Edsel B. Ford II’s Edsel and Ford Woody Wagon up for auction in Scottsdale



(February 25, 2021) SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Barrett-Jackson will sell a 1947 Ford Super Deluxe Custom Woody Wagon and a 1958 Edsel Bermuda Wagon from the personal collection of Edsel B. Ford II, great-grandson of Henry Ford, during the Scottsdale Auction at WestWorld of Scottsdale, March 20-27. Both wagons will sell at No Reserve and are autographed by Edsel B. Ford II.

“This is an amazing opportunity to buy ‘Edsel’s Edsel,’ as well as his Ford Woody Wagon,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “Edsel B. Ford II, who was at Le Mans in 1966 when Ford beat Ferrari, is a serious enthusiast. As a young man, he even interned for Carroll Shelby in his high-performance shop. This pair of handsome cars carries the gravitas of being owned by an icon of the American automotive industry.”




The 1958 Edsel Bermuda wagon, a car named after Mr. Ford’s grandfather. Roush upgraded the V8 engine, frame and floor pan of the car in 2016. The rear axle was rebuilt with new seals, bushings and brakes. The interior was tastefully updated with additional heat shielding, new carpeting and seals to make the car more comfortable. The dash panel gauges were cleaned, painted or polished, the radio and amplifier were repaired, seat belts were installed and a new headliner was added.

One of the most brilliant aspects of the car is that Roush replaced the original column-shifted manual transmission with a 3-speed period-correct automatic unit using the stock steering column configuration. The three pedals inside the car were converted to a period-correct 2-pedal system for the automatic transmission and new control linkage was fabricated to connect the steering column linkage to it.



“I thoroughly enjoyed my ownership experience with these two cars,” said Edsel B. Ford II. “I loved the process of giving them new life with modern technology that made the classic cars more fun to drive. Over the past few years, I motored along, relishing in the history they represent. I hope the next owners of these two beautiful Ford cars will also enjoy great adventures in them.”

The second car is a 1947 custom Woody modified by Roush with a modern-style Ford 302ci V8 engine, automatic transmission, 2-1/4-inch custom ceramic-coated exhaust system and power steering. A high-capacity radiator was installed, as well as a 4-wheel power disc brake system with dual system master cylinder. The rear axle was replaced with a Currie-supplied Ford 9-inch rear axle assembly with 3.75:1 gears. The electrical system was changed from 6 volts to 12 volts. The vacuum-operated windshield wiper system was replaced with an electrical one.

“Edsel Ford’s pair of vehicles are great representations of two different segments of the collector car hobby,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “The handsome ‘Edsel’s Edsel’ was carefully updated with an automatic transmission that maintains a stock appearance. The other car, a custom Ford Woody Wagon, has a heavy dose of contemporary technology that makes it a unique work of rolling art.”