RIDE OF THE WEEK: 1958 Edsel Ranger

by Michael Golubiewski
Production Editor

Ford’s failure

Failure has always fascinated me. The more a movie or television series is branded a failure, the more likely I am to enjoy it. I even liked “The Jay Leno Show.” It goes without saying, then, that the submission of this week’s ride, one of the biggest failures in automotive history, is amazing. It is a 1958 Edsel Ranger owned by Jordan McCabe of Forest City, which he has left as original as possible.

Ford used a television special featuring Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope to launch the Edsel brand, which was set to be a division of the Ford Motor Company like Mercury and Lincoln. Unfortunately, the Edsel turned out to be a disaster for Ford, and the plug was pulled by 1959.

McCabe’s Ranger is the four-door hardtop model (it also came in a two-door sedan). The Edsel featured several innovations including a pushbutton Teletouch transmission in the center of the steering wheel, ergonomically designed controls for the driver and self-adjusting brakes. The most distinguishing aspect of the car was its “horsecollar” grill in the front of the car with E-D-S-E-L spelled out vertically.

There is no one reason for Edsel’s failure, but an economic recession and quality issues are the most likely. The cars were produced in both Ford and Mercury factories alongside other products. Workers sometimes didn’t know what to do with the extra parts, so the Edsels left the assembly lines unfinished with the extra parts placed in the trunks with instructions for assembly at the dealership. The steering wheel-mounted gearshift wasn’t popular, either. People ended up shifting gears instead of honking the horn.

It was barely a year old when Ford announced the Edsel was being discontinued. More than 50 years after the Edsel’s failure, though, the car lives on and has become highly collectible. It is estimated that fewer than 6,000 Edsels survive, and a mint condition 1958 Edsel can sell for more than $100,000.

McCabe is happy to own a piece of history.

“The car just sort of fell into my lap by way of some relatives who had it on their property and didn’t know what to do with it,” he explained. “So far, I’ve kept it relatively original. I plan on repainting it red so it’s ready for this spring.”

McCabe said he’s had some offers from people looking to own an Edsel of their own, “but so far I haven’t decided how long I want to keep it. It’s just fun to take to shows and have people look at a piece of history.”

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