What year did Ford have the hardtop convertible?
Ford first offered a retractable hardtop convertible in 1957, debuting the Fairlane 500 Skyliner, and the feature was available through 1959.
The question touches a distinctive, brief chapter in Ford’s history: a factory-installed, power-operated hardtop that folded away to convert a coupe into a closed-top convertible. Known for its dramatic styling and engineering, the Skyliner was Ford’s bold answer to the era’s demand for true convertibility without a soft top. Here’s how the hardtop convertible years line up and what made the Skyliner unique.
What years did Ford offer a retractable hardtop convertible?
Below is a concise look at the Ford model years that featured the retractable hardtop convertible, commonly associated with the Skyliner nameplate within the Fairlane lineup. The list focuses on the official production years and the associated model.
- 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner — the debut year and the first mass-market retractable hardtop in Ford’s lineup.
- 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner — continued production with refinements to the mechanism and styling.
- 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner — final year of the retractable hardtop Skyliner.
In summary, the retractable hardtop convertible appeared with Ford in 1957 and continued through 1959, most famously under the Fairlane 500 Skyliner banner. After 1959, Ford did not again offer a factory retractable hardtop in a mainstream passenger car.
How it worked and why it mattered
The Skyliner used a two-piece, power-operated steel roof that folded into the trunk, transforming the car from coupe to convertible at the push of a button. It was technologically ambitious for its time, delivering a dramatic open-air experience without a traditional soft top. The design drew admiration for style but faced practical challenges, including weight, cost, and reliability—factors that contributed to its relatively short production run.
Legacy and context
Today, Ford’s Skyliner is remembered as a landmark experiment in automotive roof design. Its limited production run and the complexity of the mechanism make surviving examples highly collectible, emblematic of an era when carmakers explored bold extensions of the convertible concept.
For readers seeking a concise takeaway: Ford’s hardtop convertible era began in 1957 with the Fairlane 500 Skyliner and lasted through 1959, marking a notable but short-lived chapter in the brand’s history.
Summary: Ford introduced the retractable hardtop in 1957 with the Fairlane 500 Skyliner, continuing through 1959, and the period stands as a distinctive, engineering-driven moment in American automotive design.
