Island Bound: 1959 Edsel Ranger
Each year, my wife and I try to get out to Martha’s Vineyard for a few days. For a variety of reasons, I’m not sure if we’re going to make it this summer, as the ferry schedule tends to fill up pretty early in the season and I haven’t even begun to look at booking a reservation. Well, if you’re interested in this 1959 Edsel Ranger sedan here on eBay, you’ll want to pay close attention to the wait list for a ferry, as this non-runner is sitting on the island, waiting to be rescued.
Yes, even with a name as pleasing as Martha’s Vineyard, snow is still a frequent occurrence during the winter months. This Edsel hasn’t moved in many years, and I’m a little bit surprised I haven’t spotted it. There are several potential project vehicles I’ve eyeballed over the years that I suspect could have been had for a great price given the limited market of potential customers on the island. What’s curious about this car is that the seller is located in Georgia, but has listed this Edsel – located somewhere not exactly close by to Peachtree City – for sale with next to no information other than having lots of rust and lots of good parts.
Since the seller only provided the two photos above, we’ll have to use our imagination to picture where all that rust is lurking. There’s an opening bid of $800, which isn’t awful – but given how cheap running, driving Edsels can be had, asking nearly $1,000 for a rusty parts car in an inconvenient location is awfully ambitious. In the advertisement above, it’s clear to see that Edsels were ready for the island lifestyle since they were new – but I suspect the goal was always to escape back to the mainland when the seasons changed. Will this Edsel Ranger be stuck on Martha’s Vineyard forever, or is it special enough to warrant shipping it back?
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Comments
These were nice enough cars but not worth much today. Probably not worth buying this as there will be some costs to get it to where you are. Better off getting one in good shape already. I know where one is sitting and it will stay there.
Confusing listing, the seller states it’s on Martha’s Vinyard, but it ships from Peachtree Georgia. What?
Probably listing for a distant relative on the island. Maybe the seller realizes there would be little interest so he put in little effort. eBay automatically puts the ships from as your home base.
By Way of Payment In Schekles Through the 1st National Bank of Nigeria.
This Ranger is best left at “home on the range.”
If this seller is a used car salesman, he is going to starve.
Wasn’t the Edsel ad campaign built around the quote, ” Ask The Man Who Has Abandoned One”. ?
60 years have gone by and it’s still unrespected and the butt of jokes.Makes me want to go out and get one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1959-Edsel-Ranger-Base-/192144396843?hash=item2cbcb2d22b:g:PcgAAOSwzgBY2ZFL&vxp=mtr
I dunno About being the BUTT I’ve kind of Heard it’s the other End of Jokes, HEHHEHEe…
I had not heard that expression, but I got the 361ci engine and fordomatic out of what was left of one of the first Edsels sold in the Quad Cities, which was abandoned on a railroad track with less than 100 miles on it. The spark was retarded about 15 degrees, and there was a 2 inch gap in a weld at the headpipe. How that car made it past fomoco and dealer inspections is beyond me.
Once straightened out though it made my 57 Ranchero pretty peppy with its 3.70 rear end.
Probably not worth shipping but they were cooler cars than most people think. They just cost more to build then they could sell them for.
I agree with Scott. Not many can say that they have driven an Edsel but I can. One of my uncles had a ’58 Citation. It handled just like Dad’s ’57 Fairlane. I do like the 58 and 60 over the 59 and the same with Ford and Mercury but that’s just personal preference. In my opinion, ’59 was a strange year for FoMoCo products. I often wonder why Ford didn’t make the tail lamp lenses to fit the bezel trim (kinda like Chevy did) rather than plunk those round ones in there. And yes, the Edsel’s demise was due to production cost vs. profit margin. But to relegate this one to yard art…I think not. It’s part of American automobile history regardless of individual opinions.
There could be an interesting story on how the Edsel made it to Martha’s Vineyard, and remained there. Perhaps the sudden discontinuance of the Edsel brand in late ’59 and the resulting resale value drop may have made the car an attractive value for a mainland family to get and keep on the island as a cottage car. Vineyard Haven is where the ferry terminal is so the buyer will not have to move it far to the boat.
Most common Edsel made…Not very rare.
Pulled my 78 TA off of Marthas Vineyard 2 years back. Got the car reasonably cheap because of where it was. Cost me almost half of what I paid for the car to get it from the island. Not to many takers because of location.