1956 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria Skyliner
Sitting atop Ford’s 1956 lineup, the Fairlane Crown Victoria Skyliner is instantly identified by its fixed acrylic roof panel (a distinctive touch borrowed from Ford’s futuristic X-100 and X-500 concept cars).
A chrome roof band, often referred to as the “tiara” or “basket handle,” framed the glass overhead and set it apart from every other car on the road.
The glass-top design first appeared in 1954 on the Fairlane Victoria coupe before moving into the Crown Victoria lineup in 1955.
Powering the Crown Victoria Skyliner was Ford’s 312 cu in Y-block V8, and factory options frequently included dual exhaust, power steering, power brakes, and the SelectAire air conditioning system.
Production numbers stayed deliberately tight (1,999 units in ’55 and just 603 in ’56), and 1956 was the final year Ford offered the acrylic panel. That short production window has made the ’56 Skyliner one of the scarcest and most collected Fords from the decade.
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