Lucille Ball Loved her Ford Skyliner Retractable Hardtop

America loved Lucy so Ford recruited Lucy and Desi to pitch the virtues of a radical concept, a retractable hardtop, that was being introduced on their new Skyliner. Of course, Fred and Ethel had to join them for this quintessential Lucy sketch. The car was a flop and the idea didn't catch on until the late 90s. Now almost all convertibles are retractable hardtops.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Lucille
• Ball
• Desi
• Arnaz
• Fred
• and
• ethel
• mertz
• love
• lucy
• ford
• Skyliner

[fuseli]

I wish the idiot talking would shut up so I can enjoy the commercial!!!

[mrpitv]

@fuseli I'll take that under consideration. Thanks for your suggestion.

[themaytagrepairman]

The one piece retractable roof was first put on a Chrysler New Port. It was a very limited run and was never used again by Chrysler. And they're the ones that designed it.

[mrpitv]

@themaytagrepairman Thanks for sharing that. I've heard that Ford had a lot of trouble making this work. Funny how it's commonplace now.

[4rdc]

first on race day

[GeorgeVreelandHill]

It was a nice design, but the thing was more of a novelty.

President Eisenhower had one in the White House.

This was not the first retractable car top.

The first one came out in 1934 in France.

Nice to see Lucy.

George Vreeland Hill

[wildcman]

the top was originaly designed tofor Lincoln but the cost was prohibitive so they put it in the Ford instead and was still expensive and there was problems with the microswitches 13 of them several electric motors and miles of wireing but it was a nice looking car the top was also very noisey ther is a comercil with the top in action and you can hear how loud it was

[thebenstrong]

@mrpitv I know. Otherwise I would not have written it.

[mrpitv]

@thebenstrong They own Chrysler.

[thebenstrong]

@mrpitv Fiat is with Chrysler

[jamesjdb]

@themaytagrepairman: Me grow up? I'm not the one inputting false infomation. If you don't know about something, simply look it up man. I wasn't being a jerk, I was just stating TRUE FACTS. And when I said (jealous chrysler/dodge and now fiat man) I followed it with an (LOL) Don't go getting so bent dude!

[themaytagrepairman]

@jamesjdb I'm just goin on what I've read. So you don't have to be a jerk about it. I'm not jealous either. Grow up!

[stellarblue51]

@RennyGd You are pretty fair minded, Renny. Truth is, I would dearly love to have any number of Ford's. Lets start with my favs like the Mustang and T-Bird. How about all the fab Ford F Series Trucks. Nothing GM did was a Mustang or Bird. Like you said, different years produced dif results. Still, a Corvette would be nice...