This Edsel has a much more classy and stylish front end than today's "angry kitchen appliances" they call vehicles today. I do feel the rear end is very stylish and modern looking even today. Great cars, but as you stated, Ford out-thunk themselves.
I owned an Edsel Corsair 2 door hardtop in the early 2000's to 2019. People would just stare and wonder what it was. One thing, it was fast off the line. Fun car. Always a conversation starter.
Back in the seventies and early eighties we had a neighbor that had a 58 Ford ranchero that had a 58 Edsel front clip on it. He called it the Edschero.
I own a 58 Ranchero with an Edsel front clip and Edsel 410CI motor. I bought it last summer out of central PA . It has an Edsel Ranger wagon rear tail lights molded in. Unrestored rat lots of rust. Runs good
In the 80's, traded for a 58 Edsel. It was a cool car, had lots of fun and always people wanted to look it over. Was even stopped by the CHP once, just so they could see it. Ended up selling it when the freeze plug(s) in the back of the engine started leaking. Sold it to a company that supplied cars for Hollywood movies.
Absolutely. At least they were giving it the old college try. Credit should be given. Just like today when everyone is buying suvs, I bought a sedan just to spite and to have something different.
if you watch the opening sequence of "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" you can see Don Knotts punching furiously away the center of the wheel to go back and forth as he tries to turn around, backing over some garbage cans in the process.
Man, I have known about Edsels since i was a little kid, never crossed my mind that the grille looks like a lady garden… till now. I’ll never look at one the same again.
I think it is unfortunate that in the controversy about the Edsel car we have lost sight of the man the car was intended to honor, Edsel Ford. Edsel was the father of two successful car lines for FOMOCO, Mercury (1939-2011) and Continental (1941-present). The Mercury was a cut above the regular Ford, and the Continental a cut above the regular Lincoln.
I grew up near the once "largest collection of Edsel cars" in the world! On a slow news day in the late 80's, CNN even came to town and did a piece on the salvage yard. As I recall, the title would go back an forth between this yard and another somewhere else in the country. The owner has since passed, and his collection scattered or crushed. However there is still a large concentration of the brand here in (of all places) the great state of North Dakota. Love what you are doing Steve, keep it up!
Thank you so much for these Steve . There is no other channel like this , and I’m glad I found it . Not only are you giving great information, but you are also a great presenter. Thank you for all the hard work and great content ! 👏
My dad told me some people would call the front end of an Edsel a "flying urinal" I know the push button transmission controls in the center of the steering wheel had a lot of electrical and relay problems from talking to members of the Edsel motor club at a large car show a few years ago.
Great video as usual Steve. I agree that Motortrend made a mistake by canceling Roadkill Junkyard Gold. I enjoyed your show. Bitchin Rides and Texas Metal suck that show rich brats getting cars built specifically for them. Fantasy land.
I had a 61 Comet , didn’t know at the time that they were to be a small Edsel. I loved the tail lights on it. It was a 170cu. 6 I believe. Another one I should have kept.
First Comets and Falcons were meant to sell at a reduced cost with a reduced lifespan. Buyers would be back sooner so Ford’s bottom line would be unaffected. They still lasted quite a while (not like when the British tried this strategy - reduced lifespan ideas there caused reduced reliability).
There’s an Easter egg “E” emblem on the AMT 1960 Comet promos and model kits, which suggests that the decision came late on rescuing the badge from Edsel.
This was interesting. And I noticed the pair of 59 Edsels next to it. Maybe those will be featured in the next episode. And the doomsday red marks on the dial of the AM radio were for the CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation) system. The marks are at 640 and 1240. It's an interesting sign of its times to see these on the radios of these cars from that period.
I would venture to say that Edsel has a chance at a new life. Definitely workable. Would be worth the trouble even if it couldn't be put back to 100% stock. I hope it sees the asphalt again one day.
There was a survivor model that was put back on the road on the youtube channel coldwarmotors. A lot of unusual features this car had, such as the push button transmission, made it a 6 person effort. Lots of bugs worked out. And this was not dealing with any bodywork. The finished product is worth it
One of the most enormous corporate blunders in history. You’re Ford motor Company. The second largest carmaker in America. Plus millions in international sales. I’ve never been able to wrap my head around the Edsel.
The recession of 58 was probably the worst time for anyone to try releasing a new car line. I have seen where some manufacturer's sales were down as much as 40% from the previous year. It's too bad too, cuz in the end, they were really good looking cars, regardless of the horse collar grill on the early models.
Good morning Steve, I kinda like the Edsels and I know MT Screwed UP but you are doing something special everyday with these videos and I know I can speak for many by saying THANK YOU.
An interesting part of the story Steve didn't mention was that the two lower models were based on the Ford body but the two higher models were based on the larger Mercury body. They were not just the sane Ranger with more options.
Edsel Ranger and Pacer were based off Ford drive train and chassis while the larger Corsair and Citation were larger Mercury drive train and chassis. My parents bought a new 58 Edsel Ranger 2 door hardtop. Really a nice car, more like a higher trim level to the 58 Fairlane hardtop. There’s was optioned with the push button auto and a wonderbar radio. Wish I had that car today
Great bit there with the "cancelled"!! You and Shane make a remarkable team!!! Great video content and a history lesson. Thanks for all your research and dedication to this channel!!
It couldn’t have hurt if Edsel had had a catchier name - it SOUNDS flat-out dowdy! As far as the styling cues, everything about them said, “We are trying WAY too hard!” It certainly would have been an interesting time to be alive and anticipate what the new model cars were going to look like! Today, the answer to that is easy - pretty much exactly like last year’s model…….😕
“Ranger” did a little better when it returned. “Corsair” hasn’t returned as a car name (I think there were two before Edsel used it), but I’m a big fan of the WWII F4Us that used the name.
I think I read that Ford Motor Company went public (stock) for the first time in their history to finance the Edsel. It was a huge failure and they lost millions. Good for them for recognizing this early on and correcting their mistake. Love your videos Steve
Hi Steve, great video on the Edsel brand. There are about 15 or 20 Edsels just down the rd from me. You couldn't buy a bolt or nut from that guy, and as every yr goes by, you can see them gradually sinking in the ground. I once owned a 55 Mercury Montclair. I had installed a 410 with 3-2s, and yes, I cut a hole in the floor 4spd. I was told this was a cop car engine from the fellow I bought it from, but I'm not sure about it. The car was yellow and white. Named her Tweetie. Sold the car to a fellow lowrider who owned a beautiful 50 Merc full custom lead sled. One day, the guy was welding in his shop, and we think he suffered a heart attack. The shop, the 2 Mercs, he himself, was consumed by the fire. I remember seeing Tweetie after the fire and seeing the front license plate baring the looney toon character embossed into it burnt to nothing but a shell. I have a picture of him, myself, my grandfather, and the 2 Mercurys. Everyone in that picture has gone away except yours, truly. Im sure I'm wrong about it, but it wouldn't be the 1st time, and damn sure not the last time. PS: I apologize to Steve and the channel for my comment in yesterday's video. My intentions were not to spread any kind of misinformation. Apologizing can be very difficult at times because admitting to ourselves that we are wrong is the biggest embarrassment. It takes a lot of courage to apologize for one’s action, and courage is being scared to death, but you saddle up anyway. Have a blessed day. Namaste 🙏🏼
Hello Chris Scearce, NO SWEAT on the little "dust up" with our Friend GUGP yesterday. You seem to be a highly qualified observer / owner and if your car had a 307 I'd bet it did. And - like me - you certainly know the difference between GM's 301, 302, 305 and 307 engine families (only the 302 and 305 are "brothers" but you knew that). My brain often skips a beat and I mis-speak...even on video. I hope its rare. Sorry to learn of Tweety's fate and the sad fate of the welder. That triple-carb 410 might have been a 1958 / 1959 Mercury Super Marauder 430 - Detroit's FIRST "400 horsepower" engine offering. Then again, it is possible that a 430 3x2 induction was transferred to your 410 - it'll bolt right on. If your 3x2 setup had a big aluminum air cleaner atop those Holley 2300-series 2-barrels, it was a factory item. Thanks again for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
@googleusergp you must be lost when the internet goes down...some of us have a life to enjoy other than trolling comments looking for something to make themselves feel good...at no point did I say you were wrong and I apologized after being proven wrong after the internet said so. But like many wives they can't except the apology and continued to try be little. Ego = Edging God Out... Namaste 🙏🏼
Steve - A correction. It is true that Edsel began as a separate marque with its separate dealership network in 1958. However, following the 1958 debacle, Ford decided to merge Edsel with Lincoln-Mercury in 1959 creating the MEL Division. I know this because my dad was an L-M dealer then who started selling Edsels as well. I still have his MEL lapel pin to show for it. I have a November 1956 brochure introducing the Edsel name and E logo to existing Ford product dealers. There are no photos or specifics to the cars that would follow. It does reveal a "Special Products Division" established in April 1955 set up to conceive a new car line. The explanatory writing of the brochure is essentially a "letter" signed by Henry Ford II. It attempts to ease existing dealers' minds of the new brand cutting into their sales by saying, "you will be selling more cars - because the entry of the Edsel will strengthen the market position of all Ford Motor Company car lines and Ford Motor Company dealers." It does go on to say that "special consideration" would be given to individual existing dealers to sell Edsels as well under separate franchise. I can say that after reading a book on the Fords, Henry II became obsessed with matching GM's business model of multi-tiered auto lines. The letter points back to 1946 as a date when product expansion for medium priced cars was first examined. Ford's CFO Robert MacNamara wanted nothing to do with the Edsel and had he had his way Mercury and Lincoln would have been history also. Maybe that was early writing on the wall. The comments I heard about Edsel from dad's salesmen of the day was that it was just too expensive. People at the top end bought a Mercury for a little more. Those at the lower end bought a Ford for a little less. Even selling Mercurys, Ford often proved to be his greatest competitor. As for actual Edsels we did take a family vacation in a 1959 station wagon from NC to Miami, FL and back. Sitting in that rear facing back seat was the best although hot as we didn't have AC under all that glass. Dad did get two 1960 Edsels. Some guy called about them when he learned production was ending. He showed up the next day, paid cash, and dad's Edsel days were over save for a random handful that were later traded in. Ford took back the Edsel specific parts inventory with reimbursement. I had a 1960 Edsel promo car, but at 5-6 years old, I didn't give it much chance for survival. So were my Edsel days. Trivia: The 1960 Comet was meant to be an Edsel. It shares the same tail lights with the Edsel although slanted. It was simply a Comet and didn't become Mercury Comet until 1961.
Three things worked against the Edsel when it was introduced. A short lived recession, very iffy mechanicals with the touchmatic transmission that failed eventually on all the 1958's and the front end styling. The trans used a modified windshield wiper motor as a servo motor that would fail from being exposed to moisture and dirt in its place on the transmission and also the contacts in the steering column would cause erratic operation that frustrated the owners. A great many Edsels had the entire steering column and shift mechanism pulled out and replaced by 1958 Ford equivale to keep them on the road. You could get a "big block" in a Ford in 1958 but it was a smaller version, a 332 FE witch stood for Ford/Edsel.
The name "Edsel" didn't help matters either, I suspect. I thought Edsels used the MEL series of engines, Mercury, Edsel, and Lincoln - maybe the lower trim levels used FEs?
They were good vehicles. Unfortunately they got a bad rap because of some comments made by a reviewer.about how the grill looked. Just like Steve mentioned. Edsel Ford at times look at as real designer or someone who could actually be an asset to bringing some interesting ideas to the company Unfortunately he got the shadow of Henry and in some eyes some of the employees looked at Edsel As if his father had not started the company he would not even been considered as a car designer or possibly a car manufacturer. It's unfortunate but it comes along when a son or daughter is related to the founder of any business. Large or small. Thank you Steve for posting this video.
Dave - growing up in the 70s, echos of those negative reviews were common enough that I still remember them. I was always under the impression that the Edsel had mechanical problems that led to them being unpopular but it doesn't seem like that was the case. Was it primarily a styling issue?
one of the problems with the Edsel as others have posted is the shift mechanism Steve pointed out. Because it was in the middle of the steering wheel, it was decided to not allow it to rotate with the rest of the wheel (if you have a modern car with radio or cruise control buttons in the wheel, you've probably noticed what happens to their location in a sharp corner). they used a linkage that wasn't used to being on the bottom of the car and collecting road debris and clogging up.
I read about the Edsel dealer promo where they promised a pony with every Edsel sold. Dealers had to provide enclosures and care and feeding of the ponies before the sales. It went over about as well as the car.
The smug feeling of wellbeing from easily tuning the AM radio to a civil defense station while the sirens were blaring should have been enough to save Edsel.
I lived thru the cold war myself and oft wondered what it would've been like to be in a nuclear emergency and what those civil defense stations would help, if anything. What could anyone say to the public besides "you have 45 seconds to say your prayers"...
@@lilmike2710 Unfortunately we are under the threat again(still?). Our children and their children get to experience the senseless anxiety of worldwide destruction for political gain.
"Duck and Cover" proclaimed the DISNEY cartoon character in the school info-film strip. I was born in 1964 and experienced the tail end of this lunacy as a kid in school. -Steve Magnante
@@daynadiggle8169 IKr? 🤣 Just pretend like it's a tornado. I remember my dad making fun of them saying... "Put your head between your legs and kiss your a** goodbye". 🤣
I got serious "will it run" vibes from that car. Something was telling me that she was running when she got parked. I would be willing to give it a try just to hear it running.
You may not have realized that all model names from Edsel got brought back over the years; Ranger, Pacer, Corsair and Citation. Lincoln recently started using the Corsair name.
I found out recently that the wagon names Bermuda and Villager were also reused. The Bermuda name was used by Willys on their last sedan for the North American in 1955. As for the Villager name, it was later used on the Mercury Montego wagons, then later yet used on their minivans of the 1990s.
I found an Edsel convertible in a yard here. It was basically a shell and those bowed out side frame rails were shot. You could stand on the bumper on one side and watch the opposite corner rise up because the extra X crossmember was all that held it together. I should have saved it but I didn't. There was half of a '57 Ford convertible in the way back of the yard that could have provided all the missing stuff except side trim. But it would have taken two days to cut a path to where that sat.
My Dad had several Edsels, two of them station wagons and one a "hot rod" (410?) he raced on a local drag strip frequently. They were the equal in every way to Fords because they were basically Fords. Good cars.
Mr. B. Here ! Morning to all ! Story of H Ford Sr. & son was a sad story ! It sad it not that good looking , with said that is what makes 50’s cars were trying to win customers over unlike today . Customer respect is not there ! Very informative Steve . Thanks !
Love all the Edsels. Love to have that one it needs saved is it for sale? See some other interesting cars by it not sure where this yard is but be cool to look around.
The windshield wrap above the front door hinge made the leading edge of the doors resemble a dog’s leg. A couple of years later, designers took ownership of the term, cleaned that up and marketed a solution (to the problem that they created) as easier to get in/out. 1960’s doors almost have a straight lead edge.
Always the first thing I look for when I open up the you tube app. Steve Man's Junkyard crawls daily episode! Steve I had heard there were also "quality" issues associated with Edsel's failure. People seem to focus on the styling but I feel that was a minor contributor to the failure of the marque. I was not aware that the big block "FE" was the only power plant available, I'm assuming that development many others carried over into future FOMOCO offerings to absorb & offset the losses incurred. Always educational, insightful, interesting, & fun to watch!
It actually got the MEL engine series, which is like the FE/FT but the combustion chamber is in the dish of the piston rather than cast into the cylinder head. Its like Chevy's 348/409 W engine series.
Whenever you say that quip about motor trend canceling your junkyard gold, I want to reply saying it’s better they did and you do it on your own. But today, when you showed that clip of you reacting to getting canceled, I giggled 😆
It was overstyled at a time when others were cleaning up the bodylines. Impala was similar in this 'old look' that they moved away from. Both arrived in 1958.
and the Impala would change its look in 1959, then 1960, while Edsel kept its look. so if you didn't buy a 1958 Edsel in the recession of 1958, you got the same exact look in 1959--or you bought a chevy.
Excellent way to market the hot V-8 engines of the late 1950's. Sad they didn't do a tail fin model from the get go. Those tail lights would be up to date with resto mod of Triple Red Line LED tail light board installed behind those lenses. I think they are a great car but would think the Citation owner would have wandered off and sprung for an Olds 98 or Pontiac or Buick. Regardless, a well thought out car with fabulous paint combinations. Grill damage was a mess to fix on those bumped from parallel parking and it took months for new grill parts to arrive. Would probably pick any Olds over the Edsel in today's market.
Hi Steve, good video! Ford was competitive to Chevrolet and Plymouth. In 1938 the Ford Motor Company came out with Mercury Division, mainly to compete with Pontiac and Dodge. As time progressed on, Ford went ahead to put Mercury towards Oldsmobile, Buick and DeSoto, but that was not working. That is why Ford came out with the Edsel to be more competitive to Oldsmobile, Buick and DeSoto. At that time, middle priced cars where not selling. This is one reason why DeSoto failed. Please reply. Dave...
I owned a 59 Edsel green and white. v8 2 door car was a older restoration. a very nice car drove and rode like a dream. I sold it to a guy in New Jersey, he had a pink and white 58 Edsel. one thing I can say ford was not scared to paint any thing weird colors lol
Fantastic. So happy to see someone to state Edsel was a Division of Ford. The hub cap on the trunk is an Edsel. Only mistake was the engines 361 for Rangers Pacers and Wagons. The 410 was Corsair and Citations only. Also Rangers did come in Hardtops. Other then that well done.
Our Family had an Edsel back in the day. Great car. My Dad loved to play with it, vrroom vrroom lol. I won't tell what he did though. Edsel's did get a bum rap sadly. I would to own one now. Thanks for your videos..
AHH the Desoto my Neighbors The cunninghams I believe, had one of those, I remember he owned a hardware store and had a hooligan living above his garage.
Drag racer "Animal" Jim Feurer raced a 57 Mercury called The Big Animalback in the 70s. The announcer at Oswego dragstrip always noted that Jim used Edsel cylinder heads on his FE engine.
This Edsel has a much more classy and stylish front end than today's "angry kitchen appliances" they call vehicles today. I do feel the rear end is very stylish and modern looking even today. Great cars, but as you stated, Ford out-thunk themselves.
Wow, maybe......
Couldn't agree more!
Angry kitchen appliances....GREAT OBSERVATION!!!!!!
Lol angry kitchen appliances. In the trucking Community we refer to to newer aerodynamic style trucks as curb sniffers.
New cars suck 🤫
I owned an Edsel Corsair 2 door hardtop in the early 2000's to 2019. People would just stare and wonder what it was. One thing, it was fast off the line. Fun car. Always a conversation starter.
Back in the seventies and early eighties we had a neighbor that had a 58 Ford ranchero that had a 58 Edsel front clip on it. He called it the Edschero.
I own a 58 Ranchero with an Edsel front clip and Edsel 410CI motor. I bought it last summer out of central PA . It has an Edsel Ranger wagon rear tail lights molded in. Unrestored rat lots of rust. Runs good
In the 80's, traded for a 58 Edsel. It was a cool car, had lots of fun and always people wanted to look it over. Was even stopped by the CHP once, just so they could see it. Ended up selling it when the freeze plug(s) in the back of the engine started leaking. Sold it to a company that supplied cars for Hollywood movies.
Ponch or John?
if I was around in 1958 I would have bought a Edsel . I love them all from convertibles to station wagons and in between!
Absolutely. At least they were giving it the old college try. Credit should be given. Just like today when everyone is buying suvs, I bought a sedan just to spite and to have something different.
Steve one of the reasons why I canceled Motortrend on demand was they canceled your junkyard gold. I miss it . this is close. very informative
Thanks for the info
if you watch the opening sequence of "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" you can see Don Knotts punching furiously away the center of the wheel to go back and forth as he tries to turn around, backing over some garbage cans in the process.
Have seen that in long time next I whatch the little ones were going see it
I never put that together. Lol even funnier now
Man, I have known about Edsels since i was a little kid, never crossed my mind that the grille looks like a lady garden… till now. I’ll never look at one the same again.
some also referred to it as a horse collar grill...if that helps :)
@@albertgaspar627 yeah… I never worked with horses so it hasn’t the same memories.
@@ellwoodblooz as Sherlock Holmes said, "dangerous at both ends and crafty in the middle"
I think it is unfortunate that in the controversy about the Edsel car we have lost sight of the man the car was intended to honor, Edsel Ford. Edsel was the father of two successful car lines for
FOMOCO, Mercury (1939-2011) and Continental (1941-present). The Mercury was a cut above
the regular Ford, and the Continental a cut above the regular Lincoln.
I grew up near the once "largest collection of Edsel cars" in the world! On a slow news day in the late 80's, CNN even came to town and did a piece on the salvage yard. As I recall, the title would go back an forth between this yard and another somewhere else in the country. The owner has since passed, and his collection scattered or crushed. However there is still a large concentration of the brand here in (of all places) the great state of North Dakota. Love what you are doing Steve, keep it up!
The collection is downsized but it lives on. His son in Beulah continues the family tradition.
@@benscovil Hazen actually. 😉
Thank you so much for these Steve .
There is no other channel like this , and I’m glad I found it .
Not only are you giving great information, but you are also a great presenter.
Thank you for all the hard work and great content ! 👏
My pleasure!
My dad told me some people would call the front end of an Edsel a "flying urinal" I know the push button transmission controls in the center of the steering wheel had a lot of electrical and relay problems from talking to members of the Edsel motor club at a large car show a few years ago.
Great video as usual Steve. I agree that Motortrend made a mistake by canceling Roadkill Junkyard Gold. I enjoyed your show. Bitchin Rides and Texas Metal suck that show rich brats getting cars built specifically for them. Fantasy land.
I had a 61 Comet , didn’t know at the time that they were to be a small Edsel. I loved the tail lights on it. It was a 170cu. 6 I believe. Another one I should have kept.
First Comets and Falcons were meant to sell at a reduced cost with a reduced lifespan. Buyers would be back sooner so Ford’s bottom line would be unaffected. They still lasted quite a while (not like when the British tried this strategy - reduced lifespan ideas there caused reduced reliability).
@@peters8758 Then came the Pinto.
There’s an Easter egg “E” emblem on the AMT 1960 Comet promos and model kits, which suggests that the decision came late on rescuing the badge from Edsel.
Wow,that's the first Edsel featured on the show,great video
This was interesting. And I noticed the pair of 59 Edsels next to it. Maybe those will be featured in the next episode. And the doomsday red marks on the dial of the AM radio were for the CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation) system. The marks are at 640 and 1240. It's an interesting sign of its times to see these on the radios of these cars from that period.
Scary times too
I like the edsel bit in 58 i would have bought an impala, It was gorgeous
I would venture to say that Edsel has a chance at a new life. Definitely workable. Would be worth the trouble even if it couldn't be put back to 100% stock. I hope it sees the asphalt again one day.
There was a survivor model that was put back on the road on the youtube channel coldwarmotors. A lot of unusual features this car had, such as the push button transmission, made it a 6 person effort. Lots of bugs worked out. And this was not dealing with any bodywork. The finished product is worth it
They undertook quite an effort to get the Teletouch shifter working. Another barn find car put back on the road for and by Edsel fan Dean
It has been sinking into the Earth for a long time, probably not much left of the frame and floors.
@@jeffrobodine8579 I agree. I bet the bottom 25% of the car is gone. Once you got it off the ground and let it dry out it would just turn to dust
‘“Stock?”
One of the most enormous corporate blunders in history. You’re Ford motor Company. The second largest carmaker in America. Plus millions in international sales. I’ve never been able to wrap my head around the Edsel.
The recession of 58 was probably the worst time for anyone to try releasing a new car line. I have seen where some manufacturer's sales were down as much as 40% from the previous year. It's too bad too, cuz in the end, they were really good looking cars, regardless of the horse collar grill on the early models.
The 60 Edsels had great styling. We see one at Denver area shows that a guy on the east side owns
We're all pulling for you Steve. Hope to see you soon
I've seen Rancheros with Edsels front clips. Wicked cool!
Good morning Steve, I kinda like the Edsels and I know MT Screwed UP but you are doing something special everyday with these videos and I know I can speak for many by saying THANK YOU.
Someone once told me Edsel was an acronym for every day something else leaks.
An interesting part of the story Steve didn't mention was that the two lower models were based on the Ford body but the two higher models were based on the larger Mercury body. They were not just the sane Ranger with more options.
Thank you for the info! Dave...
Edsel Ranger and Pacer were based off Ford drive train and chassis while the larger Corsair and Citation were larger Mercury drive train and chassis. My parents bought a new 58 Edsel Ranger 2 door hardtop. Really a nice car, more like a higher trim level to the 58 Fairlane hardtop. There’s was optioned with the push button auto and a wonderbar radio. Wish I had that car today
Steve thank you for the automotive history
Great bit there with the "cancelled"!! You and Shane make a remarkable team!!! Great video content and a history lesson. Thanks for all your research and dedication to this channel!!
It couldn’t have hurt if Edsel had had a catchier name - it SOUNDS flat-out dowdy!
As far as the styling cues, everything about them said, “We are trying WAY too hard!”
It certainly would have been an interesting time to be alive and anticipate what the new model cars were going to look like! Today, the answer to that is easy - pretty much exactly like last year’s model…….😕
And to today's ears, Edsel sounds a lot like incel...
Thank you Steve Get well soon
One of the most beautiful oddballs out there, totally love it!
Combining the names Edsel and Citation will strike fear in any car fan's heart . 😉
LOL .........Don't forget Pacer!
“Ranger” did a little better when it returned. “Corsair” hasn’t returned as a car name (I think there were two before Edsel used it), but I’m a big fan of the WWII F4Us that used the name.
@@88SC Lincoln Corsair?
I think I read that Ford Motor Company went public (stock) for the first time in their history to finance the Edsel. It was a huge failure and they lost millions. Good for them for recognizing this early on and correcting their mistake. Love your videos Steve
Hi Steve, great video on the Edsel brand. There are about 15 or 20 Edsels just down the rd from me. You couldn't buy a bolt or nut from that guy, and as every yr goes by, you can see them gradually sinking in the ground. I once owned a 55 Mercury Montclair. I had installed a 410 with 3-2s, and yes, I cut a hole in the floor 4spd. I was told this was a cop car engine from the fellow I bought it from, but I'm not sure about it. The car was yellow and white. Named her Tweetie. Sold the car to a fellow lowrider who owned a beautiful 50 Merc full custom lead sled. One day, the guy was welding in his shop, and we think he suffered a heart attack. The shop, the 2 Mercs, he himself, was consumed by the fire. I remember seeing Tweetie after the fire and seeing the front license plate baring the looney toon character embossed into it burnt to nothing but a shell. I have a picture of him, myself, my grandfather, and the 2 Mercurys. Everyone in that picture has gone away except yours, truly. Im sure I'm wrong about it, but it wouldn't be the 1st time, and damn sure not the last time.
PS: I apologize to Steve and the channel for my comment in yesterday's video. My intentions were not to spread any kind of misinformation. Apologizing can be very difficult at times because admitting to ourselves that we are wrong is the biggest embarrassment. It takes a lot of courage to apologize for one’s action, and courage is being scared to death, but you saddle up anyway. Have a blessed day. Namaste 🙏🏼
Forgiven ..... carry on .
@daynadiggle8169 It was a one time thing, I shouldn't have cut a hole in the floor. Thanks for commenting 🤙🏼 Namaste 🙏🏼
Hello Chris Scearce, NO SWEAT on the little "dust up" with our Friend GUGP yesterday. You seem to be a highly qualified observer / owner and if your car had a 307 I'd bet it did. And - like me - you certainly know the difference between GM's 301, 302, 305 and 307 engine families (only the 302 and 305 are "brothers" but you knew that). My brain often skips a beat and I mis-speak...even on video. I hope its rare. Sorry to learn of Tweety's fate and the sad fate of the welder. That triple-carb 410 might have been a 1958 / 1959 Mercury Super Marauder 430 - Detroit's FIRST "400 horsepower" engine offering. Then again, it is possible that a 430 3x2 induction was transferred to your 410 - it'll bolt right on. If your 3x2 setup had a big aluminum air cleaner atop those Holley 2300-series 2-barrels, it was a factory item. Thanks again for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
No dust up, just setting the facts straight. Bad info is never good info.
@googleusergp you must be lost when the internet goes down...some of us have a life to enjoy other than trolling comments looking for something to make themselves feel good...at no point did I say you were wrong and I apologized after being proven wrong after the internet said so. But like many wives they can't except the apology and continued to try be little. Ego = Edging God Out... Namaste 🙏🏼
Steve - A correction. It is true that Edsel began as a separate marque with its separate dealership network in 1958. However, following the 1958 debacle, Ford decided to merge Edsel with Lincoln-Mercury in 1959 creating the MEL Division. I know this because my dad was an L-M dealer then who started selling Edsels as well. I still have his MEL lapel pin to show for it. I have a November 1956 brochure introducing the Edsel name and E logo to existing Ford product dealers. There are no photos or specifics to the cars that would follow. It does reveal a "Special Products Division" established in April 1955 set up to conceive a new car line. The explanatory writing of the brochure is essentially a "letter" signed by Henry Ford II. It attempts to ease existing dealers' minds of the new brand cutting into their sales by saying, "you will be selling more cars - because the entry of the Edsel will strengthen the market position of all Ford Motor Company car lines and Ford Motor Company dealers." It does go on to say that "special consideration" would be given to individual existing dealers to sell Edsels as well under separate franchise. I can say that after reading a book on the Fords, Henry II became obsessed with matching GM's business model of multi-tiered auto lines. The letter points back to 1946 as a date when product expansion for medium priced cars was first examined. Ford's CFO Robert MacNamara wanted nothing to do with the Edsel and had he had his way Mercury and Lincoln would have been history also. Maybe that was early writing on the wall. The comments I heard about Edsel from dad's salesmen of the day was that it was just too expensive. People at the top end bought a Mercury for a little more. Those at the lower end bought a Ford for a little less. Even selling Mercurys, Ford often proved to be his greatest competitor.
As for actual Edsels we did take a family vacation in a 1959 station wagon from NC to Miami, FL and back. Sitting in that rear facing back seat was the best although hot as we didn't have AC under all that glass. Dad did get two 1960 Edsels. Some guy called about them when he learned production was ending. He showed up the next day, paid cash, and dad's Edsel days were over save for a random handful that were later traded in. Ford took back the Edsel specific parts inventory with reimbursement. I had a 1960 Edsel promo car, but at 5-6 years old, I didn't give it much chance for survival. So were my Edsel days. Trivia: The 1960 Comet was meant to be an Edsel. It shares the same tail lights with the Edsel although slanted. It was simply a Comet and didn't become Mercury Comet until 1961.
Three things worked against the Edsel when it was introduced. A short lived recession, very iffy mechanicals with the touchmatic transmission that failed eventually on all the 1958's and the front end styling. The trans used a modified windshield wiper motor as a servo motor that would fail from being exposed to moisture and dirt in its place on the transmission and also the contacts in the steering column would cause erratic operation that frustrated the owners. A great many Edsels had the entire steering column and shift mechanism pulled out and replaced by 1958 Ford equivale to keep them on the road. You could get a "big block" in a Ford in 1958 but it was a smaller version, a 332 FE witch stood for Ford/Edsel.
The name "Edsel" didn't help matters either, I suspect.
I thought Edsels used the MEL series of engines, Mercury, Edsel, and Lincoln - maybe the lower trim levels used FEs?
Ahhh the vintage Tracker A/T hanging out behind that land yacht!
I hope you are feeling better Steve God bless
LOVED Edsel cars!! One of your better videos of late!
Another excellent video! I had an Edsel myself. By the time I got to it it was 54 years old and pretty tired of course. Still a very cool car.
Those cars are cool looking,thanks Steve ..
I have to say , Being a C body man( 66 Fury III) I really like the styling of the Edsel. Pretty Dam good looking car!
Remember the first time I looked at an Edsel. Fantastic. It was so good looking.
Another great class in school today! I wish school when I was young was this enjoyable! I would totally own a decent shape Edsul.
Contrary to Steve's assertion at 5:35 , the Ranger series was indeed available in both four-door and two-door hardtop (no B-pillar) versions.
They were good vehicles. Unfortunately they got a bad rap because of some comments made by a reviewer.about how the grill looked. Just like Steve mentioned. Edsel Ford at times look at as real designer or someone who could actually be an asset to bringing some interesting ideas to the company Unfortunately he got the shadow of Henry and in some eyes some of the employees looked at Edsel As if his father had not started the company he would not even been considered as a car designer or possibly a car manufacturer. It's unfortunate but it comes along when a son or daughter is related to the founder of any business. Large or small. Thank you Steve for posting this video.
Dave - growing up in the 70s, echos of those negative reviews were common enough that I still remember them. I was always under the impression that the Edsel had mechanical problems that led to them being unpopular but it doesn't seem like that was the case. Was it primarily a styling issue?
I believe Edsel died in 1943
@@ginoperretta373 Edsel had quite a bit of health problems. And I was not sure when he passed
@@wes11bravo well I don't remember reading about mechanical issues. There could have been some but personally don't know.
one of the problems with the Edsel as others have posted is the shift mechanism Steve pointed out. Because it was in the middle of the steering wheel, it was decided to not allow it to rotate with the rest of the wheel (if you have a modern car with radio or cruise control buttons in the wheel, you've probably noticed what happens to their location in a sharp corner). they used a linkage that wasn't used to being on the bottom of the car and collecting road debris and clogging up.
I read about the Edsel dealer promo where they promised a pony with every Edsel sold. Dealers had to provide enclosures and care and feeding of the ponies before the sales. It went over about as well as the car.
Actually there was one pony per dealer and it was a contest to name the pony. There's a youtube video about it with Ward Bond.
ua-cam.com/video/rZ4S24PruN8/v-deo.html
We used to call them flying toilet seats!
Great video Steve! 👍👍💯🇺🇸
Another great video. Keep 'em coming!
The smug feeling of wellbeing from easily tuning the AM radio to a civil defense station while the sirens were blaring should have been enough to save Edsel.
I lived thru the cold war myself and oft wondered what it would've been like to be in a nuclear emergency and what those civil defense stations would help, if anything.
What could anyone say to the public besides "you have 45 seconds to say your prayers"...
@@lilmike2710 Unfortunately we are under the threat again(still?). Our children and their children get to experience the senseless anxiety of worldwide destruction for political gain.
@@lilmike2710 I was their too and always had the confidence that crawling under my school desk would save me . The crap they put in kids heads !
"Duck and Cover" proclaimed the DISNEY cartoon character in the school info-film strip. I was born in 1964 and experienced the tail end of this lunacy as a kid in school. -Steve Magnante
@@daynadiggle8169 IKr? 🤣 Just pretend like it's a tornado.
I remember my dad making fun of them saying... "Put your head between your legs and kiss your a** goodbye". 🤣
Thanks Steve. 🙏🏻😎
You are awesome, Steve! I Loved watching Junkyard Gold; Those MotorTrend execs are fools. Keep it up, Steve - you are a content machine!
I got serious "will it run" vibes from that car. Something was telling me that she was running when she got parked. I would be willing to give it a try just to hear it running.
Get well soon Steve!
That 410 MEL engine, (Mercury,Edsel, Lincoln) was a real bear. 375HP. Combustion chamber in the block like 348/409 Chevy.
One of my dream cars. Thanks Steve!
I would like to visit that yard. I live near Massachusetts,however when I look up this place they only have showroom pictures
You may not have realized that all model names from Edsel got brought back over the years; Ranger, Pacer, Corsair and Citation. Lincoln recently started using the Corsair name.
I found out recently that the wagon names Bermuda and Villager were also reused. The Bermuda name was used by Willys on their last sedan for the North American in 1955. As for the Villager name, it was later used on the Mercury Montego wagons, then later yet used on their minivans of the 1990s.
Good vidjya Steve. Very informative. Hope your doin' better.
I found an Edsel convertible in a yard here. It was basically a shell and those bowed out side frame rails were shot. You could stand on the bumper on one side and watch the opposite corner rise up because the extra X crossmember was all that held it together.
I should have saved it but I didn't. There was half of a '57 Ford convertible in the way back of the yard that could have provided all the missing stuff except side trim. But it would have taken two days to cut a path to where that sat.
Now that is some great information brother.
We're missing you out here Steve get well soon
I have always liked the Edsel. Mainly because they were so unique.
Great info, as usual. The rotating speedo harks back to the Model A (as did that grille).
Thanks Steve another Great Video
Glad you enjoyed it
My Dad had several Edsels, two of them station wagons and one a "hot rod" (410?) he raced on a local drag strip frequently. They were the equal in every way to Fords because they were basically Fords. Good cars.
Love the 58 2 door Edsel these cars had style
The marks on the radio are Conalrad
Mr. B. Here ! Morning to all ! Story of H Ford Sr. & son was a sad story ! It sad it not that good looking , with said that is what makes 50’s cars were trying to win customers over unlike today . Customer respect is not there ! Very informative Steve . Thanks !
Good morning!
I would love to wander around that wrecking yard they got cool stuff
Love all the Edsels. Love to have that one it needs saved is it for sale? See some other interesting cars by it not sure where this yard is but be cool to look around.
Awesome video thank y'all
The "red dots" on the radio are Conelrad stations.
Lots of good parts on this car. I may have to get ahold of them. Love the Edsels. I have a 58 pacer.
I want a 58 ranger with 3 on the tree. Only seen one for sale in 20 years should have bought it
Interesting info on the Edsel Steve thanks again ! Were you a pizza chef in a past life lol molto buono buon appetito signore !!👍
I love the JUNK Yard show best content!
2:06,... Oh, nice cameo by the alloy project - You know it lives in Queensland, Australia now?
The windshield wrap above the front door hinge made the leading edge of the doors resemble a dog’s leg. A couple of years later, designers took ownership of the term, cleaned that up and marketed a solution (to the problem that they created) as easier to get in/out. 1960’s doors almost have a straight lead edge.
unfortunately, that bend in the glass can cause distortion on some models, leading to depth perception issues
“It looked like an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon” 😂
Who coined the Olds-meet-lemon phrase I wonder? I hope you're gonna show the white SAAB 95 wagon in that yard!
My uncle was a mechanic trained to work on the Edsel. Looks like he was busy.
Always the first thing I look for when I open up the you tube app. Steve Man's Junkyard crawls daily episode! Steve I had heard there were also "quality" issues associated with Edsel's failure. People seem to focus on the styling but I feel that was a minor contributor to the failure of the marque. I was not aware that the big block "FE" was the only power plant available, I'm assuming that development many others carried over into future FOMOCO offerings to absorb & offset the losses incurred. Always educational, insightful, interesting, & fun to watch!
It actually got the MEL engine series, which is like the FE/FT but the combustion chamber is in the dish of the piston rather than cast into the cylinder head. Its like Chevy's 348/409 W engine series.
Recycling of model names is interesting; Ford Ranger Pick-up and Lincoln Corsiar SUV.
Whenever you say that quip about motor trend canceling your junkyard gold, I want to reply saying it’s better they did and you do it on your own. But today, when you showed that clip of you reacting to getting canceled, I giggled 😆
It was overstyled at a time when others were cleaning up the bodylines. Impala was similar in this 'old look' that they moved away from. Both arrived in 1958.
and the Impala would change its look in 1959, then 1960, while Edsel kept its look. so if you didn't buy a 1958 Edsel in the recession of 1958, you got the same exact look in 1959--or you bought a chevy.
I loved Junkyard Gold, I come here to get my fix!
Steve, the titles of your videos just keep getting better and better. Some of them just crack me up. You've got a great sense of humor. I love it!
Excellent way to market the hot V-8 engines of the late 1950's. Sad they didn't do a tail fin model from the get go. Those tail lights would be up to date with resto mod of Triple Red Line LED tail light board installed behind those lenses. I think they are a great car but would think the Citation owner would have wandered off and sprung for an Olds 98 or Pontiac or Buick. Regardless, a well thought out car with fabulous paint combinations. Grill damage was a mess to fix on those bumped from parallel parking and it took months for new grill parts to arrive. Would probably pick any Olds over the Edsel in today's market.
Hi Steve, good video! Ford was competitive to Chevrolet and Plymouth. In 1938 the Ford Motor Company came out with Mercury Division, mainly to compete with Pontiac and Dodge. As time progressed on, Ford went ahead to put Mercury towards Oldsmobile, Buick and DeSoto, but that was not working. That is why Ford came out with the Edsel to be more competitive to Oldsmobile, Buick and DeSoto. At that time, middle priced cars where not selling. This is one reason why DeSoto failed. Please reply. Dave...
I owned a 59 Edsel green and white. v8 2 door car was a older restoration. a very nice car drove and rode like a dream. I sold it to a guy in New Jersey, he had a pink and white 58 Edsel. one thing I can say ford was not scared to paint any thing weird colors lol
Fantastic. So happy to see someone to state Edsel was a Division of Ford. The hub cap on the trunk is an Edsel. Only mistake was the engines 361 for Rangers Pacers and Wagons. The 410 was Corsair and Citations only. Also Rangers did come in Hardtops. Other then that well done.
I have a turquoise /white dealer promo model of the 1958 Edsel
Thinking back, I remember the MEL (Mercury Edsel Lincoln) engines were a different platform than the FE series (Ford) engines, and not interchangable?
Our Family had an Edsel back in the day. Great car. My Dad loved to play with it, vrroom vrroom lol. I won't tell what he did though. Edsel's did get a bum rap sadly. I would to own one now. Thanks for your videos..
Still a super cool car. Aways wanted one. Would be kind of interesting with a 6 cylinder.
AHH the Desoto my Neighbors The cunninghams I believe, had one of those, I remember he owned a hardware store and had a hooligan living above his garage.
Drag racer "Animal" Jim Feurer raced a 57 Mercury called The Big Animalback in the 70s. The announcer at Oswego dragstrip always noted that Jim used Edsel cylinder heads on his FE engine.
as you may know, the MEL series of engines had the combustion chamber located in the dish of the piston, like chevy's 348/409 W engines.
I love edsels, especially that quarter type
is that a 58 Chevy Impala in front of a 58 Edsel?
Edsel reminds me of American Graffiti.