Autoblog

Yeah, so that didn't work out so well. At least I'll get more practice painting. Project Edsel's time for primer had come, so I thinned some Tamiya X21 into the reservoir and fired up the compressor. It took a while to figure out the proper flow and pressure setting (a pressure gauge would be helpful to adjust the compressor's regulator), but once everything was connected up and filled, I was ready to shoot some paint.

It's been an exciting start, mainly because I get to dig out all my old model building tools and skills. That's also why it's been a little slow since the initial post went up, because I've had to find all those model building tools. The last model I built was a '67 Belvidere GTX over ten years ago and 100 miles from here. I haven't been able to find my X-Acto knife set, but I've made do so far with my home-improvement scarred Stanley 99E razor knife.

I've had an airbrush for years, my uncle generously got it as a gift way back when I was seriously into fine arts. I haven't actually taken the opportunity to use the setup, but it was always comforting knowing that I had it at the ready should I want to become one of those guys in malls doing terrible recreations of scenes from Scarface on t-shirts. The time has come for me to learn how to use it, so I've been doing a bit of research, and finally stopped at a hobby store the other day and picked up some paints and other goodies.

Fifty years ago this year, Ford spent a lot of money on consultants who told them car buyers would pay a premium for "the smart car for the younger executive or professional family on its way up."

We all know what happened. Ford designed what was internally known as the "E-Car," and set about trying to name it. After more expensive consultants failed to aptly name the car, Ford asked poet Marianne Moore for ideas. She suggested Mongoose Civique and Utopian Turtletop, which were less than acceptable for Ford's super secret new car.

No, Ford's "revolutionary" new car, designed by focus groups, committees and market research, deserved a name that could come from only one method. Brown-nosing.

An employee of Ford's ad agency had suggested the name Edsel for the car in tribute to Henry Ford's son, who had died in 1943. Edsel wasn't considered a candidate, however, until Ford's chairman of the board, Ernest Breech, asked at a meeting, "Why don't we just call it Edsel?" Ford's PR director at the time now says it wasn't a stroke of genius, but instead an attempt to win favor with the Ford family.

The Washington-Post story is a fascinating read, with little tidbits of automotive history you may never have heard and insight into how cars were designed and marketed in the late 1950s.

[Source: The Washington-Post]

The recreational car show season is about two-thirds of the way done for 2007, at least here in New England. There will be good cruise days sprinkled in until about Halloween, but as the summer winds down, so does the practice of four-wheeled gatherings. Every year as I stroll past rows of shiny fenders, my thoughts wander to what fun there is to be had with that vehicle that doesn't participate in workaday drudgery.

For project cars, it's a veritable prerequisite to have a garage. Note the shot of my driveway, and its distinct lack of a garage. Lacking a place to store all the accoutrements of the vehicular addiction hobby, let alone provide a proper roof over the heads of my vehicles makes upkeep of even our regular rides that much more difficult, never mind keeping the shine on anything special.

Here's a fun column we came across talking about cars as metaphors. Kind of like referring to something as the "Rolls-Royce" of its industry means it's the best (or most expensive, perhaps). The writer, Miss Cellania, lists five vehicles that rightly or wrongly have come to be symbols of the worst from the automotive sector. All five of her picks are instantly recognizable for their place in motoring history. While we empathize with owners of these vehicles because they frequently have endearing qualities, we understand the reasons they have been chosen. Here's the list, but we encourage you to click over to Mental Floss to hear the explanations of how they earned their often unfair reps.

1. Edsel = Failure
2. Corvair = Unsafe
3. Pinto = Volatile
4. DeLorean = Overhyped
5. Yugo = Shoddy

While the DeLorean might be a bit of a stretch as being overhyped, the rest seem appropriate. These are a good start, but we're sure you all can come up with a whole bunch more.

Thanks for the tip, C. McFeeny!

[Source: Mental Floss]

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The treasure trove that is eBay Motors continues to produce. Today's big find is the 1958 Edsel Ranger motor home conversion you see here. The forward half of the erstwhile sedan has been fused to a 60's-era camper trailer that sleeps up to six, according to the seller. (Unfortunately, no pics of the living space are included.) Said to be a big attention-getter wherever it goes (no surprise there), the patriotically-colored Edselbago has visited 48 states. Power comes from a 390 Ford V8 hooked up to a C6 transmission with a floor-mounted shifter. ( The Edsel's steering-wheel-mounted Teletouch pushbutton tranny is now just for show.) Claimed weight is 7,000 pounds, and the whole package is apparently good for 15-16 mpg. Best part: it can be yours. As of this writing, the high bid's $1,958 (someone's being clever), and the seller's reserve hasn't been met. Get in on the action by clicking here.

[Source: eBay]

Ah, the Edsel. A historical signpost warning against innovation for the sake of innovating. Of course, that wasn't the only reason for the car's birth. Ford perceived a hole in their offerings and decided to take Lincoln upmarket and offer a new model range as "step-up" cars from Ford. It sounds a little bit like the conundrum they find themselves in now, and why there's a refocusing going on over at Lincoln/Mercury. Ford's inability to develop and bring the car to market quickly also hurt the Edsel.

The economy was on the skids by the time the large, thirsty Edsels debuted with their thumping V8s. Consumers were shifting toward compact models, and Edsel was left holding the bag. Had the division come to market with the Comet they deveoped just before folding up their tent in 1960, it might have been a different story. As it was, the Comet went to Mercury and saw much success. The Edsel cars were filled with promise and unique touches, such as a geared center hub in the steering wheel, holding it stationary as the wheel turned, and an ignition interlock that locks the shifter in park until the key is turned, but it seems what really killed the car, besides the subjective issue of styling, was an overly exuberant pre-launch marketing campaign.

More commentary and a video after the jump.