Vintage Edsel no easy car to interest buyer in

Oakland Tribune, Jan 9, 2006 by Ricci Graham, STAFF WRITER

SAN LEANDRO -- Edsel Henry Ford has embarked on what is turning out to be quite the daunting task: Finding someone to take one of his four Edsels off his hands.

Ford -- an 81-year-old retired executive chef who was named by his father after legendary car maker Henry Ford and Ford's son, Edsel -- has had a "for sale" sign on his green 1959 Edsel for some time.

And while a few curious souls have dropped by to take a gander at a car that was once the cornerstone of one of the great marketing disasters of the industrial age, no one has even considered making an offer.

So the car sits in Ford's driveway, waiting for a new home.

"It's not easy to sell an Edsel," Ford said. "I have had the (for sale) sign on that one for several years. Quite a few people stop and look at it. But not everyone wants to pay

$8,000 for it."

Understanding the market force is not necessarily working in his favor; Ford said he is prepared to sell the'59 Edsel for what he considers a bargain.

"I'd like to sell it now for

$5,000, but nobody wants it," Ford chaffed.

Ford clearly understands the challenges that come with trying to unload one of his antique vehicles. At one point, he was the proud owner of 13 Ford Edsels, but he slowly moved the vehicles.

Presently, he has three other Edsels -- a'58, another'59 and a'60. The 1959 model, by the way, is the first -- and only -- new car Ford ever has purchased, and as such, it holds great sentimental value.

The white Edsel sits proudly in one of two garages at his home, surrounded by every spare Edsel part imaginable.

The two other Edsels, which along with the white'59 model he considers "keepers," are stored in Ford's front garage and, frankly, are in pretty good condition for cars that are considered ancient by today's standards.

Those three Edsels, by the way, aren't for sale, although Ford suspects his wife, Pauline, probably will be eager to get rid of the cars once he passes.

"Once I'm gone, she can do whatever she wants with them," Ford said. "But I'll keep them till I die. And if Pauline wants to sell them off, I don't care."

Ford, one of the founding members of the Edsel Owners Club, said he grew enamored with the car that eventually would bear his name when he was a young adult.

What drew him to the cars is even difficult for him to reason, considering they're a tad hard on the eye.

"I brought my first Edsel because it had my name on it," he said. "Who would want an Edsel unless their name is on it?"

Ford's passion for the vehicle can be found throughout his home, which is a veritable museum for an automobile whose lifespan was exceptionally short.

Inside his home are some two dozen trophies that he won over the years at car shows.

Also sprinkled throughout his small house are models, portraits and photographs of the car.

When visitors arrive at his home, they are greeted by a sign that reads "Edsel Avenue."

In two storage areas, one can find any part imaginable for the vehicle. Outside the house, in a storage area in the back, rest such spare parts as engine blocks and doors.

And, yes, that stuff is for sale too.

But Ford also can't find anyone to buy the spare parts. Then again, it's not like there are a lot of people who have a need for the thousands of parts he has stored on his property.

Ford said he has gone so far as to consider signing on to an auction Web site. But at his age, he has developed an aversion to computers.

Also, he said, "I just can't stand advertising."

Still, Ford can only hope to find a way to rid himself of his once cherished goods.

"Maybe somebody will come by and take the whole damn load," he said as he scanned his boxes upon boxes of spare parts. "Because there's a lot of money in here."

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