Poll: Which '58? (1/21/2025)

Neither one a favorite. But the Edsel is less of a favorite than the Fairlane so it garners my vote.

Fairlane for me. ✌️

And I voted Edsel because I think the 1958 Ford facelift looks even worse.

Never cared for either one, so I gave it a tie.

I prefer the styling of the Ford but like both cars.  IMHO the shoulder years of the Ford were better looking, mainly in the tail light area, but nonetheless I still like the look of it.  I like the Edsel styling much more in '59 due to the "softening" of the yoke effect of the grille, but like the marque mainly for its place in automotive history.

Edsel simply because it has created more discussions at my house than any other American car.

For years I never gave either of these a second thought. In the last few years both have somehow become more likeable to me. Next to the 57, the 58 Ford is still a step down IMO. The 58 Edsel to me was the in your face design while the 59, while nice, just didn't have the same impact. Edsel for the shock value it still exhibits.

I'm with Mr. Jackman on the EDSEL for shock value.  But then, being honest ever since I saw the '58 EDSEL on the showroom floor in a dealership on the street behind our house back then, it was a car that oozed with "different" and I really liked it from my first look. 

I like the FORD too, but for different reasons.  I like it because of the taillight arrangement and the grill.  Certainly better for my eyes to look at than the previous '57 or the later '59. 

And back to the EDSEL for a moment, it's always bothered me that FoMoCo pulled the plug so fast on the brand.  They literally killed it off before it was given even a remote chance.  And I know all the recession stories and scenarios, but they should have hung in there for at least a couple of years beyond 1960. 

Both are nice but I'm going with the Fairlane by just a nudge. Steve 

Never a fan of either.  The Edsel just blends in so nice with the rest of the '58 UGLIES [Olds & Buick], while the Ford just didn't appeal to me, but liked it much better than the Edsel.

Prefer the '57 rear styling 

Prefer the '58 front styling

Now if only I could have them put together I would have a late '50's Ford I actually like. Love the '56 & liked '60

@georgeschire, Robert MacNamara killed the Edsel before it even got started. He was against the new models and did everything he could to sabotage it. He aimed to eliminate Lincoln and Mercury and offer a wide range of Ford vehicles. As far as he was concerned, Edsel just muddied the waters even more. He didn't quite have the clout to halt Lincoln or Mercury production, even though the two divisions were struggling. One of the solutions to the L-M problem was to cut costs by sharing platforms between Mercury and Ford and between Lincoln and Thunderbird. But MacNamara and his "Wonder Boys" did manage to undermine Edsel at the corporate level. When the car was introduced with teething problems, that pretty much sealed the deal. MacNamara's tenure at Ford began the bean counter era in car manufacturing.

I have often wondered how the tail end of the '58 Ford would have looked with a minor change.  What if they had kept the shape and size of the 2 red lenses on each side but placed them close together and then lessened the width of the chrome backing plate by about one-third?  In other words, place the second red lens where the backup light sits (see pics). A second option might be to just have one red lens per side, only make the lens the same shape but twice as wide; again with a narrower chrome backing plate. This would minimize the intrusion into the trunk lid, which IMO would make the rear of the car appear wider and less cluttered.  The backup light could be relocated into the body below the tail light or integrated into the  the rear bumper.  Comments?

Posted by: @jkuvakas

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@georgeschire, Robert MacNamara killed the Edsel before it even got started. He was against the new models and did everything he could to sabotage it. He aimed to eliminate Lincoln and Mercury and offer a wide range of Ford vehicles. As far as he was concerned, Edsel just muddied the waters even more. He didn't quite have the clout to halt Lincoln or Mercury production, even though the two divisions were struggling. One of the solutions to the L-M problem was to cut costs by sharing platforms between Mercury and Ford and between Lincoln and Thunderbird. But MacNamara and his "Wonder Boys" did manage to undermine Edsel at the corporate level. When the car was introduced with teething problems, that pretty much sealed the deal. MacNamara's tenure at Ford began the bean counter era in car manufacturing.

John, I hear you loud and clear and am fully aware of the "muddled waters" that MacNamara and others felt the Edsel created. 

What it has always showed me is that any Board Room that is filled with more than five people, will prove to be more often than not a corporate disaster.  And in some cases even 5 people are too many.  Put 3 people in a room, let them decide.  

Working in the banking field for 35 years made this even more clear to me.  Too many bodies around a table at any meeting, allows absolutely nothing to ever get settled or agreed upon.  In most instances they couldn't even decide what to order for lunch. 

One of the best books I've read on the EDSEL is, "THE EDSEL AFFAIR" by C. Gayle Warnock, published in 1980 by Pro West in Arizona.  It's an oldie, but a goodie if you're able to find a copy. 

@100ford2003 

I'll forever respectfully disagree with you that the '58 Oldsmobile's and Buick's were ugly.  They were chrome covered for sure, but ugly?  NO!  And as time has passed, they are more beautiful than ever.  To each their own as the saying goes.