Thread: Edsel Engine options

Tweet

I just purchased a 59 Edsel Ranger. It runs and drives, but needs love. It has 1962 292 Y-Block in it now. The Y block needs new rings and overall rebuild. I'm wondering if I should bore out the Y block and rebuild it or if I should look at other options for the car. The 292 has a big fan club. I am interested in the FE 352, 360, 361 or 390. Does anyone know about compatiblity of engines or pros and cons of each. The car is just for around town fun. This is my first project car, so consider me uneducated.

well ,Edsels came with FE's, so getting 1 to work/ fit will not be that diffacult, as any Ford of that year or simmilar ( '58-'60 I think ) could provide engine mounts.. however, getting the electric shift to work on a diffrent transmission, probably has to come from another Edsel....

Edsels were Fords worst idea, but now fairly collectible to those who have interest in them, so getting all the cool Edsel Features to work will really help maintain the value

The 59 should have regular linkage for the transmission.I believe the 58 was the only one with the tele-touch unit. You should be able to use any FE trans in there. 67 and later trans will have a slightly different shifter pattern.

This is a recipe for a low-buck 400 HP street cruiser/bruiser.

Install Calvert bars on the rear. Get black steel wheels as wide as the rear wheel wells will accept. You may have to massage them a little with a BFH. Install the widest, softest rubber you can find. You don't necessarily need a tall tire, you need a wide tire. But then also, you don't want tiny little tires on the rear. Standard height, but wider.

Install an air shock on the right rear only, in place of the regular shock absorber. Air the shock up in different pressures until you find the pressure that pushes the right rear tire down hard enough to make it grip and pull equally with the left rear tire, leaving 2 black stripes the same length on the pavement. No need to spend the money for a Posi right now. Work with this poor boy system a little. You may learn to like it. Works extra well with a big guy sitting in the right rear passenger position.

Move the battery to the extreme right rear corner of the car. Put it in a Summit aluminum box. Secure the battery to the car with minimum 3/8" bolts or studs. Position the box over the battery and secure it to the car also. Run a length of #4 welding cable from the - side of the battery to the frame of the car, where you will grind off down to the bare metal, drill a hole and use a large self-tapping screw to secure the cable end to the frame.

Mount an on-off switch on the rearmost part of the car. Make a bracket that comes off the rear bumper bracket. Simple, cheap. Run the + battery cable to the + side of the on-off switch. Come off the - side of the on-off switch and go to the starter. Use another 2 lengths of #4 welding cable to make up some ground cables. Grind down to bare metal on the firewall, drill a hole where there is nothing to drill through except sheet metal, attach with bolt and nut tightened from each side of the firewall. Run the other end of that cable to the frame, and yet another cable from the frame to the engine block. All connections will be ground down to bare metal and covered with clear silicone after being tightened down. Until you do this to that old car, nothing in the electrical system will work correctly.

Keep your eye open for a 460. This Edsel needs a Lima motor desperately. Can use 68-up 429 block with 460 rotating assembly or start with 460. Bore 0.030", flat-top pistons, block decks zeroed to the piston crowns, D3VE-A2A production heads cleaned up in the bowls with a good valve job, 9.5:1 static compression ratio, Weiand Stealth intake, 750 CFM vacuum secondaries carb, long-tube headers, Crane hydraulic flat-tappet cam....
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CRN-353941/
Rebuilt C6 with 2000 stall converter.

If the front sits too low from the weight of the big Lima motor, change out the springs for a little higher rate front springs. These guys know what they're doing and can supply you with the proper spring....
http://www.eatonsprings.com/

to be different try a MEL engine.they cam in mercury,edsel,lincoln cars.they came in 383,410,430 and 462.plus there was a y-block type in the merc's and lincolns,trucks that came in 302(truck),317,341,and 368.versions.a 3x2 intake was available for 383 and 430. there was also a 2x4 setup for the 368. the y-block type has no parts in common with the 239-312 series.even they look alike.