For Sale: 1958 Edsel Pacer 4-dr Hardtop, 29K miles - Project - $7,500 - Plymouth, MI - Not Mine - This posting has been deleted by its author. 6-17-2023

[58L-Y8]

For Sale: 1958 Edsel Pacer 4-dr Hardtop, 29K miles - Project - $7,500 - Plymouth, MI - This posting has been deleted by its author. 6-17-2023.

1958 Ford Edsel PACER 4-door sedan - cars & trucks - by owner -... (craigslist.org)
Seller's Description:

This beautiful 1958 Edsel Pacer 4-door sedan has been stored for over 25 years indoors and is in great condition with solid and straight body. Equipped with 361 cu/in E0400 V8 with Teletouch Drive transmission. Not run recently, however ran great when last parked in 2020.  Probably best to use the Craig’s List email sever for further information. Text may be intermittent as I am somewhat mobile.  odometer: 29203
Contact: (734) 3-thirty-6-one-8-4

Copy and paste in your email:  4528a5bbfac632958e138e51a11aa7d9@sale.craigslist.org

I have no personal interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1958 Edsel Pacer 4-dr Hardtop.
The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975, Edited by John Gunnell states 4,959 1958 Edsel Pacer 4-dr Hardtop built.

Edited June 18, 2023 by 58L-Y8
This posting has been deleted by its author. 6-17-2023: Crossed out the dead CL link. (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

Somehow, I like this car.  I don't like it enough

to own it, but the smaller series have good side profiles,

and the red looks good too.  There would be lots of

stories to tell the public about the Edsel's great

publicity build-up and immediate failure.  

 

If any of our forum-goers were around at the time,

what did you think of the Edsel when it came out?

[kingrudy]

Attractive car IMO, but hasn't been driven in a awhile so there are a lot of unknowns. Also I lived in Michigan for 12 years, so check for rust. 

[58L-Y8]

2 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Somehow, I like this car.  I don't like it enough

to own it, but the smaller series have good side profiles,

and the red looks good too.  There would be lots of

stories to tell the public about the Edsel's great

publicity build-up and immediate failure.  

 

If any of our forum-goers were around at the time,

what did you think of the Edsel when it came out?

John,
My impression of this '58 Edsel is it could actually be a well-preserved, 30K mile example.  If so on close inspection, it's a choice find for someone who wants to own one of the most iconic cars of the era.  Inspect carefully for rust damage throughout before proceeding, this is a Northeast car.

 

My recollections of that episode:

As a car-crazed youth at the time of its introduction, I can vaguely recall my parents talking about this new car that was coming on the market and the TV commercials when it was.  My parents periodically shopped in the nearby small city of Hornell, NY.   During one trip there, on a main street was a new block building being built with signs proclaiming it would be an Edsel dealership.  The franchise had been granted to Elsenheimer who already had Arkport Lincoln-Mercury in that nearby town.  Ford was initially requiring their Edsel dealerships to be exclusively Edsel, free-standing operations, not another nameplated added to Ford or Mercury dealers.   One can imagine the consternation of the latter two as they not only had to compete with all the other car makes from GM and Chrysler but also now had another competitor from the very company whose cars they were representing.  
Within the year, on a later shopping trip, suddenly Edsels appeared on the Arkport Lincoln-Mercury lot along with banners proclaiming they now were available at that dealership.  Down in Hornell, that brand new dealership building was selling used cars.  The failure of Edsel was now manifest even to a 7–8-year-old boy like me.    My father did business with the local Ford dealer who allowed the Edsel wasn't selling well, that franchises had been offered to Ford and Mercury dealers to keep coverage in areas were the stand-alone agencies had already failed.  He bypassed the 'opportunity' when offered.
When the Life magazine arrived with 1959 Edsel advertisement, it was obvious the car was now exclusively a restyled 1959 Ford platform, even included an available six cylinder!  My parents agreed it was a more attractive car than the 1958 but there didn't seem to be much of a compelling reason to buy one instead of a Ford.    In their judgement, the car hadn't lived up to the initial hype, that other than unusual styling, it was just another FpMoCo car, nothing to get excited about.   A few 1959 Edsels appeared on Arkport L-M's lot but no great promotion appeared to help move them.
We subscribed to the Buffalo Evening News when the 1960 Edsel advertisements appeared for the few Niagara Frontier Edsel dealers still holding on.  It was all very anticlimactic, a 1960 Ford with Pontiac-style grille and odd vertical taillights contrary to the overall theme of the car on which they were imposed.   When the end was announce, dealers held "Edsel's Funeral Sales" with big discounts on those remaining in stock.    A few months later, much to the relief of stagnating Mercury dealers, their salvation arrived in the Comet.   It was amazing how quickly all evidence of the Edsel was swept away, except those unhappy reminders that appeared at trade-in time over the next few years.   The local Ford dealer even took a gold and white 1958 Edsel Citation four-door hardtop in trade, used it for a loner car to good customers to use while their car was in for repairs.
Steve
 

[John_S_in_Penna]

4 hours ago, 58L-Y8 said:

My recollections...As a car-crazed youth at the time of its introduction...  

Those recollections are excellent, Steve.  They should be

recorded somewhere for posterity.  Maybe print them out

and at least give them to your family;  and print them in a

local newspaper or magazine for others.  Every car fan's memories

should be transferred to the historical record for future generations.

 

For the years when I was a regional AACA editor, I printed

some interesting recollections like yours, for other cars.

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[B Jake Moran]

Not a Citation so no interest 

[cjmarzoli]

Looks like a winner to me.  Perfect colors, hardtop, very straight.  Looks like an original interior and possibly original paint.   Has only been sitting 3 years so should fire up with little issues.  As long as it's not full of bondo, and it does not appear to be, seems like a great deal in today's market.

[cjmarzoli]

Steve, I enjoyed reading your story of the Edsel's introduction.   My father is a few years older than you and has similar memories of the "Edsel days".     

[avgwarhawk]

Call me crazy,  I always liked the front end of these Edsels.  This would be fun to own. 

[Fleetwood Meadow]

Emailed him twice and texted him once, doesn’t respond to anything. Obviously he is just looking to see if there is a desire for his car and isn’t really selling it. 

[avgwarhawk]

13 minutes ago, Fleetwood Meadow said:

Emailed him twice and texted him once, doesn’t respond to anything. Obviously he is just looking to see if there is a desire for his car and isn’t really selling it. 

Fishing. 

[Fleetwood Meadow]

The post is now deleted by the author

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 6/11/2023 at 3:45 PM, 58L-Y8 said:

My recollections of that episode:

As a car-crazed youth at the time of its introduction...  

More recollections, please, if Steve or anyone else has them:

 

Were the Edsels, in your memory, such a laughingstock

that some people were actually embarrassed to own them?

 

That is what Edsel executive Gayle Warnock reported in his book.

Imagine such a degree of failure that people are embarrassed

to be seen with a product!

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)