Ford’s Big Gamble: 1959 Edsel Ranger Barn Find
Ford executives had high hopes when they introduced the new 1958 Edsel in the Fall of 1957. But those were quickly dashed when sales didn’t come close to expectations. After accumulating a lot of red ink, Ford pulled the plug on the car and division in late 1959, just after the 1960 models had been introduced. After a model consolidation going into 1959, the Ranger was the entry-level Edsel and the seller’s car is one of them. Located in an expansive garage in Dresden, Ohio, this forgotten project is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,500 OBO. Thanks to Barn Finder “Ted” for this tip!
The failure of the Edsel has been the source of much discussion over more than 60 years. Most sources indicate that Ford’s research was in error and there wasn’t enough room in the market for a fourth FOMOCO brand. Then there was bad timing, launched just as the U.S. was entering an economic recession that impacted overall car sales. And, finally, the Edsel was thought to be awkward in appearance (ugly to some with the “horse collar” front grille). The losses ended up running into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Edsel retreated going into the 1959 model year, making the cars more like their Ford and Mercury counterparts (to save money). This resulted in a further drop in sales, from 68,000 in 1958 to 47,000 in 1959. After less than 3,000 Edsels were produced for 1960, Ford killed the car and moved on as best they could. This Ranger 2-door hardtop was one of only about 6,000 assembled. Few survive today.
The seller acquired this Edsel for restoration (“project”) but has no time to get to it. There’s no telling how long it’s been in storage and the tires are flat. The body and paint may be okay, but the photos and dirt don’t present any evidence of trouble. The interior looks okay, too. We’re told that the motor is probably locked up, but the seller doesn’t specify what it is. The 223 cubic inch inline-6 was standard and the 292 and 361 V8s optional. It does have an automatic transmission. If you have a soft spot for these 1950s cars, this might be a suitable candidate for restoration.
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Comments
That might be a late 70’s Ohio license plate, if it matters.
I’ve read there were plenty of managers at Ford still around in the early 60’s who had lived the Edsel nightmare, at about the time another new model was being debated: the Mustang. You can imagine the discussions.
A standard 59 Ford here. A nice looking copy for the money. 58 is tops with me. I have a decent convertible tucked away. Edsel recieved a bad rap IMO.
So many great badges died in the 50s and 60s; packard, studebaker, desoto, Edsel, Kaiser, Nash, Hudson….maybe it wasn’t the best time to introduce a new badge
For it to be in surprisingly good condition and being an Ohio car unless brought in from another state I would say it’s been sitting in thar garage for quite sometime.
My Dad had a 1958 Desoto which I drove to Florida while on my honeymoon. Cop pulled me over in Georgia asked me how fast I was going when I spotted him, my reply 70 explained I was on my honeymoon etc., and he said slow down and left, no ticket.
Point being, cruising at 70 MPH in a 1958 Desoto wow! Also, being honest sometimes pays off.
Today I drive a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport, love it!
Or. As for a former KEV who will be 90 in April.
That’s a cheap buy in for any classic in this good condition. Get it running and driving then see what you want to do with it.
Ok what is on the title?
Hello what is on the title?
And how is the title listed
I believe the year was 1985, I was auditioning for a gig at a bar in Everett, Washington when a patron at the bar asked if I was interested in buying his car. It was a 59 Edsel Ranger 4 door sedan. It was a basic no thrills car with 292 engine and automatic transmission. I gave him $200.00 and the car was mine. At the time I was living in a cabin in the nearby Mountains a few miles past the small town of Granite Falls. I drove that car for quite a long time (perhaps 2 years)before the engine through a rod out the side of the block. Well that was it for the Edsel and me. I gave it to a neighbor a couple miles down the road. Nothing exciting about these cars but they are conversation pieces.
God Bless America
I guess I don’t know the difference between “through and threw”.
Maybe what he meant to say was, the engine threw a rod through the engine block.
Maybe what he meant to say was, the engine threw a rod through the engine block.
It’s a small difference.
If you through a rod then you’d usually be threw with the car entirely. Unless you rebuilt the motor and threw in some new parts. Having been gone through the engine and car would probably fine (not Larry, the other fine). See how simple it can be?
Kinda surprised it’s still available for the price.i don’t know about restoration but just a driving surviver would be fun
During , my younger days , in the sixties , I recall seeing a few Edsels still on the road . Even back then , they were pretty scarce . Only being produced for three years and in such low numbers , that indicates the new Edsel was unpopular , and would soon be labeled a ” failure .” After the 1960 models were released Ford ended production of the Edsel and of course the rest is HISTORY ! Happy Motoring
Why would a legitimate seller not include an underhood shot, or at least mention which engine it has? My Spidysense is tingling.
The economy wasn’t great when the Edsels were introduced (that’s why bologna was called ‘Eisenhower Ham’) Which is really what killed the brand. They were more expensive than the basic Ford, Dodge & chevy. I’d love to have one. I do, however have a 58 Edsel horse collar grille as ‘wall art’ in my garage.
one of each year….could be for sale……at right price.
The 58 on the left looks like my old car. I know there were a lot of them but OH man it looks like it was mine at one time.
Does this car have a standard shift with OD and newer upholstery? Clues to what mine had.
All origional Ron…410 cu.in teletouch auto trans..same as the one Cindi Williams drove in the movie American Graffitti…..pic of her at Iola Wi car show last year shortly before she passed away…nice lady..
I like the Edsel. I really like the style of them but I’d really look into where or if I could get parts to restore one of those. I’d buy this car if I had the extra money but like I said I don’t know of any parts source. My cousin loves Edsel. He actually named his Labrador Retriever Edsel! That’s how much he likes them. Cool name for a dog dog y’all think?
Go for it John, parts are out there. Mechanical bits are pretty much all Ford parts that you can pick up at NAPA. Join the Edsel Owners Club and members can supply all the parts and knowledge you’ll need to get it up and running, and keep it on the road.
I’m curious too about what engine is under the hood. Either way, this car appears to be a real deal price-wise.
The cars were fine but the timing of introduction was terrible with the country economy tanking in 58 everybody’s car lines took a hit. So a new car line was a tough go. My parents bought a 58 Ranger 2 door hardtop had it for ten years, was a nice car with the 361 v8 and push button automatic. I think the 58 was the best looking of them all. Would love to own it today.
I’d be interested in the ’57 Ford hubcaps!
can the seller tell us what motor is in it?
This one appears to have hubcaps from a 57 Ford. I think the Edsel suffered more from the obtuse styling and gimmicky features vs. the recession. I think Ford constantly tells tells that story as a means of saving face.
Well tell that to Oldsmobile and Buick etc almost all the auto makers in 58 and 59 had bad sales years, they were all going big cars and a lot of the buying public went small.
Too bad this Edsel wasen’t featured here earlier…shows it has been sold…and it’s in my neck of the woods too…lots of parts out there at various places. Plus the IEC is an excellent source for parts and info..
I spoke with this guy last night. Nice chap. The engine was a V8, he didn’t know which one. He thought it was seized, but who knows, maybe the water pump was seized and that’s why the fan wouldn’t move.
This car was a half-hour from where I grew up, and I’m going there next week. I was hoping to see the car next Saturday, but alas, it is sold, which isn’t a surprise at that price.
Besides comments already posted, The Ford family did not want the car named after Edsel Ford and conducted a long search for a name. That even included hiring poet Marianne Moore 🤔 who came up with very strange names like Utopian Turtletop et.al. With reluctance it was finally agreed this new entry sandwiched between Ford and Mercury would be EDSEL. Numerous surveys were conducted to determine what the public wanted. But surveys were done before Chrysler startled the industry with 57 models. All these surveys helped determine exactly what EDSEL would be. The 58s (introduced in 57) were really attractive for the time. The OX YOKE center grille was the most controversial. And yes EDSEL was introduced just as the country fell into a recession. The entire industry suffered greatly in sales. Buyers turned to Chryslers dramatically new styling (but even Chrysler sales were down. DeSoto was being squeezed by Dodge and Chrysler (following EDSEL, with early 61 production cancelation after approximately 3200 in November). The industry was facing a major shift. It has been said EDSEL was the right car at the Wrong time. This was only the beginning of changes. We had already lost Nash, Hudson, Packard, and Studebaker. Oldsmobile and Pontiac would follow a little later. Compacts, personal luxury and muscle cars took a big chunk of sales before Van’s, SUVS and crossovers took over the roads. We no longer have traditional Luxury sedans! Long story of slow descent of the American Automobile Industry.
To many available for the demand so price accordingly. Was at an old yard Friday with a guy in his 80’s….he’s crushing 6 of his 8 Edsel’s as there has never been a buyer….crushing more as well….
Happy New Year! But always remember OLD GUYS and OLD EDSELS still are around and (at least to some) still have some value.
Where are they at????? I’m always looking..and I’m “old”…
Where are they at?? I’m always looking for another………………..
This car is local to me. I actually reached out to the guy it’s pretty far gone. Floors are going bad, bumpers are rotted trunk lid. All you have to do is enlarge the pics you can see it’s bad. I do hope someone saves it. They are a iconic car showing a huge auto makers biggest fail. I believe Ford invested something like 1 billion dollars between 1949-1957 to develop the Edsel as the car of the future. That’s a lot of money in today’s money. No one was really buying them they lasted from 1958- 1960.
Seller is an acquaintance of mine and not much of a car guy, so his observations were a bit misinformed. While the car has quite a bit of surface rust it is actually in great shape, really solid for what it is. I bought it and this will actually be one of the more solid cars of this era that I’ve ever owned. Tow truck brings it home this evening. The decklid is really the only piece ill be looking to replace, and ill probably just lead it and drive it as is.
Yes! See my original long post. I was around when EDSEL was planned and produced.
I’ve always thought that if the ’59 Edsel design had been what was introduces in ’58, it would have been more successful. The ’58 design, which was unique was just a little to “out there” even for the 50’s. The 1959 grille and bodies were much more restrained and I thought looked were good.
Legend has it that the decision to discontinue the Edsel was made before the first example was built and that Ford followed through with three model years to avoid lawsuits from dealers who had made large investments to sell the brand.
I believe that is true. See my long post, EDSEL could have been the right car, but introduced at the Wrong time.
I know where there’s a ’60 Edsel wagon in Oak Hill, FL. I’m sure it’s for sale but don’t know the details. I just saw it yesterday…
interesting………interested.
Again, don’t know details but doesn’t look bad from the road. It’s a shop that does old cars/trucks. phone 386 345 4800 per google maps info. Hope that works, let me know if not and I’ll stop by and ask. I go up that way at least once aa week.