1957 Ford Fairlane 500 V8 Skyliner Convertible

Henry Ford's third attempt fat starting an automobile company finally met with success in 1903. He introduced the low-priced Model T in 1908 which helped the Ford marque dominate the U.S. car market until the late 1920s.

The mainstream Ford cars grew substantially larger in 1957. A new chassis allowed the floor to be lowered and combined with long flanks and tailfins, gave a longer, lower appearance. The high-line models like the Skyliner rode on a 118 inch wheelbase and were available with a variety of engines. It cost $2,945 and 20,766 were produced.

The retractable roof Skyliner model was a new model for 1957 featuring a folding hardtop that retracted into the trunk area. It used seven electric motors to operate the decklid and roof locks, as well as moving the top. Due to space constraints, the motors worked through flexible drive cables. The motors were controlled by eleven switches and ten relays connected by 210 feet of wire.

This blue and white example has undergone a full body-off restoration and features all options including air conditioning.