Buick debuted the Skylark in 1953 in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary, with the vehicle based largely on a car shown at the 1952 GM Motorama. That car was designed as a limited production convertible utilizing components from the top-of-the-line Roadmaster series. Even loaded with luxury features that drove up the price of the car, Buick sold just under 1,700 units.
The following year also featured a Skylark model, but legendary GN designer Harley Earl came up with a totally different look for the 1954 model. Earl utilized the Century chassis that was shorter and lighter than the Roadmaster but added a performance component by putting the larger 322 cubic inch “Nailhead” engine from the Roadmaster between the frame rails of the Skylark. As with the previous model, the car came loaded from the factory with most of the available “options” as standard equipment. Buick chose to mothball the Skylark name after the 1954 model year, resurrecting it again for a vehicle in the 1961 model year.
Despite the new look of the 1954 model, sales of the Skylark totaled only about half from the previous year. At the end of production only 836 Skylarks were sold. The Skylark name was dropped from the lineup for the 1955 model year and did not return until the 1961 model year.
This rare 1954 is being offered for sale for the first time in well over a decade. The car has been a part of the present owner’s portfolio since August 2007 and has been stored in a humidity-controlled environment under his ownership. The vehicle was restored at some time prior to the present owner acquiring the car and it has been driven sparingly during his ownership.
This was an early production car, as the body tag indicates it to be the 44th Skylark off the assembly line at the Flint, MI factory. It presents in the correct Code 16 Lido Green with the proper Code 66 two-tone green leather interior. The car has all the factory standard equipment, including the power antenna, power top and Selectronic AM radio. Power comes from the 322 cubic inch V8 engine displacing 200 horsepower backed by the smooth-shifting Dynaflow two-speed automatic transmission. Wide whitewall tires wrapped the correct Kelsey-Hayes 40-spoke wire wheels.
Of the 444,609 Buick vehicles manufactured in the 1954 model year, less than two-tenths of one percent were Skylarks. Evergreen Digital Showroom offers this exceptionally rare 1954 Buick Skylark for sale at a price of at a price of $174,900 USD. Pre-purchase inspection is welcomed and encouraged. We will gladly assist with transportation at buyer’s expense or will work with the shipper of buyer’s choice. For additional information or to make an offer on this vehicle contact sales manager Steve Russell at 417-532-8000. To view a sampling of other classic vehicles we have for sale at this time visit www.evergreendigitalshowroom.
NOTICE
Because of the number of vehicles we represent we cannot drive every vehicle for long distances. These vehicles have been part of static displays for long periods of time, in some cases for decades, and are subject to the flaws and imperfections consistent with that. While we do our best to disclose all issues we known about a vehicle in our advertising, these are old cars and something that has always worked in the past might not function properly today. Please check the requirements of your state regarding the licensing and registration of classic vehicles and make sure the vehicle you are looking at meets those if applicable. Unless otherwise noted, all vehicles represented by Evergreen Digital Showroom possess a clean (non-branded) title which will be provided the new buyer when purchase funds clear our financial institution. Virtually all our vehicles are sold as mileage exempt due to their age. We do not warranty any vehicle, nor any part of the vehicle including air conditioning systems, brake systems, electrical systems and gauges, fuel systems, accessories or powertrain components.
These are old vehicles and it is very common for them to require certain maintenance and upkeep for them to be operational. In many cases issues with leaks may develop when being driven after a long period of not being used. This is common, as classic cars at some point will leak fluids. For this reason, we do not encourage buyers to attempt driving their purchase home as we cannot guarantee functional reliability of these vehicles. We strongly encourage prospective buyers to be sure they are comfortable with these issues before purchasing a classic car.
Descriptions of vehicles represented by Evergreen Digital Showroom are intended to be informational in nature and do not in any way constitute any sort of warranty, expressed or implied. Again, these vehicles are presented “as-is, where-is” without guarantee or warranty. Vehicles manufactured prior to 1981 will likely not be included in the databases of companies such as CarFax and AutoCheck that provide vehicle history information to consumers. If you have specific questions regarding a vehicle we urge you to contact us at 417-532-8000.
