What Ford had a retractable roof?
Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner
The Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner is a two-door full-size retractable hardtop convertible, manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1957-1959….
| Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner | |
|---|---|
| Also called | Ford Galaxie (500) Skyliner Ford Retractable |
| Production | 1957–1959 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size car |
What year did Ford have a retractable hardtop?
1957
World’s Only Hide-Away Hardtop,” and they were introduced to the public in dealer showrooms on April 18, 1957. Ford said this about the new retractable hardtop during its introduction: “Here is the car the whole world has long dreamed about, the world’s only Hide-Away Hardtop.
What was the first Ford convertible?
Ford Skyliner
It should come as no surprise then, that the first power hardtop convertible came from the most “gee-whiz” of decades, the 1950s. Its name was the Ford Skyliner. The Skyliner cars were pioneers in several ways.
What was the first hardtop convertible?
How Was The Hardtop Convertible Concept Conceived? The earliest known car with a hardtop folding roof was the 1935 Peugeot 402 Eclipse Decapotable. Since then, there have been many manufacturers who have had commercial success with convertibles.
How much does a 1959 Ford Skyliner weigh?
Features
| Engine Location : | Front |
|---|---|
| Drive Type : | Rear Wheel |
| Production Years for Series : | 1959 |
| Price : | $590-$3,350 |
| Weight : | 3510 lbs | 1592.109 kg |
How much does a 1957 Ford Skyliner weigh?
3,916 lbs.
Weight: 3,916 lbs. Wheel Base: 118 in.
What year were convertibles not?
Convertibles were nearly legislated out of business in the 1970s. When Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards were enacted in 1968, the prevailing wisdom was that they would be revised to include stringent rollover standards.
What is the roof of a convertible called?
The folded convertible top is called the stack.
What engines were available in a 1959 Ford?
1959
| First generation | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 223 cu. inch (3.7 L) OHV I6 272 cu. inch (4.5 L) Y-block V8 292 cu. inch (4.8 L) Y-block V8 312 cu. inch (5.1 L) Y-block V8 332 cu. inch (5.4 L) FE series V8 352 cu. inch (5.8 L) FE series V8 |
| Transmission | 2-speed automatic 3-speed automatic 3-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,997 mm (118.0 in) |
Does Ford make a hardtop convertible?
Ford grabs the pole position on our hardtop convertible list with the Bronco, which costs under $30,000 to start, and the two-door comes standard with a three-piece hard top. A soft top is standard on the four-door, with a five-piece hardtop adding $695.
When did Ford stop making convertibles?
Subsequently, Ford Motor Company stopped producing factory-built convertible Mustangs and Cougars in 1973. Chevrolet produced its last ragtop Corvette in 1975.
What’s the difference between a convertible and a targa top?
While convertibles, cabriolets and roadster do not have a rear window when the roof is folded, cars with a targa top have a fixed rear window which remains in place even when the roof is opened. Targa cars also have one or two removal roof pieces (usually taken off by hand).
Who made the first retractable hardtop convertible?
The 1934 Peugeot 601 had a power-operated retractable metal top designed by Georges Paulin. Peugeot offered the same hardtop convertible in 1935 with the Peugeot 402. The retractable hardtop mechanism at the Ford Motor Company was designed by a man named Ben Smith who previously worked for General Motors.
What was the name of the car with a retractable roof?
The 1958 Ford Fairlane was quite a unique automobile, especially like the retractable hardtop version seen here. This Ford Skyliner model had a mechanism that folded the front and rear roof that turned a hardtop into a convertible.
What happened to the retractable hardtop?
It appears that the novelty of the retractable hardtop was dying down in as much as only between 14,000 and 15,000 were sold during the 1958 model year, a large drop from the previous year. Another factor to consider was that the Ford Skyliner with it’s retractable hardtop cost about $400 more than the conventional convertible the Sunliner.
How much does a 1958 Ford Skyliner cost?
The Ford Fairlane Skyliner’s overall length was 210.8 inches, it’s wheelbase 118.0 inches and it’s weight 4,069 lbs.The new 1958 Ford Skyliner sold new for about $3,100 depending on options. The Ford Skyliner’s of the late 1950’s were indeed unique cars with some unique ideas built in them.