Another good video. One of the biggest issues with the Edsel (and there were many) is something that few people know or remember. For the year leading up to the Edsel's introduction, the public was hyped to believe that it would be like no other car ever. Unfortunately, except for the controversial styling, the press and the public soon realized that Edsels were essentially Fords and Mercurys with different trim and some gimmicks.
"Fords and Mercurys with different trim and some gimmicks".....and a higher price tag with them. Kinda disappointing to see Adam's video here continue to overlook this factor.
9:00 An accurate description of the Mini taillights, however, it would be useful to add that combined right/left taillights are actually a split representation of the Union Jack 🇬🇧…. It doesn’t invalidate the thought, but it at least gives some context to the “why”
Nowadays, one has to stare at the badge to learn what the make of vehicle is. No such difficultly in the 1950's, 1960's or 1970's. A 1958 Edsel looks different from a 1959 Edsel. My 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix looks exactly like a 1997 and a 1998 and a 1999 and a 2000 and 2001 and a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix. Driving in my neighborhood one day, I recognized a 1954 Pontiac from nearly a block away. It does not look like a 1953 nor a 1955 Pontiac. Today's vehicles are safe and efficient. But so are microwave ovens.
@@DennisPanek-j9b Agreed, my grandad said that all new cars look like they were designed in wind tunnels. I always remember Mickey Rourke's line in Sin City "Mercedes all look like electric Shavers".
Recently in traffic I got behind a pair of those cars they call wagons today and I thought they were identical until I noticed a Hyundai badge on one and a Nissan badge on the other, then I noticed subtle differences in the tail lights as well. When I was a kid if I had witnessed a getaway car at night I could have told you the make/model and at least approximate year just by the tail lights in the dark. Today with all tech the advancements that make it easier to track down a fleeing criminal, the vehicle styling trends are at least one thing that the criminal has going for him.
8:55 Mini has had that design theme on their taillamps for years - a representation of the Union Jack flag. They have made that flag available painted on the entire roof in certain years as well. And on certain taillamps, you can see more or less of the Union Jack, depending on the model year and body style.
When I first seen that Mini Cooper with those Taillights out here in Staten Island, New York about 2 months ago, the first thing I said to myself was, 1958 Edsel Station Wagon!!! Good Observation Adam! 👍👍👍
The Mini’s Union Jack tail lamp was lifted and inspired by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera’s Mini Vision concept of 2014. A beautiful concept all over.
@@davidbolt5113 Very cool, I didn't know that thanks. 2014 was kind of hazy for me. Edit: I just looked at it (thanks for the heads up) it's really slick! I wish BMW produced that, instead of the MINI convertible we got.
I wish I still had Dad's six-seat '58 Edsel Bermuda in salmon pink and with the E400 engine. I think she became a part of he family in about 1960. When I started driving in about 1963, I got to drive her quite a bit.
I remember my grandparent's black 1962 Rambler Classic station wagon having the push buttons for the automatic transmission located on the upper left hand side of the dashboard. There was a pull tab under the dashboard for the park position. As I recall, the vehicle had no seat belts, no power steering, no power brakes, no air conditioning, no power features of any kind. It had an analog clock on the dashboard near the AM radio. The seats were some sort of a gray cloth and vinyl mixture. I believe that at least the front passenger's seat had a reclining function; the driver's side may have had this as well. Oh, and the dashboard was metal and the steering wheel was huge, with a large and loud horn sounder. Finally, the vehicle had a woefully underpowered I-6 cylinder engine, and one key performed every function on the vehicle, including the locking glove box.
Looking back, the 58 Edsel was a pretty clean design. Especially when compared to the magic mushroom styling of the 58 Lincoln. The Teletouch was unique at the time because of the electric motor that operated the shifter. Chrysler push buttons worked like the station presets on a car radio.
Rolls Royce also used an electric motor to control its automatic transmissions (GM Hydramatic and Turbo Hydramatic). I don't know why, driving only a valve, such a motor would be needed, except, maybe to get the transmission out of Park more easily on a steep hill. Speaking of valves, it's surprising that the Edsel's motor would ever overheat when shifting back and forth from Drive to Reverse, which, presumably, only involved the valve. It must have been a weak motor.
@@pcno2832 It was a weak motor. They were exposed to the elements and would go bad with normal driving. Many Edsel owners just drilled a hole in the floor and installed a floor shifter rather than keep repairing the Teletouch system.
@@pcno2832 Yes the shifter motor on those Edsels were problematic and known for being weak. Thats probably why Ford dropped (along with the costs) that feature in the upcoming model years. One could almost say it was ahead of it's time. Nowadays electrically controlled shifters are common practice among many manufacturers, it's easier to turn a knob then move a lever or in some models push a button. Automatic transmissions have been electronically controlled(gear shifts) since the mid to late-80's. Now all the functions of the transmission are electrically/electronically controlled. From engagement to shift timing and quality of shift. The way I see it, more to go wrong at one point or another. Or maybe not..
Great video Adam, the history and technical information is always appreciated. This brings me back 25 years when I first learned of Edsel (and a few other makes) in a book called "cars from the 50's" my grandparents bought me.
One of my all time favorite cars is the 1960 Ford fullsize My dad had a 2 door 1960 Ford ranch wagon with the 240 six and a 3 on a tree Cars were so unique back then and I'm glad I was able to partake some of these classics Funny how we took them for granted
Excellent well done video of some very different cars/wagons. I always wondered though, would have been even more radical if Ford had made a version of the Edsel patterned after the ranchero's in 58 and 59. Probably would have still lost a lot of $$ but still cool. I saw a few years ago a mustang "truck", no backseat, window behind the driver. All the conversion done obviously at home, some parts done well some not so much, but you sure weren't going to ever see yourself coming down the road. And still more stylish than the cookie cutter stuff they make now. Yes the Edsel was a lot of things, love it or hate it, but still had personality and style.
I've seen a few 58 Rancheros with Edsel front clips, it appears to be an easy bolt on modification. One even had the Edsel dashboard, interior and and Tele Touch. It was a really cool "what if" sort of car. My then 17 yo daughter really liked the Ranchero/El Camino trucks and still has a 1978 EC at 33. She also had and still has a soft spot for the Edsels. She totally lost it over the "Rangero" with the Edsel interior. I practically had to drag her away from it and she still wants one today, 17 years later.
I liked the Edsels, it's unfortunate that they were a great idea when they were conceived, but not so great in the recession of 1958 when they were introduced. I will always wonder what would have happened had the Edsel brand lived long enough to have introduce the Edsel Comet as originally planned.
Had Ford done a better job with the Edsel brand then the Edsel Comet would've been an all out muscle car then the Mercury Comet Cyclone would've been called the Cyclone and they're economy car would've been called the Mercury Meteor, also Edsel would've also had its own variant of the Ford Mustang like either called the Edsel Coyote or the Edsel Wolf 🐺 and it would be above the Mustang but below the Cougar.
Nice. I have a 1958 Edsel Pacer sedan. It does not have power steering or power brakes but actually drives really well. I like the rear gullwing rear tail lights and the interior hood release. Mine has a dealer installed Kool King air conditioner, complete with an old decal on the side glass. I like the matching keys and also the side view mirror that “mirrors” the grille design.
Say what you want about that grill and boy is it deserved, cars back then were works of art inside and out I know they are significantly better in every measurable way now, but I sure wish to see the jet age come back
Adam your automotive knowledge knows no bounds.I wish your videos were longer-term.If you did an episode on a Yugo for 30 minutes .I would watch it.A gentleman in Nassau has a 58 Edsel 4 door it's a 😎 car.There are alot of classic cars in the Bahamas. Keep up the good and Cheers from Eulethra
Love these Edsel wagons, and note the luggage rack on the Bermuda wagon. Great option that is a must if you want the most out of a wagon. Wagons are so superior to other vehicles in so many ways, yet relatively few people realize how practical a true wagon is. Edsel dash boards were like looking at a piece of jewelry. I see no real issue with the tail lights. Design wise, 58 was a great year. It's fascinating to look at the great styling of the Edsels, probably more appealing now than when the car was introduced. The sliding rear side windows is also a great feature. I have two wagons and one has the right side rear window removed. I found that it gives you great access to the rear, rather than having to climb in through the tailgate when you want to grab something.
Nice video, thank you. The Mini taillight is half the Union Jack (the flag of Great Britain). When they are both lit, they form the Union Jack. Not really useful, but real funny and a nice gimmick, I think.
There was also an ambulance conversion (Ambelwagon) of the Roundup, focused mostly on the rear compartment kitting out (obviously), but with emergency lights in the grille, frosted glass inserts for the wagon box side windows and a rooftop light. I've read they were done in 58 and 59, but have only seen a 58. As for the Bermuda, a guy had one that used to appear at local car shows (turquoise) and I always liked seeing such a rare car, but it was usually just passed over by so many of the crowd, especially if they walked down the row beind it and did not see the grille.
I find it interesting that into the 1960s even though the van body style was established they were still using wagons for ambulances. It took them a while to realize when you're trying to save a life in the back of a vehicle a little more headroom would be helpful, while wagons were still fine for hearses.
Awesome video on the Edsels A lot of fascinating information I learned from your video I have only seen one Bermuda wagon in my lifetime up close Truly enjoyed it. Thank you very much.
Dad brought home a '58 Edsel wagon. I can't remember exactly which one, but it was a four door. Me being the youngest, I rode in the back, rolling around loose like a tennis ball. Surprisingly fast, it had the Mercury FE engine. It was a great car for a family of 6 back in the '60s. For some reason, Dad replaced it with a Ford Cortina. Still don't know why. Poor Cortina had a hard time with the drivings conditions in Southern California heat and traffic.
I can remember watching old episodes of the Donna Reed show from that era (late 50's) the show family drove a new Edsel. I guess Ford was a big sponsor of the show and was showing their new models. I guess it was common back then and all the way up to the 70's.
Never seen the rear brake/turn signals of that particular Mini Cooper, but i immediately recognized that it was one half of the Union Jack flag. Pretty cool.
The Teletouch automatic control was simply a Borg-Warner starter motor which replaced the normal shift cable. It moved in and out via a series of limit switches (depending on what button was pushed), and was not technically a 'servo' since there was no feedback. It was sometimes hard to get out of Park when the parking sprag was loaded on slopes, which burned out the motor or the fuse.
Now if Edsel offered a manual shift "4 speed" so as not to have all to issues with the TeleTouch Shift, boy were there a mess of wires, relays and solenoids on the firewall to make it all work...... Thanks to Adam for his time, work and posting.
Another thing about the '58 Edsel wagons was that, since they were based on the Ford and on a Ford chassis, only the 361ci E400 engine was available. the 410ci E475 was not available in the wagons, which was a shame because those would have provided great towing power for boats and travel trailers.
Thank you Adam. I now know where the Lincoln Corsair name was used earlier. The middle market segment got crowded indeed. The sad part is most of the players got squeezed out over time. It seems like it top to bottom now. Thank you for sharing.
Strangely, I've only ever seen Edsel in the scrap yard -- even though I'm quite old. Maybe there weren't that many dealers in my area. Best cameo was on the Peggy Sue movie.
The Edsel really doesn't look bad to me. The "Horse collar" grille doesn't look out of place, especially when compared to the over the top styling of many cars of that era.
@@johna.4334 it really doesn’t. But things like looks are always a matter of personal taste. Remember there were a few people who actually thought the Pontiac Aztec looked good 🤷🏾♂️. I’m not one of them. 😅. I’d choose an Edsel over an Aztec any day as far as looks go.
when I was a kid,a lady down the street had an Edsel Citation,in red/white/blue paint scheme,(her late husband was an officer in the military).I thought it looked cool
To me, the Edsel suffered from two major mistakes. The grille design, obvious enough was first. Roy Brown Jr. was the head of design for the Edsel. He started his design career right out of school with GM in the Cadillac division. He stated he was always enamored with LaSalles tall thin grille. That’s what he was going for with Edsel. Ford engineering basically overrode him because of concerns with adequate airflow for the radiator, and widened it. The results may have been more efficient, but certainly less attractive. Edsel’s marketing problem consisted of the fact that it was supposed to be the step between Mercury and Lincoln. Yet the lower end models, the Pacer and Ranger, were priced below Mercury, actually competing with higher end Fords, and were relatively spartan unless optioned up. The Citation and Corsair were more upscale, but again in base form were more Mercury than anything. A buyer looking for a top end luxury car would not want a brand that could be confused with a lesser priced one. Basically, Edsels were perceived as too expensive for lower priced buyers and not exclusive enough for the higher end buyers. Perhaps eliminating Pacer and Ranger from the offerings out of the chute would have helped. But introducing luxury cars in a recession usually doesn’t go well.
Problem was, FoMoCo grossly overpromised with the Edsel. As someone was around and aware at the time of the launch, the consensus was that it was just another car. A few bells and whistles maybe, but so what? The Big Three were all trying to outdazzle each other with the latest automotive geegaws.
In all my lifetime I could probably count all Edsels I've seen, on one hand. I always enjoy them. There is a Jaguar that loosely resembles an XJ-6, but has a somewhat Edsel-like grille. I always thought it was a dumb looking car. But I'm sure there are plenty of people that like them, lol. Anyway, thanks for another interesting video.
Ford learned and launched Comet from the Mercury line in the early 60's. Smaller, nimbler, not another boring land yacht. Comet evolved into a big success, as Tempest did for Pontiac, Skylark did for Buick and F-85/442 did for Olds. Mercury later launch Montego, sizewise between the Comet and the big Park Lanes/Montereys.
Henry Ford had a friend named "Edsel" and really liked the name so he named his son Edsel. Folks, I had a friend named Matt in high school and college and we were TIGHT. Today he runs Cash4Motorcyles out of Ypsilanti. And while I like the name "Matthew" and I used to actually hug Matt, I would have never thought to name my son that name....
The taillights on the Mini Countryman isn't a mistake, It isn't an arrow either. What appears to be an arrow is actually the design of the Union Jack/British Flag.
I noticed a mini cooper today with it's British Union Jack taillights and thought that they were a terrible design......lo and behold, this video was ready to watch. All coincidence, for certain.
The debut of Edsel couldn't have happened at a worse time, with the nation entering a severe recession. My father was a sales manager at a very successful Ford dealership in Chicago, at the time, and sales were way down. I remember we did not have a very merry Christmas in 1958.
The Thunderbird (which went from 2 to 4-passenger) and Rambler were the only American cars to post sales gains that year. Small imports also gained ground, cold comfort even if your dad's store had an English Ford Line franchise.
Very good feature of this historical model. Its said, over time a style can grow on a person. It's TRUE, I now finally appreciate early 60's Exner cars...still working on Edsel...that grill take time to like.
My grandfather actually liked these cars when they came out. He was a laborer who saved his money and opened the Bednar-Pekara liquor store in Binghamton, New York. The problem was he got the liquor store off the ground about the time that these came out and he had no money. He was a GM man anyway, having one Dodge that my dad blew the mufflers out while drunk with his girlfriend.... The "Horse Collar" grill was a bit weird. Had they done it a bit more subtly, it would have worked. Audi did this in about 2005 and I thought they would catch hell, but it seemed to work for them. Modern day ALFA Romeo's are hot and they have something similar, so people just need time to get used to something. GREAT video as always Adam!
The taillights were not a mistake. The Edsel wagon used the Ford wagon body from the firewall back. The taillamp shape was done simply to give the Edsel a unique taillight that fit the Ford rear quarter panels.
Very interesting. One point you didn't make about the Bermuda wagon. Was that if you bought a Ford Country Squire or Mercury Colony Park. You were relegated to 9 passenger only. Were a Bermuda came in both 6 and 9 passenger.
@@andyk6796 I'm reminded of the mistake (oh there were many) Chevrolet made by using the name Nova for one of their midsize cars and attempting to sell it south of the border. Spoiler alert: Nova translates into 'no go' in Spanish.
A certain version of the Toyota Prius has the same boomerang taillights in my opinion As to the Kaiser it's the only car that has the color of the car on its front fender I saw one that said " Grass green ' in chrome script
There was a huge outside factor that affected Edsel sales. Edsel's debut in the fall of 1957 coincided with a deep economic recession that caused the entire automobile market to sag. This unfortunate timing of Edsel's introduction to the public played a significant role in the low sale numbers Edsel posted.
The last Ford Escort wagons from the late '90s were shorter than the sedans too, when they redesigned the sedan to make it much rounder they gave it an inch or two more rear overhang so it wouldn't look smaller than the old one. The wagon body was a carryover.
Another good video.
One of the biggest issues with the Edsel (and there were many) is something that few people know or remember. For the year leading up to the Edsel's introduction, the public was hyped to believe that it would be like no other car ever. Unfortunately, except for the controversial styling, the press and the public soon realized that Edsels were essentially Fords and Mercurys with different trim and some gimmicks.
Like the Chevy Lumina. 🇨🇦
"Fords and Mercurys with different trim and some gimmicks".....and a higher price tag with them. Kinda disappointing to see Adam's video here continue to overlook this factor.
9:00 An accurate description of the Mini taillights, however, it would be useful to add that combined right/left taillights are actually a split representation of the Union Jack 🇬🇧…. It doesn’t invalidate the thought, but it at least gives some context to the “why”
Good one Adam, my wife and I met over a discussion of the Edsel line at a bar in the early 90’s.
Nothing like meeting up with a car girl!
The 2 door wagon is pretty cool. It's a shame they didn't make more. It would be a nice car to have
Nowadays, one has to stare at the badge to learn what the make of vehicle is. No such difficultly in the 1950's, 1960's or 1970's.
A 1958 Edsel looks different from a 1959 Edsel.
My 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix looks exactly like a 1997 and a 1998 and a 1999 and a 2000 and 2001 and a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix.
Driving in my neighborhood one day, I recognized a 1954 Pontiac from nearly a block away. It does not look like a 1953 nor a 1955 Pontiac.
Today's vehicles are safe and efficient. But so are microwave ovens.
Totally true they all look alike
@@DennisPanek-j9b Agreed, my grandad said that all new cars look like they were designed in wind tunnels. I always remember Mickey Rourke's line in Sin City "Mercedes all look like electric Shavers".
Recently in traffic I got behind a pair of those cars they call wagons today and I thought they were identical until I noticed a Hyundai badge on one and a Nissan badge on the other, then I noticed subtle differences in the tail lights as well. When I was a kid if I had witnessed a getaway car at night I could have told you the make/model and at least approximate year just by the tail lights in the dark. Today with all tech the advancements that make it easier to track down a fleeing criminal, the vehicle styling trends are at least one thing that the criminal has going for him.
@@bobhill3941 I remember in the 80s when Fords all started to look like jellybeans and other cars looked like a partially melted bar of soap.
@@onemoremisfit I remember the Fords like that in the 90's.
8:55 Mini has had that design theme on their taillamps for years - a representation of the Union Jack flag. They have made that flag available painted on the entire roof in certain years as well. And on certain taillamps, you can see more or less of the Union Jack, depending on the model year and body style.
When I first seen that Mini Cooper with those Taillights out here in Staten Island, New York about 2 months ago, the first thing I said to myself was, 1958 Edsel Station Wagon!!! Good Observation Adam! 👍👍👍
I absolutely love the front grille, it's unique and beautiful
I owned a 1958 Pacer 2 dr. HT. Bought in 1966 for $125. Loved that car!
That Bermuda wagon sure had a busy exterior! Lots going on there.
The Mini tail light is a representation of the Union Jack
You beat me to it, I'm glad someone else knows that.
But they're German.
The Mini’s Union Jack tail lamp was lifted and inspired by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera’s Mini Vision concept of 2014. A beautiful concept all over.
@@davidbolt5113 Very cool, I didn't know that thanks. 2014 was kind of hazy for me.
Edit: I just looked at it (thanks for the heads up) it's really slick! I wish BMW produced that, instead of the MINI convertible we got.
The Edsel Bermuda is my dream car!!! Saw a picture of one in Spring Green in a book when I was 11 and fell in love instantly
I wish I still had Dad's six-seat '58 Edsel Bermuda in salmon pink and with the E400 engine. I think she became a part of he family in about 1960. When I started driving in about 1963, I got to drive her quite a bit.
Back in the seventies one of my buddies had an Edsel Citation with the teletouch transmission. It was fast & he regularly beat Camaro & Mustangs!!! 🙂
I remember my grandparent's black 1962 Rambler Classic station wagon having the push buttons for the automatic transmission located on the upper left hand side of the dashboard. There was a pull tab under the dashboard for the park position. As I recall, the vehicle had no seat belts, no power steering, no power brakes, no air conditioning, no power features of any kind. It had an analog clock on the dashboard near the AM radio. The seats were some sort of a gray cloth and vinyl mixture. I believe that at least the front passenger's seat had a reclining function; the driver's side may have had this as well. Oh, and the dashboard was metal and the steering wheel was huge, with a large and loud horn sounder. Finally, the vehicle had a woefully underpowered I-6 cylinder engine, and one key performed every function on the vehicle, including the locking glove box.
I’ve never taken Mini turn signals like that to be anything other than an homage to flag of the UK, aka “Union Jack”.
In Europe they are just tail lights the Amber turn signals are separate segments, from memory, been a while since I was stuck behind one.
@@MP-fw4ub I actually thought this particular “half-Jack” style was an aftermarket accessory.
Nope straight from the factory. At least in the UK they are, depends on the model and year I think. They all look the same to me 😂
It’s grown on me. I like the Edsel’s look
Looking back, the 58 Edsel was a pretty clean design. Especially when compared to the magic mushroom styling of the 58 Lincoln. The Teletouch was unique at the time because of the electric motor that operated the shifter. Chrysler push buttons worked like the station presets on a car radio.
If remember Rambler had a push button shifter at that time as well.
I think that kind of styling going out of fashion at the time as well?
Rolls Royce also used an electric motor to control its automatic transmissions (GM Hydramatic and Turbo Hydramatic). I don't know why, driving only a valve, such a motor would be needed, except, maybe to get the transmission out of Park more easily on a steep hill. Speaking of valves, it's surprising that the Edsel's motor would ever overheat when shifting back and forth from Drive to Reverse, which, presumably, only involved the valve. It must have been a weak motor.
@@pcno2832 It was a weak motor. They were exposed to the elements and would go bad with normal driving. Many Edsel owners just drilled a hole in the floor and installed a floor shifter rather than keep repairing the Teletouch system.
@@pcno2832 Yes the shifter motor on those Edsels were problematic and known for being weak. Thats probably why Ford dropped (along with the costs) that feature in the upcoming model years. One could almost say it was ahead of it's time. Nowadays electrically controlled shifters are common practice among many manufacturers, it's easier to turn a knob then move a lever or in some models push a button. Automatic transmissions have been electronically controlled(gear shifts) since the mid to late-80's. Now all the functions of the transmission are electrically/electronically controlled. From engagement to shift timing and quality of shift. The way I see it, more to go wrong at one point or another. Or maybe not..
Great video Adam, the history and technical information is always appreciated. This brings me back 25 years when I first learned of Edsel (and a few other makes) in a book called "cars from the 50's" my grandparents bought me.
I had a 1958 Ranger in pink and white, the same color combo of the car at about 2:15. I actually loved that car. It actually got stolen!
Love the Edsel wagon! 🤜🤛
I think 58 Edsel's are beyond cool !!
"Horse collar grill"? That's a kind way of describing the much-derided toilet seat grill.
I heard the grill described as a "biological female" part.
1958 is easily my favourite automotive year : 300D, Fury, Continental, Edsel, Impala, Bonneville, Limited, Coupe de Ville.
This was another of your premium presentations. Thank you,
One of my all time favorite cars is the 1960 Ford fullsize
My dad had a 2 door 1960 Ford ranch wagon with the 240 six and a 3 on a tree
Cars were so unique back then and I'm glad I was able to partake some of these classics
Funny how we took them for granted
Excellent well done video of some very different cars/wagons. I always wondered though, would have been even more radical if Ford had made a version of the Edsel patterned after the ranchero's in 58 and 59. Probably would have still lost a lot of $$ but still cool. I saw a few years ago a mustang "truck", no backseat, window behind the driver. All the conversion done obviously at home, some parts done well some not so much, but you sure weren't going to ever see yourself coming down the road. And still more stylish than the cookie cutter stuff they make now. Yes the Edsel was a lot of things, love it or hate it, but still had personality and style.
I've seen a few 58 Rancheros with Edsel front clips, it appears to be an easy bolt on modification. One even had the Edsel dashboard, interior and and Tele Touch. It was a really cool "what if" sort of car.
My then 17 yo daughter really liked the Ranchero/El Camino trucks and still has a 1978 EC at 33. She also had and still has a soft spot for the Edsels. She totally lost it over the "Rangero" with the Edsel interior. I practically had to drag her away from it and she still wants one today, 17 years later.
I liked the Edsels, it's unfortunate that they were a great idea when they were conceived, but not so great in the recession of 1958 when they were introduced. I will always wonder what would have happened had the Edsel brand lived long enough to have introduce the Edsel Comet as originally planned.
Had Ford done a better job with the Edsel brand then the Edsel Comet would've been an all out muscle car then the Mercury Comet Cyclone would've been called the Cyclone and they're economy car would've been called the Mercury Meteor, also Edsel would've also had its own variant of the Ford Mustang like either called the Edsel Coyote or the Edsel Wolf 🐺 and it would be above the Mustang but below the Cougar.
Nice. I have a 1958 Edsel Pacer sedan. It does not have power steering or power brakes but actually drives really well. I like the rear gullwing rear tail lights and the interior hood release. Mine has a dealer installed Kool King air conditioner, complete with an old decal on the side glass. I like the matching keys and also the side view mirror that “mirrors” the grille design.
Say what you want about that grill and boy is it deserved, cars back then were works of art inside and out
I know they are significantly better in every measurable way now, but I sure wish to see the jet age come back
That wagon is so cool !!!
Adam your automotive knowledge knows no bounds.I wish your videos were longer-term.If you did an episode on a Yugo for 30 minutes .I would watch it.A gentleman in Nassau has a 58 Edsel 4 door it's a 😎 car.There are alot of classic cars in the Bahamas. Keep up the good and Cheers from Eulethra
I agree with you, Adam. The Bermuda Wagon is really something special. There is just so much interesting design going on.
Love these Edsel wagons, and note the luggage rack on the Bermuda wagon. Great option that is a must if you want the most out of a wagon. Wagons are so superior to other vehicles in so many ways, yet relatively few people realize how practical a true wagon is. Edsel dash boards were like looking at a piece of jewelry. I see no real issue with the tail lights. Design wise, 58 was a great year. It's fascinating to look at the great styling of the Edsels, probably more appealing now than when the car was introduced. The sliding rear side windows is also a great feature. I have two wagons and one has the right side rear window removed. I found that it gives you great access to the rear, rather than having to climb in through the tailgate when you want to grab something.
Nice video, thank you. The Mini taillight is half the Union Jack (the flag of Great Britain). When they are both lit, they form the Union Jack. Not really useful, but real funny and a nice gimmick, I think.
I absolutely love the 1958 Edsel and wish I owned one. Maybe because it’s one of the all time quirky designs. But I think it’s a valued classic!
There was also an ambulance conversion (Ambelwagon) of the Roundup, focused mostly on the rear compartment kitting out (obviously), but with emergency lights in the grille, frosted glass inserts for the wagon box side windows and a rooftop light. I've read they were done in 58 and 59, but have only seen a 58. As for the Bermuda, a guy had one that used to appear at local car shows (turquoise) and I always liked seeing such a rare car, but it was usually just passed over by so many of the crowd, especially if they walked down the row beind it and did not see the grille.
I find it interesting that into the 1960s even though the van body style was established they were still using wagons for ambulances. It took them a while to realize when you're trying to save a life in the back of a vehicle a little more headroom would be helpful, while wagons were still fine for hearses.
Awesome video on the Edsels
A lot of fascinating information I learned from your video
I have only seen one Bermuda wagon in my lifetime up close
Truly enjoyed it. Thank you very much.
Great feature summary on an overlooked vehicle line. Welcome back, Adam.
Dad brought home a '58 Edsel wagon. I can't remember exactly which one, but it was a four door. Me being the youngest, I rode in the back, rolling around loose like a tennis ball. Surprisingly fast, it had the Mercury FE engine. It was a great car for a family of 6 back in the '60s. For some reason, Dad replaced it with a Ford Cortina. Still don't know why. Poor Cortina had a hard time with the drivings conditions in Southern California heat and traffic.
The front of the Edsel was once described as Looking like an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon
Adam, you are the best!
Thanks for Sharing.
2000 was 20000 then. Just a thought. VoteGold.
Love that youz are going back into 1950's cars!!!!😊
I can remember watching old episodes of the Donna Reed show from that era (late 50's) the show family drove a new Edsel. I guess Ford was a big sponsor of the show and was showing their new models. I guess it was common back then and all the way up to the 70's.
Never seen the rear brake/turn signals of that particular Mini Cooper, but i immediately recognized that it was one half of the Union Jack flag. Pretty cool.
The Teletouch automatic control was simply a Borg-Warner starter motor which replaced the normal shift cable. It moved in and out via a series of limit switches (depending on what button was pushed), and was not technically a 'servo' since there was no feedback. It was sometimes hard to get out of Park when the parking sprag was loaded on slopes, which burned out the motor or the fuse.
The Bermuda wagon is just fantastic. Love that styling.
Now if Edsel offered a manual shift "4 speed" so as not to have all to issues with the TeleTouch Shift, boy were there a mess of wires, relays and solenoids on the firewall to make it all work...... Thanks to Adam for his time, work and posting.
I’ve always liked the look of the Ford Edsel. Esp the grille.
Driving a 1999 Suburban 2500 4x4 454 7.4L from San Diego to Rockford Illinois full of Corvair parts, including a Vairy rare telescopic steering column
Awesome video!
Another thing about the '58 Edsel wagons was that, since they were based on the Ford and on a Ford chassis, only the 361ci E400 engine was available. the 410ci E475 was not available in the wagons, which was a shame because those would have provided great towing power for boats and travel trailers.
I think the Mini Cooper taillight is supposed to be one half of a Union Jack.
The Mini rear lights are actually a stylised version if the Union Jack.
my dad had that exact edsel when i was ten. remember him being impressed with ths power and buttons in the steering wheel
'58 Edsel wagon line-up is one of my faves! Especially the base model & the Bermuda.
I absolutely love the blue wagon at the end!👌🇺🇸
Thank you Adam. I now know where the Lincoln Corsair name was used earlier. The middle market segment got crowded indeed. The sad part is most of the players got squeezed out over time. It seems like it top to bottom now. Thank you for sharing.
Just too weird, a face that only a mother could love.
Great presentation, Adam. The quirky features such as the wagon’s boomerang style taillights are a fun design element.
Strangely, I've only ever seen Edsel in the scrap yard -- even though I'm quite old. Maybe there weren't that many dealers in my area. Best cameo was on the Peggy Sue movie.
The Edsel really doesn't look bad to me. The "Horse collar" grille doesn't look out of place, especially when compared to the over the top styling of many cars of that era.
Some folks referred to the"horse collar grill"as Ethel.If you know what i mean.
@@vernwallen4246 Yes. I heard that. In today’s society, it might have HELPED sales 😂
Who stole the toilet seat?
"The Edsel really doesn't look bad to me"
Surely you jest.
@@johna.4334 it really doesn’t. But things like looks are always a matter of personal taste. Remember there were a few people who actually thought the Pontiac Aztec looked good 🤷🏾♂️. I’m not one of them. 😅. I’d choose an Edsel over an Aztec any day as far as looks go.
when I was a kid,a lady down the street had an Edsel Citation,in red/white/blue paint scheme,(her late husband was an officer in the military).I thought it looked cool
To me, the Edsel suffered from two major mistakes. The grille design, obvious enough was first. Roy Brown Jr. was the head of design for the Edsel. He started his design career right out of school with GM in the Cadillac division. He stated he was always enamored with LaSalles tall thin grille. That’s what he was going for with Edsel. Ford engineering basically overrode him because of concerns with adequate airflow for the radiator, and widened it. The results may have been more efficient, but certainly less attractive.
Edsel’s marketing problem consisted of the fact that it was supposed to be the step between Mercury and Lincoln. Yet the lower end models, the Pacer and Ranger, were priced below Mercury, actually competing with higher end Fords, and were relatively spartan unless optioned up. The Citation and Corsair were more upscale, but again in base form were more Mercury than anything. A buyer looking for a top end luxury car would not want a brand that could be confused with a lesser priced one. Basically, Edsels were perceived as too expensive for lower priced buyers and not exclusive enough for the higher end buyers. Perhaps eliminating Pacer and Ranger from the offerings out of the chute would have helped. But introducing luxury cars in a recession usually doesn’t go well.
Problem was, FoMoCo grossly overpromised with the Edsel. As someone was around and aware at the time of the launch, the consensus was that it was just another car. A few bells and whistles maybe, but so what? The Big Three were all trying to outdazzle each other with the latest automotive geegaws.
To me Ford should've bought both Studebaker and Packard in 1954 instead of creating the Edsel brand in 1958 and the Continental brand in 1956.
In all my lifetime I could probably count all Edsels I've seen, on one hand. I always enjoy them. There is a Jaguar that loosely resembles an XJ-6, but has a somewhat Edsel-like grille. I always thought it was a dumb looking car. But I'm sure there are plenty of people that like them, lol.
Anyway, thanks for another interesting video.
Those inside pointing taillights used to bother me as a kid both pointing inwards instead of outwards......and the front urinal grill is insane.
The mini coopers tail lights are designed to mimic parts of the Union Jack, the British flag. They are not arrows pointing left or right.
Exactly. 🇬🇧 😄
Ford learned and launched Comet from the Mercury line in the early 60's. Smaller, nimbler, not another boring land yacht. Comet evolved into a big success, as Tempest did for Pontiac, Skylark did for Buick and F-85/442 did for Olds. Mercury later launch Montego, sizewise between the Comet and the big Park Lanes/Montereys.
Henry Ford had a friend named "Edsel" and really liked the name so he named his son Edsel.
Folks, I had a friend named Matt in high school and college and we were TIGHT. Today he runs Cash4Motorcyles out of Ypsilanti. And while I like the name "Matthew" and I used to actually hug Matt, I would have never thought to name my son that name....
Love the Edsel! Love this video!
The taillights on the Mini Countryman isn't a mistake, It isn't an arrow either. What appears to be an arrow is actually the design of the Union Jack/British Flag.
I noticed a mini cooper today with it's British Union Jack taillights and thought that they were a terrible design......lo and behold, this video was ready to watch. All coincidence, for certain.
A nice turning radius....
I enjoyed that you used some of my wagon photos. I don't mind, but usually would expect some credit.
The debut of Edsel couldn't have happened at a worse time, with the nation entering a severe recession. My father was a sales manager at a very successful Ford dealership in Chicago, at the time, and sales were way down. I remember we did not have a very merry Christmas in 1958.
The Thunderbird (which went from 2 to 4-passenger) and Rambler were the only American cars to post sales gains that year. Small imports also gained ground, cold comfort even if your dad's store had an English Ford Line franchise.
Very good feature of this historical model. Its said, over time a style can grow on a person. It's TRUE, I now finally appreciate early 60's Exner cars...still working on Edsel...that grill take time to like.
BEAUTIFUL WAGON!
My grandfather actually liked these cars when they came out. He was a laborer who saved his money and opened the Bednar-Pekara liquor store in Binghamton, New York. The problem was he got the liquor store off the ground about the time that these came out and he had no money. He was a GM man anyway, having one Dodge that my dad blew the mufflers out while drunk with his girlfriend....
The "Horse Collar" grill was a bit weird. Had they done it a bit more subtly, it would have worked. Audi did this in about 2005 and I thought they would catch hell, but it seemed to work for them. Modern day ALFA Romeo's are hot and they have something similar, so people just need time to get used to something.
GREAT video as always Adam!
Dodge is not GM
@@chaseperformance7180 Never said it was.
Don't know if I ever knew that there was an Edsel station wagon. 🤔
EDSELS,....I guess "ya gott'a love 'em...
The mini taillight is 1/2 the union jack. I thought the same thing when I was driving behind one.
The taillights were not a mistake. The Edsel wagon used the Ford wagon body from the firewall back. The taillamp shape was done simply to give the Edsel a unique taillight that fit the Ford rear quarter panels.
Ford had a service kit that if the Teletouch failed a floor shift from a 1955-57 Thunderbird could be installed.
I never thought the Edsel to be a bad looking car. I guess people weren't ready for it at the time.
You can imagine the bewilderment of the driver behind and Edsel wagon, trying to figure out what direction that turn signal was supposed to mean. LOL!
I liked the Edsel and could not understand why it failed. My parents drove Fords but our neighbors had Edsels.
$ 2990.-$3247. was a lot of money in 1958. So, these cars weren't cheap.
Sure you have seen the Bermuda wagon in green with the pink trim. The greatest imho.
Very interesting. One point you didn't make about the Bermuda wagon. Was that if you bought a Ford Country Squire or Mercury Colony Park. You were relegated to 9 passenger only. Were a Bermuda came in both 6 and 9 passenger.
The grill looked like female anatomy...and that's about as nicely as I can put it.
thanks
How they didn’t see the issue with the front end styling is unbelievable.
The best description of that front end was when Tom McCahill said that it "looks like an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon".
Had they gave it a split grill design instead of the vertical grill it would sold well.
Interesting how Lincoln took the Corsair name for their compact crossover 60 years later.
Interesting how Chevrolet took the Citation name from Edsel 22 years later.
@@johna.4334 And why either company would want to call a model a name synonymous with a traffic ticket is a mystery.
Interesting how AMC took the Pacer name for their fishbowl 17 years later.
Interesting how Ford took the Ranger name for a trim level on their F-100 ten years later and their compact pickup 25 years later.
@@andyk6796
I'm reminded of the mistake (oh there were many) Chevrolet made by using the name Nova for one of their midsize cars and attempting to sell it south of the border.
Spoiler alert: Nova translates into 'no go' in Spanish.
A certain version of the Toyota Prius has the same boomerang taillights in my opinion
As to the Kaiser it's the only car that has the color of the car on its front fender
I saw one that said " Grass green ' in chrome script
Ahh, who can forget the trademark "toilet seat" grille?
I remember seeing my first Edsel (obviously as a child). Thought it ugly then
There was a huge outside factor that affected Edsel sales. Edsel's debut in the fall of 1957 coincided with a deep economic recession that caused the entire automobile market to sag. This unfortunate timing of Edsel's introduction to the public played a significant role in the low sale numbers Edsel posted.
The last Ford Escort wagons from the late '90s were shorter than the sedans too, when they redesigned the sedan to make it much rounder they gave it an inch or two more rear overhang so it wouldn't look smaller than the old one. The wagon body was a carryover.
The grill was unique