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Back about 1982 I spotted an Edsel station wagon on a used car lot in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I didn't even know they made those. I mentioned it to my girlfriend, who added that her mother had an Edsel "out back in the weeds." Sure enough, there it was -- with a pushbutton-controlled automatic transmission. I forget what size the engine was, but it (the engine) was some huge monster. I've often wondered what became of those two cars. From what I've read, it seems the major problem with the Edsel was that Ford overhyped it before introducing it. They had the public expecting some George Jetson supercar, but when they pulled off the cover, there it was -- four tires, an AM radio, ho-hum. Aside from the love-it-or-hate-it grille, there was nothing out of the ordinary to meet the extraordinary expectations. Quality problems were probably secondary, but they didn't help, either. There's a well-known story (going from memory here, so bear with me) that CBS either pre-empted or followed an episode of the Ed Sullivan show with the Ford Hour, a 60-minute commercial unveiling the Edsel. The "show" featured Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, et al. Each of the stars received a free Edsel as a bonus. After the show, Rosemary Clooney tried to open the door and the handle came off in her hand. She had a few choice words for the Ford rep backstage. I still think an Edsel would be an interesting car to own. Less car than originally claimed, but more car than widely believed. Mark W.
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