Topless Photos of a Ford's Most Expensive Car in 1957

"Money Hustard" (moneyhustard)
12/05/2014 at 10:05 • Filed to: Classic Cars, Hardtop Convertibles, Car History, Collector Car Insurance

With automatic scissor convertible tops still over a decade away, the 1957 !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! solved a very tricky engineering issue facing American mile-long car makers of the day. They just took the whole roof off the sucker.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

This was the very first mass-produced hardtop convertible. First intended for the Lincoln Continental, this technology was first showcased on a Ford, because let's faces it, those Continentals were selling themselves at the time. What lay beneath was pure concentrate 50's freshness:

Folks flocked to Ford's showrooms to gawk at what can only be described as a feat of engineering.

It replaced the long-assed Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria Skyliner that had but a glorified moonroof.

A cool car, no doubt, but the 500 Skyliner sort of makes it look dumb by comparison. That and you could get the new one with a 300 bhp 352 supercharged V8. That's nothing to sneeze at in the 50's!

Whitewalls, rocket fins, removable hardtop, linear speedometer, what more could you want from a car?

Back back, back it up.

Like !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! America mass-produced the hardtop convertible first, because America is dope and we do dope shit. What's your favorite American first, automotive or otherwise? Careful, it's an absurdly long list to pick from. Bonus points if you identify something that another country thinks they did first but don't realize because they aren't smart enough to be Americans.

DISCUSSION (26)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:07

What's your favorite American first, automotive or otherwise? Careful, it's an absurdly long list to pick from. Bonus points if you identify something that another country thinks they did first but don't realize because they aren't smart enough to be Americans.

First country that mattered.

Money Hustard > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
12/05/2014 at 10:10

This is the first, but that's probably the most correct comment possible on this article.

BATC42 > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:12

That is a goregous, gorgeous car. The roof mechanism reminds me a lot of what Peugeot did in the 30's with the 401 Eclipse.

Kinja'd!!!

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:15

My favourite is probably the Skyliner actually. It's just so cool.

Money Hustard > BATC42
12/05/2014 at 10:15

Yeah, the Europeans dreamed it, 'Murica made it a reality.

Nibbles > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:21

300bhp 352 supercharged V8

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

352 supercharged

uh... you sure 'bout dat?

Funktheduck > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:21

You had me at topless

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:23

Like the fastback America mass-produced the hardtop convertible first, because America is dope and we do dope shit. What's your favorite American first, automotive or otherwise? Careful, it's an absurdly long list to pick from. Bonus points if you identify something that another country thinks they did first but don't realize because they aren't smart enough to be Americans.

Not that I really care about who was first with this or that.. But small spaceefficient cars.. now THAT is a Europeans made it first, and the 'muricans never really caught up, since they don't need it.. different strokes for different folks mate :)

$kaycog > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:26

Love the Swallow Top!

BATC42 > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:26

Oh, we didn't just dream it, we made it too for a grand total of 79 Peugeot 401 Eclipse between 1934 and 1935. Then Peugeot and some coachbuilders used the same mechanism on the 402 and the 301 and 302 as well as on the 601 (pictured below)

Kinja'd!!!

You should check out the cars made by the coachbuilder Pourtout, he was the one who created the mechanism, and made most of the cars. He even made Eclipse cars from other brands (like a sweet Panhard)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrosser…

Money Hustard > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
12/05/2014 at 10:34

You wot m8?

Kinja'd!!!

Money Hustard > Nibbles
12/05/2014 at 10:35

Wikipedia seems to think they came available with one, and everywhere else. Or are you just commenting on my phrasing?

T5Killer > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
12/05/2014 at 10:36

Supercharged 352? IIRC the FE big block never had a factory S/C option it was S/C 312 y block engine.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:36

I said SMALL mate.. think the original mini.. Not that the Fiesta could be said to be an American car either mate.. :)

Money Hustard > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
12/05/2014 at 10:41

It blows my mind that people in other countries feel like Ford isn't an American car maker. Sure it was developed for your markets, but by an American company. The US market gets scads of cars that aren't made in foreign automakers' home countries. No one is saying those are American cars.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:46

It was developed by Europeans, for Europeans, IN Europe.. who cares who owns the bloody brand..

That's like claiming the Toyota Tundra ain't an american car.. And these days who can even keep track on who owns what brand.. Rolls-Royce (British? German? Marsian?) My point is, I'll give you the Ford model T.. that was developed in the US.. but cars like the Ford Fiesta (and the Vedette as well) were European cars.. sure they had the Ford logo.. but it was not an american car. Chrysler merged with Simca/Talbot YEARS ago.. you wouldn't claim Talbots as American cars would you?

Money Hustard > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
12/05/2014 at 10:49

Chrysler is owned by Fiat, so no I wouldn't.

Also, if the Tundra was American, it'd be a significantly better truck.

Nibbles > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:49

Was a 312 supercharged, the 352 didn't come around until 1958 and had a naturally aspirated 4-barrel producing 300 hp.

Money Hustard > Nibbles
12/05/2014 at 10:51

Must have got my facts mixed up there, I'll do some more research and correct.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 10:52

Fiat did not own Chrysler back then. As for Saab.. any Saab made during the GM era.. would you consider them American?

Money Hustard > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
12/05/2014 at 10:55

You can see no difference from a company always being American, and a brief period of acquisition? Besides, towards the end the Saabs were so largely comprised of GM parts, I don't think many Swedes claimed them anyway.

Ford's always been Ford, though.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 11:02

I can see the difference mate :) No worries there, it's just that I can't see the point in claiming a car made by europeans for europeans in Europe as an American car. We've had that car since '76 (sure, it was approved by Henry Ford II in '72 or something) and it's never been made in the US. Not that it matters..

camaroboy68ss > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 11:18

Those tops were an absolute nightmare. They would breakdown a lot even when new.

Chevy had a prototype corvette with a retractable hardtop but they could never get the thing to pass their standard for reliability.

As for American first is automotive I would have to go with Chevys Ram Jet Fuel Injection debuted in 1957. It was the first production car with fuel injection. Was one of,if not the, first car to produce 1hp -1ci. Like the retractable hardtop though the fuel injection was temperamental and a pain to service. Many factory "fuelies" were converted to dual fours.

Money Hustard > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
12/05/2014 at 11:22

We like to outsource compact car making to third-world countries like Germany.

(Man I'm hoping you're picking up on the fact that my xenophobia is pure sarcasm, as is my overabundance of patriotism)

But still, Fiesta, 'Murican!

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 11:24

Hehe, I was just wondering if you'd pick up MY sarcasm :) It's all good breh.. all good :)

ranwhenparked > Money Hustard
12/05/2014 at 21:57

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrszur…

And they used Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as their spokespeople too.