Forty-eight years before introducing its disappointing 2005 Five Hundred, Ford introduced its first “500” model, the Fairlane 500, seen here in beautiful Sunliner convertible form.
For 1957, Ford completely redesigned their full-size lineup, one-upping Chevrolet’s updated ’56 model. Also introduced was a new naming convention, with the top trim of the Custom series called the 300, placing it comfortably above Chevy’s 150 and 210 series. In addition, the iconic 500 moniker was introduced as the top trim of the Fairlane series.
1957 was a fantastic year for Ford. The new Fords were, per the latest trend, longer, lower and wider than last year’s model, the daring retractable-hardtop Skyliner and car-truck Ranchero were introduced, and Ford won both the model- AND calendar-year sales crowns for the first time since 1935. A 1957 Ford even had the starring role as moonshiner Robert Mitchum’s ride of choice in the hit movie Thunder Road (though released in 1958).
It’s a funny coincidence that I stumbled across this looker exactly three days after I photographed the 2005 Ford Five Hundred as this is one of the original 500s that the moribund Five Hundred was trying to evoke. Ostensibly used to create a connection to the great 500-mile races like Indianapolis and Daytona, Ford successfully associated that number in buyers’ minds with something special, whether as a trim level (Fairlane 500, Galaxie 500) or as a model (GT500).*
Striking in its two-tone red/white exterior and matching interior, this Fairlane 500 Sunliner stands in strong contrast to the boring white Hyundai Palisade next to it. While the 144-horsepower 223-cu.in. inline-six was standard in the Fairlane 500, this model had either the the 212-horsepower, 292 cu.in. “Thunderbird” V-8 or one of the “Thunderbird Special” V-8s ranging in horsepower from 245 to 300.
Through 1956, Ford cars sat on a truck-like ladder frame that required a high floor and roofline. First developed for the 1956 Continental Mark II by chief engineer Harley Copp, the “cow belly” frame bowed the main rails outward and downward with the crossmembers slung underneath. This allowed the height of the Mark II to be four inches lower than the Capri and Premier without any significant loss in headroom. Ford adopted the “cow belly” for the 1957 Fords and switched from 15-inch to 14-inch wheels to achieve that signature look. Lincoln stuck with the ladder frame, switching to unibody construction for the entire 1958 Lincoln/Continental lineup.
That wasn’t all. The 1956 Fords all sat on the same 115.5-inch wheelbase. In a bid to push the Ford brand upmarket, the 1957 models came in two sizes: The Custom and Custom 300 models rode a 116-inch wheelbase with the even-longer 118-inch version and an additional six inches in length reserved for the Fairlane and Fairlane 500 models. The Fairlane was considerably longer than the Chevy, which still sat on a 115-inch wheelbase with an overall length that was shorter than the Custom.
If you think that this strategy crowded Mercury, you’d be right. Mercury, whose original role was to compete with Dodge and Pontiac, was given huge 122- and 124-inch wheelbase models and told to compete with Buick and Chrysler. Edsel was introduced in late 1957 to fill the “gaping hole” between Ford and Mercury. We all remember how that worked out.
It was refreshing to see someone still enjoying this beautiful convertible at the Levitt AMP Music Series in Maryville, TN. Friends of ours had recently relocated there and, since my wife missed the last two trips to Florida before they moved, wanted to drive down to visit them since they were now a drivable distance (I know it’s 12 hours away from Connecticut, but that’s a lot better than 26). Our friends took us to the festival to enjoy some bluegrass music.
Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to meet the owner, so I have no history or backstory on the Sunliner. All I know is that it would have cost the original owner a very reasonable $2,605 ($30,956 in 2026 dollars). The dual exhausts were an extra $18.60 ($221) on the 292 or standard with any of the Thunderbird Specials. The single-quad Special was $123 ($1,462), the dual-quad Thunderbird Special was $189.60 ($2,253), and the Big Daddy “F-Code” supercharged 312 would have set the original owner back a whopping $340 ($4,040). It also looks like it has the $179.80 ($2,137) Ford-O-Matic Automatic Transmission. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it had the $68.70 ($816) “Master-Guide” power steering and the $48.50 ($576) “Swift-Sure” Power Brakes. Whatever happened to fun option names? In addition, a six-tube radio would have run the owner $73.80 ($877), an oil filter – yes, it was optional – was $9.30 ($111), and that snazzy two-tone paint was $36 ($428). Once you add in all the little secondary features we take for granted, that very reasonable $2,605 maybe wasn’t quite so reasonable.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that most of us agree that this car is stunning. Oddly, unless the discussion is about the Thunderbird or Skyliner, 1957 seems to only to be remembered for the iconic Chevy or the also low but far more dramatically styled Plymouth. I can’t say I’m entirely sure why that is.
Part of the problem might have been that it was quite rust prone and suffered from other various quality control issues. As most rusted away, there were fewer Fords living on versus the Chevy. However, that doesn’t explain why the Plymouth, which started fewer in number – and most of them also rusted away or fell apart – are also held in higher regard than the Ford when talking about the domestic offerings in 1957. In my completely uneducated opinion, as I wasn’t even alive back then, the Chevy and the Chrysler epitomized 1957 in ways the Ford just didn’t. The tall-boy 1957 Chevy, in full Bel Air guise, with its massive fins, big chrome in-your-face grille, and dual hood-mounted wind-splits symbolized the pride and optimism of the times.
The Plymouth, with its sweeping tailfins, low-slung glass, and Torsion-Aire suspension, its “Suddenly, it’s 1960” advertising campaign and “dual look” headlamps (as true dual headlamps did not become legal until 1958) looked simultaneously ahead of its time and perfect for the times. It even appeared lower than the Ford even though all versions except the Fury were actually slightly taller.
However, if this Ford floats your boat, you can have this nearly identical one for a cool $49k.
*Dodge also had the “D-500” high-horsepower V8s in the late 50s as well. The Fiat Nuova 500 was also introduced in 1957, but the name roughly denoted the engine size. In cubic centimeters. That’s 29 cubic inches. A far cry from the 312 you could get in the Ford.
Related Reading:
Automotive History: The Longest Left Turn in History
Curbside Classic: 1957 Ford Custom 300 – A Migration To Parts Unknown
Curbside Classic: 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner – Reaching For The Sky (With Video)
Nice ;
I have always loved the svelte 1957 Fords .
-Nate
I kind of get the design now, as with a few late 50s Ford’s I used to disdain, but I still find those headlapses (prolights?) deeply unsettling to look at.
I remember when a 50s nostalgia craze took hold in the early 1970s, and it seemed to me that both the 57 Chevy and Ford shared icon status. But within another 5 or 10 years, the Fairlane 500 had its icon card cancelled.
I really like the design of the Fairlane series. I have always wondered why the wagons seemed to be derived from the shorter wheelbase Custom series.
I’m not much for big fins, but Ford did a pretty good job with this Fairlane. I think, perhaps, the ’57 Chevy pulled it off the best.
I’ve generally preferred Ford’s styling to Chevrolet’s in the 1950s and 60s, but as others have noted the protrusion of the headlights in the 1957 model seems strangely awkward. The general profile and rear styling were better worked out.
In hindsight, it’s amusing to consider how the “Suddenly, it’s 1960!” ad slogan backfired on Chrysler. Because (suddenly) it was 1960, and Chrysler styling had arguably hit a dead end. You can imagine Chrysler executives nervously observing the industry landscape in the fall of 1959, and removing all traces of that memorable slogan from office and boardroom walls.
An overlooked story in the auspicious model year of 1957 was that people were frankly a bit disappointed with the Chevrolet. Compared to Ford and Plymouth, it was tall, narrow, and behind the times. The savior of the ’57 was the ’58. The newer Chevy looked fat, slow, dumpy and baroque. The older car found new life as America’s best used car, and the country realized what it had taken for granted.