Also, thanks to David Fleischer, we have added dealer items to the following dealers in the Edsel Dealer Locator:
Rattermann Edsel and Atzel's Edsel, Cincinnati OH; Ernie Myers Edsel, Greenville OH; Franz Edsel, Kingston NY; Crosstown Motors, Rapid City SD; and
Gentilini Edsel, Virginia MN. Check them out! Anyone else want to share photos of dealer items?
September 4, 2000 - In celebration of E-Day 2000, we introduce the
Edsel Dealer Locator
which is available from a link on the main Smith Motors page.
This listing of many of the original Edsel dealers comes from several sources,
but owes most of the information to Jake Gilmore, Edsel Dealership Historian, who has compiled
two books on the subject. Anyone who wants to know more about the Edsel dealer organization
should read his books as they include much more information than we could include here,
such as the dates that some dealers closed, what lines of cars they sold,
some of the staffs of the dealerships, as well as listing many of the MEL dealers who came later
after Edsel Division was officially closed. The books also include photos of many dealerships, copies of ads, and in-depth info on many dealers.
We hope to include links from many of these dealers to various items of interest, such as newspaper ads (see McGoldrick Edsel in Macon, GA) or dealer imprinted material (Bob Smith Motors of Newport Beach, CA) or dealer photos (such as Race Edsel in Ferndale, Michigan), or even dealerships which still exist in some form and have a webpage (Marstaller Motors of Waco, TX). Anywhere you see a highlighted link, click it for some additional item about the dealership. We'll be adding to these in the future. And that's where you come in!
You can be a detective and add to the knowledge of Edsel dealerships. If you have dealer paperwork, items with a dealership name, or newspaper ads with a dealership name and information, we'd love to include them here on our webpage. Additionally, if you see a dealership in your town or nearby, you can be an "Edsel detective" and find out if the building still exists, and if so, send us a photo of its current condition.
But what if we have no address for your dealership? You can go to the local library and look in the newspaper (probably microfilm) for the period surrounding E-day (Sept. 4, 1957) and see if you can find a dealership ad. Make a photocopy and send it in, and help add to the info about your local dealer. We'll also be passing any info received on to Jake Gilmore, who's curently working on a new volume for publication in 2001 which will include data on all 1200 original Edsel dealers and the MEL dealers who followed them.
Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide.
September 4, 2000 - HAPPY E-DAY! Forty-three years ago today,
Ford publicly introduced the Edsel. To celebrate, we've added an
E-Day Tribute to the main Edsel.Net
page. (Sept. 5 - simplified this page so it should work with all newer browsers, let me know if you have problems.)
August 26, 2000 - added an advertising flyer "Save Up to $300" to the main Smith Motors page. "Trade" in your promo, they aren't bringing $300 on eBay!
August 25, 2000 - added a magazine article, Why the Edsel Will Succeed to the main Smith Motors page. This article
gives some examples of the marketing analysis that was undertaken as the Edsel was being developed.
August 22, 2000 - changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer!
August 10, 2000 - added an image of the Danbury Mint McDonald's Bermuda to the main Edsel.Net page.
August 5, 2000 - added 16 new links to the Links page.
July 28, 2000 - added a link on the Edsel.Net main page to Edsels in Hollywood. Here you can purchase movies that, I am told, contain an Edsel. Our website will receive a small amount
for each purchase to go toward the monthly expenses of keeping Edsel.Net on the web! You can also buy Edsel toys and Edsel books from Amazon, or by using the animated link at the bottom of the page, any product that they offer, and we'll get a small reimbursement. So, if you
regularly order from Amazon, consider doing so through this link, helping to keep Edsels on the Internet for all to enjoy.
July 21, 2000 - added a new advertising brochure to the Smith Motors page. More than any other car you drive the Edsel by touch.
July 20, 2000 - Replaced image on the Welcome Page.
July 19, 2000 - changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer!
July 10, 2000 - To commemorate the 43rd. anniversary of the commencement of Edsel production in July 1957, Edsel.Net invites you to a show...The Edsel Dealer's Introduction Show, that is. Using
Realplayer, or an MP3 player, you can listen to those magical showtunes that the Edsel dealers heard while being introduced to the Edsel for the very first time. Find the link to it on the main Edsel.Net page under "Multimedia".
And if you don't mind, how about sending me an email to let me know that the tunes are playing OK for you, and specifying whether you use the Realplayer or MP3 version. Thanks!
July 7, 2000 - Added an image of the Lionel Bermuda wagon flatcar to the main Edsel.Net page.
July 4, 2000 - Happy Independence Day! (no offense meant to our visitors from England!) Added a new advertising piece to the Edsel Historical Documents.
July 2, 2000 - added 10 new links to the Links page. Find them at the top of the page as "New Links - July 2000". I'll probably keep new links there at the top of the page making them easier to find, and then
move them to the categories after they are no longer "new".
June 28, 2000 - added a link to the newest AMT Edsel model available to the AMT model page.
June 21, 2000 - Thanks to Matt Osborne, we have some RealPlayer video of the McAuley E-Day event. If you have RealPlayer, CLICK HERE. If you don't, get it, it's free HERE.
June 13, 2000 - Thanks to Debbie Morrow, we have posted some photos of last weekend's event at McAuley Motors in Merced, California. Also added a link to Part 2 of the Utopian Turtletop Club. Join up to see more photos from the McAuley event.
June 12. 2000 - changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer!
June 7, 2000 - Added an image of the Rat Fink Edsel to the main Edsel.Net page.
June 5, 2000 - Have you seen the new Racing Champions Rat Fink Edsel? Order Here
May 26, 2000 - added 20 Edsels to The Edsel Gallery. Also added a 1959 advertising flyer to the Edsel Historical Documents.
May 19, 2000 - added 5 more links to the Edsel Links page. You'll find one at the end of the "History" section, 3 under "Personal Edsel Pages" and one under "Foreign Edsels".
May 15, 2000 - added a link to the main Edsel.Net page to play a clip from "Once in a Lifetime", the dealer presentation show
Ford put on in 1957. Oddly enough, this is from CBS's David Letterman webpage, in a section called "Dave's Record Collection".
Check out some of the interesting selections there. Also added another link on the Links page under Miscellaneous Edsel stuff.
May 11, 2000 - added 34 (!) Edsel-related links to the Links page. Look for the "new" logo at the end of each category.
May 8, 2000 - changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer!
May 4, 2000 - added 3 new links to the Links page, fixed a few links, and moved a few to the "dead links" category.
May 3, 2000 - added 1 Edsel to The Edsel Gallery.
April 27, 2000 - added 11 Edsels to The Edsel Gallery.
April 20, 2000 - added "The Edsel Story" to the Smith Motors Intranet.
This is a thirty minute film detailing the reasons for the Edsel line and the objectives of the Edsel Division.
Screened for Ford management before the public introduction on September 4, 1957, this film gave many in Ford management their
first view of the Edsel. It's interesting to listen to Edsel Division and Ford management members outline their expectations for the Edsel
while all the hype was still in favor of the car. Requires Realplayer - get it free!
April 19, 2000 - changed the photo on the main Edsel.Net page to a photo of the 2001 Edsel.
April 13, 2000 - added some more photos sent in by AMT model expert, Gern Blanston, to the AMT Model page.
April 11, 2000 - changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer!
April 9, 2000 - removed links to some Edsel articles.
April 7, 2000 - corrected the links to some Edsel articles on the Links page under "Edsel History".
April 6, 2000 - added a link to the Southlanders Edsel Owners Club to the Links page, under "Edsel Clubs". Check out the photos from the 2000 Edsels in Las Vegas meet!
April 4, 2000 - added "70 big reasons to go Edsel in '60" brochure to the Edsel Historical Documents.
April 3, 2000 - added the "Power Train" section of the 1958 Official Reference Manual for Edsel Salesmen to the Smith Motors Intranet.
April 1, 2000 - added The Smith Motors Live EdselCam to the main Smith Motors page.
March 23, 2000 - added a 1959 Edsel advertising puzzle to Edsel Historical Documents.
March 22, 2000 - added Edsel Beats the Competition to the Smith Motors page.
March 16, 2000 - added the "Chassis" section of the 1958 Official Reference Manual for Edsel Salesmen to the Smith Motors Intranet. Also changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer!
March 6, 2000 - added the "Body" section of the 1958 Official Reference Manual for Edsel Salesmen to the Smith Motors Intranet.
March 2, 2000 - added the Smith Motor Company intranet to the main Smith Motors page. This is designed for confidential information for Smith Motors employees, but give it a try...you might get lucky and enter a valid password by accident. Eventually this will contain practically all of the
1958 Official Reference Manual for Edsel Salesmen, but so far we have only uploaded the Introduction and sections on the Edsel Division and Styling. More to come later!
February 27, 2000 - added 2 links to the Links page. One is a link to order Edsel T-shirts with 58 & 59 designs, and the other a letter from Edsel Ford to Santa, dated 1901.
February 25, 2000 - Updated the Edsel Shockwave Puzzle.
February 17, 2000 - added a feature on The Edsels of England. Jolly good show!
February 16, 2000 - try this Edsel puzzle. (No longer works) It requires that you have the Shockwave plug-in, but if you are a jigsaw
puzzle fan, you'll like to play. Also added a new car to the Vistors' Photos page.
February 12, 2000 - added Edsel's Own V-8 Engines page to the main Smith Motors page.
February 11, 2000 - added an original 1959 window sticker and price list to the collection of Edsel Historical Documents. Check the serial number if you are a '59 owner, this may be the sticker from your car.
February 10, 2000 - now listen to Oldies music while you surf our site at the Official Oldies Station of Edsel.Net. Just click the link at the bottom of the main Edsel.Net page. (Windows Media player required)
February 8, 2000 - added 1 Edsel to the Visitors' Photos page and added a link to the Utopian Turtletop Club to the Links page.
February 5, 2000 - added Color Availability charts to the main Smith Motors page.
February 4, 2000 - added Model Specifications to the main Smith Motors page.
February 3, 2000 - added a photo of Roy Brown to the Edsel Historical documents.
February 2, 2000 - changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer!
January 30, 2000 - added 21 items to the Literature collection of the Edsel Museum.
January 27, 2000 - added 5 items to the Ads collection, 10 items to the Parts exhibit, updated the eBay auctions on the Pre-owned page, and revived a few dead links on the Links page.
January 25, 2000 - added 10 Edsels to the Edsel Gallery and added the Edsel Owner ID Card to the collection of Edsel Historical Documents. Also updated a link in the Edsel History section of the Links page, check out the photo of the 58 Citation prototype. Thanks, Chris for the neat pic!
January 24, 2000 - If you can run Java, try out this Edsel Puzzle. Also, added 4 items to the Ads collection, 4 items to the Magazines section, and 4 Miscellaneous Edsel items.
January 20, 2000 - added chart on Edsel Production on the main Edsel.Net page.
January 18, 2000 - updated Edsels for sale on eBay on the Pre-owned Edsels page.
January 15, 2000 - Well, here's something I thought was neat, maybe you will too! We've added the Edsel Party Line, which is a live voice chat, to the site. Yes, you can actually talk to other visitors
who will hear you coming through their computer speakers. We hope that you will give it a try, because it sounds like it could be a lot of fun. Your Smith Motors webmaster will be on to chat as often as possible, and would like to hear from you! Help us to test this new feature by going to the
Party Line page, giving it a try, and then emailing us your opinion. If you would like some more info on this system, you can check out this page. Hope to HEAR from you soon!
January 14, 2000 - added a link to this Edsel Editorial to the main Edsel.Net page.
January 13, 2000 - added photos of the Racing Champions diecast cars that I have. Do you have any others? Let us know!
January 12, 2000 - updated the AMT model page and the Edsels Found page with some new photos from our visitors.
January 11, 2000 - added Edsel Accessories and Edsel Prices to the Smith Motors page.
January 7, 2000 - revised the format of the main Smith Motors page and moved the link to the Edsel Message Board to the main Edsel.net page.
January 6, 2000 - revised the format of the main Edsel.Net page and added some java links under the "Edsel Fun" heading. If you are running an older browser, these could crash your system, so be careful out there!
January 5, 2000 - added 2 Edsels for sale to the Pre-owned Edsels page, and one link to the Miscellaneous section of the Links page.
January 4, 2000 - added Edsel Division Technical Bulletin to the Edsel Historical Documents page, concerning Teletouch control trouble shooting. Also updated Edsels for sale on eBay on the Pre-owned Edsels page.
January 3, 2000 - changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer! Also removed the Christmas decorations from the Smith Motors main page .
December 31, 1999 - HAPPY NEW YEAR! But not new millenium or even new century, as that won't happen until 1/1/2001. If you don't believe me see what the government's official
timekeepers think at theUS Naval Observatory. Just added is a feature on the Road Legends diecast models, including a custom conversion by one of our visitors. Enjoy!
December 28, 1999 - added an Edsel for sale on the Pre-owned Edsels page, and added the same Edsel to the Edsel Gallery
December 27, 1999 - removed some dead links from the Pre-owned Edsels page.
December 25, 1999 - Merry Christmas! As our gift to you, please enjoy nearly 70 Edsels in our new feature Edsels of the IEC!
December 21, 1999 - updated Edsels for sale on eBay on the Pre-owned Edsels page and added 6 items to the 1958 Edsel ads exhibit.
December 15, 1999 - Added Y2K certificate and made changes toThe Edsel Today page. Also added 5 links to the PERSONAL EDSEL PAGES section and 2 links to the ANTI-EDSEL section of the Links Page.
December 12, 1999 - added documents to the Edsel Historical Documents
page.
December 11, 1999 - added Edsel Division Christmas card image and Hallmark ornament image to Smith Motors main page.
December 9, 1999 - added New Car Service Record and related documents to the Edsel Historical Documents page.
December 8, 1999 - updated Edsels for sale on eBay on the Pre-owned Edsels page and added a link to the Links page to Edsel history from Ford of Canada. Take a look at the white steering wheel used on the Canadian Edsels. Also added an Edsel to the Edsel Gallery.
December 3, 1999 - changed the question for the Edsel Quiz...go see if you know the answer! Added 10 items to the Edsel Museum's Miscellaneous collection.
December 2, 1999 - added a link on AMT Model Page for a look at the new version to be released, and added an Edsel to the Visitors' Photos page.
December 1, 1999 - added "Dead Links" section to Links
Page and added new link.
November 29, 1999 - added image to Edsel Promotions page and made some changes to the text.
November 26, 1999 - added images to AMT Model page and The Edsel Today page.
November 23, 1999 - added AMT Model page.
November 22, 1999 - added 1 Edsel to the Visitors' Photos page, and 5 Edsels to the Edsel Gallery.
November 21, 1999 - added 2 Edsels to the Edsel Gallery. Added an Edsel to"Edsel Found". Added 10 new items to the Edsel Museum's exhibit of Parts & Accessories.
November 20, 1999 - added 2 Edsels to the Visitors' Photos page, and also to the Edsel Gallery.
November 20, 1999 - initiated use of new address: edsel.net.
November 18 and 19, 1999 - site closed in observance of National Edsel days of mourning.
November 18, 1999 - Changes to the Welcome Page.
November 17, 1999 - added Edsel Historical Documents exhibit to the National Edsel Archives and Museum.
November 17, 1999 - added this "What's New" page.
