How many 1959 Ford skyliners were made?
Around 6,000 to 7,000 units were produced in 1959. The 1959 Ford Skyliner, the final year of Ford’s retractable hardtop Skyliner run, remains the subject of varying production tallies because Ford did not publish a clear annual figure for this model.
The 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner represents Ford’s last effort with the distinctive retractable top that defined the Skyliner line in the late 1950s. While enthusiasts and registries strive to pin down exact numbers, official year-by-year production data for the Skyliner are scarce, and estimates can differ depending on counting methods (whether counting all Fairlane 500 Skyliners or only certain sub-variants, and whether counting domestic vs. export units). Below is a look at how researchers approach the question and what the leading sources say.
Context and historical note
The Skyliner was a niche, high-cost variant built on the Fairlane 500 chassis, notable for its power-operated retractable steel roof. The model years 1957, 1958, and 1959 collectively mark Ford’s three-year Skyliner era. Because Ford did not publish a straightforward annual production figure for the Skyliner specifically, collectors rely on archival sources, dealer records, and modern registries to estimate how many were produced in 1959.
Rarity and collecting context
From a collector’s perspective, the 1959 Skyliner is regarded as a relatively rare variant within the Ford rear-wheel-drive lineup of the period. The combination of a limited production run, escalating production costs, and the novelty of the retractable roof contributes to ongoing debate about the precise count. This context matters for pricing, restoration decisions, and authenticity verification among enthusiasts.
Estimated production figures
Below are the leading ranges cited by historians, registries, and classic-car researchers. The goal is to explain the variance and what is most commonly accepted among credible sources.
- The most commonly cited range among classic-car registries places 1959 Skyliner production at roughly 6,000 to 7,000 units. This span reflects the lack of a single official Ford tallies and the aggregation of multiple archival sources.
- Some older or broader publications have suggested lower figures, roughly in the 5,000 to 6,000 unit area, depending on whether certain export or dealer-body configurations are included in the count.
- Other modern registry compilations tend to converge near the mid-6,000s, often citing about 6,200 to 6,500 units as a more precise subset within the overall range.
In practice, the exact count remains uncertain because Ford did not publish a definitive annual number for the Skyliner, and different researchers may include or exclude certain variants in their tallies. The consensus among reputable registries, however, stabilizes around a figure in the mid six-thousands.
Summary
The exact production total of the 1959 Ford Skyliner is not officially published by Ford, and estimates vary by source. The best-supported range places production at about 6,000 to 7,000 units, with most credible registries settling near the mid-six-thousands. For collectors and historians, this figure reinforces the Skyliner’s status as a rare and historically intriguing Ford variant from the late 1950s.
