LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM – A 1959 FORD GALAXIE SKYLINER

Some US cars seem more exotic on the roads of the UK than visitors from another world. A 1959 Ford Galaxie Skyliner looks as though it belongs in a Technicolor film set in Palm Springs and starring Dean Martin rather than the home counties. And that is before the owner presses the button that makes the entire roof vanish into the boot: https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1770548

The company planned the electrically powered folding hardtop for the Continental Mk. II, but it would have inflated the price of an already highly expensive vehicle to astronomical levels. As a result, the project was transferred to the Ford division. Engineers devised a hinged forward section and relocated the petrol tank from under the boot floor to under the back seat to accommodate the spare wheel. The new roof also meant lengthening the standard Fairlane convertible by around three inches.

The Skyliner debuted at the 1956 New York Auto Show as the flagship of the Fairlane 500 range, and sales began on the 18th of April 1957. Naturally, such a fine car featured the latest in Airweave vinyl trim “to give ‘sea-breeze’ riding comfort” and a “unique two-tone instrument panel”. But the Skyliner’s principal attraction was, of course, the roof and to quote Ford:

Here is the car the whole world has long dreamed about, the world’s only Hide-Away Hardtop. Touch the magic button and the Hide-Away roof vanishes into the rear deck and you’re sitting in the dreamiest convertible under the sun.

To some observers, the Skyliner looked like a folly; its development and tooling cost Ford $18 million. At a steep price of $2,492, it would always be a niche product, and when specified with the optional automatic transmission, power steering and radio, the price was nearer $3,500. The cheaper Sunliner, with a conventional cloth hood, outsold the Skyliner. However, “the world’s only Hide-A-Way hardtop” would almost certainly attract potential Ford customers to their nearest showroom.

As for the roof, the Skyliner needed four locking mechanisms for the top, plus two for the boot, 610 feet of wiring, four lift jacks and seven reversible electric motors on the first models. The first was to unlock the boot lid, which the second motor raised, and the third folded the front section, which transformed into a shelf behind the rear seats. Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth motors unlocked the top from the windshield frame. At the same time, the sixth, which was the most powerful unit, retracted the top into the boot, and the seventh rotated the visor.

The entire process took less than a minute. Your friendly local Ford dealer might also tell you a similar roof was unavailable on an Edsel, Mercury or Lincoln. The sales copy referred to “plenty of room for weekend luggage” – any suitcases needed to fit inside the metal compartment within the boot. The folded roof, which rested on cushioning pads, occupied the rest of the luggage compartment. Other options included electric windows, tinted glass, a power-operated front seat, seat belts front and rear, power-assisted brakes, air conditioning and overdrive. A 1958 facelift gained the Skyliner quad headlamps.

Production amounted to 20,766 in 1957, 14,713 in 1958 and 12,915 in 1959, when manufacture ended. By then, the Skyliner was part of the Galaxie range, and the number of electric motors had been reduced to six. As for UK sales, a Skyliner was a star of Stand 130 at the 1957 London Motor Show, and that year Brooklands of Bond Street offered one of these fine cars. However, few motorists would have called MAYfair 8351 to book a test drive as the price was £3,180 – equivalent to five Morris Minor 1000s. By 1959 the official list price was £2,906, which was still over twice the cost of a Zodiac Mk. II Convertible.

The vendor of this last-of-the-line example needs to tend to the rest of his fleet of 1950s American cars, and he notes “people have never seen anything like it” when he opens the roof. Nor probably will they again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d2ELDFQ7dw

With thanks to the Ford Galaxie Skyliner owner for his time and permission to use the images in this blog.