Here’s a Cohort image taken in Cuba by riveranotario, with a ’58 Edsel almost getting lost in this color coordinated environment.
As it’s been mentioned in previous posts, it’s rather amazing to see how Cubans keep these old machines on the roads. On documentaries I’ve seen on the subject, clandestine shops replicate bits of trim and panels, while locals use a whole array of tricks to keep the vehicles going. It’s a whole chapter of its own, that merits further research.
A very nice low-end Ranger/Pacer sedan (the Ford-based one). I don’t see many restored Edsels painted yellow, probably to avoid the lemon reference.
I saw a pair of 59 Edsels at a car show last weekend. I was reminded of someone’s comment awhile back how funny it is that the 58 model was the one with the highest production, but it is always the 59s that we see. That has certainly been my experience, and this is a happy exception.
Yellow and white was a popular color scheme with manufacturers, but apparently not with customers. Nash got stuck with a bunch of yellow and white Metropolitans, so their sales department cobbled up a fancier yellow-white convertible, called it the Royal Runabout, and sent it around for dealers to display. The halo effect worked.
Bittersweet photo. One of the Edsel’s better angles. The polarizing visage its designers burdened it with, hidden from view.
I can certainly identify with the Cubans’ love of colour. Even to yellow Edsels.
Late “60’s, early 70’s” brought a “yellow resurgence” as I recall. Our “73 Fury” was the ever present, fleet car color.
Sister/brother in laws first car after marriage in “67” was a stunning yellow , “Mustang ” fastback.
I have the utmost respect for Cuban Classics. One needs lots of creativity, skill and resourcefulness to build and maintain these unique creations.
If it wasn’t for the Embargo, an incentive to keep these classics from scrapyard doom would not have been likely.
Colonial Spanish architecture is also on the same side of this coin to be found
In the late 1950’s Cuba was in office Americas best export markets. It is amazing that so many have survived in the 63 years since we stopped importing into Cuba. This 1058 Ranger sedan was probably built at the Mahwah NJ assembly plant and shipped out of Elizabeth New Jersey. There were at least four Edsel dealers and n Cuba two of them in Havana.
Nice to see another survivor .
My 1959 Nash Metropolitan FHC was originally yellow & white, by the time it got to me it had multiple resale re sprays, I liked the solid red with white roof .
-Nate
Yellow and white was not an authorized color combination from the factory for Edsel in 1958. Rangers, Pacers and wagons could have yellow with Driftwood (a very light gray), Charcoal brown metallic, Silver Gray metallic or black. Corsairs and Citations could have those same combos except the yellow and Driftwood. Of course, single tone yellow was available with all 1958 models.