Edsel ford Takes over as president and starts the lincoln CONTINENTAL introducing its first model, the Zephyr.

Edsel Ford, Born Nov. 6 1893

Edsel and Eleanor Ford

Dual cowl Model A Ford, Edsel's car 

1922 Lincoln Phaeton

Edsel Ford was born in Detroit Michigan being an only child and was named after Edsel Ruddiman being one of Henry's favorite childhood friends.  

At a young age Edsel showed more interest than his father in flashier stylish vehicle's. While working on the 1927 Model A, Henry Ford ensured it's durability and quality while Henry put Edsel in charge of the New Model A's body. At the same time Edsel helped develop 4 wheel mechanical brakes and a sliding car transmission. Due to this development, the Model A sold over 4 million models in the first four years.

Though he and Henry disagreed on major issues, they still remained a closeness. Edsel stubbornness, though talented and enormously influential in building cars, was the cause of his premature death in 1943. He was well educated due to his father's amassed fortune, he was however isolated until it became time for him to take over the family business as president and joined the company right out of high school. As president he introduced the brand Mercury and the Continental Lincoln also known as Lincoln that we know today. He took the company oversees and modernized these cars using hydraulic brakes.  

He loved working along side his father, though his focus and attention was towards their body and style rather than mechanical and engineering. As a board member learned his father's resistance and determination to maintain the status quo while out of the country became the unintended heir to the empire. While Ernest Kanzler, Henry's Vice President was trying to convince Henry to change the model T to a 6 cylinder due to the drop in sales, with Chevy's newest introduction of color options and more. This threw Henry into a rage. This threw Henry into rage, to think the Model T needed 6 cylinder and demoted Ernest replacing him with Edsel.  

 

As Edsel established himself he became increasingly focused on the style and flare for the vehicle. He hired design and styling company to compete with General Motor's color and design. He hired head designer John Tjaarda and E.T. "Bob" Gregorie, veterans of the coachbuilt era. They introduced the Linclon Zephyr in 1935 which was undeniably stylish and new yet continued his father's legacy in showing the world that Ford is a name never to be forgotten.

1935 Lincoln Zephyr

Edsel will be remembered for his design techniques and innovatinos done in brakes and taking the company oversees among other accomplishments. However, his constant constant warring with Bennett and his father left Edsel bed ridden with ulcers. While the elder Ford blamed the sickness on Edsel's jua deviv lifestyle, he forced him to drink unpasteurized milk from one of the Ford farms. The unfiltered contaminants thus killed Edsel on May 26, 1943. He was only 49.