1959 Edsel Villager wagon

Beautiful. And 15 Gs.

https://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/d/1959-edsel-villager-wagon/6624429010.html

 

Why not? It doesen't have to be a hot rod. Is that air cleaner original or did someone cut it open?

 

I've seen MELs, FEs, and Y-block V8s in them, but I've never seen a 6 cylinder Edsel before. I think I remember seeing that open air cleaner on Ford sixes, but without the 90 degree turn (probably on trucks).


I generally only look at ads for the Bermuda, almost all of which are priced much higher than the $15K asking price of this car. This is definitely an oddity that will probably bring a good deal of interest at car shows. However, with just 139 hp on tap for a full frame full-sized wagon and no heater -- much less no AC -- although adequate for 1959, it seems to me that it would have very limited appeal to buyers who'll have to drive on today's roads with the way most people drive in 2018.

 

Nobody should buy that for a daily driver, as tempting as it may be. I'd drive it Sundays only or at times when all the idiots aren't out on the road.
Having no heater should guarantee no winter driving.
Cranking that vent window as far as it'll go, will work for an air conditioner.
Being a sedan, this is one of the lighter Edsels, for that 145 hp six to move around, not forgetting that Ford made higher gear ratios available for wagons. Unfortunately, MELs weren't an option for 1959:
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Edsel/1959_Edsel/1959 Edsel Foldout/image3.html
Okay, it makes sense for that air cleaner to have the cut-out facing downwards. Still, without some sort of shroud or snorkel, I can only imagine hearing plenty of hissing

 

I've seen that cut-out air filter on several other 6 cylinder cars of this vintage, so I'd venture it's factory. The v8 had a smaller one on the driver's side as that's where the engine draws "fresh" air from. The 6 and 3 speed on this car does seem pretty unusual by modern standards, it's not likely to be a speed demon in any sense of the word and with those manual drum brakes I doubt you'd want it to be!

Seeing a heater delete car is quite unusual and the added seat belts are a bonus in my opinion (and probably signs that the car was used regularly for transport in the not too distant past). He's definitely spent a bit to make it nice and as these cars don't come up often so it's hard to say if his price is out of line, but you definitely wouldn't be making junk nice for that price.

 

I was never suggesting using it for a daily driver, but I have to go over two mountains to get to most of the car shows I attend. Granted, they're not exactly the Rockies, but my 302-equipped '85 Country Squire had to really work to get over them, and that was several years ago. People commonly take them at 80 mph and more now. I suspect that might be beyond the capabilities of a 6 cylinder Edsel wagon -- whether at the lit advertised 145 hp or the 139 hp stated on the air cleaner.

I assume no heater means no heater core, which, in turn, would mean almost no defrost capability. Around here that means no early morning driving for a good part of the year and possible white knuckle driving if you get caught in the rain.

My point is that its level of equipment, while interesting, is low in practicality and , thus, commands a very limited market.

 

I doubt that any lack of equipment would greatly influence a typical buyer looking for an Edsel. The rarity and condition should be enough to move it. Having the six banger, even with possibly the wrong air cleaner housing or sticker, makes it even more exclusive.
Not being the fastest up that hill is what's worrisome. The way people drive these days, with that wagon, you're likely to get some idiot rear-ending it, since it won't be that faster than a tractor. It wouldn't have been an issue, if the wagon had been a year older, equipped with a M.E.L..

 

That is a beautiful car. I'd take it, even with the six as it's motivation.

 

Yup, no heater means no heater core which means no heat which means no ventilation to the windshield which means no defrost!

I agree. I *almost* bought a '59 Ranger 4 door with a 6 cylinder 3 on the tree as my second car. It was $700 and I'm still kicking myself for not doing it.

 

I wasn't clear in my first message when I mentioned the MEL motor. I've seen them in Citations and Corsairs, but, of course, they were never available in the wagons. The Ford-based Edsels, including the wagons came only with a 361 FE motor in '58, which was an option for the '59s I'm sure its 303 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque would prove to be no slouch going up those mountains. Here's hoping it finds the right home with someone who lives in an area where it can be driven without overtaxing the motor.

 

If the engine hasn't been "overtaxed" until now, why should it get "overtaxed" anywhere else? They used to drop those sixes into pick-ups and panel trucks. They're good engines. The girl I was dating's sister's boyfriend had one in his '56 panel truck. It was a great engine and responsible for much happiness.

That sucks. I must have missed that, in the brochure. I wonder if the cops could get one of those special ordered.
They didn't even build hardtop wagons, which seems strange.
The following Barrett-Jackson has a 361 and sold for fifty five grand:

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=1958+edsel+station+wagon&t=h_&atb=v65-4__&iax=images&ia=images&iai=http://cdn.barrett-jackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/198173/198173_Engine_Web.jpg

 

When I was growing up there was a 59 Edsel wagon at an abandoned farm house down the road. It sat there for years and years and then one day it was gone and shortly after the house was torn down. Whenever I see one of these I wonder what happened to that wagon. I never inquired about it and I wish that I had.