SEE: The Best Cars At The 40th Chugwater Chili Cookoff
I was driving to the 2026 Chugwater Chili Cookoff and Roundup when I passed a vehicle on Interstate 25 that caught my attention. What was that old classic? What was it? The grill appeared in the rearview mirror. IT WAS A FORD EDSEL!
Produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1958 to 1960, the Edsel is infamous as one of the biggest marketing disasters in automotive history. Despite a $400 million investment and massive hype, the brand failed due to poor timing (a recession), unconventional styling, and overinflated expectations.
The driver wore a spiffy cowboy hat. Crome glimmered as he drove toward Chugwater.
The 40th Annual Chugwater Chili Cookoff was sure to have one of the best car shows EVER!
Here is that Edsel I passed on the highway.
These are the kinds of cars people fall in love with. Nobody buys them because they want to make a good financial decision. They buy a car like this for the love of it.
In most cases, you can only imagine how much time is spent polishing that gleaming body.
Unless unpainted patina is what they are looking for. That old, battered look can be just as beautiful.
The car you see below was once a state-of-the-art wonder. There were some, back then, who thought of cars like this as impractical. That was until paved roads came along. Owning one of these, once again, has become "impractical." But so what? That's not why people buy them today.
The Chili Festival was for motorcycles, too.
These things can make more noise than the cars, which is fun.
Built for practical work, this pickup is now a thing of beauty, for show.
There were more cars in this year's festival than in any other year before.
Yes, trophies were handed out.
Don't you love the blue of that car below?
A comfortable family vehicle that was built to be, once again, practical, is now a thing of beauty to show.
Put your sunglasses on.
That chrome will blind you.
Have a look at the vehicle below and imagine driving it over Wyoming's Killpecker Sand Dunes. It's not really practical for the streets.
Chugwater's Hysterical Pie Eating Contest.
Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods
Chugwater Chili Cookoff 2023
Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods
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