JP’s A to Z Challenge – S is for Sunliner

Most people would look at these pictures and see a 1955 Ford convertible. But the Ford Motor Company wanted you to see more than that, which needed a better name. So, starting in 1952, Ford took to calling its convertible a Sunliner. What a great descriptive name.

Although the name also makes me think of a passenger vehicle hurtling towards the sun, which will be a trip with a poor ending. It is better to think of passengers inviting the sun to come and visit us here, and what better way than by throwing the top down and enjoying the rays.

Something called a Sunliner almost has to be yellow, and this one is. I love the bright colors that were common on cars of the 1950’s, and this bumblebee combination of yellow and black is perfect on this car.

1950’s Chevrolets are the cars that get all of the love, but I am partial to the Fords of that era too. Chevys new 1955 V8 engine turned out to be a great one, but Ford had been building V8s for over 20 years when this car came out. Unfortunately, Ford’s completely re-designed V8 (new in 1954) ceded the performance crown to its rival from General Motors.

Automatic transmissions were all the rage in the 1950’s, and all of them had great names, which were usually spelled out with nameplates on the back. Ford called its automatic the Ford-O-Matic. This car, however, is identified as having Overdrive – a 3-speed manual transmission with a 4th “overdrive” gear which made for easy highway cruising and better fuel economy.

I love cars from this era because there are so many cool details that just beg to be photographed. I am glad I took the time to capture several of them on this lovely example.

Photos by the author in St. Joseph, Michigan, July 18, 2013.

31 thoughts on “JP’s A to Z Challenge – S is for Sunliner”

  1. You know, when I see this era Ford, it really stands out to me. I used to see a fair amount of these when I was a kid, but they didn’t seem to make the cut to being “collectable”. About twenty-thirty years ago, I was pondering this at a car show, and was wondering if it had something to do with being poorly built, or “rust-buckets”, or…whatever, but I seem to see this era Chevy around more than any of those Fords.

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    • I think the Chevys didn’t rust as much, and they were always prized by teens when they got older. Somehow, the Fords were less popular as regular older used cars and that translated into them being less prized when they got to “collectable” age.

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    • Starting with the 1955 model, Chevrolets became more collectible than Fords, so more have been preserved or restored.

      Prior to the 1954 models, Fords are more popular than Chevrolets with collectors, because of the Ford Flathead V-8. There are more restored “shoebox” 1949-51 Fords, for example, at car shows than comparable Chevrolets.

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    • I’m a little surprised the name didn’t last longer. 1962 was the last time the term was used in the sales literature. This is surely why convertible sales tapered off so severely later. 😄

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  4. When I first opened your blog this morning I said, “Wow! That’s a great car.” I only learned anything about it by reading your post and I’m glad you got some good pictures of it.

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  5. I can always count on you to send me looking at my files to find photos of cars like the excellent ones you feature! This time I did not have to go far because we have a 1970 Dodge Challenger TA – yellow with a black hood – in our garage!

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  6. I have been cursing the rise of the automatic transmission for many years, sometimes more than others… but recently, seeing the dearth of manual transmissions in trucks, it’s been more like mourning than bemoaning.

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  7. That sure is a unique color combo for this car and I thought the orangey shades, the color of a Creamsicle with cream contrast, were unique! I like how you describe it JP, like a bumblebee. I see it is/was a Michigan owner. In the local cruising event, I always like to see the fins like this car has. I like how the shiny tailpipe juts out as well. Are the two rear covers over the tires for looks or to protect them? Well, I would not have guessed the “S” for this letter – it was a first for me.

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  9. Sunliner vs Skyliner. Maybe one or the other should have had a bit of a different name. Both top down cars but with very different configurations. One just a convertible, the other with the motorized hardtop then folded into the trunk. Perhaps not enough differentiation between the two. Or one stole sales from the other and vice-versa. Or maybe one was enough in the market.

    The yellow on this one is a bit – bright? Unrestrained? Nice piece summarizing these JP.

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    • It is certainly not for introverts!

      Ford always did well selling convertibles, but the complex and expensive Skyliner with the retractable hardtop didn’t do so well.

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  11. What a terrific old Ford! The color is ideal as is the transmission. While I had a ’55 Chevrolet, this Ford certainly gives the Chevrolet a run for its money in the looks department.

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    • If you want a movie tie-in, it’s a year older than the mystery getaway car that made the getaway in My Cousin Vinny. Pontiac gave the car a V8 engine in 1963 but kept the oddball rear suspension system that explained the unique skid marks.

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