Vehicle Description
1958 Edsel Corsair Two-door Hardtop� 1958 was the only year for the
larger, Mercury-based Corsair models Seldom seen car - one of 712
two-door Corsair hardtops built at the Wayne, Michigan factory in
1958; one of 3,312 total two-door Corsair hardtops built in 1958
Three-owner car Partial refurbishment in 2001 and 2002 Rebuilt 410
CID E-475 V-8 engine with dual exhausts Three-speed "Teletouch"
Pushbutton Automatic Transmission (code 4) and 2.91:1 rear end
(code A) Frost White over Spruce Green Metallic (code LLE) exterior
Period correct Light Green vinyl and Medium Green cloth interior
(code D) Recent brake and transmission services Extensive
documentation - assorted books, manuals and records, a photo album
documenting the 2001-2002 body and mechanical work, several spare
parts Spare Teletouch parts include a second rebuilt shifter motor,
a set of steering wheel controls, a center tube with intact slip
rings, relays, and fender skirts. � Unobtanium. Hen's Teeth. A 1958
Edsel Corsair Two-door Hardtop. Don't ask us where to find the
first two but we have the third one at MotoeXotica Classic Cars.
This example was built at Ford's Wayne, Michigan (VIN code W)
factory on September 5, 1957 (code J5). Nineteen fifty-eight was
the only year the larger, Mercury-based Corsair models were
available. This Edsel has had three owners. The previous owner
acquired the car in 2017 from a family member who purchased it from
the original owner in 1985. Some extra stuff that comes from the
previous owner are spare Teletouch parts include a second rebuilt
shifter motor, a set of steering wheel controls, a center tube with
intact slip rings, relays, and fender skirts. Finished in Frost
White (roof and scallop) over Spruce Green Metallic (code LLE), the
car's paint and trim are in overall very good original condition.
There are minor blemishes and fading visible upon close inspection.
The car's windows are original, clear and mostly intact. However,
there is a small pit in the lower center of the windshield. The
car's lights are in similar good condition. The car's bodywork is
straight and solid, its engine bay is quite tidy and the car's
bumpers fit tightly to the body. The Edsel rolls on BFGoodrich
Silvertown wide whitewall radials, size 8.00-14 at all four
corners. The car has original wheel covers with color-matched
centers and the car includes a pair of rear fender skirts. Under
the hood is a 410 CID V-8 breathing through true dual exhausts. The
motor is mated to a three-speed "Teletouch" pushbutton automatic
transmission (code 4) and backed by a 2.91:1 rear axle (code A). A
partial revamp of the car during 2001 and 2002 included a rebuild
of its engine and exterior touch-ups, plus new carpet and front
seat upholstery. The car has had recent maintenance work, including
a new front wheel cylinder, brake system bleed, a shift motor
rebuild and new relays for the Teletouch transmission. Inside, the
car's seats, with Light Green vinyl bolsters and Medium Green cloth
inserts (code D), are in overall great condition. The new front
seat upholstery came from SMS Auto Fabrics and is period correct.
The newer green carpet is in satisfactory condition while the white
headliner and factory three-spoke steering wheel look great. A few
words about that steering wheel: the hub is where you'll find the
controls for the transmission; no lever on the column or buttons on
the dashboard. Another unique Edsel feature includes the floating
barrel speedometer. However, the heater, fuel gauge, horn and
wipers are all inoperable. The instrument panel wears a new dash
pad but is in otherwise satisfactory shape. The inner door liners
are in similar satisfactory order. Finishing the interior is a
factory AM radio. For the 1958 model year, Ford produced four
sub-models of Edsel: the larger Mercury-based�Citation and�Corsair
and the smaller Ford-based�Pacer and Ranger. The Citation was
offered in two-door and four-door hardtop and
two-door�convertible�versions. The Corsair was available in
two-door and four-door hardtop versions. The Pacer was available as
a two-door or four-door hardtop, four-door�sedan or two-door
convertible. The Ranger was sold in two-door and four-door hardtop
or sedan versions. The four-door�Bermuda�and Villager�wagons and
the two-door�Roundup�wagon were based on the
116-inch�wheelbase/Ford�station wagon platform and shared the trim
and features of the Ranger and Pacer models. 1958 Edsel Innovations
Floating speedometer that glows when a pre-set speed limit is
exceeded Automatic transmission locks in park until ignition key
turned (new with Edsel - still used today) Top portion of seats
slant forward to provide shoulder support Triple-thermostat cooling
system (head/block/radiator) during warm-up for increased fuel
economy and heater performance (E-475 engine) Front-mounted
distributor, coil, fuel pump, oil filter dipstick for easy access.
Hood hinged in the front for safety (Although, this somewhat limits
access to the aforementioned distributor, etc!) Hood release
controlled electronically from inside the car The front seats were
split 60/40 for better driver comfort Promoted self-adjusting
brakes as a safe and convenient method of compensating for normal
brake lining wear.�This mechanism has been used in drum brake
systems ever since (They were not, however, an Edsel invention as
is commonly thought. The same basic design was introduced on the
1948 Studebaker.) A huge array of bells and whistles available
as�options! In an effort to boost sales, the Edsel Division ran a
short-lived promotion where the new Edsel owner had a chance to win
a live pony The "horsecollar" grille was considered part of the
bumper assembly. The center chrome section is officially known as
the "impact ring." To make it seem even more powerful, the 1958
Edsel displays its torque rating ("400" and "475") on the
engine.�Traditionally, it's the cubic displacement or horsepower
that's advertised. By 1957, not all states had accepted the use of
"quad" headlamps. As a precaution, Edsel designers developed the
front fender opening large enough to accommodate two 5.5-inch
lenses or a single seven-inch lamp. The Villager station wagon was
originally called the "Caravan." There was even a
production-ready�script design. The cars' plastic hood ornament
inserts had to be rationed, as employees were fond of sneaking them
out of the assembly plants. Once on the car, the wind blew out
many, until a redesigned retaining ring design was implemented.
This car has extensive documentation - assorted books, manuals and
records, a photo album documenting the 2001-2002 body and
mechanical work, several spare parts and more. Competition to this
Edsel in 1958 included Buick's Electra two-door hardtop, DeSoto's
Adventurer two-door hardtop, Dodge's Royal Lancer Super two-door
hardtop, Mercury's Montclair and Monterey Phaeton two-door
hardtops, Oldsmobile's 98 Holiday Coupe two-door hardtop and
Pontiac's Bonneville two-door hardtop. If you're a fan of "orphan"
makes and models, or if you enjoy collecting seldom seen models,
like the Edsel, drop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars today to examine
this one before taking it home. VIN: X8WW701450 This car is
currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current
mileage on the odometer shows 46,354 miles. It is sold as is, where
is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND
DRIVE!!! � Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below
that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.
