1959 Yachio Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner In Original Box
This example of Ford's retractable hardtop Fairlane 500 Skyliner grades as the best I've seen. It has none of the typical roof scuffs or rear trunk scratches that are so prevalent and so easily acquired whenever the mechanism is activated. Yet it is all factory original without any touch-up or repainting. To find a car in this condition it has to have never been played with which is exactly the case. I purchased it from Bill Gallagher, coauthor of the Big Book of Tin Toy Cars. It grades near mint+ to mint condition and is complete with its original box. This Skyliner is a two-tone, all tin litho car; deep sky blue and pale yellow. The lever on the right side of the car easily raises and lowers the trunk and roof (although while I was taking the photographs I was careful that the roof and trunk never touched). The strong friction drive motor powers the front wheels. It has a single bench seat interior, embossed, and lithoed in red, white and blue plaid. The dashboard is fully detailed and it has a chrome plated metal steering wheel. The chassis is single plate and lithoed solid black. It's loaded with chrome! This includes the side molding, door handles, windshield frame with "smoker" windows, wrap around front and rear bumpers grille assemblies, tail lights, and brake-light rims. The double front head lamps are lithoed. The rear are red plastic bullet shaped bulbs which have been set into the metal body. It has a detailed rear license plate marked Japan. "Made In Japan" was also lithoed onto the dashboard. Neither the vehicle or the box have the manufacturer's name or trademark. The windshield is the original factory issued celluloid. The Ford name was lithoed twice onto each white black red silver wheel covers. An authentic Ford trademark was also tabbed separately onto the front hood. The box features a full panel color illustration of the actual car on the cover. The Cragstan name, plus advertising which described the "dissapearing" abilities of the roof into the trunk, were printed on every panel and apron. Cragstan was the U.S. importer, not the manufacturer. Size: 11". Date Sold: Dec. 2009
Price Sold: $ 835
