Marketed as the "Hide-Away Hardtop", for 1957 Ford released their Fairlane 500 Skyliner. The Skyliner name was resurrected from the '54 to '56 Crestline and Crown Victorias that featured a tinted clear acrylic half roof. It was quite a gimmicky idea although practically, the folded recessed top ate up virtually the entire trunk space. The Skyliner option continued to 1959 when the Fairlane moniker was replaced by the Galaxy 500. For 1957, it sold 20,766 models at a base price of under $3000 but generally sold for more with options that these days would be considered standard. The top mechanism was reliable but incredibly complex. Instead of using hydraulics, it employed 7 reversible electric motors, 4 lift jacks, a series of relays, 10 limit switches, 10 solenoids, 4 locking mechanisms for the roof, 2 locking mechanisms for the trunk and 610 ft of wiring! If you've ever watched restoration TV shows, just trouble shooting a poorly operational roof is a nightmare. Danbury Mint did a great miniature simulation of the 1:1 mechanism that works flawlessly.
Marketed as the "Hide-Away Hardtop", for 1957 Ford released their Fairlane 500 Skyliner. The Skyliner name was resurrected from the '54 to '56 Crestline and Crown Victorias that featured a tinted clear acrylic half roof. It was quite a gimmicky idea although practically, the folded recessed top ate up virtually the entire trunk space. The Skyliner option continued to 1959 when the Fairlane moniker was replaced by the Galaxy 500. For 1957, it sold 20,766 models at a base price of under $3000 but generally sold for more with options that these days would be considered standard. The top mechanism was reliable but incredibly complex. Instead of using hydraulics, it employed 7 reversible electric motors, 4 lift jacks, a series of relays, 10 limit switches, 10 solenoids, 4 locking mechanisms for the roof, 2 locking mechanisms for the trunk and 610 ft of wiring! If you've ever watched restoration TV shows, just trouble shooting a poorly operational roof is a nightmare. Danbury Mint did a great miniature simulation of the 1:1 mechanism that works flawlessly.
Hi Rich,
What happened to the passenger side rear fender skirt ?
Love your pics Rich. I prefer this car without skirts. The '57 Fairlanes had such massive quarter panels that the skirts make it look very bulky to me.
Love your pics Rich. I prefer this car without skirts. The '57 Fairlanes had such massive quarter panels that the skirts make it look very bulky to me.
This is what I love about America.
Contrary to you Pete, I really like the car WITH the Skirts better. To my eyes the skirts make the lllooonnnggg rear fenders flow so much nicer, while it appears to be more boxy without the skirts. Either way though, it is a Danbury Mint classic that remains a favorite on my shelf.
I like it both ways. When I owned my 58 Impala I used to take it to shows one time with the skirts and one time without Some cars look good either way IMO.
@100ford2003The DM is quite an update to the FM (I have it also plus the re-issue in blue). The DM is definitely worth getting for all the refinements.
@100ford2003The DM is quite an update to the FM (I have it also plus the re-issue in blue). The DM is definitely worth getting for all the refinements.
I got one DM with so much fine paint rash, had to spend hours polishing.
