The Big E Page 2

Volume XLVI, Issue 6 Edsel Owners Club Inc. November 2014 T HE B IG E Edsels Spared from the Crusher INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Edsels spared 1 from the crusher President’s 2 Letter 2015 EOC Nation- 3 al meet announcement Edsels spared 4 from the crusher By William Cooke III: (continued) I received a call from our own Jeannine Phipps, to tell me about a few Edsels in Reno, NV, that were in Roy Brown’s Ed- 4 need of being saved from being sent off to the crusher. I followed up on the lead she gave me and contacted sel at grand open- the owner of these Edsels. We set up a time to go and pick up the first 2 Edsels, a pair of Citations. These 4-door cars were still on the road just 10 years ago, but a neighbor kid broke out the windows. Sadly, being ing of Ford dealer 4-door cars, that would normally make them both parts cars. 2015 Laughlin Ne- 5 Dad & I headed out to Reno on a mission to save these Edsels and met the owner, who was disposing of vada Edsel Event these Edsels, due to losing storage for the cars. A deal was made, how can you turn them down for free? My dad and I braved the heat and the wasps to load them on our two-car trailer. Ironically, to avoid being Comparison of 6 stung in the triple-digit heat, we had to wear jackets to get close enough to the cars to be able to change flat Paint Codes tires, push & pull the cars around, and tie them down to the trailer. Amazingly, no wasp stings happened. between Edsel and Ford Finally the cars were loaded and the difficult part was behind us, or so we thought. On the way home, near Mammoth Lakes, our tow vehicle (a Ford Excursion with the 6.0 diesel) decided to just quit running. As we have had this truck since new, we knew a few tricks to make it start and nothing worked. Calendar of 7 Events and wel- Dad & I walked into town; we were offered a ride on our way by someone who saw our broken down come new mem- truck. Once in town, we searched for a place that would allow us to store the trailer and someone with a bers vehicle to tow the trailer off the freeway. The campground had some storage spaces available at a low weekly rate, so that part was done. Now we just needed a person who could pull the load off the freeway to Green Line Edsel 8-9 the campground, less than a 5-mile trip, but still a very heavy trailer with two Edsels on it. The local mechanic offered, but he only had a light-duty Toyota truck, but it did have air bags in the rear. We were Action Ads desperate so we gave it a shot. The mechanic kept the speed low as he didn't have trailer brakes; it remind- ed me of the story "The Little Engine That Could." About The Edsel 10 Continued on Page 4 Owners Club The Big E Page 2 Hello again; As another car show season has ended, it's time to put the Edsels up for another winter. Aside from the usual changing and topping off of fluids, some of us have issues with little "visitors," aka mice! I saw evidence of such inside the Edsel a couple of years ago and responded with numerous mouse traps. Problem solved. Be sure to inspect your cars from time to time; these critters can sure wreak havoc. It was mentioned several times in the Big E that Harv Woebbeking of Wisconsin was trying to get the 1958 Corsair/Citation rear window seals reproduced. After nearly three years of hard work, the project sadly fizzled. At the 11th hour, Harv was given a quote of $40,000 for the start-up cost alone, and the seals would cost well over $300 apiece. And, the rubber company acted like they didn't even want to take the project on after all. There was nothing else that Harv could do. I'd like to make sure everyone knows how hard Harv worked on this. We appreciate your efforts, Harv! Here are a couple of pictures of a wrecked 58 Corsair I found on a Facebook Edsel page. These pics were taken in Montana in 1959 after this Edsel collided with a train. I've never seen an Edsel wrecked so badly! And what's weird is how the rear of the car is "folded" like it is. Too bad those kids are standing where they are, they're hiding the place where the car is bent. And, how in the world did that horsecollar survive that frontal impact? I guess these cars ARE crazy! This will be the last Big E until after the holidays. I hope all of you will enjoy good health, safe travels, good times with family and friends, and many happy memories made at this time, and From the President’s Desk! into the new year. May God bless. George Volume XLVI, Issue 6 Page 3 Announcement for the 2015 EOC National Meet Site: The Redwood Empire Chapter of the Edsel Owners Club would like to welcome you all to the 47th annual Edsel Owners Convention on August 5 - August 9, 2015. This convention site is located very near the area of Old Town, Sacramento, and should be one of the most memorable events that the E.O.C. has had in California for many years. The Sacramento area has many, many points of interest to see. I would suggest that you might want to take a look at some of these sites and select what you would be interested in, and make your selections based on what you find most desirable. Starting with the local area of Old Town, there is the California Auto Museum with many changing exhibits and also a very large selection of interesting and rare vintage automobiles spanning from the teens up and into the 50s. Also, the Crocker Art Museum is located a short distance from the hotel in Old Town and features some of the finest collections of art in the San Francisco Bay Area. Edwin B. Crocker was a man of great wealth and was one of the original men who was responsible for the great railroads connecting the West Coast to the East Coast. His vintage Victorian home is beyond grand and the museum will astound anyone who enters the residence. There is also the very popular California State Railroad Museum which is a short distance away and for those of you that enjoy vintage locomotives and the cars in tow, there is an assemblage of great and wonderful trains to enjoy. Also at the museum, there is a running 1880s, electric train which will provide you with an idea of what it was like to experience the thrill of riding one of these cars back when transportation was just starting to expand. The newly restored State Capitol building is a masterpiece of classical architecture… saved recently from the wreckers ball. Then, for those who wish to rent a car and spend a little more time exploring the Bay Area… Starting with the Great City of San Francisco, there is almost too much to see. Again, you might want to pick some things that are of interest and explore these on Google for a better look at the areas you wish to visit. There is the San Francisco Wharf, where you can jump on a cable car, visit Ghirardelli square where the famous chocolate comes packaged in so many different forms. Also, if you decide on a tour of Alcatraz Island, you can catch a ferry boat from this area for a great adventure to the Bay Areas most famous penitentiary. (Be sure that if you decide to do this, make your reservations well in advance. Bookings are sometimes filled up in the summertime to capacity.) Also, by car... what an experience it is to drive over the most famous bridge in the World. The beautiful Golden Gate Bridge is a sight that you will not forget and a parking lot at the northern end allows for you to walk on the bridge. Also, in San Francisco, there is China Town, North Beach (The Italian Section)... Lombard Street (The crookedest street in the world.) Oh, so much, much more. For those people on a more extended stay, you might want to drive down the beautiful Highway 1 which runs a very windy road right along the coast. Vistas that will take your breath away, a real adventure. On the way, you will pass Bodega Bay… where Alfred Hitchcock filmed his terrifying movie, "The Birds," and finally end up in the Monterey Bay area and the little artist colony of Carmel. (You can see the attractions of the area on Google as well.) Everywhere in this part of California is splendid. There is so much to do and see. This vacation area boasts of some of the most beautiful beaches, mountains, redwood groves and everything that you would expect. Remember, if you do decide to join us at the Convention, plan your trip accordingly and decide on what sites you would like to experience. Yes, California is expensive to visit and vacation. Yet, with a little planning and searching around, you will find that you can have a great and enjoyable vacation without breaking the budget.

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