Before there was a Ford with a retractable hardtop, there was a Ford with an acrylic panel on the roof to help let the sunshine in. From 1954 through 1956 it would be the Skyliner, as either a Crestline or a Fairlane (the latter replaced the former). This first-year Skyliner is in rough shape although the all-important roof may be intact. It comes with a parts car for things like an engine and transmission. From Mechanicsville, Virginia, this two-car project is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,350. Thanks for the FOMOCO tip, Chuck Foster!
The see-through roof on the Crestline Skyliner was another attempt by one automaker to outdo the others. The car was unique because of its tinted acrylic glass panel in the front section of the roof. While it was a “cool” idea, one of the shortcomings of the Skyliner’s roof is that it made for a hot interior in various climates at certain times of the year. Although the tinting helped, an interior cover panel came later to help with that problem (which made the whole idea superfluous). Some 13,000 copies of the Skyliner were built in 1954, which was greater than that of 1955-56 combined. In 1957, the Skyliner name would be applied to the new retractable hardtop. Mercury offered its version of the Skyliner called the Monterrey Sun Valley in just 1954.
This Skyliner looks pretty used up, but perhaps what it lacks can be relocated from the accompanying parts car. We assume it’s not another Skyliner, but a routine Crestline, Customline, or Mainline. It has a 239 cubic inch V8 with an automatic transmission, but we don’t know what it will require before the transfer. We’re told the primary car is brown in color, but that’s probably the red primer. Underneath, we can see traces of blue which would match the interior.
All of the chrome looks to be off the Skyliner with no mention of whether it’s still around or salvageable from the parts car. It looks as though you’ll have to borrow the entire front clip from the other car to rebuild the Skyliner. The interior doesn’t look too bad, but everything will have to be redone. Since there is a primer on the body, maybe that’s a sign that hidden rust isn’t a problem. A better group of photos would help determine just how big the uphill climb will be here.
The Mercury Sun Valley continued into 1955 as part of the new Montclair series.
Wonder what the pecking hammer is for… Rare car, lots of time and money ahead if restored.
Is this car or parts available for sale?
it was only called skyliner in 1954 in 1955 & 56 the glass top was a option on the new crown Victoria model
Pile of work needed on this one, deep pockets necessary to restore this one.
Cool car, and a good price in my opinion- especially since it’s now listed at $2000.
A couple points: Both fenders, and inner fenders are present- so a full front clip is not required.
The firewall is white- which gives a pretty good indication of the original color.
The top is not glass- or “acrylic glass”
I believe actual Plexiglas was used, which is a type of acrylic, made using a superior proprietary process.
Having a shade doesn’t make the “glass top” superfluous, any more than having a top on a convertible.
like to see a shot of that top slidin into the trunk.
Never done again till that weird vee dub or beemier
‘hard top’ cabrolet? I think they were nxt 50 yrs later ?
o0OP, different model, sorry – we need an edit functin here (possible now? gotta pay for that?)