250 truck. Campers lounge on a grass lawn, carry a cooler to a motorboat. A father rides a lightweight motorcycle, talks on a walkie talkie. The mother uses the camper’s kitchen (6:12). A fisherman returns with his catch. A skillet of fried fish. A campfire. Acoustic guitar playing (7:25). “Feature Story.” An aluminum-bodied AC Shelby Cobra sports car with racing #97 and a Ford Fairlane V8 engine. A racecar driver dons a helmet and goggles (8:06). The Cobra accelerates from a starting line at Riverside International Raceway. POV inside the racing sports car as it speeds through curves and crosses the finish line (8:37). Carroll Shelby, engineer Phil Remington, and driver Ken Miles in closeup (9:51). A Ford engine is tested on a dynamometer. The Shelby racing team watches approvingly (10:15). The 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race. Race fans wear sunglasses and hats. Cobras give Ferraris a run for their money (10:51). The Cobra-Ford wins the Mid Ohio Classic in Mansfield (11:35). The Shelby team returns to Sebring in 1964. Racers run to their vehicles. Again, Ferrari’s dominate, but Cobras offer stiff competition on the track (11:55). The Cobra team celebrates a GT class victory with trophies, wreaths (13:21). End titles (13:49).

The 12 Hours of Sebring is an endurance race held at Sebring Int’l Raceway, on the site of the former Hendricks Army Airfield in Sebring, Florida. The track opened in 1950 as a road racing course styled after those used in European Grand Prix racing. The 1964 race was won by Mike Parkes and Umberto Maglioli in their Ferrari 275 P. Ford would win two years later in 1966.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com