Over fourteen years ago, on Thu. 18-Mar-1999, in a display area inside the "Great Mall of the Bay Area" (GMBA) of Milpitas, California near entrance #2,
I had occasion to witness a willow green and colonial white 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner automobile with a hardtop that electrically retracted into the trunk, which opened the other way (hinge at rear edge).
Even in 1999, the car was 42 years old.
The plant functioned for 32 years from 1952 to 1984. It was one of USA's first plants, where the term "automation" originated. Most of the assembly line was interlinked and did not depend on human control.
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Registration: California CWV 235. |
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Registration: California CWV 235. Shop in background is a BCBG Max Azria designer outlet. Note the 1950s vintage gas pumps. |
As of 2003, the revolving Ford Fairlane has been removed to a darkened corner of the Great Mall, and revolves no longer.
You can see it at the Ford Historical Display by entrance No. 4, near the Sears Appliance Outlet.
The hardtop retraction had a really complex mechanism.
The contraption had 3 motors driving 4 roof lift jacks,
4 door-lock motors, 10 solenoids, limit-switches, levers, pivot arms, 4 roof-locking mechanisms and 186m [610ft] of wiring.
Skyliners were built on a separate production line. Specialized workers worked on that line. The retractable roof required delicate alignment and adjustment processes to install. Many specific vehicles needed some post-assembly tweaking, but the Skyliner hardtop worked reliably in customer hands.
Dealer service departments received unusually detailed service manuals. Troubleshooting all those switches, relays, motors, gearboxes, and cable drives, beat simple things as engine tune-ups and steering geometry alignment.
The front of the roof would fold under the rear of the roof and the whole contraption would retract under the rear decklid.
Even the rear decklid had two motors. One for lifting it. One for extending a portion to cover the now exposed space between the rear seat and the trunk lid.
Skyliners were built on a separate production line. Specialized workers worked on that line. The retractable roof required delicate alignment and adjustment processes to install. Many specific vehicles needed some post-assembly tweaking, but the Skyliner hardtop worked reliably in customer hands.
What about luggage space?
The large roof took up vast amounts of trunk space.
There was a light gray square metal box in the center of the trunk. All items were stored inside that area when the top was down.
Ford made special luggage sets that fit into that area perfectly. These are also now highly prized collectors items.
Screw jacks, resting flat on the trunk floor raised and lowered the roof.
If the roof happened to be deployed, some luggage could be laid atopthose screw jacks.
The spare wheel lay under a wooden panel, under the luggage box.
So a motorist with a flat tire, had to unpack and remove the luggage box to gain access.
Naturally, were the roof retracted into the trunk, it had to be first deployed to reach and remove the luggage box.
In all, 20,766 Skyliners were sold during the 1957 model year.
Back in the late 1950s, the Skyliner was the world's only true hardtop convertible.
Today, a well restored car sells for over $74,000 [Rs. 44 lakh].