Retractables

[capecodbob]

I want your opinion on the retractables and which year is best designed . I learned to drive on a 57 sedan and had a 59 4dr in hi school so am torn. And I do like the 58's too.

I will be looking at project cars and want the one that has the most parts still on it.

Thanks for any response , Bob.

[Hoosier Hurricane]

Bob:

This is a 1957 Ford site.  Don't you think you would get a biased opinion on this matter?

John

[lalessi1]

Maybe we should change to TRI FIVE FORDS! Lol.

[Ford Blue blood]

Let's give the guy a break...at least he is looking at doing a Ford. :<)

I personally like the 57s best because of the style of the car.  The 57 is the best looking of the 50s Fords!  The roof and trunk lid are the same as are all the mechanical parts.  I have/had all sorts of Fords over the years and 57s are on the top of the list so my opinion is slightly slanted!

[RICH MUISE]

ditto what they said. Check Jerry's classic cars (link in our list of suppliers). You'll be able to see all three of the years side by side. Warning!!!.....they all look good. With that said, I would think 58 or 9 would be the cheapest to start with, but the more difficult to find parts for.

[geraldchainsaw]

i had a 57 ford back in 1959,   i have a 57 ford  conv now.    never liked the 59,  the 58 was kinda nice,  but the 57 is my favorite,  and i've been a ford man all my life and that means many many years,  going on 80 this year.  i've only owned ONE GM car in all those years,     1st car was a 50 ford club coupe,  2nd  57 ford custom,  3rd, 60 ford 2 dr,  4th 63 fairlane with 4 on the floor,  5th bad year,  6th 73 ford station wagon,  7th  80 fairmont,  8th  85 van,  9th 93 van,  10th  frord ranger,  11th  excort for the wife,  `12 th  ford ranger 2009,  and what i keep in the garage,   69 mach 1 mustang,  and the 57 ford fairlane conv,   and i even worked at fords as a tool & die maker

[jdwilker]

My folks had a '57 Fairlane that I drove in high school and now I'm restoring a '57 retractable. It sat in a barn for 43 years, so you can imagine it needs a little work. I've been at it now for 3 years and it's been a lot of fun working on it. Parts are readily available and the knowledge shared on this forum has been a big help. I've always thought the '57s were sharper looking than the '58s or '59's, but don't think you can go wrong with any of them.  Hopefully you can find one like mine that had a perfect, rust-free body. Then it's all mechanical and pretty work. Good luck.

[djfordmanjack]

A Hello to good ole Mass, Bob! your memories about your Dad's 57 should take you in the right direction, but that said there are several members on this site also into 58s and 59s. personally prefering 57s. As mentioned before, the 58 and 59 Retractables might be a bit cheaper than the original year 57. The 59 pssgr cars are somewhat boxy, but in my opinion the Skyliner is one of the nicer models in the 59 range. the 58 Retractable is quite balanced as well. It's just - you can't beat a 57 ! 
this is only my 20th anniversary of first 57 Ford ownership.

[Ecode70D]

Cape Cod Bob
       I like and have had all three years but am partial to 57 and did have a 57 retractable.   
    Are you the guy with the nice brown 57 Ford 2dr Custom from around the Hyannis area on the cape? 
       I'm from the Plymouth area. Jay

[Lou]

When the 57,58,59 retractables were just used cars in the early 1960s I was working part time for Ford dealer, we would wholesale any retractable with a build date earlier than April 1958, something about faulty locking motors before that date. In 1962 one of the guys I worked with pick up a really nice low mileage 57 retractable for next to nothing , and the first thing he did was order 59 locking motors for it.

[SkylinerRon]

We have had many 57 Retracts in my family since 1960. I have 3 now. Only one bad motor in 58 years!
Those Bosch motors are bullet proof (and rebuildable).
All three years are mostly identical mechanically in the top. Body sheet metal is the main difference.
You should join the International Ford Retractable Club if you buy one.

Ron.

[brushwolf]

Always really liked the 57's, eventually grew to like the 58's also though didn't care for the taillights when I was a kid, but the 59's I have never cared for, even in a convertible or retractable.  Just can't do it.

Retractable club touts the 59 as having been awarded "Most Beautifully Proportioned Car" back then. Please... 

Don't like the front end, don't like the back end, don't like the dash. Musta been something very strange going on at Ford when the 59 was designed... TBird is the only decent 59 Ford IMO..

[Ray]

I have owned 3 57's, 1 58, and 1 59. one of the 57's was a full power factory air car. Drove it cross country from CA to Wisconsin once. air kept the car very comfortable. There is one difference between the 57-58 models and the 59. the front section of the top is different. Although I am partial to 57's, I have a friend with a 58 that pointed out that the trim scheme on the 58 divides the rear quarters, effectively hiding the additional height. Ron's right, if you buy one join the retrac club.

[59meteor]

I have never owned a retractable, but have had all three years of 57 thru 59 Fords; 2 57 Sedan Deliveries, a 57 Custom 4 door sedan, the family had a 58 2 door Ranch Wagon when I was growing up, and my first car that I got before I was old enough to drive was a 59 4 door Country Sedan wagon, and I am currently (and very slowly!) building my 59 Canadian Meteor Niagara 2 door sedan. I like all three years, as well as most other old Fords. For me, each year has pluses and minuses, and bear in mind, this is only my personal opinion. I have always prefered the "cheapo" models, my all time favorite would be a 57 Custom 2 door sedan, no options except for a dual 4 barrel 312 and 2 tone paint.  On the 116" wheelbase 57s, the only things I am not totally enthralled with, are the bulging headlights, the worm & roller steering box, the cable system for the windshield wipers and the fact that the FE engine did not come out until the following years.   On the 57 Fairlanes, never did care for the huge rear bumper, and always thought the shorter, more curved sides of Custom series looked better proportioned.
On the 58s, I love the ribs in the roof,  but never liked the side trim all that much, and the front end looks much bulkier and heavier than the 57, and thought the heavy dashboard chrome looked rather garish. I do like the sculpted trunk lid, and have grown to like the 4 oval tail lights.
On the 59s, I have to agree  that the front end does look less atractive than the 57, but I do like the side view, at least rear of the rounded fender section behind the ends of the front bumper, and really like the view from behind. I like the rounded sides of the 1/4 panels, and the high location reverse lights. I also like the outside door handles with the round buttons with the key in them. And I like the chrome instrument cluster.
On the Skyliners, I always thought that the 59 version rear view looked the best, the 57 &8 to me, at least, always looked too flat and boxy, almost like a short Ranchero, with the flat tail light panel. I think the 59s big '' Vee'' shaped chrome trim of what would be the trunk lid, and the bulge of the reverse light section of the upper 1/4 panels does a nice job of hiding the boxiness of the 57-8 retractables. Now, some will say that adding a Continental kit helps cover up the akwardness of the 57&8 Skyliners, but since I prefer the cheapo models, never cared much for accesories that most retractables seem to get loaded down with. I suppose on a retractable, the very poor accesibility of the spare tire does make a Continental kit somewhat practical, but on a 57 thru 59 sedan or hardtop, the trunk is large enough to hold the spare tire. Again, just one guys opinion. Also, I have heard from a couple of people who have been working on Skyliners for many years, told me that the 59s had a better, more reliable electrical system for the retractable roof.

[djfordmanjack]

There is really not many areas that I don't like on a 57, except for the bulky Fairlane rear bumpers, the gas filler door in the wagons and the offset ashtray/radio/speaker on the dash. The general wraparound shape of the 57 dash is just breathtaking in my mind, although I really like the white faced 58 parts a lot and even the 59 dash is very pretty. Thanx to Jay I even have one to adapt into my 57 DelRio project.
The Del Rio side trim on a 58 is gorgeous and could be easily used on a 57 wagon or even Ranchero. there are some 59 models that look a little less bulky and I would drive one, like the 2dr Ranchwagon.