1959 EDSELS
Original plans for the 1959 Edsel had been in place well before the 1958 model
was introduced. As with the '58s, Mercury would share the body style with the big
series Edsels (Corsair & Citation), and a smaller series (Ranger, Pacer) would
team up the Edsel with the 1959 Ford body.
A decision was made in early 1958 to drop the big Edsels from the 1959 line,
leaving Mercury to stand alone in the Ford stables with a mid-size car. The remaining
Edsels were to be renamed - "Ranger" surviving as the standard version and "Corsair"
taking the deluxe model spot that was to be the Pacer.
With the disasterously low sales volume of the 1958 model, costs had to be slashed on
the 1959 Edsel. In a series of money-saving measures, the Teletouch Drive transmission
that was originally planned as an option on the 1959 Edsel, was eliminated. Unique
design elements were cut, and the Edsel began to lose some of the features that made
it distinct. Taillights from the 1958 Continental were used, the chassis was the same
as the Fairlane, and the dashboard became almost identical to the Ford.
Also, as a result of the public's changing need for a more economical car, the available
engine size for 1959 Edsels were significantly smaller than in the 1958 models. The
powerful E-475 motor was eliminated, and the E-400 that was once standard was now a
high-performance option. Styling was much more conservative this year as well. The
large distinctive grille was reduced and incorporated into a more Ford-like horizontal
configuration.
None of the changes could turn the marque around, and sales dropped well below the 1958 model year totals. The future of the Edsel was in serious jeopardy.
1959 Edsel Facts:
The Ranger 2-door sedan was not available in Canada.
Ranger/Corsair 2-door
Headroom - Front (in): 33.83
Headroom - Rear (in): 33.52
Leg Room - Front (in): 42.77
Leg Room - Rear (in): 40.36
Shoulder Room - Front (in): 56.70
Shoulder Room - Rear (in): 56.56
Seat Height - Front (in): 10.1
Seat Height - Rear (in): 12.8
Useable Luggage Capacity (cu ft):32.0
Ranger/Corsair 4-door
Headroom - Front (in): 33.83
Headroom - Rear (in): 33.52
Leg Room - Front (in): 42.77
Leg Room - Rear (in): 40.36
Shoulder Room - Front (in): 56.70
Shoulder Room - Rear (in): 57.00
Hip Room - Front (in): 60.4
Hip Room - Rear (in): 60.8
Seat Height - Front (in): 10.1
Seat Height - Rear (in): 12.8
Useable Luggage Capacity (cu ft):32.0
Corsair Convertible
Headroom - Front (in): 34.54
Headroom - Rear (in): 33.75
Leg Room - Front (in): 42.83
Leg Room - Rear (in): 38.37
Shoulder Room - Front (in): 56.70
Shoulder Room - Rear (in): 46.58
Villager 6-passenger
Headroom - Front (in): 34.74
Headroom - Rear (in): 34.35
Leg Room - Front (in): 42.77
Leg Room - Rear (in): 41.26
Shoulder Room - Front (in): 56.70
Shoulder Room - Rear (in): 57.00
Villager 9-passenger
Headroom - Front (in): 34.74
Headroom - Rear (in): 35.25
Headroom - Third Seat (in): 31.80
Leg Room - Front (in): 42.77
Leg Room - Rear (in): 39.80
Leg Room - Third Seat (in): 43.70
Shoulder Room - Front (in): 56.70
Shoulder Room - Rear (in): 56.00
All Models
Ground Clearance (in): 5.96
Turning Radius (ft): 44
Steering Wheel Turns, lock-to-lock: 5
Steering ratio - standard: 31.8:1
Steering ratio - power assisted: 27:1
Brake drum diameter (in): 11.0 (Max re-bore: 11.060)
Brake lining area (sq in): 191.5
Brake fluid capacity (oz): 11
Wheel cylinder bore (in): Front - 1.125 Rear - 0.9375
Master cylinder bore (in): Standard - 0.65625 Power - 1.125
Engine Colors
Engine Colors
Transmission capacity (US pints)
All 1959 Edsel transmissions (and their dataplate codes) were identical to Ford's. The Edsel Mile-o-Matic was exactly the same transmission as the Ford-o-Matic and Merc-o-Matic that went into Ford and Mercury cars. Similarly, the Edsel Dual-Power unit was the Ford Cruise-o-Matic.
An overdrive transmission was not offered, but several 1959 Edsels
have been found with this factory-installed option. Supplied by Borg-Warner,
it was known as the T-85. In this case,
the transmission code on the dataplate is blank.
Also, even though the Express V8 was not listed as being available
with the manual transmission, several examples of factory-made Edsels
exist with this configuration.
In 1959, Ford introduced their "Equa-Lock" rear axle, that provided power to both drive wheels. It was in response to the extremely popular Chevrolet "Posi-Traction" drive. Although the new gear set was not available on Edsel, some factory-original examples do exist. Their dataplate axle code is blank.
Acceleration times when equipped with the Ranger V8 and automatic transmission
Speed Age:
0 - 30 MPH in 4.0 seconds
0 - 40 MPH in 5.9 seconds
0 - 50 MPH in 8.3 seconds
0 - 60 MPH in 10.8 seconds
Standing quarter mile in 17.6 seconds
Speed at end of quarter mile (mph): 81
Maximum speed (mph): 119
Miles-per-gallon using Regular (90-Octane) gasoline: 13.7
where "x" is either 1 or 5.
Color Combinations Available
There were 31 different reversible 2-tone color combinations available
for Ranger/Corsair, and 23 combinations for Villager.
Single-Tone
Refer to the color chart above for available colors.
Talisman Red and Platinum Gray Metallic were the only two
not available as a solid color on Villager.
Two-Tone
Two-Tone Paint option had the side trim and/or roof
painted a different color than the main body.
All combinations are reversible, unlike with the 1958 model.
Star Blue with Jet Stream Blue
Star Blue with Desert Tan
Mist Green with Jadeglint Green
Blue Aqua with Light Aqua
Moonrise Gray with Platinum Gray
Moonrise Gray with Petal Yellow (Ranger/Corsair only)
Moonrise Gray with Talisman Red (Ranger/Corsair only)
Moonrise Gray with President Red (Ranger/Corsair only)
Platinum Gray with Jet Black (Ranger/Corsair only)
Platinum Gray with Talisman Red (Ranger/Corsair only)
Jet Black with Gold
Petal Yellow with Gold
Desert Tan with Redwood
Desert Tan with President Red
Desert Tan with Velvet Maroon
Talisman Red with Velvet Maroon (Ranger/Corsair only)
Snow White with any color except Velvet Maroon
(Villager: Snow White not available with Talisman Red or Platinum Gray)
Tri-Tone
Tri-tone paint was not offered on the 1959 Edsel.
The 1959 Edsel interior trim codes were two digits. Listed below are the available color combinations and materials used, with trim codes for both US and Canadian-made Edsels.
"Signet" cloth had little horsecollars, 3/4 inches high by 1/4 inches wide,
embroidered on them diagonally on the material.
"Reception" cloth can be described as jigsaw puzzle, or scrambled pattern
design.
Quite a few 1959 Corsairs have been found with "mesh" cloth inserts
in various colors, that were used on the 1958 Edsel.
Front seat styles varied on the 1959 Edsel. Early models are split 60/40, like all 1958 Edsels. This was replaced in December 1958 with a 50/50 split seat. These were again replaced in January 1959 with non-split bench seats for 4-door model Edsels. Each style maintained the contour design, and early 4-door models had the split seats locked in place so they wouldn't tilt forward.
Carpet was standard on Corsair and Ranger, while Villager opted for a rubber floor mat that was molded to resembled loop-pile tweed carpet.
There are no Blue or Green interiors available for Edsel Convertibles. Consequently, there were very few convertibles ordered in these colors.
Trim Code 50 was changed on February 6th, 1959 to left-over 1957 Mercury black cloth, that incorporated a four-point star design. Then on April 23, 1959 trim code 50 was replaced with trim code 22: Silver and Black vinyl with Black signet cloth inserts.
Corsair Sedan & Hardtops - 6 styles
38 - Aqua vinyl bolsters with Aqua reception cloth inserts
39 - Redwood vinyl bolsters with Redwood reception cloth inserts
40 - Gold vinyl bolsters with Black reception cloth inserts
51 - Black vinyl bolsters with Black mesh cloth inserts
53 - Light Green vinyl bolsters with Dark Green reception cloth inserts
54 - Light Blue vinyl bolsters with Dark Blue reception cloth inserts
? (Canada Only) - Red vinyl bolsters with Black reception cloth insers
Corsair Convertible - 4 styles
41 - Gold vinyl bolsters with Black vinyl inserts
42 - Black vinyl bolsters with Silver vinyl inserts & White vinyl accents
43 - Aqua vinyl bolsters with White vinyl inserts
44 - Black vinyl bolsters with Red vinyl inserts
Villager Wagons - 4 styles
30 - Dark Green vinyl with Light Green vinyl accents & Gold Puff cloth inserts
31 - Red vinyl with White vinyl accents & Gold Puff cloth inserts
32 - Buff vinyl with White vinyl accents & Straw vinyl inserts
52 - Dark Blue vinyl with Light Blue vinyl accents & Gold Puff cloth inserts
Corsair/Ranger taillight lenses are not exactly the same as the 1958 Continental, but they'll work. There's a flange on the Continental lenses to fit the housing in a particular orientation. Edsel lenses should be installed with the inverted triangle at the bottom. These lenses are stampted with "CRST 58". Note that Villager lenses are slightly smaller and can be identified with their hyphenated stamp "CRST-58". The Corsair/Ranger lenses are said to be difficult to install in the wagon's smaller housing.
Corsair - Model script was the same one from the 1958 Edsel Corsair. Convertible top bows are the same as Ford, except that they're painted black instead of tan.
Villager - Uses Ford body shell, glass, doors, (Villager rear doors are different from Ranger/Corsair), liftgate, tailgate.
If you have an interchange tip, please contact us at admin@edsel@com!
Ranger models equipped with standard transmission and/or 6-cylinder engines used 7.50 x 14, 4-ply tires. All other Ranges, as well as all Corsair and Villager models, used 8.00 x 14, 4-ply.
Conversion chart
All 1959 Models:
Many Edsel owners have reported a marked improvement in handling with radial tires in place of
the bias-ply, and if the rims are in good solid shape, they will accommodate the radial tires
without a problem. And according to vintage tire distributor
Coker Tire, there
is not enough variation between original Edsel tires and radials to warrant any change in
the alignment setting, providing the recommended replacement is used.
But you should be aware of the following warning from radial tire manufacturers:
"When replacing bias ply tires with radial, please refer to the auto manufacturers recommendations. Rims designed for bias tires can crack because of the extra stress placed on them with radial tires. Interchangeability is not always possible because of rim sizes, wheel well clearance and load ratings. Never mix tires of different size or construction (radial and bias) on the same vehicle. Vehicles designed for bias ply tires may drive considerably different on radial tires. Caution should be used."
It was also used on the 1958 and 1960
model Edsels. When this option was used,
the rims were painted the same color as
the main body color.
The full wheel cover was optional. Fourteen inches in diameter,
it has an embossed "E" in a flat black circle in the center of
the cover. Around the edge of the wheel cover is a circle of
ninety-one stamped indentations, painted flat black.
These were also used on some 1960 Edsels.
An added option was the "spinner". A chrome circle suspended above the wheel cover with three chrome tines made the wheel covers look sharp. For 1959, there was no colored backplate - the spinner mounted directly to the chrome.
One other wheel cover option for the 1959 Edsel was the
larger 1958 Edsel wheel cover with the spinner applied.
In this case, a circular backplate painted as
the main body color (or sometimes the secondary trim color
if the body color is white) is attached between the cover
and the spinner. A hole in the center allows the "E" to still
be displayed.
Even though there were cost cutting efforts in place, the 1959 Edsel was still available with a host of options and factory-approved, dealer-installed accessories.
Here is a list of the available equipment, sorted by their retail prices:
| Dial-Temp Heater/Air Conditioner | $431.20 |
| Dual-Power Automatic Transmission (Super Express V8 only) | $230.80 |
| Mile-o-Matic Automatic Transmission | $189.60 |
| Power Windows - All 4 | $102.05 |
| Dial-Temp Heater | $90.10 |
| Station Seeking Radio | $89.20 |
| Power Steering | $81.80 |
| Lever-Temp Heater | $74.45 |
| 4-Way Power Seats | $70.20 |
| Push-button Radio (5-tube standard, w/manual antenna) | $64.95 |
| Super Express 361 Engine (Ranger) | $48.90 |
| Power Brakes | $43.25 |
| Tinted Glass (Required with Air Conditioning) | $37.90 |
| Whitewall Tires | $35.68 |
| Dual Exhaust (Express & Super Express only. Std on convertible) | $31.90 |
| Super Express 361 Engine (Corsair/Villager) | $29.60 |
| Wheel Covers with Spinner applique | $28.00 |
| Two-tone Paint | $21.55 |
| Padded Instrument Panel & Visors | $20.60 |
| Rocker Panel Mouldings (Not available on Villager) | $17.00 |
| Wheel Covers | $16.60 |
| Windshield Washer | $13.85 |
| Rear Speaker (Not available on convertible or Villager) | $10.70 |
| Back-up Lights | $9.42 |
| Electric Windshield Wipers | $8.40 |
| Economy Six Engine, DELETE OPTION (Ranger) | $83.70 Credit |
| Economy Six Engine, DELETE OPTION (Villager) | $96.50 Credit |
Additionally, there were Factory Approved accessories that were installed by the Edsel dealership. These included:
| Compass |
| Continental Spare Tire Kit (not on Villager) |
| Curb Feelers |
| Cushion Toppers |
| Electric Clock (was optional on Villager) |
| Engine Compartment Light |
| Floor Mats (front & rear) |
| Heavy Duty Battery (65 Amp) |
| Heavy Duty Clutch |
| Heavy Duty Generator (50 Amp) |
| Heavy Duty Shock Absorbers (All 4) |
| Heavy Duty Springs - Front |
| Heavy Duty Springs - Rear |
| License Plate Frame (gold or silver) |
| Litter Container |
| Locking Fuel Tank Cap |
| Luggage Compartment Light |
| Overdrive |
| Padded Sun Visors |
| Parking Brake Warning Light |
| Polar-Aire Conditioning ("Hang-on") |
| Power-Lock Differential |
| Power Lubricator |
| Power Windows - Front Only |
| Rear Antenna (single or dual, not on Villager) |
| Rear Door Safety Locks (4-door only) |
| Remote-Controlled Side View Mirror |
| Rooftop Luggage Carrier (Villager only) |
| Safety Seat Belts |
| Spotlight and Mirror |
| Standard-style Side View Mirror |
| Tissue Dispenser |
| Traffic Light Reflector |
| Vanity Mirror Lamp Kit |
| Ventilated Seat Covers |
Visibility Group $35.40
Glove Box & Courtesy Lights, Back-up Lights, Windshield Washer, Inside Day/Night Rear View
and Hooded Side View Mirror
Special thanks to Magne Teigen for filling in the blanks, and to Charles Salerno for error detection and correction.