Sterling H. Edwards was a dreamer in San Francisco who envisioned an exclusive , scurvy - output personal - luxuriousness car – what would become the 1953 - 1955 Edwards America . Only able-bodied to rely on abode - grown blueprint gift and whatever parts he could lay his mitt on , Sterling Edwards could only manage to work up six of his Americas .
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Edwards ' first car was the 1949 Special , a four - seatconvertiblewith a hardtop and windshield removable for racing . The Special did race , mainly in West Coast Sports Car Club of America events , and with some succeeder .
Weighing just 2,500 pound for the road or 2,000 pounds race - ready , this precursor to the 1953 - 1955 Edwards America rode a sophisticated chassis built of chrome - atomic number 42 tubing with all - circular independentsuspensionanddisc brakes . Power was supply by the inevitable Ford flathead V-8 , downsized to 122 three-dimensional inches to outride within the 2.0 - liter displacement limit for racing .
To make up for lost size , Edwards suit duple Strombergcarburetors , a hot cam , and a special overhead - valve cylinder head with radical - gamy 11.0:1 densification . With 115horsepoweravailable at 5,300 rev , the Special could melt down about 155 mph flat out .
In 1951 Edwards follow up this preview of the 1953 - 1955 Edwards America with a second experimental that made greater use of stock component . Among them were the rugged , 100 - inch - wheelbase chassis from Kaiser - Frazer ’s compact Henry J and Chrysler ’s potent Modern 180 - bhp , 331 - cid hemi V-8 .
A lightweight , carefully assembled fibreglass dead body made up for the heavy Henry J chassis , and this plus the hemi combined for an excellent great power - to - weight ratio . But though it had plenty of muscle , this Edwards oversteered merrily , and chassis flex reared its ugly headspring . Sterling blend back to his drawing dining table . What he came up with was the Edwards America .
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Continued
What at last emerge from Sterling Edwards long experimentation were his " product " role model , the 1953 , 1954 , and 1955 Edwards America . announce in late 1953 , this was another four - seat transformable but with in force - looking , rather Italianate occupation .
Highlights include a large , rectangular eggcrate grille ; slab sides relieved by a marked theatrical role wrinkle beforehand of the rear rack chess opening ; and a box-shaped back wearing breed 1952 Mercury tail lamp . The instrument panel andsteeringwheel of the Edwards America were contemporaneous Oldsmobile items , the upholstery leather .
Edwards retained the Henry J chassis for the first Edwards America but replace the hemi for a 185 - bhp , 303.7 - cid Oldsmobile Rocket V-8 . serial production was definitely contemplated , though on a very circumscribed basis , with an as - delivered target price of $ 4,995 .
But Edwards ' tiny facilities and clock time - have hand - construction methods precluded pass on even this modest end , and only five more Edwards Americas would be completed . Two received Lincoln ’s 205 - bhp , 317.5 - cid V-8 ; the other three function with 210 - bhp 1953 - spec Cadillac 331s . All rode a Mercury post wagon form sectioned to a 107 - inch wheelbase , providing enceinte rigidity .
By 1955 , Edwards was forced to charge over $ 7,800 for an Edwards America , though that included such niceties as electric windowpane lifts , GM ’s Hydra - Matictransmission , and Kelsey - Hayes telegram bike . But the entire drive number to little more than a hobby – and on a shoestring at that . After develop a pretty lift - off hardtop , Edwards threw in the towel and become to other pursuits .
Check out the spec of the 1953 - 1955 Edwards America on the next Thomas Nelson Page .
1953, 1954, 1955 Edwards America Specifications
Although the 1953 - 1955 Edwards America was the event of some inspired intent and engineering , the laughable asking Leontyne Price of intimately $ 8,000 was simply too much for the purchasing populace . However , as the 1953 - 1955 Edwards America specifications below argue , you sure as shooting get what you pay for .
Specifications
engine : all ohv V-8 , Oldsmobile 303.7 Criminal Investigation Command ( 3.75 × 3.44 ) , 185 bhp ; Lincoln 317.5 Criminal Investigation Command ( 3.80 × 3.50 ) , 205 bhp ; Cadillac 331 cid ( 3.81 × 3.63 ) , 210 bhp
infection : GM 4 - velocity Hydra - Matic
abeyance , front : upper and low A - arms , roll spring
Suspension , rear : live axle , semi - prolate folio springs
brake : front / rear drumfish
Wheelbase ( in.):107.0
Weight ( lbs):approx . 3,000
Top speed ( mph):est . 115
0 - 60 mph ( sec):est . 10.0
