JULY 2026: 1960 EDSEL RANGER—A STORY OF FAMILY, OLD CARS AND A HEART TRANSPLANT

By
Jerry Admin
-
0
7

Edsel was on its way out in 1960.

The car had become a punchline; Ford was losing money and Edsel’s last production year was a sales nightmare at just 2846 units.

That didn’t stop this 1960 Edsel Ranger from becoming a family legacy.

Jerry Sutherland

Rob Cameron is the proud owner of this rare car. His wife’s grandparents were the previous owners, and it was stored on their property for over 35 years. Every car guy in the world knows what those storage conditions do to a car and this Edsel was no exception.

The car had taken a bullet during its long-term hibernation and Rob kept the entry wound to preserve its biography over the years.

Rob had a game plan for the Edsel. He wanted to make it a reliable driver so he could take his family on some adventures in the 66-year-old classic. That meant the powertrain had to be reliable, so he chose a 2004 Chevy truck LS small block as the new heart for the Edsel.

Rob admitted he swam upstream with the Ford guys on that choice, but he had some good reasons. He knows these engines inside and out and they are easy to parts source.

He wanted the Edsel to retain the look it had when his wife’s grandparents owned it, but it had to function at a 21st century level. The LS was an easy choice.

Rob had very few rust issues with the car because it came from a relatively dry climate. He had to repair the trunk, but overall, the Edsel survived its storage life in good shape.

The interior was redone to maintain an early 60s look, but not to exact factory standards. Rob’s game plan was to make it look like a period-correct Edsel, with nothing to tip off the casual observer to the changes in the car.

These cars are rare, so Rob has to answer questions every time he stops for gas. Many people in 2026 have never heard on an Edsel so he’s constantly giving history lessons in parking lots and at gas pumps.

Mike said the older guys “know what it is” but Mike has to give them the history behind the car. He’s happy to explain how he got from field car to show car status. 

The next question is obvious. What does his wife’s grandparents think of the Edsel resurrection? The answer is simple—they love seeing it back on the road. Mike has assured them the car will see many more family miles under his watch because he knows the car is officially a family heirloom, so he wants to look after the Edsel.

That doesn’t mean Mike has no future plans for the car. He wants to tinker with it to get maximum performance out of the Edsel, but that’s down the road. It’s always going to look like it came from the factory – with 21st century upgrades.

That’s a nice balancing act for a family legacy car.

Jerry Sutherland

By: Jerry Sutherland

Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post,  Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.

SPONSORS

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR