Two woodies owned by Edsel Ford II and hot-rodded by Roush are headed to auction
If two fabulous Ford-built woody wagons aren’t desirable enough already, add a connection to the company’s famous founder. Taking Ford’s iconic “From the Ford family of fine cars” tagline quite literally, Barrett-Jackson is offering 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.
The cars will be featured at Barrett-Jackson’s upcoming Scottsdale auction, which was moved from its traditional January time slot to March 20–27. The pair are being offered at no reserve on the auction’s final day.
Rarely do members of an iconic automaker’s family relinquish vehicles from their personal collections, and Edsel Ford II’s wagons are even more noteworthy because of what they aren’t—stock. Considering his infatuation with performance and motorsports, that isn’t surprising that Edsel II modified them.
Recognized as the “godfather of Ford Racing,” Edsel and his father, Henry Ford II, attended the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans and witnessed Ken Miles, Bruce McLaren, and Ronnie Bucknum finish 1-2-3 in their GT40s—an astounding accomplishment that secured Ford’s legacy in motorsport. Edsel II would later intern under the tutelage of legendary performance guru Carroll Shelby.
Ford was named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020 and was a recipient of the Hall of Fame’s Landmark Award for his outstanding contributions to motorsport.
“His passion and enthusiasm for motorsports has remained a constant throughout his remarkable career and continues to this day,” Barrett-Jackson says in a press release.
When Edsel II decided to revitalize the two family heirlooms, he turned to Ford racing maven Jack Roush and his team at Roush Performance. The 1947 Ford Super Deluxe Custom Woody Wagon (Lot 1341) is particularly noteworthy, having received major mechanical upgrades while retaining its original appearance
Modified by Roush in 2014–15, it has a modern Ford 302 racing engine, power steering, 9-inch rear axle with 3.75 gears, ceramic-coated exhaust, 12-volt electrical system, four-wheel power disc brakes, and electric windshield wipers (instead of the original vacuum-operated ones).
“We’ve seen restomods bring big money in recent years, sometimes even more than their stock counterparts, and especially at events like Barrett-Jackson,” says Hagerty valuation editor Andrew Newton. “This one’s tasteful upgrades, coming from a name like Roush and from the personal collection of Ford royalty, should push it to big money. The only question is how big.”
Then there is the beautiful 1958 Edsel Bermuda Wagon (Lot 1341.1), a rare gem known as “Edsel’s Edsel.” Modified and restored by Roush in 2016, the single-production-year Bermuda represents the top-of-the line station wagon offered by Ford Motor Company’s bold but short-lived, mid-tier Edsel marque. Under the hood is the Edsel-exclusive 361-cubic-inch “E-400” V-8, named for its impressive output of 400 lb-ft of torque. Fed by a four-barrel carburetor and boasting a 10.5:1 compression ratio, the V-8 makes 303 horsepower.
The Bermuda began its life as a manual column-shifted wagon, but Roush and his team swapped in a three-speed automatic, which required converting the three-pedal layout to a period-correct two-pedal system, fabricating a new transmission control linkage, and modifying the original steering column to accept the automatic’s PRNDL indicator. The driveline and exhaust system were also tweaked. Inside, the period-correct cabin features unique upholstery patterns and colors.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my ownership experience with these two cars,” Edsel Ford II says. “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.”
We have no doubt.
Like this article? Check out Hagerty Insider, our website devoted to tracking trends in the collector vehicle market.
