- Seller: Shirley S (Contact)
- Location: Aiken, South Carolina
- Mileage: 87,031 Shown
- Chassis #: UF4CF136432
- Title Status: Missing
- Engine: 239 cui Y-Block V8
- Transmission: 3-Speed Automatic
Ford experimented with all kinds of styling innovations during the 1950s, but few were as memorable as the transparent roof panel offered on the 1954 Crestline Skyliner. With its distinctive acrylic “Glasstop” roof, this 1954 Ford Crestline Skyliner stands apart from the crowd and represents one of the more unusual postwar collectibles to wear a Blue Oval badge. Located in Aiken, South Carolina, this example is offered as a project with a reserve.
Introduced for 1954, the Skyliner was Ford’s premium hardtop and the first model from the company to feature a transparent acrylic roof section over the front seat passengers. According to the seller, only 13,334 Skyliners were produced during the model year, making them significantly less common than a standard Crestline hardtop. This car retains its original Body Code 60F configuration and left the factory in Meadow Green and Clover Green two-tone paint (code MC) with a green vinyl and cloth interior (trim code AF). The VIN and production information supplied by the seller indicate assembly at Ford’s Dearborn, Michigan, plant with a build date of April 3, 1954.
Power originally came from Ford’s 239 cubic-inch Y-Block V8, backed by a 3-speed automatic transmission, both of which are reportedly still present. However, the seller states that the engine is currently non-running and has not been touched, so bidders should assume mechanical recommissioning—or a full rebuild—will likely be required before the car returns to the road.
The photos suggest this Ford spent much of its life parked, with the seller reporting that it sat under a carport for more than 20 years before recently being moved into an open field. While the exterior appears largely complete, the gallery shows visible rust in areas including the floors, rocker areas, and lower body sections, along with weathering to the interior and engine bay. Prospective bidders will want to study the photos carefully to assess structural condition and overall restoration needs. The condition of the distinctive acrylic roof panel—a major value point on any Glasstop—will also be an important consideration.
Inside, the original green interior appears partially intact, though age, exposure, and long-term storage have taken a toll. The dash, steering wheel, trim, and portions of the upholstery remain in place, potentially providing useful reference material for restoration. The odometer currently shows 87,031 miles, though actual mileage is unknown.
One important note for prospective buyers: the seller indicates that the car is being sold with missing title status, so bidders should investigate registration requirements in their state prior to placing a bid.
While this Crestline Skyliner will require substantial work, unusual cars like these tend to draw attention simply because so few survived. Whether restored to stock specification, preserved as an ambitious survivor project, or used as the basis for a period custom, this rare Ford Glasstop offers a distinctive starting point that’s difficult to duplicate.
Bid On This Auction
Bailey bid $100.00 2026-06-04 18:38:59
I’ve always been partial to ’52 – ’54 Ford cars. They had the right lines that suited me. I was disappointed to send my ’54 to a new home, pretty much before I really got into it and would love to see another one on my driveway. Unfortunately, I have to also be realistic and get through my other projects before I take another one on.
Hope this one goes to a good home.
Here’s a pic of one from that originated on the north side of the 49th Parallel. The Meteor was almost identical to the Ford except it was sold through Mercury dealers. In 1954 it still ran the flathead V8.
Thank you for responding – I would love this car to go to a good home – I hope you get your projects done so you could start on your car again. Thanks for sharing the picture – that is a beautiful car.
That’s no flat head. It’s a “Y” block engine. I could be wrong, but when the listing stated flathead AND automatic transmission. I was very curious. How about getting the facts straight before printing them?
That’s the 239 Y block overhead valve engine, though, as Geo said, Canada continued the flathead for another year. The first Fordomatic transmission was available in 1951. I have one from a 51 wood wagon in my garage. Does anyone need it? Other flathead parts too.
Looks like a Y block kn the engine bay now
The Ford would definitely have a Y-block for ‘54. Ball joints in the front end as well. The Canadian variants, both Ford and Meteor, kept using kingpins and Flathead V8s right up until the very last of the production year. Skuttlebutt says that the very last cars switched to the Y-block (Ford 239/Meteor 256) and ball joints in about May or June of ‘54.
We’ll probably never know for sure until one suddenly shows up at a show-n-shine.
Does not look like any flathead engine I’ve ever seen. 54 was the first year of the overhead engine in Ford’s and Mercury.
Thanks for noticing the advertisement error – I checked to verify it – it is a Y Block – I will send error to editor on listing.
They’s valve covers on that thar engine!
it is a y block and i see 3 pedals i think its 3 on the tree not a automatic must be a younger person selling it anyone should be able to see its not a flathead by just looking at it
Yes, Thank you for asking – it is a Y Block.
Someone really knows how to write an ad! “along with weathering to the interior” has to be the understatement of the week! lol
The advertisement people are very nice but relied on me to approve the ad. My knowledge is limited – sorry about that. Yes, I agree about the interior – but explanation is I recently purchased the land, the car came along with it. The previous owner let all his property dilapidate and had not done anything with the car. Recently I had to deconstruct the carport and had to move the car into the field. It really deserves to have a good home/owner despite it’s neglect.
shame it sat so long. no title basically good for parts at this point.
The owner is deceased and when I purchased the land as is – along with it came the car. I looked everywhere for a title, but was unable to locate one.
Shirley, In my state (Nevada) that is called an abandoned vehicle. If you take your property paperwork, a couple of pictures and a picture of the VIN plate. (Write the VIN down in case the aluminum plate(usually in the drivers door jam.) Is hard to read in the photo. And take it all to the local DMV and explain your situation..They will.check their records and most likely it will not show up. If that’s the case then they will arrange for a VIN inspection. After that they will issue a title. IF, the VIN comes up in their system. Then they will (or have you) send a letter to the previous owner. When it comes back as undeliverable (in most cases) then they will issue a title. Having the recent property purchase paperwork in this case is very important to prove abandonedment.
Shirley, Wayne has a good point. In my home state of Mississippi if a title is lost or stolen you can go to your local insurance agent and purchase a title bond. (Im a retired insurance agent) A title bond is issued to the purchaser with the vehicle’s description and VIN. The price of the bond is dependent on the value of the bond (ie $75 for a $5,000 bond or estimated value of the car). The bond is then submitted to the state for issuance of title. Title will come back to purchaser with the heading “Title Bond subject to original”. Since the vehicle hasn’t been registered for some time, and the owner is most likely deceased, and the VIN being only 11 to 13 digits rather than 17, the likelihood that the vehicle is in the DMV’s database is pretty slim. If the original title never surfaces the title bond is good and serviceable. (The bond and its value guarantees that value of recovery in the event that the original surfaces – but highly unlikely in this case.) I live in Louisiana now but believe that title bonds work the same way in this state. Check with your tax collector in the county where you live there in South Carolina and find out what he/she thinks is the best way to obtain a merchantable title. Neat car!
It is very frustrating to access this site, hoping to gain knowledge about vintage vehicles; then to find instead, obvious glaring errors.
Bunky, Even though the writers research a lot they can only repeat what the sellers ad tells them. I am glad to hear that you are coming here to learn, and we all learn by our own and others mistakes. There are some very knowledgeable responders here who tend to correct both the sellers and writers. I am 81 years old and still learning!!!!
I am taking the time to understand the error and trying to correct it.
Yes that is a Y block!, probably a 239? I forget when the 272 came out.. ALSO I see a clutch peddle!!!! Must be a “3 on the tree” manual, but I do NOT see a cable knob under the dash for overdrive??? BUT the trunk lid says “Fordomatic”????? Are we confused yet?????? A lot of “IF’S” in this car, If the frame is just surface rust, If the engine is free, If the buyer is a good body man with lots of patience He can have a car like in GEO’s picture. Being a more rare edition the buyer would end up with a neat show vehicle.
Hi Brocky, There appears to be a lever to the right ofvthe steering column that I believe is the fresh air vent from the plenum. There is a know to the left of the column that I originally thought was for kick panel vent. But I don’t believe that they had both vents. So that could be the overdrive control.Any early Ford experts want to correct me?
its a 239 272 came out in 1955 and in 1956 the 292 and the 312 came out 292 was the Thunderbird v8 312 was the Thunderbird special v8
292 was available in 1955 as the Thunderbird V8 – my ’55s had it … 272 was for other Ford models, with the 292 being an option … 312 came out for ’56 …
My brother had a 54 station wagon version with a 312, Y block three on the tree. Crown Victoria, a cool chromed bridge over the B pillar part of the roof, baby blue faded out. A telephone book under the busted part of the driver’s seat so you could see over the steering wheel.
Definitely a 312 under the hood. It ran strong, was reasonable on gas consumption 1968 or 69… Great car for kids looking for beach chicks on the Outer Banks, NC. A car designed for sliding around on sandy parking lots… romping on the pedal in second and spinning 360s. Fun!
Cmac. The 312 engine didn’t come along until 1956. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
I think you’re right. The 312 showed up in ’56, and I think it was late in ’56 at that. It fit the same hole as any Y-block from 239 to 312. There were a lot of early Ford F-500 and F-600 trucks out west that got 312 engines dropped in. Compared to what they came from the factor with, that 312 sure woke them up.
I’ll check back with my brother. It could have been a 56. I don’t think it was a changed out engine either, so if I’m certain it was a 312, it had to be a 56. Seems good to know that now but he’ll know the year for certain. I do remember him saying a few years ago he wished he could find another wagon like that one because of the styling of the chrome. It did not have the glass top.
Thanks for the clarification!
Too bad that car is in such bad shape. I knew someone in the 80s who had a white ’54 white “glasstop” with green and white interior, that was in really nice condition. I lusted for that car. The one here looks like that car in a “before” advertisement for a car restoration outfit. However, I doubt it would be worth saving, there’s too much corrosion and rot. It probably has some useful parts however.
I have seen a lot worse vehicles resurrected!! It will depend a lot on the buyers checkbook and the time he can spend on it doing the work himself. Not a vehicle to send to a restoration shop and have to pay them by the hour.
Agreed, this car will take a labor of love by its owner, and still a lot of $$
to mike g old man in 1956 i was 11 years old my parents bought a new ford 9 passenger wagon red and white with a 225 hp 312 fordomatic loved that car
al, I read through the comments about the evolution of the Y block V-8s. Your parents 9 passenger wagon had the 312. Were they offered with a different carburetor setup than the sedan models ? My brother’s had plenty of power and it was a high mileage engine based on the condition of the car it should have been on its last legs. Far from it. His had an oil bath air cleaner if I’m remembering correctly. The wagons were a bit heavier, too. Brother was working part time after school at a local garage. The owner built a similar era Ford coupe and modified a 312 with a cam and a very large four barrel high CFM carb from a Lincoln. I rode in it crossing the bridge to the Outer Banks and it topped out at 155 mph. Good thing we didn’t see any cops or oncoming traffic in that after midnight run. Those 312 engines were something in that sweet spot for cheap modifications apparently. I thought you might know from your experience if the wagons had a higher output 312 offered.
the 312 had different hp between a automatic and standard tran all automatic where 4 barrel dual exhaust i think the hp different was the automatic had larger jets in the carb
312 was a great engine in 1957 ford offered a duel 4 barrel one think it was 245 hp and a 300 hp one with a Paxton supercharger google it it was one of the great ones my older sister got her license in 1957 one of her friends parents has a 1956 chevy wagon 265 4 barrel ford eat it for lunch
You’ll love this, when I still rode my bicycle everyday, I’d purposely took side streets and alleys, I came a cross a Mercury like this with a glass top, It had been sitting outside for generations, but the funny part was, you could see over the years, the progression of sealants they used to seal the top, none seemed to work very well. :D
that would have been a mercury sun valley loved them remember when i was 9 years old in 1954 saw one on show room floor two tone green it was love at first sight and now im 81 and still love them
In those who may be interested in buying this car – your saying is that it makes a big difference if I obtain an actual title instead of using a TI-021A Affidavit of ownership and a bill of sale?
In my home state of Mississippi it shouldn’t make any difference whether you obtain a title or the buyer secures it (especially in the case here as there appears that there would be no contest from the “holder” of the last state issued owner’s title). The paperwork would basically be the same (in Mississippi). To be certain, check with your local registrar’s office for the proper method of conveyance in the State of South Carolina. Potential buyers should do the same with their local registrar’s offices for their state if they live outside of South Carolina. GLWTS.
In some states where a buyer may live. Yes it might. As an example. I took a 5 year old Oldsmobile in on trade. The owner had previously lived in Canada, where the title is held by the province not the owner. We had rheems of paperwork showing ownership. And the state of Nevada (who “was” generally somewhat flexible on such things) put up a huge fight for no title. (I think they are learning from the state of California on how to be an inflexible jerk. As is the state of Colorado) And some states in the “lein sale paperwork jungle” will not accept other states’ lein sale rules. So the safest for your buyer is to have a title in hand.
I have sold hundreds of vehicles all over the country ( commercial sale with lein holders, leases and cash deals) And I always familiarize myself with each states laws and rules before I would have a vehicle delivered. Always with the comment ” when you go to the DMV make sure you have my phone number handy in case of questions.” There were several times that I had to tell DMV clerks how to do their job or explain the paperwork in front of them. (really was tough at times when dealing with a lease where the sales tax is paid monthly.) (the worst is Colorado where each city, county, township and of coarse state has their own tax rate and the rules and regulations change with the wind.) I had several drivers that each had a “girl friend” in a particular DMV.so they always showed up with donuts first thing in the .morning) I used to use a nationwide service for registrations so that my customers didn’t have to visit the DMV. The service handled all states EXCEPT COLORADO. And they were in Colorado!
This procedure varies from state to state and also from DMV office to DMV office. I suggest you contact a car club locally for exact procedures. South Carolina will accept a valid proof of ownership, like an expired registration, After a search to make sure it is not stolen and an officer of the DMV coming out to your shop and visually confirm the serial number, they will issue an antique title.
Is the top all cracked up
when I look through the glass, it does not look clear it looks like lots of squiggly lines in it