Edsel Pacer

Last updated
Edsel Pacer
58 edsel pacer.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Edsel (Ford)
Model years 1958
Assembly Mahwah, New Jersey
Louisville, Kentucky
San Jose, California
Oakville, Ontario
Body and chassis
Class Full-size
Body style 2-door convertible
2-door hardtop
4-door hardtop
4-door sedan
Related Edsel Ranger
Edsel Bermuda
Edsel Villager
Edsel Roundup
Ford Fairlane
Ford Custom
Ford Country Squire
Powertrain
Engine 361 cu in (5.9 L) FE V8
Transmission 3-speed manual
3-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 118.0 in (2,997 mm)
Width78.8 in (2,002 mm) [1]
Curb weight 4,000–4,500 lb (1,814–2,041 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor Ford Fairlane
Successor Ford Galaxie

The Edsel Pacer is an automobile that was produced and sold by Edsel in 1958. The Pacer was based on the shorter narrower Edsel platform, shared with Ford and the Ranger. [2]

Contents

Pacer is one of two Edsel model names reused by manufacturers other than Ford, as was Citation. The Corsair, a 1958-only Edsel model, used a name previously applied to the Henry J by the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation.

The Pacer represented a step up from the basic Ranger model. In addition to the Ranger's base trim appoints, the Pacer received contoured seat backs, nylon upholstery cloth, color-keyed rubber floor mats, and extra stainless steel exterior and interior trim pieces and window moldings. A basic heater (as a US$92 option) and radio (at $95) were available, and air conditioning was optional, as well [3] (at $417). [4] A tachometer was optional. [5]

All Pacers rode on Ford's 118 in (2997 mm) wheelbase [4] and shared the Ranger’s engine choices, with a 303 hp (226 kW) 361 cu in (5.9 L) FE V8 (with four-barrel carburetor) [6] as standard. (The 345 hp (257 kW) 410 cu in (6.7 L) MEL V8, standard in the Corsair and Citation, was not available.) [4] A three-speed manual transmission was also standard. Buyers also could upgrade to a three-speed automatic transmission with a standard column-mounted gear selector, or choose Edsel’s highly promoted but trouble-prone Teletouch automatic, which placed its drive-selection buttons in the steering wheel hub, as a US$231 option. [4]

While their roll-out was highly publicized in the fall of 1957, Edsels were a marketing disaster for Ford and for Ford's corporate strategy for meeting General Motors product line for product line. Total Pacer output in U.S. and Canada for the model stood at 20,988 units, of which 1,876 were U.S.-built convertibles, 7,141 four-door sedans (6,083 U.S./1,058 Canada), 6,717 hardtop coupes (6,139 U.S./578 Canada), and 5,254 four-door hardtops (4,959 U.S./295 Canada). Prices for the Pacer ranged from $2,700 to $2,993. Despite being among the best-selling 1958 Edsel models, the Pacer was discontinued at the end of the 1958 model year. The premium Citation model was also dropped, as was the trouble-prone Teletouch system.

Production figures

Production Figures for Edsel Pacer
Body StyleUnits
2-Door Convertible1,876
2-Door Hardtop6,717
4-Door Hardtop5,254
4-Door Sedan7,141
Total20,988

Different platforms

The model year of Edsel's introduction was a post-WW II high point of sorts for the Ford Motor Company. Three full-size platforms of distinctly different interior widths were in use each by Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford, a situation that lasted until Ford received a much wider platform in 1960. Edsel shared both Mercury's and Ford's platform in 1958, so offers an insight into their differing interior dimensions.

1958 Comparison [7] Edsel Citation/CorsairEdsel Pacer/Ranger
Wheelbase124.0 in (3,150 mm)118.0 in (2,997 mm)
Overall length218.9 in (5,560 mm)213.2 in (5,415 mm)
Width79.8 in (2,027 mm)78.8 in (2,002 mm)
Height56.8 in (1,443 mm)56.2 in (1,427 mm)
Front head room33.9 in (861 mm)33.2 in (843 mm)
Front leg room44.2 in (1,123 mm)43.1 in (1,095 mm)
Front hip room63.5 in (1,613 mm)60.0 in (1,524 mm)
Front shoulder room59.7 in (1,516 mm)57.3 in (1,455 mm)
Rear head room32.8 in (833 mm)33.6 in (853 mm)
Rear leg room–ins.43.4 in (1,102 mm)40.7 in (1,034 mm)
Rear hip room63.5 in (1,613 mm)60.1 in (1,527 mm)
Rear shoulder room59.7 in (1,516 mm)57.0 in (1,448 mm)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edsel</span> Automobile brand of the Ford Motor Company

Edsel is a discontinued division and brand of automobiles that was marketed by the Ford Motor Company from the 1958 to the 1960 model years. Deriving its name from Edsel Ford, son of company founder Henry Ford, Edsels were developed in an effort to give Ford a fourth brand to gain additional market share from Chrysler and General Motors. Established as an expansion of the Lincoln-Mercury Division to three brands, Edsel shared a price range with Mercury; the division shared its bodies with both Mercury and Ford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Galaxie</span> American full-size car

The Ford Galaxie is a full-sized car that was built in the United States by Ford for model years 1959 through to 1974. The name was used for the top models in Ford's full-size range from 1958 until 1961, in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement surrounding the Space Race. In 1958, a concept car was introduced called "la Galaxie" which incorporated the headlights into pods inline with the grille and a reduced front profile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Bel Air</span> American full-size automobile

The Chevrolet Bel Air is a full-size car produced by Chevrolet for the 1950–1975 model years. Initially, only the two-door hardtops in the Chevrolet model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950 to 1952. With the 1953 model year, the Bel Air name was changed from a designation for a unique body shape to a premium level of trim applied across a number of body styles. The Bel Air continued with various other trim level designations, and it had gone from a mid-level trim car to a budget fleet sedan when U.S. production ceased in 1975. Production continued in Canada, for its home market only, through the 1981 model year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Continental</span> American luxury car

The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Edsel Ford, who commissioned a coachbuilt 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr convertible, developed as a vacation vehicle to attract potential Lincoln buyers. In what would give the model line its name, the exterior was given European "continental" styling elements, including a rear-mounted spare tire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Turnpike Cruiser</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Turnpike Cruiser is a series of automobiles that were produced by the Mercury division of Ford for the 1957 and 1958 model years. Named to commemorate the creation of the Interstate Highway System, the Turnpike Cruiser was marketed as the flagship Mercury model line, slotted above the Montclair when Mercury was positioned upmarket to luxury status when Edsel was introduced in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Montclair</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Montclair is a series of full-size sedans that were manufactured and marketed by the Mercury division of Ford. The nameplate was used by the division twice, from the 1955 to the 1960 model years and from the 1964 to the 1968 model years. While not offered as a station wagon, the Montclair was offered as two-door and four-door hardtops, four-door pillared sedan, and a two-door convertible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Park Lane</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Park Lane is a full-sized automobile that was produced by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. While not officially introduced as the replacement of the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, the Park Lane became the flagship of the Mercury model line upon its introduction. The second-generation Park Lane was positioned above the Mercury Montclair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Fairlane (Americas)</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford Fairlane is an automobile model that was sold between the 1955 and 1970 model years by Ford in North America. Taking its name from the Dearborn, Michigan estate of Henry Ford, the Fairlane nameplate was used for seven different generations of vehicles. Through its production, the model line would be marketed in a wide variety of body styles, including two-door and four-door sedans, two-door and four-door hardtops, station wagons, and both traditional and retractable-hardtop convertibles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Marquis</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Marquis is a model line of automobiles that was marketed by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company from the 1967 to 1986 model years. Deriving its name from a French nobility title, the Marquis was introduced as a rebadged counterpart of the Ford LTD, retaining a similar market position across four generations of the model line. Initially serving as the flagship Mercury range, the Marquis line was later expanded to include the Mercury Grand Marquis positioned above it; in various forms, Mercury would use the nameplate through the 2011 model year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrysler Newport</span> Motor vehicle

The Newport was a name used by Chrysler for both a hardtop body designation and also for its lowest priced model between 1961 and 1981. Chrysler first used the Newport name on a 1940 show car, of which five vehicles were produced. The Newport continued the tradition of a large, comfortable luxurious coupe and sedan, while offering a modestly priced product in comparison to the Chrysler New Yorker and Chrysler Imperial. The Newport gradually replaced the Chrysler Windsor which originally replaced the Chrysler Royal. The Newport was initially the brand name for the Windsor with a hardtop body style, then was used for coupes, sedans and station wagons in later decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edsel Citation</span> Motor vehicle

The Edsel Citation is an automobile that was produced by the Edsel division of Ford for the 1958 model year. The flagship Edsel model line, the Citation was offered as a two-door convertible; all Citation sedans were produced as hardtops. Slotted above the Corsair, the exterior of the Citation was distinguished by additional stainless steel trim and a gold-anodized aluminum cove panel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edsel Corsair</span> Motor vehicle

The Edsel Corsair is an automobile that was produced and sold by Edsel in 1958 and 1959. For 1958, the Corsair was built on the longer, wider Edsel platform shared with Mercury. For 1959, the Corsair shared the shorter, narrower Ranger platform with Ford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edsel Ranger</span> Motor vehicle

The Edsel Ranger is an automobile that was produced and sold by the newly formed Edsel Division of Ford for the 1958–1960 model years. It was built on the shorter, narrower Edsel platform, shared with Ford and Edsel Pacer models.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edsel Villager</span> Motor vehicle

The Edsel Villager is a station wagon that was produced and sold by Edsel from 1958 to 1960. Like the two-door Roundup and premium Bermuda station wagons, the Villager was initially built on a 116 in wheelbase shared with Ford's station wagons, and, throughout its lifespan, shared Ford's wagons core body stampings. The Villager and the Ranger were the only two model names that existed throughout Edsel's three-year life span as an automobile marque.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Falcon (North America)</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford Falcon is a model line of cars that was produced by Ford from the 1960 to 1970 model years. Though preceded by the Rambler American, the Falcon was the first compact car marketed by the Big Three American manufacturers. Introduced five years after the Ford Thunderbird, the Falcon was the third car line introduced by Ford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner is a two-door full-size retractable hardtop convertible, manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1957–1959. For the model year 1959, the name changed to Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie Skyliner shortly after production began. The retractable roof mechanism, marketed as the "Hide-Away Hardtop", was unique to Ford-branded products, and was not offered on Continental, Lincoln, Mercury, or Edsel branded vehicles. A total of 48,394 were manufactured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1949 Ford</span> Motor vehicle

The 1949 Ford is a line of cars produced by Ford from the 1949 to 1951 model years. The successor to the prewar 1941 Ford, the model line was the first full-size Ford designed after World War II, becoming the first Ford car line released after the deaths of Edsel Ford and Henry Ford. From 1946 to 1948, each of the American Big Three concentrated on the restoration of car production, offering updated versions of their 1941-1942 model lines. Released in June 1948, the 1949 Ford was the first major "postwar" American car line, beating Chevrolet to market by six months and Plymouth by nine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1955 Ford</span> Motor vehicle

The 1955 Ford is an automobile which was produced by Ford in the United States for the 1955 model year and, in revised form, for the 1956 model year. A new design would be offered in 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1957 Ford</span> Motor vehicle

The mainstream Ford line of cars grew substantially larger for 1957, a model which lasted through 1959. The Crown Victoria with its flashy chrome "basket handle" was no more, and the acrylic glass-roofed Crown Victoria Skyliner was replaced by a new model, the retracting-roof hardtop Skyliner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Monterey</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Monterey is a series of full-size cars that were manufactured and marketed by the Mercury division of Ford from 1952 to 1974. Deriving its name from Monterey Bay, the Mercury Monterey served as the upscale version of the Mercury Custom which replaced the Mercury Eight, the debut model line of the Mercury division. During its production, the Monterey would be offered in multiple body styles, ranging from coupes, convertibles, sedans, hardtops, and station wagons.

References

Notes
  1. "Directory Index: Edsel/1958_Edsel/1958_Edsel_Sell-O-Graph". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  2. Flory, J. "Kelly", Jr. American Cars 1946-1959 (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Coy, 2008), p.888.
  3. "Directory Index: Edsel/1958_Edsel/1958_Edsel_Features". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Ford Motor Company, p.F8.
  5. "Directory Index: Edsel/1958_Edsel/1958_Edsel_Foldout". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  6. Ford Motor Company, Edsel Data, 1958 Official Reference Manual for Edsel Salesmen, p.F-8