1958 edsel question

[Joe Werner]

was the transmision itself in the edsel their biggest problem or was it the teletouch motor that shifted gears? can the problem be fixed so it works properly? was there any other major problems witht the car? I might buy a 58 corsair from a local guy but i need to check it out first (hopefully go tomorrow)overal were these a nice car good quality howd they drive? did they have a good engine? thanks joe

[Guest Randy Berger]

Joe, the pushbutton (teletouch) gear selector was developed for Packard and then used later on Edsels. It is a fairly dependable unit. I took mine off my Packard back in 1991 and cleaned/lubed it and it has worked well since then. There was a hydraulically activated switch which is rarely mentioned that some Edsel owners say leaks or malfunctions. Packard had the same kind of switch and it burns out after repeated usage over time and needs to be replaced. I understand the Edsel switch was not as dependable. The Edsel unit is also easier to remove and install than the Packard.

YFAM, Randy Berger

[Guest De Soto Frank]

The Edsel unit is a full electric gizmo.

The issue was that the shifter motor was placed very close to the left bank exhaust pipe, creating erratic operation when the shifter motor got really hot.

I believe the Edsel guys have developed a reliable "fix" for this problem, suggest you contact the Edsel Club for details. (Teletouch was dropped after '58.)

Have also seen otherwise stock '58s with the Teletouch linkage disconnected and a shifter lever mounted on the tranny tunnel. (Not very "slick", but makes the car driveable.)

The tranny itself is a 3-speed Ford-O-Matic (Merc-O-Matic), and is a pretty reliable unit.

'58 Edsel motors (E-400 and E-475) are Mercury and Lincoln-based units; they're pretty good. Chassis parts are mostly Mercury based on the Citation and Corsair, and Ford-based on the cheaper Pacer/Ranger models.

Most important things to check-out are :

Body Rot: "eyebrows" over headlights; "dog-legs" at bottom corners of wrap-around windshield, also bottoms of front door pillar @ floor and front body mount; floor under gas pedal; rockers, rear quarters, trunk.

Completeness of Trim/Interior: make sure all the trim pieces are with the car and intact; there's not a lot of repro Edsel stuff being made right now, so getting a car that's complete and intact is a big help.

Aside from the Teletouch and cancer issues, Edsels are great cars and can be terrific drivers...

Sadly, I just sold my '59 Villager wagon; just have too many cars...I almost teared-up as I was taking the new owner for a test ride...

But he seems to have the time and $$ to finish it and make it nice.

Good luck with your quest !

[Lake Powell]

Hi Joe:

Best answer to your question about the EDSEL, can be found by just browsing thru a HOLLANDER INTERCHANGE MANUAL of that era (for those who dont know what a HOLLANDER is...this is the "bible" of the used parts industry - shows what parts can be cross-fitted between what other makes).

You will learn that there really was no such thing as an Edsel - it was just a marketing idea. Ford simply came up with some cosmetic changes, and, outside of that whaco push button shifter, cobbled the thing together out of off-the-shelf generic FoMoCo inventory (and a few exterior sheet metal stampings that were unique to the Edsel label).

So - the Edsel was no worse nor no better than any other FoMoCo product of that era, meaning, there were some "build quality" issues, but otherwise, it was a typical serviceable American car of that era.

( I know I know - they arent supposed to let me "off leash" around pretty girls, small pets, and stacks of bananas )