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Ford Fairlane 500 "Retractable Hardtop" - a pioneering feat for sun-seekers

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Created on June 11, 2020

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

RM/Sotheby's

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RM/Sotheby's

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Archiv

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - with a four-eyed face and the chrome trim of the '59 model

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - almost two meters wide

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - length runs, around 5.3 meters long

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - already bears the Galaxie lettering

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - fin architecture of the '59 Ford

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - get in and drive off

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - Automatic selector lever for the Fordomatic on the steering wheel

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - tape speedometer and cupped steering wheel

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - Speedometer up to 120 miles per hour, 171 km/h ran the closed version in a local test

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - electric windows all round

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - (almost) as much space in the back as in the sedan

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - elaborately designed rear lights

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - V8 engine with around 245 SAE hp

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - Chassis badge

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - twin headlights were available from 1958 onwards

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - despite the hefty price tag, it came with steel rims and wheel covers

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - frequently ordered accessories - Searchlights

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - during the 1959 model year, the Fairlane 500 Retractable models were already labeled as Galaxies

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - the top equipment line was called "500"

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1959) - beautiful lettering

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Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner (1956) - World premiere in front of the halls of the New York Auto Show in November 1956

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Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner (1956) - World premiere of the 1957 model at the New York Auto Show

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Ford Custom 300 (1957) - Model 1957, the entry into the big Ford

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Ford Fairlane 500 Town Victoria (1957) - Sedan built in 1957

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Ford Fairlane 500 Victoria Coupe (1958) - 1959 model with new styling of the rear section

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Ford Fairlane 500 Convertible (1958) - View of the interior

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Ford Fairlane 500 Convertible (1958) - 1958 model without retractable coupé roof

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1958) - the 1958 model with non-recessed roof

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Ford Fairlane 500 Retractable Hardtop (1958) - Roof mechanics at work

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Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner Hardtop Convertible (1958) - 1959 model with retractable sheet steel roof, charmingly presented

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Ford Fairlane 500 (1957) - 1958 model with twin headlights

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Ford Fairlane 500 (1958) - the 1959 model at the Paris Motor Show in November 1958

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Ford Fairlane 500 (1956) - 1957 model as presented at the Paris Motor Show

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Ford Fairlane (1957) - View into the cockpit

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Ford Fairlane (1957) - wide chassis of the 1957 model

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Ford Fairlane (1957) - rear rigid axle with differential of the 1957 model

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Ford Fairlane (1957) - rear suspension of the 1957 model

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Ford Fairlane (1957) - Front suspension of the 1957 model year

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Ford Fairline 500 Club Victoria (1958) - presented in front of the landmark of the Brussels World's Fair

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Ford Fairlane 500 Convertible (1958) - 1959 model with open roof, shown in Belgium/Brussels at the World Exhibition

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Summary

The retractable hardtop has been celebrating success since the Mercedes-Benz SLK, but in the 1950s it was Ford that was the first company after the war to offer a convertible that could be converted into a coupé at the touch of a button. The Ford Fairlane 500 "Retractable Hardtop" has been one of the most popular classics ever since and also delights visitors to classic car meetings in this country. This report is dedicated to the '57 to '59 Ford models and in particular the Fairlane 500 Retractable and shows the car in current and historical photographs, as well as in the sales literature of the time.

This article contains the following chapters

Almost everything new for 1957
Completely new styling
Traditional design
Powerful V8 engines
The Fairlane, one of many
A lot of car for a lot of money
The retractable coupé roof
Not invented, but perfected
Just over two years

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

In December 1956, Ford drove a truck right outside the halls of the New York Auto Show. It was carrying a large package. Suddenly, the paper wrapping was blown open from the inside and the Ford Fairlane 500 pushed its coupé roof electrically through the packaging. "Retractable" was the name of this sheet steel roof, which turned the convertible into a coupé at the touch of a button. The fact that there was also a Santa Claus on board, accompanied by a scantily clad lady, was of course fitting for the premiere and the upcoming Christmas celebrations. A few weeks before the New York Auto Show, in the late fall of 1956, Ford had already presented the new models for the 1957 model year. At the time, the press wrote "dream cars in series" and pointed out that the shape and lines were strongly reminiscent of the prototypes and "idea cars" that had been on display at car shows shortly before.

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