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30/04/2010 3:10 am
Pics -- 1958 and 1959 Edsels
Everybody knows the Edsel story: In the early fifties boom years, Ford decided to introduce two more car lines to better compete head-to-head with GM's five car lines. The Edsel was to be sold through a new division of the Ford Motor Company, as a companion to the Ford Division, Mercury Division, Lincoln Division and (newly formed but also short-lived) Continental Division, each with its own retail organizations.
For the 1958 model year, Edsel produced four models, including the larger Mercury-based Citation and Corsair, and the smaller Ford-based Pacer and Ranger. Due to a number of factors, including a recession particularly impacting midpriced cars, bad quality control, and controversial styling, the '58 Edsel did not meet Ford's sales expectations.
To address the problems of 1958, for the 1959 model year, there were only two Edsels, the Ford-based Ranger and the Corsair; the more expensive Mercury-based cars were discontinued. Moreover, Ford toned-down the front end styling on Edsels.
1958 Edsel by Minimarque:
photo no longer available
1959 Edsel by Western Models:
photo no longer available
It's interesting to compare to the 1959 and 1958 Edsels -- Ford sure toned down the controversial styling for '59:
photo no longer available
30/04/2010 3:21 am
Great Pictures and interesting history lesson ! Shows the comparison between the two years very nicely. Thanks
30/04/2010 3:50 am
30/04/2010 4:08 am
Welcome aboard, Renato. I also think the Minichamps is too small but others disagree with me.
30/04/2010 4:16 am
Good pictures of interesting models. Ford really missed it with these
Edsels- the wrong styling with no special engineering at the wrong time. Remember the jokes about that grill?
30/04/2010 4:43 am
Tank's Dillon
Many tank's Dillon.I never seen a Edsel in my life,and take a real size of this model in 1/1 it's very hard;mission impossible ! I think in U.S.A. that's possible !
Something can halp Yous about it ?
30/04/2010 5:34 am
Edsel model size
Wayne Moyer who sometimes participates on this board takes very accurate measurements - he may have an observation about the Minimarque, Western, and Minichamps' respective sizes. I have not taken a measurement but recall a review a while back that said the Western 1959 replica was close to 1:42. The Minimarque 1958 Edsel would appear to be close to this scale although I think the actual 1958 Citation/Corsair was 8" longer than the 1959 and therefore the Minimarque is slightly smaller in scale than the Western. Placed side by side with these two handbuilts, the nicely detailed and proportioned Minichamps 1958 Edsel is dwarfed. I would judge it to be tinier than 1:43, however actual measurements would need to be taken to confirm this - not possible for me because I no longer have this model. I found the Minichamps 1956 Continental to have similar scaling. These were pretty big cars but the Minichamps versions seem slightly underscale, however this may be because some of the peer handbuilts are slightly overscale. Its "all relative".
30/04/2010 7:46 am
Many tank's Randall..........
only we need the size of de Brooklin,but I think that more o lees is the same of Minimarque and Western.I observe that between a diecast and an handbuilt,always there is a little differece about size;the handbuilt are overscale;You are right !
30/04/2010 9:15 am
Thanks, Ken!
30/04/2010 10:29 am
I've always wondered how the public could reject the '58 & '59 Edsel yet embrace the horrendously ugly '59 Chevy! I owned a '58 Chevy Bel Air 2dr. hdtp. but I would say the '58 & '59 Edsels were far better looking than any '58 to '60 GM car. Just my opinion of course.
30/04/2010 11:48 am
Edsels are always fascinating cars to look at and speculate about, in both real and model form.
These 1/43's look great and one wonders if (along with a '60 Edsel) one could actually add a 1/43 1960 Comet to an Edsel collection, as that was, nearly up to release, supposed to be an Edsel offering, too.
30/04/2010 2:13 pm
Hello Renato and thanks for joining us on Forum 43.
Autominologist residing in the Robin Hood County
Nottinghamshire England UK
30/04/2010 2:14 pm
Neat images Dillon and thanks for the background information.
Autominologist residing in the Robin Hood County
Nottinghamshire England UK
30/04/2010 4:05 pm
Renato - There was a great debate about the Minichamps size last year on this forum
Looking at wheelbase alone, the Minichamps is correct. But it does look somewhat small. The only thing I can think of is that the front and rear overhangs were shortened somewhat.
03/05/2010 12:20 pm
Many Tank's Chris
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