Vehicle Description
Concourse Winning 1953 Buick Skylark Convertible For Sale
1 of 1,690 Produced for 1953
Correct Correct 322 V8 Motor Professionally Built
Correct DynaFlow Transmission
Factory Correct Matador Red Exterior with White/Red Pleated Leather
Interior
Factory Correct 15" Wire Wheels Wrapped in Wide Whites
10 Bolt Rear Axil
Power Steering
Power 4 Wheel Disk Brakes
Power Windows
Loaded with Factory Options
Complete $450,000 Restoration Done By Harbor Restoration Rockledge,
FL Took Several Years to Complete
For 113 years Buick has provided substantial, unpretentious luxury
to everyone from Wall Street bankers to professional athletes. You
might say the storied brand has done it all. It's the foundation
for today's General Motors Company. It's the foundation for
America's growth in the world's largest automotive market. And, in
the '50s, when Detroit was at the top of its luxury game, fine
automobiles like this magnificent Skylark gave serious credibility
to the line "When better automobiles are built Buick will build
them". Commissioned to celebrate the brand's 50th anniversary, this
fully sorted cruiser is 1 of only 1,690 Skylarks assembled for the
1953 model year. Visually, it's some of the coolest metal to ever
roll down an assembly line. Thanks to a remarkable combination of
smooth power and world-class style, the car sits at the pinnacle of
luxury engineering. And, if you're a cultured enthusiast who's
looking for a clean, investment grade classic, it's the carefully
restored masterpiece of your dreams!
The 1953 Roadmaster Skylark was one of three specialty convertibles
created to promote General Motors' leadership in design and
innovation. Like its Fiesta and Eldorado stablemates, the Skylark
was a limited-production, hand-made halo that was overwhelmingly
admired by the public and rewarded with a very successful sales
rate. Today, roughly 60 years later, the car's world- class design
characteristics can be found in pretty much every modern
automaker's aesthetic DNA. And its unique blend of optimistic
swagger and unmatched exclusivity make it one of the most coveted
classics on the planet.
BODYWORK/TRIM
This stately drop-top is out of an extensive, 5-year restoration
that ensured a 100% factory-accurate appearance. The restorers
began by thoroughly stripping the car's curvaceous, mostly handmade
body. When that heavy cleaning was complete, all those Harley
Earl-designed panels were assembled into a correct profile that
presents largely blemish-free surfaces. After that thorough test
fitting, a correct coat of Mandarin Red paint was teased to a
glossy, show-stopping shine. And today, this Skylark's prestigious
appearance is a lust worthy representation of one of America's most
glorious eras of motoring. ENGINE Lift the car's 'alligator hood'
and you'll find a 322 cubic inch Fireball V8 which wears a correct
"V2248507" assembly stamp and twists a stout 188 horsepower into
300 ft./lb. of low-end torque. Nicknamed the "Nail valve", and
eventually known as the "Nailhead", this fully detailed mill
employs greater lift and better duration to create a Kansas-flat
power band. Funny thing is: hot rodders of the day actually coined
the engine's nickname as a derisive description of its puny
valvetrain and restrictive plumbing, but they certainly couldn't
ignore its stellar power! The proven block has undoubtedly been
rebuilt, and probably looks much better today than when it growled
off the assembly line. Aesthetically, the mill, which perches a
massive air cleaner and big carburetor above factory heads, has
been painted a traditional green hue. There are many fresh pieces
like pliable belts, a tagged Delco-Remy distributor, a tagged
Delco-Remy generator and proven Packard TV R Suppression cables. A
glossy firewall, satin fenders and a re-cored radiator frame those
pieces in a construct of distinctly American curves. And overall,
the engine seems clean, simple and highly functional.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
Essentially, Buick's original Skylark is a fully optioned and
highly customized Roadmaster. And the firm's decision to use its
proven C-Body architecture certainly wasn't a bad one as quality
and reliability, words rarely uttered in the same sentence as
"highly customized", remained solid. The basis for this drop-top's
solidity is an industrial strength chassis that rides on a
correctly restored suspension. At the center of that suspension, a
new-for-1953 Twin Turbine Dynaflow, which wears a correct "J"
assembly stamp, twists power to a 10-bolt rear end. At the edges of
that drivetrain, power-assisted drums initiate quick, drama-free
stops. Turns come courtesy of factory power steering. A single-
pipe exhaust system makes good use of a factory replacement
muffler. Everything rolls on restored wire wheels, which spin
7.60-15 Coker Classic whitewalls around white inner fenders. And,
with a fully sorted undercarriage that's ready to hit the road,
this big cruiser would be right at home chauffeuring the family to
their favorite dinner spot.
INTERIOR
An excellent mix of new world style and old world luxury, this
Skylark's correct interior is the perfect place to parade down Main
Street. The car's plush benches are stuffed with thick padding,
covered in pleated leather and trimmed in era-correct hardware. In
front of those seats, a Mandarin Red dash hangs a correct
Selectronic radio, a classy clock and chrome-trimmed gauges behind
a textured instrument panel. At the base of that dash, high quality
carpet is anchored by slick "Skylark" branded sill plates. At the
sides of that carpet, ornate, chrome-trimmed door panels found
small power window switches between correct chrome handles. In
front of the driver, an intricate, color-keyed steering wheel spins
a full horn ring around a customizable centerpiece. And behind the
passengers, a snug-fitting cowl snaps over a fully restored trunk
that centers an unrestored wheel inside a fifth whitewall tire.
For Sale By Owner - Located on Quogue, NY