Hey folks - I already posted in the n00b forum to introduce myself, and am ready to go ahead and make a first real posting. How many of you out there fell away from the "Edsel Scene" only to return some years later to a vastly different landscape? Or heck - for ANY Scene!? I got into the Edsel "scene" about 20 years or so - back when I was in HS. Back then you couldn't even MENTION "Edsel" to anyone without people laughing their **** off. Even my dad was non-supportive of my Edsel p***ion - and he was a die-hard Ford Guy! I can recall going to see a MINT condition 59 4dr Hardtop --- the guy who owned it bought it NEW - and was embarr***ed to drive it - so it had sat in his garage for years - and at 70 was finally ready to sell. My dad turned his nose up at the asking price of $2,500 and said later "He'll be lucky to get $100 for it." I bought the 58 in my avatar in 1997 for a whopping $600. I trailered it to Tucson from Kingman. Boy was dad pissed! Needless to say - again - non-supportive. He would help and advise when I worked on anything BUT the Edsel. After dad p***ed - I sold the Edsel in 2001 to a friend (who still has it) - and slowly drifted from the car scenes....flathead v8 club, Model T club - etc. Over the last year I've finally started going back to my roots - and at 35 have returned full circle to old cars - particularly my first love - the Edsel - only to see a totally different scene! Yes - there are those who still decry the Edsel - but more and more love them - and the prices --- WHEW! Quite a bit more than before! I'm excited to see the scene is thriving - and sad at the same time to see the Model T scene in decline. All the old guys from the clubs are gone - save a few - and the membership is in decline. Anyway - long story short - just wondering if anyone else is amazed at the new favor the Edsel's have gotten? Ryan
I liked the Edsel "Round up" (Two Door wagon). I've only seen two of them...that was a long while back. I wonder how many (And what years) they made? Ryan.....Enjoy your membership!
Welcome aboard Ryan and I too enjoy Edsels I was 7 years old when they hit the road always loved those '58's but never owned one! Maybe some day. Good luck with your Edsels.
Thanks guys! I regret selling the 58. It was a neat car. Had factory air, ps, pb. I will never forget taking for the first drive it had been on in 35 years. Someone had put a floor shifter in, and it was kinda squirlly to get into gear right....I figured all the way down (1st) would be a good bet. Looked left, looked right, mashed the gas to the floor - expecting it to be a little sluggish.... And that E-475 roared out into the real world and was anything BUT sluggish....I quickly realized I was reaching 45 in a residential area, and got off the gas, swung onto another street - managed to get it into "drive". "Tapped" the gas, and cruised around the block at a sedate 25 with the engine barely ticking over. As I was coming back to the house I forgot about the speed bump...at about 25 mph - I barely felt it - the car just ghosted over that bone-jarring hump. Got back to the house, and parked it. Due to brake issues, that was the only drive I was able to take it on. When I sold it to my friend - he was going to drive it back to California - and we spend a good two weeks on it - got the brakes rebuilt - and he was all ready to go - when the water pump let go. We tried, but could NOT find one. He called an Uncle who came out and towed it home for him. I've tried to get it back - several times - and he keeps mentioning wanting to sell it - but to no avail. c'est la vie....
Lots of edsel action in Sierra Vista....saw one yesterday in front of Schlotzskys. Val has that 60, and Greg has had a few over the years.
Hey Squirrel! I actually live in Palominas Az, and work on Ft. Huachuca! I've seen that Edsel numerous times! I've also seen your 55 around! Nice to know there's some Edsel's in this area other than the 59!
Edsels,,one of my friend's favorite. We were in San Diego and he is personably responsible for raising the value of them by about 40 cars. He loved them almost as much as 60/65 Imperials. He had an Edsel that almost lasted the whole 1984 season, death by derby. I tried to buy one from him that was a CHERRY 35,000 mile car. I offered twice what he paid and free towing and labor for the season to no avail. I've always wanted one to love.
Gotta love the FORD guys that poo-poo the Edsel. With the sheet metal off my '59 Wagon it look all ford from here.
Check out the Movie Used Cars from the mid '70s An Edsel plays a starring role in that flick.(funny car movie too!)
Have you checked out the Edsel lovers thread? Lotta good pics and videos. I am a die hard Chevy guy but when I got a smoking deal on my Edsel I couldn't p*** it up. Time has changed slot of peoples views about the biggest automotive failure. Proud to own an obscure piece of history now.
I honestly don't know how any Ford fan could not include the unique, short-lived Edsel. They were named -- unfortunatley -- for a very brave, imaginitive man. And HE was probably the one who saved FoMoCo. Nothing wrong with Edsels mechanically (they're all Ford and Merc parts, except for the skin). They were HOT in dirt track racing, too!
Yup very familiar with the Edsel Lover's thread - check on it and read it every chance I get! Got a couple leads on potential Edsels right now. Both 59's one a Wagon, and one a 4dr Sedan. Both decent prices - and one very close to home! The Sedan (Ranger) either has the 332 or the 361 and has been sitting for 20 plus years - but the engine looks perfect. Suposedly it was a "parts car" a local had got for his 59 Corsair 4dr hardtop he restored. Never used a single part..... lol. I insisted to the brother of the current owner it is NOT a parts car as it's complete, and rust free --- and had him talk to his brother. The wagon is my favorite. The first ever Edsel I saw in person was a 58 Villager in a wrecking yard back in 1992 --- "Drove it in and parked it 3 years before --- it's yours for $1,700" - dad was not thrilled.
For some reason, my own dad was like that! LOL. Like other Edsel-loving HAMBers, I find the styling pleasing, and different enough to set it apart from the crowd. My only major complaint is the "heaviness" of the front bumper, causing it to visually detract from an effect that could have had almost a (shall I say it) delicacy to it. Instaed of the SQUARISH look (unfortunately common to Ford products in '58), I wish they'd made a bumper two inches narrowed, on the horizontal; THEN, sweeping it back slightly could have helped accent the unique horsecollar grille. Just my eye.
Cool cars... People just have different perspectives. I think different is cool. I know I have a 60 impala and they are still around but edsels and mercurys of the same era are getting more and more popular... I hope you get one..
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