In 1957, Ford did something that most people thought was basically impossible. They launched a car with a roof that disappeared. Not a soft top. Not a piece of canvas you had to struggle with in a sudden downpour. It was a solid steel roof that folded itself into the trunk using nothing but electricity and a dizzying array of switches. When the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner rolled onto showroom floors, it looked like it had been imported directly from a sci-fi movie.
People stared. They gasped. It was pure magic.
But here is the thing about magic—it usually involves a lot of hidden machinery and a fair bit of deception. For Ford, that "magic" required about 610 feet of wiring. It required enough solenoids to power a small factory. While the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner remains one of the most iconic pieces of American automotive history, it was also a massive gamble that almost didn't happen. It’s a car defined by its contradictions: heavy but sleek, complex but elegant, and remarkably expensive for a company that built its reputation on being "the common man's" brand.
The Secret Origins of the Retractable Roof
Most folks assume the Skyliner was a Ford project from day one. It wasn't. The technology actually started over at Lincoln. Ford engineers, led by Ben Smith, were originally tasked with developing a retractable hardtop for the ultra-exclusive Continental Mark II. They spent over $2 million—an astronomical sum in the mid-50s—trying to make it work.
But there was a problem. The Continental Mark II was already priced into the stratosphere. Adding a complex, heavy roof system would have pushed the price even higher and delayed production further. Lincoln pulled the plug. Rather than let the research go to waste, Ford executives decided to pivot. They handed the blueprints to the Ford division, and the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner was born.
It was a weird move. It's kinda like taking the technology meant for a private jet and slapping it onto a family sedan.
The engineering team had to scramble. The Fairlane chassis wasn't built for a roof that weighed several hundred pounds and needed to slide into the trunk. To make it fit, they had to stretch the rear of the car. If you look closely at a '57 Skyliner compared to a standard Sunliner convertible, the rear deck is massive. It’s long. It’s flat. It had to be, because that’s where the roof lived when the sun was out.
How the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner Actually Works
Watching the roof cycle is mesmerizing. You flip a switch on the dashboard, and a mechanical ballet begins. First, the trunk lid opens backward—hinged at the rear, which is the opposite of how almost every other car works. Then, the front portion of the roof (the "flipper" lid) folds down. The entire roof structure then lifts, slides back, and nests inside the trunk cavity. Finally, the trunk lid closes over it, leaving a smooth, open-air profile.
It takes about 40 seconds.
Underneath that sheet metal, it’s a terrifying world of 1950s tech. We’re talking about seven high-torque electric motors. There are ten limit switches that tell the motors when to stop so they don't crush the bodywork. You have ten solenoids and four lock cycles. There’s no computer. No sensors. It’s all "dumb" mechanical timing and relays. If one switch fails, the whole process grinds to a halt. Sometimes, the roof would get stuck halfway, leaving the driver with a car that looked like a transforming robot caught in a glitch.
Mechanics in 1957 hated it. Honestly, can you blame them? They were used to carburetors and drum brakes, not 600 feet of electrical "spaghetti" buried in the quarter panels. If your 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner had a roof issue, you couldn't just take it to any local shop. You needed a specialist who understood the specific sequence of the "Hide-Away Hardtop."
The Driving Experience: Heavy Metal
Driving one of these is... an experience. Because of all that extra hardware, the Skyliner is heavy. It weighs about 400 pounds more than a standard Fairlane. To compensate for the weight and the lack of a fixed roof (which usually provides structural rigidity), Ford reinforced the frame. They added extra bracing. They basically over-engineered the chassis so the car wouldn't fold in half like a taco when the roof was down.
The result is a car that feels incredibly solid but isn't exactly a drag racer.
Most Skyliners came equipped with the 292 or 312 Thunderbird V8. These are great engines—reliable, torquey, and they make a wonderful low-end rumble. But they’re working hard. When you're cruising at 60 mph, you feel the mass. The suspension is soft, typical of the era, so it floats over bumps. It's a "boulevard cruiser" in the truest sense. You don't take corners fast in a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner. You drive it to be seen.
And you will be seen. Even today, seventy years later, pulling into a gas station and cycling the roof will draw a crowd faster than a modern Ferrari.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Trunk
There’s a persistent myth that the Skyliner has zero trunk space. That's not entirely true, but it's close. When the roof is up, you actually have a decent amount of room. However, because of the way the roof folds, the center of the trunk is occupied by a large metal "tub."
Ford actually sold a special set of luggage designed specifically to fit inside that tub. If your bags were taller than the tub, and you tried to lower the roof? Crunch. The roof would literally crush your suitcases.
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Owners had to be disciplined. You couldn't just throw a bag of groceries in the back and forget about it. Everything had to stay within the designated safety zone. It's a quirk that makes the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner a bit impractical for long road trips, unless you’re traveling light or keeping the top up the whole time. But who buys a retractable hardtop to keep the roof up?
The 1957 vs. 1958 and 1959 Models
Ford kept the Skyliner in the lineup for three years. While the '58 and '59 models are also cool, the 1957 is generally the one collectors lust after. Why? Mostly because of the styling.
1957 was a pinnacle year for Ford design. The car has those sharp, subtle tailfins that don't look as garish as the ones Chevy put on the Bel Air. The single headlights (which became dual headlights in '58) give it a cleaner, more classic face. It was also the year Ford actually outsold Chevrolet for the first time in decades. The 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner was the "halo car" that helped make that happen.
By 1959, the novelty was wearing off. The Galaxie series arrived, and the Retractable was moved to that nameplate. But the '57 remains the original. It was the "Statement" car. It was Ford telling the world, "We can do things GM and Chrysler can't even dream of."
Buying and Owning a Skyliner Today
If you’re looking to buy a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner today, you need to be careful. This isn't like buying a Mustang where you can get every single part from a catalog. While the engine and basic body parts are shared with other Fairlanes, the roof components are specialized.
- Check the Motors: Replacing the solenoids and motors is expensive. Ask for a demonstration of the roof. It should move smoothly without any rhythmic clicking (which indicates stripped gears).
- The "Nesting" Issue: Look at the alignment when the roof is closed. If the gaps are uneven, the frame might be tweaked, or the limit switches might be out of sync.
- Rust Areas: Like all 50s cars, rust is a killer. Check the rear quarter panels and the floor of the trunk "tub." If water gets into the roof mechanism area, it sits there and rots the metal from the inside out.
Prices have stayed strong for these cars. A basket case might go for $15,000, but a Concours-level restoration can easily fetch $80,000 to $100,000. It’s an investment, but it’s also a piece of kinetic art.
The Legacy of the "Hide-Away"
The Retractable Skyliner was eventually discontinued after 1959. The complexity and the cost were just too high for the volume of cars Ford was selling. It would be decades before the retractable hardtop made a comeback with cars like the Mercedes SLK and the Lexus SC430.
But those modern cars use computers to do the heavy lifting. The 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner did it with pure, analog grit. It represents an era where American car companies were fearless. They weren't afraid to over-engineer something just because it looked cool.
It’s a flawed masterpiece. It’s heavy, the trunk is tiny, and the wiring is a nightmare. But when you’re cruising down a coastal highway with the top down and that V8 humming, none of that matters. You’re driving the future, as imagined by 1957.
Actionable Steps for Enthusiasts and Potential Buyers
If you are serious about getting into the world of the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Skyliner, don't go it alone. This car is too complex for a solo amateur restoration unless you have a background in electrical engineering.
- Join the International Ford Retractable Club (IFRC). They are the gold standard for knowledge. They have the manuals, the "cheat sheets" for timing the switches, and they know who has the spare parts.
- Verify the Data Plate. Ensure the car is an original "68C" body code. Some people try to convert Sunliners into Retractables, though it's rare because of the massive amount of work involved. An original factory Skyliner will always hold more value.
- Invest in a 12-volt Conversion. While the '57 was already a 12-volt system, many owners upgrade to high-output alternators and heavy-duty batteries. The roof system draws a massive amount of current; a weak battery is the quickest way to burn out a vintage solenoid.
- Buy the Specialized Manual. Do not rely on the standard 1957 Ford Shop Manual. You need the specific "Retractable Hardtop" supplement. It contains the logic flowcharts needed to diagnose why a roof won't cycle.