Ford 1957 Fairlane 500 Skyliner- Retractable Roof - Red (Discontinued) ST 54
Ford thought so much of this innovative attempt to combine the fun of a convertible with the noise and weather advantages of a hardtop, that they presented President Eisenhower with a set of keys to the first one to roll off the assembly line. Though one of FM's earlier efforts, and lacking some of the current refinements, this excellent 1:24 scale model has its share of details. There's a decent amount of detailing under the hood (no wires), right down to the "Thunderbird" name on the valve covers of the scaled-down Thunderbird Special, 312 cubic inch V-8. The interior looks nice with its two-tone red and white upholstery (the seat backs don't tilt, however) and simulated carpeting. There are sun visors, but the dash details are of the decal variety. The undercarriage is a wealth of detailing that clearly shows the Ford "X" frame and many of the other suspension members. A nice touch is the dual exhausts sticking out the back. The chrome parts are nicely done and accurately rendered. By far the standout feature is the fully articulated hardtop that neatly folds into the trunk! Even the "picnic basket" storage bin is included- a nice touch. If you thought the car was cool, this model's for you. The red and white version is discontinued



