1960 Edsel's Comet

[28 Chrysler]

The guy who is storing my 1960 Edsel sent me these.

[8E45E]

The Comet was proposed to be a 1961 Edsel.  Early '60 Comet part numbers confirm it.

 

Craig

[58L-Y8]

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. 

[John348]

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.

[TAKerry]

Another fun fact I have learned on this forum.

[Zimm63]

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)

[John348]

Some of those concept photo's seemed to have some influence on the Pontiac Tempest design

[Rusty_OToole]

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.

[TerryB]

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.

[58L-Y8]

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.

[John_S_in_Penna]

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:

 

[TerryB]

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.

[28 Chrysler]

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.

[58L-Y8]

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. 

[Dave Mellor NJ]

The Vomet was the kid's joke for the combined Volvo-Comet. Like the Fuller-Shick brush razor

[Grimy]

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.....  🙂

[Littlestown Mike]

The "rest of the story"  Rather, the rest of the joke---the Vomit was to have "throw-up windows" and "bucket seats".

[zipdang]

Any splash guards?

[Rusty_OToole]

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)

[TerryB]

Between those pictures I’d give the Edsel the front end styling win.

[8E45E]

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

[Rusty_OToole]

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.

[58L-Y8]

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.

[Ed Luddy]

Our Canadian Frontenac. One year only version for the Mercury / Meteor dealers known as the pre Comet.

[Pfeil]

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)

[Pfeil]

 

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