No Ford product of the 1950s better captured the decade’s passionate obsession with technology than the Skyliner. It debuted in 1957 and was the first American production car to have a retractable hardtop. Pulling a switch under the dashboard seemed to transform a conventional-appearing hardtop coupe into a convertible through magic, as it can neatly fold the hinged steel top and slip it away under a reverse-hinged rear deck within two minutes. The magic happened courtesy of 600 feet of wiring, spread among 10 power relays, eight circuit breakers, 10 limiter switches, three drive motors, and four lock motors. In other words, the Skyliner was an engineering masterpiece. For sheer drama, nothing else could beat its mechanical dance.

The Skyliner lasted three years in production, with its final year being 1959, when it sold 12,915 units despite a $400 premium over the conventional Sunliner ragtop, making it, at $3,346, the most expensive full-size Ford. Part of the Fairlane 500 series at the beginning of the model year, it was made a Galaxie—a simple matter of new script—halfway through the year, and it helped Ford to all but tie rival Chevrolet for number one in industry sales. The new-for-1959 styling, an award winner at French style shows, and a beautiful build quality didn’t hurt matters.

The Skyliner offered here was built in May 1959, at Ford’s hometown factory at Dearborn, and it is equipped with a correct 200-horsepower, 292-cubic inch V-8 and three-speed Cruise-O-Matic transmission. As a recipient of an older cosmetic restoration in Wedgewood Blue and Colonial White with matching vinyl and cloth upholstery, it is very well-equipped, with power steering, AM radio, power antenna, stainless steel fender skirts, accessory wire wheel covers, and modern radial tires. With a thorough detailing, this Skyliner would present nicely at local shows and cruises. Carefully stored and cared for within the Kughn Collection, it is certain to draw a crowd wherever it is driven and shown. Even with retractable hardtops now a fixture in the convertible market, this American original is no less dazzling, demonstrating “the car of the future” as only our own engineers of the 1950s could build it.