I’ve been watching Season One of Perry Mason, and its star, Raymond Burr, can be seen tooling around late-50s L.A. in a car like this: a solid black 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner. Now here’s your chance to pretend to be TV’s favorite criminal defense lawyer and own one of the most unique and innovative cars of the 1950s. Currently located in Knoxville, TN, this ’57 Ford Retractable can be found here on craigslist for an asking price of $22,500 or best offer. A special thank you to our Barn Find buddy, MattR, for bringing this cool classic to our attention.
Introduced on April 18, 1957, the Skyliner was the highest-priced model in Ford’s lineup – some $340 more than a Sunliner convertible. Ford’s marketing team laid it on thick by claiming “Ford’s sensational “Hide-Away” (Retractable) Hardtop is the most revolutionary idea in automotive design since the development of the closed car 40 years ago!” Maybe so, but it appeared to bring in more curiosity seekers to the showrooms than actual buyers. Between its high price tag, limited luggage space with the hardtop in the trunk, and its unproven, complex retractable technology (I’ve read mixed opinions about its reliability when introduced), it wasn’t the revolutionary hit Ford had hoped for. 1957 would be the high-water mark for the Skyliner with 20,766 sold. Sales tapered off to 14,713 in 1958 and slid to only 12,915 in 1959, its final year when it was a member of the Galaxie lineup. All told, only 48,394 Skyliners left the factory during their three-year run.
Despite the seller’s not-so-good photo of this Skyliner in the classic “Retractable Hardtop Car Show Pose,” the good news is, and the seller puts it in all caps: “TOP WORKS AS IT SHOULD BOTH UP AND DOWN. And no leaks.” The seller describes the car as a nice driver and “an all numbers-matching car that just left a very long-term hibernation in a warehouse and needs tinkering.” The seller also states that the Skyliner has 95% of its original Raven Black paint and mentions the rust in the driver’s rear quarter panel (with a new rear quarter included with the car) and that it has “solid floors.” It’s hard to tell from the photos if the passenger rear quarter area has rust or not, but overall the car seems solid and complete. It’s a driver, so the paint isn’t perfect, the chrome isn’t gleaming, and it’s hard to tell the condition of the glass.
The Skyliner sales brochures described their cabins as having “Five all-vinyl Luxury Lounge interiors featuring new Airweave “breathable” vinyl seat upholstery, color-keyed to body colors.” The seller says it has a new red and white interior (but we don’t know how new), and that the original factory radio and optional clock are “still intact” which must mean they’re working. The “lights and directionals” work also. The two-tone dash looks good but the steering wheel looks to have some worn marks on it.
The base engine for the Skyliner was a 292-cid V8 that was rated at 190 horsepower. This particular Ford was ordered with the optional Thunderbird 312 Special V-8, with a 4-barrel carb, dual exhausts, and 245 horses under that front-opening hood. The seller says both the engine and the Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission have been rebuilt and that the engine “Runs Great.” A new fuel tank and stainless exhaust system have also been installed and 54,500 is showing on the clock, even though there’s no documentation to show if those are the original miles. This Retractable seems reasonably priced since Hagerty values a ’57 Skyliner in #3 condition at $35,200 ($58k in #2 and $88k in #1). The seller describes this Skyliner accurately as a driver. Maybe the next owner will just fix the rust spots, paint it, (add some wide whitewall tires) and continue enjoying it as a driver. Or, maybe treat it to a thorough restoration. Either way, it will be a cool black beauty, top-up or top-in-the-trunk, with room for Perry, Paul Drake, Della Street, Hamilton Burger, and even Lieutenant Tragg to cruise around town in.
Definitely enjoy Perry Mason on MeTV late nights (ok I’m old but on the proper side of the pavement) to see all the period autos. Edsels to Hudsons and Studebakers, bullet birds and 59 Cadillac’s, Mark II’s you name them.
Same here, I enjoy spotting all of the classic Detroit iron in that TV Series. There are some sites online that have documented all of the cars Perry drove in that long-running series. And, Paul Drake, the King of Cool, had some great wheels, too; T-Birds, ‘Vettes, etc., and all with ashtrays…
Good that Perry had that retractable when he did cuz he wouldn’t have been able to fit that wheelchair into the back in later TV years when he developed that nasty ironside.
I always liked the looks of these, with that short roof when the top was up. And for all its complexity, the mechanism was pretty reliable. It’s just a bear fixing it when it does break, however.
Look ahead a few episodes, and he’s driving a 59 Cadillac convertible. In some episodes it almost looks like it’s about as easy as a semi to drive around.
Quote: “The base engine for the Skyliner was a 272-cid V8 that was rated at 190 horsepower.”
Some sources say this — incorrectly I’d say, because Ford’s own sales brochure says the standard Skyliner engine was the 292. That makes sense because the 272 wasn’t offered on Fairlanes/Fairlane 500s in ’57, only on Customs and Custom 300s, again per Ford sales brochures. Since the 223 six wasn’t available in the Skyliner and the 272 wasn’t offered for Fairlanes it got the base Fairlane V8 as standard equipment and that was the 292.
tiger66: thank you for bringing that typo to my attention. Double checked my notes and the actual sales brochure and it should’ve been typed as 292-ci. It has been corrected. Much obliged.
No problem, Ron. Glad the info was useful.
Has anyone ever told you that you resemble Shemp Howard?
At one time some ’57 Ford sales brochures said “any engine with any transmission in any car,” other than the Thunderbird. If that was true it would be possible to order a 2-door Del Rio ranch wagon with the supercharged 312 V8 and three speed stick with overdrive, or a Skyliner retractable hardtop with the 223 L6 and Ford-O-Matic. And there have been a few 2-door Custom sedans with the supercharged option.
no sorry, the 272 wasn’t available in 1957, it wasn’t even made any more then.
Ron I don’t think that “the original factory radio and optional clock are “still intact” which must mean they’re working” necessarily means they’re working. I think it could mean they are still in the car (not been replaced), instead.
Saw this car and chuckled – I too have been watching Perry Mason as a reprieve from the current drivel on TV. I enjoy the plots, acting, and the amazing parade of ‘50s Detroit Iron. They did sneak in an Austin Healey the other night.
Fun Fact: Paul Drake is played by William Hopper, father of Dennis Hopper of Easy Rider fame.
I love retractables, and ‘57 is my favorite year. Great article!
I didn’t know that…..thanks.
I don’t think the top worked on Perry’s car…it was always down.
I know of another about 1/2 mile away. Gave the guy a set of NY 1957 license plates I had in my stash.
Mine wasn’t a Skyliner, “just” the Fairlane 500 2 door hardtop, which is now a “wish I still had that one!” memory. It had the 292 c.i. that I always said was the T-Bird engine and the 3 speed Fordomatic. Came with 2 tone red and black paint scheme and after a minor fender bender had it painted with a Diamond Lustre Black.
There was actually an early show where Perry drove up into the driveway to see somebody – then left in the black retractable. A little later the killer pulls up in a black convertible Ford which is seen by a witness thinking it was Perry – and Perry is on the hook until he can prove the real killer.
Had to explain that to my girl the last time that episode was on.
I love this car on Perry Mason. I had a metal toy one when I was a kid. There was a crank under the license plate which made the top go down. I’ve seen the tops in operation at car shows and it is quite a scene-stopper.
The top is often up on Perry Mason. In one episode you can see huge strips of black tape running above the windows on the driver’s side all the way to the windshield. My guess is that the top had to be taped down because of malfunctioning.
Watching Perry Mason is fantastic for a car lover like me who grew up in that era.
Perry is on now, here in Virginia (NC TV station). Anxiously waiting to see what he drives….darn didn’t see any cars.
Very nice Ford retractable with a reasonable asking price! With the engine and trans having been rebuilt, this looks like a great investment. I use to love the tri-five Chevys when I was younger but the Fords have won me over since. I would love to be able to buy this, it would definitely be the star-of-the-show at any carshow! The quarter panels could be repaired with fiberglass easily and with a frugal re-paint it would last another 20 to 40 years.
One of my all-time favorites, along with the ’57 TBird … would love either with the “E” or “F” type engines … way better than the vaulted ’57 Chevy models …