Price – $124,900 – Make an Offer
BK Auto Auctions presents one of only 76 Edsel Ranger convertibles built in the 1960 model year. This Edsel Ranger Convertible is finished in Pearl White (Code M) livery and red/silver vinyl interior (with matching convertible top boot) as specified by the car’s trim tag. This Edsel is equipped with a 352 cubic inch V8 equipped with a four-barrel carburetor. This beautiful classic is being offered with a clean Missouri title.
Other Features As Stated By Seller
In the automotive world, the name “Edsel” is generally associated with failure thanks to an ill-fated venture of the Ford Motor Company in the late 1950’s. Despite that negative connotation, some models of that marque are highly valued and desired in today’s collector car circles.
The Edsel Division of Ford Motor Company came into being in November 1956, less than a year after Ford became a publicly traded company and no longer owned by members of founder Henry Ford’s family. It was named for Ford’s son Edsel B. Ford, despite reported objections from Edsel’s son Henry Ford II. Company officials claimed that the new car line would reflect exactly what the motoring public wanted in a vehicle, thanks to exhaustive and sophisticated market research and analysis.
While having some distinctive design cues, the Edsel line-up introduced Sept. 4, 1957 for the 1958 model year were very similar in appearance to cars in the Ford and Mercury lines. Many Edsel-unique features—the rotating dome style speedometer, the transmission push button shifting system located in the center of the steering wheel and the airplane-inspired engine warning lights—were not met with great acceptance from potential buyers.
Faced with sales results far below expectations and forecasts for the introductory year, management was forced to make a myriad of changes. That included repositioning the brand to a level between the Ford and Mercury divisions and reducing the number of styles offered for the 1959 model year. Sales still lagged and when the 1960 model year offerings were announced even fewer body styles were in the Edsel line.
Ford Motor Company announced it was ceasing Edsel production in November 1959, with current production for the model year at less than 3,000 units. Edsel had failed to ever come close to breaking even financially, with losses estimated at $350 million (roughly $2.4 billion in today’s money). The failure of Edsel cemented the name to forever be associated with disaster in the U.S. auto industry. Automotive historians have advanced multiple theories as to the cause, and likely many factors contributed to what at that time was a marketing and manufacturing disaster of unparalleled proportion. In addition, the American economy was entering a recession at the time Edsel was introduced. As one automotive historian has said, “it was the wrong car at the wrong time”.
In the six-plus decades that have passed since Ford pulled the plug on Edsel, certain models of the marque have become highly sought after among car collectors. Some of the Edsel innovations such as warning lights in place of gauges were commonplace on vehicles within a few years of the marque’s demise. With very limited production numbers, station wagons and convertibles in original or restored condition attract a lot of attention at shows and often sell well at auction.
This 1960 Edsel Ranger convertible is an excellent example of a nicely restored final-year vehicle. The car has been a part of the present owner’s portfolio for over a decade and is one of the 76 Edsel Ranger convertibles built for 1960, of which an estimated 25 remain today. The only reason this car is being offered for sale at this time is the 1960 Edsel Ranger pilot car (the first one off the assembly line) was recently acquired by the owner.
This Edsel is powered by Ford’s Express V8, a 352 cubic inch four-barrel engine displacing 300 horsepower backed with the Mile-O-Matic column-shifted two-speed automatic transmission. Power options include power steering and power brakes. The car was manufactured October 9, 1959 at the Louisville, KY Ford assembly plant and presents today with the correct Polar White (Code M) livery and red/silver vinyl interior (with matching convertible top boot) as specified by the car’s trim tag. The car was built with the 3.10:1 standard rear axle ratio. The car has been driven sparingly under the present ownership and has treated to a recent fuel system service.
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