Scoops and Honey 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner It Was the Best of Times; It Was the Worst of Times 1958 was a rollercoaster year for the Ford Motor Company. Sales were down 35% due to the recession and Ford lost money the first 3 quarters of the year. But the new 4-seat Thunderbird was Motor Trend's Car of the Year. On the downside, the new Edsel was, to put it mildly, an ice-cream colored bomb. For the regular Ford line, 1958 was a year of complete restyling. The grille was a honeycomb design with simulated air scoop on the hood. This sculptured look was repeated on the rear deck. New Cruise-O-Matic transmission had higher torque which was needed for the new big block V-8 engines. The Fairlane 500 Sunliner added dual headlights and sweeping beltline molding for a more futuristic look. 35,029 Sunliners were produced with the V-8 version like our precision die-cast replica costing $2749. Model Feature • Opening Hood • Opening Trunk • Opening Doors • Precision Die-Cast Replica • 6.5 Inches Long • 1:32 Scale