What a great looking car this 1959 Edsel Ranger is. Whether that’s because the seller doesn’t show the famous/infamous center of the grille in any of the photos or not depends on how a person feels about that famous grille. This beauty is listed on eBay in Ainsworth, Nebraska with a current bid price of just over $5,000 but the reserve isn’t met.
This is a two-door sedan but they also made a two-door hardtop, a four-door hardtop, and of course a four-door sedan. A lot of people comment on green car after green car from the 1970s but this Mist Green is hard to argue with. For the record, here’s another 1959 Edsel Ranger grille so you can see the changes between the this one and the 1958 Edsel grille, the infamous horse collar grille.
Unusual grille or not, this is one nice looking car. The seller isn’t divulging too much information about it, here is the entire listing: “1959 ford Edsel ranger went through 6 cylinder motor 7 years ago, rebuilt transmission 2 years ago. very nice driving car , car has only been driven about 500 miles a year, car not perfect but a really nice driver with original interior in good shape”.
This car has a three-speed manual with a column shifter, guaranteed theft-proof to anyone younger than 40 in 2018. Ok, I know, some of you younger folks know how to drive a three-on-the-tree and/or you have kids who know how, it was a joke. But, it’s still true for the most part… Edsel’s problem-ridden Teletouch push-button automatic controlled by buttons on the steering hub didn’t go over well so it’s a good thing that this one is a manual.
The engine looks as nice as the rest of the car does and it sounds like it was rebuilt to some degree a few years ago. It’s Edsel’s Econo-Six which was basically Ford’s Mileage-Maker 223 cubic-inch inline-six with 145 hp and 206 ft-lb of torque. I’m not sure if hiding the famous grille was intentional or not, I sure hope that it was just an oversight. That would be like covering up the Mona Lisa’s smile. Have any of you owned an Edsel?
I’m sure omitting the grille was just an oversight. :D It really does change the look without it, however.
Hemming’s Classic Car had an article on the Ranger a few issues back. Apparently these were the ‘budget’ version of the Edsel, and there aren’t many around, especially with the 3 speed.
Neat car, even with the grille.
Considering this car was never offered with the Tele-Touch, it is not surprising it has a column shift.
Also the car is not listed on the Edsel registry, so you can be the first to register it.
Tele-Touch was a ’58 only feature. ’59 & ’60 had conventional lever shifting.
I am curious why a manual transmission would need to be rebuilt with relatively low miles.
Miguel, the ad says the car has 97,000 miles or so.
Probably age and mileage, plus not taking a chance being stranded by the side of the road.
I wonder if he means the clutch was replaced?
A very honest looking car. If I were in the “Edsel” market, I’d give this one due consideration.
Nice looking survivor.
I’ve never had a problem with the grille in fact I quite like it, more so the 58 over the 59. I don’t think the grille was the complete reason for slow sales if owners had gripes with the shifting issues the word would get out to the public fast, who wants to own a problematic car. Ford should have come up with a refit more conventional column by 59. That would also fit into the 58’s if an owner wanted to change it out. I’m sure they had something that would have fit from other Ford cars of the day. If I was restoring one of these with an automatic I’d be looking for a period correct alternate. However the car posted is clear of that issue and will end up being a good buy for someone. In some ways it’s a good thing I’m not wealthy as I think I’d find myself being a car hoarder in a hurry.
The ’58 economy and initial build quality issues certainly didn’t help either.
Interestingly, the ’60 Edsel shares a much closer resemblance to the ’60 Ford pictured in the other BF listing, albeit with the more Pontiac like grille. Makes you wonder if the marque might have survived a bit longer, given the chance.
Also some of the factories ran Edsels, Fords and Mercurys down the same line according to books and articles I’ve read.
That didn’t help assembly or quality control in 58.
In retrospect these are cool cars, but at the time they were different or better than, say, a Mercury…how? Ugly grill, stupid name, duplicative, plagued with initial quality problems, expensive. Yeah, if I were a buyer in ’59 I would have rushed out to get one…haha.
You and thousands of others stayed away in droves.
Very pretty car…and I like the grill…
Nice to see a six and manual. Great color.
Lack of a grille shot is as bad as photographing a hardtop with all the windows raised !
Those 223’s were pretty stout little motors. When I was a kid, my dad had a 59 Galaxie with the same engine. In recent years a buddy of mine had a 62 F100 with one. His however, had an oil bath air cleaner instead of that funky side job this one has. They sounded like tractors, but they were quite durable.
had 2 edsels…a ’59 Corsair first..then a ’58 Corsair…..the ’59 is a better looker…they were just ahead of their time….B9US729823….
Keep those green cars coming Scotty…this Edsel is a thing of beauty in green.
My father had a ’58 Edsel that he drove up until ’67…sadly, I’m too young to remember it and dad only had one black and white photo of it.
Edsel also made a wagon Scotty! I am thinking about buying one and a 4 door to go with it!
You’re right, Wrong Way.. (wait, that didn’t sound right), but not a ’59 Ranger wagon, at least that I know of? I’d love to have an Edsel and I don’t care how many doors it has, a wagon would be even better!
Wel Scotty I actually can get a wagon and a 4 door Edsel! I am very serious! If you are, I am sure that you have my email address send me a note so we can talk seriously about them they are for sale to me!
They both have the big v8 in them, I am thinking maybe 391? Everything is there for both of them he gave me a 2 for deal on them!
No 391 cu inch engines in the “59 edsels……only a 223 cu in 6 cyl, or a 292,332 or 361 V-8 ‘s available…B9US729823….
Thanks, I almost said 361 then I was thinking that I was nuts! It’s hell to get old! (:-)
Thanks, I almost said 361 then I was thinking that I was nuts! It’s hell to get old! (:-) I am positive they have the 361! I am hoping that I can interest Scotty in them too could work out nice
have had both a “58 and “59 Corsair 4 dr….both over the big pond…am dealing on another “59 4 dr as we speak!!! Gotta love ’em!!!
I owned a bare-bones 59 very similar to this. Power Nothing meant little to go wrong and the economy was surprisingly good. The few repairs you might need were wonderfully simple and cheap.