The Edsel was an expensive experiment that ended up costing Ford Motor Co. hundreds of millions of dollars. And that’s in 1950s valuations. It was a new car line that was quirky at first, but proved that it was an unnecessary product for Ford to sell. Debuting in 1958, it was gone barely into the 1960 model year due to dismal sales. The seller has a 1959 Edsel Ranger that appears to be in excellent shape, but the details and photos are few. Located in McCleary, Washington, this much maligned classic is available here on craigslist for $17,500. Bravo to “Curvette” for this nifty tip.
Ford created a whole new division for the Edsel and made it different from other FOMOCO products with a “horse collar” grille and a push-button automatic transmission in the steering wheel where the horn might normally be. Ford only sold 68,000 Edsels in 1958, so they pared back the lineup in 1959 and got rid of some of the car’s oddities. The public still wasn’t impressed, and sales fell by 30% to 47,000 copies in ’59. The Ranger, like the seller’s car, was the entry-level model.
This ’59 Edsel is either a well-kept survivor or a nice restoration. Considering that the odometer reads 98,000 miles and has rolled over, we’re going with the restored angle. Though the seller says it’s a coupe, I see multiple door handles indicating a 4-door sedan, of which 14,000 were built in 1959. The engine is a V8 (displacement unknown) and the transmission is an automatic (the shifter is now a stalk like the rest of Ford’s ‘59 cars). We’re told everything is up to snuff, so it boils down to whether the car is worth the asking price to join your harem.
The most common body configuration & model, so that may help keep the price down. Overall not a bad car, but too much we can’t see here. Me, I’d take a `58 Pacer 2dr. HT any day!
I must be on this site too much. These cars are starting to look good to me. I mean compared to the bat wing Chevies these are almost tasteful.
I’m with you Fox Owner. All Edsels get painted with the same brush, and I’d say, unfairly so. To me, this car looks pretty good. The grille has been toned down, and the rest of the car looks very 1959-appropriate.
That wasn’t a horse collar on the grill it was a toilet seat. American comedians had a ball joking about Edsels Toilet Seat grill
The fake spare tire designs on the trunk lids of Imperials and some Chryslers from the late 50’s and early 60’s also have a toilet seat vibe.
Valve covers look like a Y-block 292.
That was my thought Mike.
Or a 312? Did the MEL have a different size? Our Edsel expert knows.
It’s a Y block! Should be a 292.
The tele-touch automatic transmission was a disaster. Ford even got sued by dealers for the money they lost. The modern day Edsel is Ford’s electric F150, a horrible flop that is no longer being built. Reports are Ford lost BILLIONS STOPPING production of electric F150. Funny, I saw one today sucking up the battery as it is 20 degrees where I live. Amazing people still want an Edsel. Most of the problems began on assembly lines when disgruntled workers had to make quick decisions as Mercurys came down the same line as Edsels. Parts got mixed up, etc.
The larger Edsels (Corsairs and Citations) are the ones which shared the Mercury assembly line.
The smaller Edsels (Rangers and Pacers) shared the assembly line with Ford.
And, parts were mixed up or omitted in both environments.
It is a Y-Block but it is 360 Cubic Inches. Only used in the Ford based Edsels. The Lincoln/Mercury based Corsair/Citation used a 410 cubic inch version of the Lincoln 460.