Lot 101580: 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie Skyliner

The 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie Skyliner’s retractable hardtop was a true engineering marvel of the 1950s! Ford began developing this revolutionary technology in 1952 under chief engineer Harold T. Youngren, with a $2.18 million budget to create the world’s first mass-produced retractable hardtop convertible.

The engineering was incredibly complex for its time - the system used 6 electric motors, 10 solenoids, 13 relays, and 610 feet of wiring to fold the entire steel roof into the trunk in about 48-50 seconds at the push of a button. This was truly cutting-edge automotive technology in an era before modern electronics!

Ford introduced the Skyliner in 1957 as the Fairlane 500 Skyliner, and 1959 was the final production year when they briefly carried both the Fairlane 500 and Galaxie nameplates. Over the three-year production run from 1957-1959, Ford built 48,394 units across five assembly plants. The 1959 models, like the one you’re looking at, represent the ultimate evolution of this innovative design.

Unfortunately, the retractable hardtop was expensive - costing about $340 more than a conventional convertible - and the complex mechanism sometimes had reliability issues. Combined with limited trunk space when the top was stored, sales declined and Ford discontinued the retractable hardtop after 1959, making these cars highly collectible today.

Would you like me to help you find similar Skyliners or answer any other questions about this fascinating piece of automotive history?