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Q: I own a 1954 Ford Skyliner. I have read some- where that Ford tested a Skyliner with the Plexiglas and one with a steel top in 1954 in Arizona with all the windows up. The re- sult was that the Skyliner only got 5 to 7 degrees hot- ter than the steel roof. As for my ‘54 Skyliner, I’ve had it now for about nine years. It was origi- nally a California car and then brought to Florida. Next, it went to the Chicago area for a couple months where I bought it and brought it back to Florida. I call it the great-great- grandfather of all the sun- roof and moonroof cars we have today. It’s VERY pop- ular everywhere I take it, as there aren’t many of the 1954 Skyliners left. My car has a one-year- newer engine, but is other- wise original. The original 239 horsepower engine had issues because it was the first year of the over- head valve (Y-block) en- gine. I always kid about how the Ford engineers couldn’t get their stuff to- gether for 1953, which was the 50th anniversary year for Ford. The 1953 Ford did not have many innova- tions or new things from the prior year. Then came the 1954 Ford with a new engine (overhead valve), ball joint suspension re- placed rack-and-pinion for a smoother ride, astrodial speedometer and, of course, a new Skyliner model. You’d think these would be things for the 50th anniversary celebra- tion but they weren’t ready. — Jim Pierce, Florida A: Jim, I am very im- pressed with your ‘54 Sky- liner, as it sure looks like a pristine example of one of Ford’s most popular and novel creations. I’m glad I christened the ‘54 Skyliner the “Godfather of Ameri- can sunroof/moonroof models.” I’m also im- pressed you have the ‘55 Y- block engine, as it’s bigger and produces more horse- power. Additionally, I don’t feel it impacts the value of your car one cent downward and actually makes it more valuable. (I’ll probably hear from the purists.) Greg Zyla writes weekly for GateHouse Media and welcomes reader interac- tion on anything to do with collector cars, auto nostalgia or old-time mo- torsports at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, PA or at [email protected]. AUTOMOTIVE CARS WE REMEMBER 1954 Ford Skyliner beauty Jim Pierce of Florida sent these photos of his beautiful ’54 Ford Skyliner, which is an excellent example of Ford’s ingenuity in 1954. Ford introduced its first overhead-valve V-8 in ’54 and had the first-ever American-built sun- roof/moonroof. JIM PIERCE PHOTOS GREG ZYLA AUTO BITS TIP OF THE WEEK Winterize now “Today’s cars and trucks are overall more reliable than ever be- fore,” says Dan Woods, host and producer of Speed’s “Chop Cut Re- build” series. “Still, cer- tain systems in all vehicles are more sus- ceptible to cold, snow and ice. It’s important to prepare those sys- tems to handle colder weather.” Woods recommends owners give these areas special attention when prepping their vehicles for winter: ■ Tires ■ Visibility ■ Battery - ARA CAR Q&A Jumpy car Q: I own a 2010 Toyota Corolla 1.8 liter four- cylinder automatic with 47,000 miles. At low speeds, especially 35- 40 mph, the car is very sensitive and jumpy. I have had the car to two different dealers, and they say the car is nor- mal, no problem found. A: When I hear com- plaints like this I ask the owner to drop the vehi- cle off so we can test drive the vehicle in nor- mal driving conditions. The computer would pick up any conditions not considered in the normal operating range. Leave the car with your local techni- cian and let him drive it overnight and get his opinion. - Junior Damato, GateHouse News Service THE LIST Jim Pierce of Florida shows off his ’54 Ford Skyliner.It has a ‘55 engine but is otherwise original. He says, “It’s VERY popular everywhere I take it, as there aren’t many of the 1954 Skyliners left.” COOLEST RETRO BOX CARSAccording to Popular Mechanics: ■ Volvo 240 (1975-93) ■ BMW M3 (1988-91) ■ Mercedes 500E (1991-94) ■ Jeep Cherokee (1984-2001) ■ Chevy Blazer (1973-91) ■ Dodge Spirit R/T (1991-92) ■ Ford Mustang LX 5.0 Notchback (1985-93) auto_0910_cover_GHNS_7.qxp:Layout 1 9/7/12 10:25 AM Page 2
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Transcript of Auto 0910 Cover GHNS
Q: I own a 1954 FordSkyliner. I have read some-where that Ford tested aSkyliner with the Plexiglasand one with a steel top in1954 in Arizona with allthe windows up. The re-sult was that the Skylineronly got 5 to 7 degrees hot-ter than the steel roof.As for my ‘54 Skyliner,
I’ve had it now for aboutnine years. It was origi-nally a California car andthen brought to Florida.Next, it went to theChicago area for a couplemonths where I bought itand brought it back toFlorida.I call it the great-great-
grandfather of all the sun-roof and moonroof cars wehave today. It’s VERY pop-ular everywhere I take it,as there aren’t many of the1954 Skyliners left.My car has a one-year-
newer engine, but is other-wise original. The original239 horsepower enginehad issues because it wasthe first year of the over-head valve (Y-block) en-gine.I always kid about how
the Ford engineerscouldn’t get their stuff to-gether for 1953, which wasthe 50th anniversary yearfor Ford. The 1953 Forddid not have many innova-tions or new things fromthe prior year. Then camethe 1954 Ford with a newengine (overhead valve),ball joint suspension re-placed rack-and-pinion fora smoother ride, astrodialspeedometer and, ofcourse, a new Skyliner
model. You’d think thesewould be things for the50th anniversary celebra-tion but they weren’tready. — Jim Pierce,FloridaA: Jim, I am very im-
pressed with your ‘54 Sky-liner, as it sure looks like apristine example of one ofFord’s most popular andnovel creations. I’m glad I
christened the ‘54 Skylinerthe “Godfather of Ameri-can sunroof/moonroofmodels.” I’m also im-pressed you have the ‘55 Y-block engine, as it’s biggerand produces more horse-power. Additionally, Idon’t feel it impacts thevalue of your car one centdownward and actuallymakes it more valuable.(I’ll probably hear fromthe purists.)Greg Zyla writes weeklyfor GateHouse Media andwelcomes reader interac-tion on anything to dowith collector cars, autonostalgia or old-time mo-torsports at 303 RooseveltSt., Sayre, PA or [email protected].
AUTO BITS
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CARSWE REMEMBER
1954 Ford Skyliner beauty
Jim Pierce of Florida sent these photos of his beautiful ’54 Ford Skyliner, which is an excellent example of Ford’singenuity in 1954. Ford introduced its first overhead-valve V-8 in ’54 and had the first-ever American-built sun-roof/moonroof. JIM PIERCE PHOTOS
GREG ZYLA
AUTO BITS
TIP OFTHEWEEK
Winterize now“Today’s cars and
trucks are overall morereliable than ever be-fore,” says DanWoods,host and producer ofSpeed’s “Chop Cut Re-build” series. “Still, cer-tain systems in allvehicles are more sus-ceptible to cold, snowand ice. It’s importantto prepare those sys-tems to handle colderweather.”Woods recommends
owners give these areasspecial attention whenprepping their vehiclesfor winter:
� Tires�Visibility� Battery
- ARA
CAR Q&A
Jumpy carQ: I own a 2010 ToyotaCorolla 1.8 liter four-cylinder automatic with47,000miles. At lowspeeds, especially 35-40mph, the car is verysensitive and jumpy. Ihave had the car to twodifferent dealers, andthey say the car is nor-mal, no problem found.A:When I hear com-plaints like this I ask theowner to drop the vehi-cle off so we can testdrive the vehicle in nor-mal driving conditions.The computer wouldpick up any conditionsnot considered in thenormal operatingrange. Leave the carwith your local techni-cian and let him drive itovernight and get hisopinion.
- Junior Damato,GateHouse News Service
THE LIST
Jim Pierce of Florida shows off his ’54 Ford Skyliner. Ithas a ‘55 engine but is otherwise original. He says, “It’sVERY popular everywhere I take it, as there aren’t manyof the 1954 Skyliners left.”
COOLEST RETRO BOX CARSAccording to Popular Mechanics:
�Volvo 240 (1975-93)�BMWM3 (1988-91)�Mercedes 500E (1991-94)� Jeep Cherokee (1984-2001)
�Chevy Blazer (1973-91)�Dodge Spirit R/T (1991-92)� Ford Mustang LX 5.0Notchback (1985-93)
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