Overflow's 1959 Edsel Ranger Build Thread

Overflow · 05-22-2015, 11:57 AM

After having a couple people suggest that I make a build thread for my Edsel, I figured I'd go through with it.

The Edsel Story:

I'm sure many of you know what happened with the Edsel, but I figured I'd go over it anyway. Ford created Edsel to close the gap between GM and itself in the American Domestic market.

On September 4th, 1957, dubbed "E Day", the Edsel was revealed to the world.

The Edsel offered several innovative features, among which were its "rolling dome" speedometer, warning lights for such conditions as low oil level, parking brake engaged, and engine overheating,[6] as well as its push-button Teletouch transmission shifting system in the center of the steering wheel (a conventional column-shift automatic was also available at a reduced price). Other Edsel design innovations included ergonomically designed controls for the driver and self-adjusting brakes (which Edsel claimed as a first for the industry, even though Studebaker had pioneered them earlier in the decade). The Edsel also offered such advanced safety features as seat belts (which were available at extra cost as optional equipment on many other makes) and child-proof rear door locks that could only be opened with the key.

The Edsel lasted for three years. During each year, the Edsel had a different design.

1958

1959

1960

The End of the Edsel

Ford announced the end of the Edsel program on Thursday, November 19, 1959. However, production continued until late in November, with the final tally of 2,846 1960 models. Total Edsel sales were approximately 116,000, less than half the company's projected break-even point. The company lost $350 million, or the equivalent of $2,800,000,000 in 2015 dollars, on the venture. Only 118,287 Edsels were built, including 7,440 produced in Ontario, Canada. By U.S. auto industry standards, these production figures were dismal, particularly when spread across a run of three model years.

Why did the Edsel fail?

1. When the Edsel "idea" was created in the early 50's, it was aimed towards that crowd. However, by the late 50's, what the American public shifted greatly. Making the Edsel design years too late. They were behind the curve.

2. The name Edsel. It just didn't have a good ring to it.

3.
The Edsel's most memorable design feature was its trademark "horsecollar" or toilet seat grille, which was quite distinct from other cars of the period. According to a popular joke at the time, the Edsel "resembled an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon". Some have speculated that the car failed to sell because its grille resembled lady parts.

The Edsel's front-end ensemble as it eventually appeared bore little resemblance, if any, to the original concept. Roy Brown, the original chief designer on the Edsel project, had envisioned a slender, almost delicate opening in the center. Engineers, fearing engine cooling problems, vetoed the intended design, which led to the now-infamous "horsecollar."

The vertical grille theme, while improved for the 1959 models, was discontinued for the 1960 models, which were similar to Ford models of the same year, although coincidentally, the new front-end design was very similar to that of the 1959 Pontiac.

4. An intriguing aspect of the Edsel story is that it provides a case study in how company politics can kill an idea. While the car and Ford’s planning of the car are the most often cited reasons for its failure, internal Ford Motor Company memoranda indicate that the Edsel may actually have been a victim of dissension within Ford's management ranks.

Following World War II, Henry Ford II retained Robert McNamara as one of the "Whiz Kids" to help turn Ford around. McNamara’s cost-cutting and cost-containment skills helped Ford emerge from its near-collapse after the war. As a result, McNamara eventually amassed a considerable amount of power at Ford. McNamara was very much a throwback to Henry Ford in that, like the elder Ford, McNamara was committed to Ford to the almost total exclusion of the company's other products. Thus, McNamara had little use for the Continental, Lincoln, Mercury and Edsel brand cars made by the company.

McNamara opposed the formation of the separate divisions for Continental, Lincoln, Mercury, and Edsel cars, and moved to consolidate Lincoln, Mercury, and Edsel into the M-E-L division. McNamara saw to it that the Continental program was canceled and that the model was merged into the Lincoln range for 1958. He next set his sights on Edsel by maneuvering for elimination of the dual wheelbases and separate bodies used in 1958. Instead, the Edsel would share the Ford platform and use Ford’s inner body structure for 1959. In 1960, the Edsel emerged as little more than a Ford with different trim. McNamara also moved to reduce Edsel’s advertising budget for 1959, and for 1960, he virtually eliminated it. The final blow came in the fall of 1959, when McNamara convinced Henry Ford II and the rest of Ford's management that the Edsel was doomed and that it was time to end production before the Edsel bled the company dry. McNamara also attempted to discontinue the Lincoln nameplate, but that effort ended with Elwood Engel's now classic redesign of 1961. McNamara left Ford when he was named Secretary of Defense by President John F. Kennedy.

During the 1964 presidential election, Republican nominee Barry Goldwater blamed McNamara, then Secretary of Defense, for the Edsel's failure. Eventually, Ford's former executive vice president Ernest R. Breech, who was a financial contributor to Goldwater, wrote the Senator's campaign, explaining that "Mr. McNamara… had nothing to do with the plans for the Edsel car or any part of the program." However, the charge continued to be leveled against McNamara for years. During his time as head of the World Bank, McNamara instructed his public affairs officer to distribute copies of Breech's letter to the press whenever the accusation was made.

The Edsel Comet
The scheduled 1960 Edsel Comet compact car was hastily rebranded as the Comet and assigned to Lincoln-Mercury dealerships as a stand-alone product. Based on the new-for-1960 Ford Falcon, the Comet was an instant success, selling more cars in its first year than all models of Edsel produced during that marque's entire three-year run. Styling touches seen in the Comets sold to the public that allude to being part of the Edsel family of models included the instrument cluster, rear tailfins (though canted diagonally), and the taillight shape (the lens is visually similar to that used on the 1960 Edsel, and even retained the embossed "E" part code). The Comet's keys were even shaped like Edsel keys, with the center bar removed from the "E" to form a "C."

For 1962, Ford officially assigned the Comet to the Mercury brand. The Mercury name does not appear anywhere on the 1960 and 1961 models.

Overflow · 05-22-2015, 12:02 PM

So enough with the history lesson, here's more about my car.

I purchased my 1959 Edsel Ranger 4 - Door Sedan on June 15th, 2013 from Saint Cloud, Florida.

The car had 114,000 miles and had a 292 with 3 on the tree transmission.

Our view for this car is to keep it as original as possible, yet make it look like it just left the showroom floor.

Overflow · 05-22-2015, 12:04 PM

First on the to-do list was to tidy up the engine bay.

Overflow · 05-22-2015, 12:09 PM

In March of 2015, YouTube "ThatDudeinBlue" did a review on my car.

FenwickHockey65 · 05-22-2015, 12:51 PM

Yay Edsel!

Dmpsix · 05-23-2015, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overflow

In March of 2015, YouTube "ThatDudeinBlue" did a review on my car.

I love his channel.

Bizaro · 05-23-2015, 12:59 AM

is this car rare? I guess what im trying to say is can you make a fat profit from it in 30 years?

*DGthe3* · 05-23-2015, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizaro

is this car rare? I guess what im trying to say is can you make a fat profit from it in 30 years?

To be worth something a car also needs to be desirable, not just rare. The Edsel is most well known as a failure, I can't see that commanding much of a price premium. On the other hand, it is still well known so that will draw more interest than some perfectly fine (but forgettable) car.

Overflow · 05-31-2015, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dmpsix

I love his channel.

He's a really nice guy in person.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizaro

is this car rare? I guess what im trying to say is can you make a fat profit from it in 30 years?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGthe3

To be worth something a car also needs to be desirable, not just rare. The Edsel is most well known as a failure, I can't see that commanding much of a price premium. On the other hand, it is still well known so that will draw more interest than some perfectly fine (but forgettable) car.

It depends purely on the year and model. Some pristine 1958 Edsels are going for around $100k.

Will mine be worth a good amount one day? Sure. But honestly I don't plan on selling it for a very, very long time. If ever.

FenwickHockey65 · 05-31-2015, 10:27 PM

People already want you to auction it.

Overflow · 06-01-2015, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

People already want you to auction it.

Yeah I've gotten multiple offers for it while at car shows.

i2disturbedSS · 06-01-2015, 06:23 PM

What made you get this car? Why do you have it? What's your favorite thing about the car? Why not a Bel-Air, Thunderbird or a Lincoln?

Overflow · 06-02-2015, 11:06 AM

Added some whitewalls to the Edsel yesterday. I fell even more in love with the car the first time I saw it with the new tires.

Overflow · 06-02-2015, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i2disturbedSS

What made you get this car? Why do you have it? What's your favorite thing about the car? Why not a Bel-Air, Thunderbird or a Lincoln?

I still remember this story like it was yesterday.

My dad and I had just gone to a classic car show and picked up one of those free magazines that have local listings for classic cars. So we're looking and we find a dark green and black 1958 Edsel that was in need of some serious love, but it still ran.

We drive to the other coast of Florida to check it out. Interior is trashed and it has a 1970-something Ford LTD engine in it and the transmission was all messed up. But we were looking for a project car, and that was it.

However, the car hadn't been registered since the 70's. And it was an out of state registration. So the Florida DMV would have to check for the vin on the car. After days of searching, we finally find the vin... And it doesn't match the paperwork. Game over.

The owner tells us that his friend is selling a 1959 Edsel that's in much better shape.

We drive over there and it's in MUCH better shape than the 58. The guy says he just wants to get rid of it (He already had 2 other 59 Edsels he was working on) so he agreed to sell it for the same price that the project 58 was selling for. We couldn't turn that down.

We came back the next weekend, loaded it up on the trailer and brought it home.

And we chose Edsel because why have the "cookie-cutter" classic car? Everyone has a T-Bird or a Bel Air in the classic car world. We wanted something special.

05-22-2015, 11:57 AM	#1
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,899 View My Garage	Overflow's 1959 Edsel Ranger Build Thread After having a couple people suggest that I make a build thread for my Edsel, I figured I'd go through with it. The Edsel Story: I'm sure many of you know what happened with the Edsel, but I figured I'd go over it anyway. Ford created Edsel to close the gap between GM and itself in the American Domestic market. On September 4th, 1957, dubbed "E Day", the Edsel was revealed to the world. The Edsel offered several innovative features, among which were its "rolling dome" speedometer, warning lights for such conditions as low oil level, parking brake engaged, and engine overheating,[6] as well as its push-button Teletouch transmission shifting system in the center of the steering wheel (a conventional column-shift automatic was also available at a reduced price). Other Edsel design innovations included ergonomically designed controls for the driver and self-adjusting brakes (which Edsel claimed as a first for the industry, even though Studebaker had pioneered them earlier in the decade). The Edsel also offered such advanced safety features as seat belts (which were available at extra cost as optional equipment on many other makes) and child-proof rear door locks that could only be opened with the key. The Edsel lasted for three years. During each year, the Edsel had a different design. 1958 1959 1960 The End of the Edsel Ford announced the end of the Edsel program on Thursday, November 19, 1959. However, production continued until late in November, with the final tally of 2,846 1960 models. Total Edsel sales were approximately 116,000, less than half the company's projected break-even point. The company lost $350 million, or the equivalent of $2,800,000,000 in 2015 dollars, on the venture. Only 118,287 Edsels were built, including 7,440 produced in Ontario, Canada. By U.S. auto industry standards, these production figures were dismal, particularly when spread across a run of three model years. Why did the Edsel fail? 1. When the Edsel "idea" was created in the early 50's, it was aimed towards that crowd. However, by the late 50's, what the American public shifted greatly. Making the Edsel design years too late. They were behind the curve. 2. The name Edsel. It just didn't have a good ring to it. 3. The Edsel's most memorable design feature was its trademark "horsecollar" or toilet seat grille, which was quite distinct from other cars of the period. According to a popular joke at the time, the Edsel "resembled an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon". Some have speculated that the car failed to sell because its grille resembled lady parts. The Edsel's front-end ensemble as it eventually appeared bore little resemblance, if any, to the original concept. Roy Brown, the original chief designer on the Edsel project, had envisioned a slender, almost delicate opening in the center. Engineers, fearing engine cooling problems, vetoed the intended design, which led to the now-infamous "horsecollar." The vertical grille theme, while improved for the 1959 models, was discontinued for the 1960 models, which were similar to Ford models of the same year, although coincidentally, the new front-end design was very similar to that of the 1959 Pontiac. 4. An intriguing aspect of the Edsel story is that it provides a case study in how company politics can kill an idea. While the car and Ford’s planning of the car are the most often cited reasons for its failure, internal Ford Motor Company memoranda indicate that the Edsel may actually have been a victim of dissension within Ford's management ranks. Following World War II, Henry Ford II retained Robert McNamara as one of the "Whiz Kids" to help turn Ford around. McNamara’s cost-cutting and cost-containment skills helped Ford emerge from its near-collapse after the war. As a result, McNamara eventually amassed a considerable amount of power at Ford. McNamara was very much a throwback to Henry Ford in that, like the elder Ford, McNamara was committed to Ford to the almost total exclusion of the company's other products. Thus, McNamara had little use for the Continental, Lincoln, Mercury and Edsel brand cars made by the company. McNamara opposed the formation of the separate divisions for Continental, Lincoln, Mercury, and Edsel cars, and moved to consolidate Lincoln, Mercury, and Edsel into the M-E-L division. McNamara saw to it that the Continental program was canceled and that the model was merged into the Lincoln range for 1958. He next set his sights on Edsel by maneuvering for elimination of the dual wheelbases and separate bodies used in 1958. Instead, the Edsel would share the Ford platform and use Ford’s inner body structure for 1959. In 1960, the Edsel emerged as little more than a Ford with different trim. McNamara also moved to reduce Edsel’s advertising budget for 1959, and for 1960, he virtually eliminated it. The final blow came in the fall of 1959, when McNamara convinced Henry Ford II and the rest of Ford's management that the Edsel was doomed and that it was time to end production before the Edsel bled the company dry. McNamara also attempted to discontinue the Lincoln nameplate, but that effort ended with Elwood Engel's now classic redesign of 1961. McNamara left Ford when he was named Secretary of Defense by President John F. Kennedy. During the 1964 presidential election, Republican nominee Barry Goldwater blamed McNamara, then Secretary of Defense, for the Edsel's failure. Eventually, Ford's former executive vice president Ernest R. Breech, who was a financial contributor to Goldwater, wrote the Senator's campaign, explaining that "Mr. McNamara… had nothing to do with the plans for the Edsel car or any part of the program." However, the charge continued to be leveled against McNamara for years. During his time as head of the World Bank, McNamara instructed his public affairs officer to distribute copies of Breech's letter to the press whenever the accusation was made. The Edsel Comet The scheduled 1960 Edsel Comet compact car was hastily rebranded as the Comet and assigned to Lincoln-Mercury dealerships as a stand-alone product. Based on the new-for-1960 Ford Falcon, the Comet was an instant success, selling more cars in its first year than all models of Edsel produced during that marque's entire three-year run. Styling touches seen in the Comets sold to the public that allude to being part of the Edsel family of models included the instrument cluster, rear tailfins (though canted diagonally), and the taillight shape (the lens is visually similar to that used on the 1960 Edsel, and even retained the embossed "E" part code). The Comet's keys were even shaped like Edsel keys, with the center bar removed from the "E" to form a "C." For 1962, Ford officially assigned the Comet to the Mercury brand. The Mercury name does not appear anywhere on the 1960 and 1961 models. __________________

05-22-2015, 12:02 PM	#2
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,899 View My Garage	So enough with the history lesson, here's more about my car. I purchased my 1959 Edsel Ranger 4 - Door Sedan on June 15th, 2013 from Saint Cloud, Florida. The car had 114,000 miles and had a 292 with 3 on the tree transmission. Our view for this car is to keep it as original as possible, yet make it look like it just left the showroom floor. __________________

05-22-2015, 12:04 PM	#3
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,899 View My Garage	First on the to-do list was to tidy up the engine bay. __________________

05-22-2015, 12:09 PM	#4
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,899 View My Garage	In March of 2015, YouTube "ThatDudeinBlue" did a review on my car. __________________

05-22-2015, 12:51 PM	#5
FenwickHockey65 General Motors Aficionado Drives: 2023 GMC Canyon, 2020 Colorado Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 37,371 View My Garage	Yay Edsel! __________________ 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation 2020 Chevrolet Colorado W/T Extended Cab (State-issued)

05-23-2015, 12:59 AM	#7
Bizaro Account Suspended Drives: 2015 Redhot 1LE Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Westchester NY Posts: 1,409	is this car rare? I guess what im trying to say is can you make a fat profit from it in 30 years?

05-31-2015, 10:27 PM	#10
FenwickHockey65 General Motors Aficionado Drives: 2023 GMC Canyon, 2020 Colorado Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 37,371 View My Garage	People already want you to auction it. __________________ 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation 2020 Chevrolet Colorado W/T Extended Cab (State-issued)

06-01-2015, 06:23 PM	#12
i2disturbedSS Drives: 2010 SS L99 IOM Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: CA Posts: 1,924	What made you get this car? Why do you have it? What's your favorite thing about the car? Why not a Bel-Air, Thunderbird or a Lincoln? __________________ 369rwhp/392rwtq "Spending money I don't have, to buy parts I don't need, to impress people I don't know!" -Jenkins

06-02-2015, 11:06 AM	#13
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,899 View My Garage	Added some whitewalls to the Edsel yesterday. I fell even more in love with the car the first time I saw it with the new tires. __________________