Looking for a competitive advantage, Ford redesigned its cars in 1957 and added a product that the competition did not have. That was a “Hideaway Hardtop” aka retractable hardtop (part sedan/part convertible). Skyliner was the branded name and was a Fairlane 500 in 1957 and 1958, and a Galaxie 500 in 1959. The seller has a pair of these for sale, the second being a parts car that may have helped with the other (they’re both from 1958). Located in Kelowna, British Columbia, this duo is available here as a package deal here on craigslist for $5,000 (USD or CDN?). Thanks for this “space age” tip, Curvette.

The Ford Skyliner was perhaps the most technical automotive development of the 1950s. Using what seemed to be a host of levers and miles of wiring, the hardtop roof retracted into the trunk of the Skyliner with the flick of a switch. And, after hitting it again, the roof went back to its upright position. Besides its sheer complexity, a downside of this layout was that the expansive Ford trunk has virtually no usable space when the top is retracted. So, the back seat would need to be used for bags of groceries.

Sales-wise, the Skyliner wasn’t a dud at nearly 50,000 copies across three years. But sales declined in each of the second and third seasons, with 14,713 being the number built in the year of the seller’s two cars. The seller acquired this pair years ago, and a restoration was started on one of them. We’re told that the majority of the bodywork has been done on the primary car, but we’re not sure if it’s complete unless all of the uninstalled parts are sitting in the passenger compartment. And is the retractable roof in the trunk?

We don’t know what engines, if any, are in these two cars. In 1958, you could have chosen between a 292, 332, or 352 cubic inch V8, and an automatic transmission or two may be included. The seller lost interest in these projects some time ago, after investing far more than the asking price for both. Bring cash and two trailers, and you can pick up where the seller left off.