Projects 1959 Edsel "field car"

The neat thing about driving an Edsel, you get so many waves and smiles, out on the road....it's amazing.

 

To the young folks, the Edsel is just another cl***ic car.

 

I've been told at cruise ins, "you ought to keep it, everyone has seen Chevys, but no Edsels"
No one has offered to come off the hip for a clean Edsel though

 

Interesting how some cars just don't bring any money, yet folks really like them. I replaced my Edsel with a Lincoln, it's a bit too new for this forum....but it is in really nice shape, just turned over 35,000 miles last night, and only cost $3k. I sold the Edsel for $2k.

Someone will buy it, but they won't give you much for it. It's a spectator car...everyone wants to see it, but no one wants to be seen in it.

 

That's not true-some people actually are proud to drive theirs around and be seen in them. You should have said MOST NORMAL PEOPLE don't want too be seen in them....

 

Well it took a 4x4 John Deere to navigate the slippery muddy field. But we got the Edsel loaded up and out. Made it home with no issues as now it sits in the driveway.


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Cool. Keep the pics and updates coming....

 

Looking good!

 

I learned about em, from a movie I saw as a teenager.
Can anyone tell me what the movie was?
The guys in movie, put a dead guy in one, and crashed it into something.
It was in the cannonball movie era, early eighties?

 

Like dating a fat chick, or riding a moped, fun to ride but you don't want your friends to see you.

 

USED CARS with Kurt Russell

 

Thanks Hotrod1959.
So anyway, that brought Edsel to my attention as a teenager.
I learned these cars got the nickname, Lemon.
I actually thought they were cool, but then, I kinda like ugly cars. As a teenager, I liked most American cars from the fifties and sixties.

I reckon the OP got a great score here.
With minimal work, that car will be a runner, and depending on his plans, could make a great custom.
I'm going to keep an eye on this one.

 

Would YOU buy a used car from this man?

 

one note to keep in mind on that brake swap...
mind the front track width drum to drum vs the newer setup.
also note the size of the hub center on the new hubs vs the old, it may affect you using your old wheels.

might as well also change the master to a dual, most use a 74 ish Marverick, add a willwood prop valve and be ready to go.

I agree with most, you have very good start. I would just clean it up get it running and even run the original brakes at that point, just make sure it is all safe.

 

The original brakes work fine, if you drive it like it's a 1959 car, and not like it's a 2009 car.

 

I'm reading a good Ford book. I would recommend it because of the fantastic stories about many Ford cars. For the Edsel it talks about its production issues.

For instance: Edsel contracted the Ford ***embly line to build their cars. However, Ford still wanted their quota 60 cars per hour to pump out. So they would wedge an Edsel in once per hour and speed up the line to compensate.

That made everybody on the ***embly line work much faster. So when an Edsel came along, the ***embly line people were quite bitter at it. You can imagine what some of those guys would do to it.

However, they were certainly ahead of their time.

 

CoolYourJets
Thanks for posting about the book.
Got one on order.

 

Here's some more inspiration for you ottoparts..

 

Cool car and looks to be in pretty good condition. I had a friend, now deceased, that was really into the Edsels. He had two of them. One he bought and didn't tell his wife about and kept it over at my house.
Also there is a really good looking one, tri-color, thats for sale in the cl***ified. Don't know what the going rate is, but this one seems to be priced pretty reasonable and appears to be in nice condition.
Enjoy your new project with your son.

 

the one for $13k? That might seem like a reasonable price for a similar condition mainstream car, but it's kind of high for an Edsel

But if you like it, and think the price is reasonable, buy it and have fun with it. It'll definitely get a lot of looks, and you'll enjoy the ride...they're nice cars, despite the strange appearance.

 

A guy from North of here built up a '58 Ranchero for his 'parts chaser', in his body shop.
Wimbledon white Ranchero had Edsel front sheet metal and taillights...Very stunning Ranchero!
Many asked if it was a Factory job...I loved it.

 

I think they're nice looking cars, especially the toned-down '59s. OP, have fun with yours! It looks super solid and complete. That's always the right way to start to a project.

With them being so cheap, it would be a good base for a wild custom. Knock the roof off, boat windscreen, 3" section...

 

Some more inspiration from the Sacramento Autorama last weekend..........
Well, okay, just visualize it all black or all silver.

 

Congrats..I like Edsels. That ones nice for a field find.

 

lEBOWSKI, He was always the underdog and my HERO! Bruce.

 

That paint job sure takes your mind off the ugly Edsel styling!

 

I have a 59 villager. Was terribly rusted, but just kept rebuilding stuff. So far it's a neighborhood driver, and loads of fun.

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Let me know if you ever drive it across the river because I'm only about 45 minutes away at exit 17 of I-71....

 

Will do. Sorry for the slow response.

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its a chick magnet......
Do some research on the right cam bearings to use. Plug off the end of the rocker shafts and go full pressure. Make sure the oil feed hole through the head and block is clean (pipe cleaners) It makes a "bend" at the head gasket and will get restricted with sludge. This is one of those engines that defines the term "change your oil at 3,000 miles or 3 months)