28 Chrysler Posted July 5, 2023 Share Posted July 5, 2023 The guy who is storing my 1960 Edsel sent me these. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted July 5, 2023 Share Posted July 5, 2023 The Comet was proposed to be a 1961 Edsel. Early '60 Comet part numbers confirm it. Craig 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted July 5, 2023 Share Posted July 5, 2023 Yes, that was the marketing plan. But as the Edsel name became increasingly associated with failure, Lincoln-Mercury Division sales management decided to quietly drop the Edsel name, simply promote their new 'upscale' compact car as Comet. For 1960 and 1961 the cars are titled as only "Comet", not as "Mercury Comet" which they became for 1962 when the intermediate-sized Mercury Meteor briefly joined the line-up. Here is a postcard image of S & R Motors, Rockville Center, NY taken during the 1960 model year. Note the prominent "Comet" neon signage. 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John348 Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 9 hours ago, 58L-Y8 said: Yes, that was the marketing plan. But as the Edsel name became increasingly associated with failure, Lincoln-Mercury Division sales management decided to quietly drop the Edsel name, simply promote their new 'upscale' compact car as Comet. For 1960 and 1961 the cars are titled as only "Comet", not as "Mercury Comet" which they became for 1962 when the intermediate-sized Mercury Meteor briefly joined the line-up. Here is a postcard image of S & R Motors, Rockville Center, NY taken during the 1960 model year. Note the prominent "Comet" neon signage. As soon as I saw the picture I recognized the building. About a mile further east on the same road (Sunrise Highway) was Baldwin Motion, Great Picture, brought back a lot of memories, did not mean to take the topic off track. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Another fun fact I have learned on this forum. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimm63 Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 (edited) Friend of mine had a ragged out Comet when we were in high school. Early 70s. He referred to it as "the vomit". Pretty sure he wrecked it, which may have been a mercy killing. Got him around for a while though. More thread wandering. Edited July 6, 2023 by Zimm63 (see edit history) 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John348 Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Some of those concept photo's seemed to have some influence on the Pontiac Tempest design Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 2 hours ago, Zimm63 said: Friend of mine had a ragged out Comet when we were in high school. Early 70s. He referred to it as "the vomit". Pretty sure he wrecked it, which may have been a mercy killing. Got him around for a while though. More thread wandering. What a coincidence. I knew a guy who had a Falcon with a Dodge Dart engine he called a Fart, I guess a Valiant with a Comet engine would be a Vomet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 2 hours ago, John348 said: Some of those concept photo's seemed to have some influence on the Pontiac Tempest design I saw that too along with some other styling cues from other competitors. Always interesting to see how things evolve from drawing board to reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 1 hour ago, TerryB said: I saw that too along with some other styling cues from other competitors. Always interesting to see how things evolve from drawing board to reality. Industrial espionage among car companies to get a glimpse of the next new styling the competition was developing was a cottage industry around Detroit in those days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Just now, 58L-Y8 said: Industrial espionage among car companies to get a glimpse of the next new styling the competition was developing was a cottage industry around Detroit in those days. Interesting point, Steve. But what disappointment the competitors must have felt if they got a glimpse of some Edsel styling! Boss: "Egad! That's horrible! We can't use that!" Junior: "Well, at least we know that Edsel won't be much of a competitor!" The picture below shows that the 1960 Edsel's unusual taillights were considered for their small car. They don't fit the shape! It's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole: On 7/5/2023 at 2:14 PM, 28 Chrysler said: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 56 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said: Industrial espionage among car companies to get a glimpse of the next new styling the competition was developing was a cottage industry around Detroit in those days. Not a lot has changes except the world’s cars are now in the mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28 Chrysler Posted July 6, 2023 Author Share Posted July 6, 2023 Too bad there is not a rear view of the second photo showing what they had planed for lights. I thought that was a well thought out design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 1 hour ago, 28 Chrysler said: Too bad there is not a rear view of the second photo showing what they had planed for lights. I thought that was a well thought out design. It was the slanted, cat's-eye design they built for 1960-'61. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 The Vomet was the kid's joke for the combined Volvo-Comet. Like the Fuller-Shick brush razor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 14 minutes ago, Dave Mellor NJ said: The Vomet was the kid's joke for the combined Volvo-Comet. Like the Fuller-Shick brush razor I thought the V was for Valiant. The Vomit convertibles had a Throw-Up Top..... 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlestown Mike Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 The "rest of the story" Rather, the rest of the joke---the Vomit was to have "throw-up windows" and "bucket seats". 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipdang Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Any splash guards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 (edited) On 7/6/2023 at 2:38 PM, 58L-Y8 said: Industrial espionage among car companies to get a glimpse of the next new styling the competition was developing was a cottage industry around Detroit in those days. Compare the 1959 Pontiac front styling with the 1960 Edsel So if the Tempest copied the Comet I guess turn about is fair play Edited July 7, 2023 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Between those pictures I’d give the Edsel the front end styling win. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 1 hour ago, Rusty_OToole said: Compare the 1959 Pontiac front styling with the 1960 Edsel So if the Tempest copied the Comet I guess turn about is fair play I remember 'Uncle' Tom McCahill called the 1960 Edsel '...a Chinese copy of a 1959 Pontiac' in Mechanix Illustrated. Craig 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 The end of the Edsel was announced November 19, 1959. The date is significant. Their contract with the dealers guaranteed cars for 3 model years and 3 calendar years and was signed November 19, 1956. Evidently the styling department did not get advance notice if they were working on a 1961 Edsel for introduction in the fall of 1960. The Edsel Comet came after the Falcon which debuted in late 59 as a 60 model. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 15 minutes ago, Rusty_OToole said: The end of the Edsel was announced November 19, 1959. The date is significant. Their contract with the dealers guaranteed cars for 3 model years and 3 calendar years and was signed November 19, 1956. Evidently the styling department did not get advance notice if they were working on a 1961 Edsel for introduction in the fall of 1960. The Edsel Comet came after the Falcon which debuted in late 59 as a 60 model. Development of the Edsel Comet styling concepts took place concurrent with the Ford Falcon during 1957-'58, tooling and pilot production occurring in early 1959. Management was disappointed with results of 1958 Edsel sales but hadn't yet completely given up on the program. Rationalization on the F-E platform was a rearguard effort for 1959 which as soon as it proved no better, it was time to make a pale effort to meet dealer contracts only as long as necessary. Certainly, it was on the advice of corporate legal counsel which turned out to be November 19, 1959. Ironically, the 1960 Ford was a panicked response to the low. wide 1959 Chevrolet although Ford panicked unnecessarily. HFII was smitten with the Quicksilver concept in the Advanced Styling Studio, ordered it into production. The '59 Pontiac imitation '60 Edsel grille was appropriate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 Our Canadian Frontenac. One year only version for the Mercury / Meteor dealers known as the pre Comet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 (edited) On 7/6/2023 at 7:11 AM, John348 said: Some of those concept photo's seemed to have some influence on the Pontiac Tempest design The 61 Tempest was influenced by the 59 Pontiac Edited July 8, 2023 by Pfeil (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted July 9, 2023 Share Posted July 9, 2023 Here are some others 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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