For Sale: 1954 Buick Skylark in Saint Louis, Missouri

Inspired by the futuristic concept cars from General Motors' dazzling Motorama shows, the glamorous Buick Skylark celebrated the marque's landmark 50th anniversary in 1953. Designed as a limited-production, Motorama-inspired halo model, the Skylark debuted alongside the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Fiesta - the trio conceived as a celebration of GM's design excellence. Based on the top-of-the-line Roadmaster, the Buick Skylark featured sweeping, cut-down doors, full-radius rear wheel openings, Kelsey-Hayes chrome wire wheels, and of course, Buick's signature "Sweepspear" bright bodyside accents. The Skylark required considerable hand-finishing work, and with pricing starting at $5,000 just 1,690 Skylarks were built for 1953. Beyond its eye-catching styling, the Skylark highlighted Buick's engineering advances including the division's new 322 cubic-inch overhead-valve V-8 engine, advanced 12-volt electrical system, and wide array of power accessories.
The Skylark returned for 1954, now based on the Century's slightly shorter chassis with new frontal styling courtesy of Buick's Wildcat 1953 Motorama show car, including the headlamps, grille motif, and bomb-shaped bumper guards. Prominent design features included fender cutouts boldly finished in contracting paint and cut-down rear quarter-panels which were re-formed and fitted with unique chrome extensions for the taillight housings. A fashionable wraparound windshield and other details amplified the curb appeal. Buick's potent 322 cubic-inch V-8 engine was uprated to 200 horsepower and mated to Buick's smooth-shifting Dynaflow automatic transmission, with performance improved thanks to the smaller and lighter Century platform. As before, the 1954 Skylark was lavishly equipped to match its exotic looks and while it carried lower base pricing of $4,483 for 1954, the Skylark was still more expensive than both the Cadillac Series 62 and Buick's own Roadmaster convertible, and production was limited to just 854 cars.
This stunning 1954 Skylark is a superb example of the breed, offered from long-term single ownership, and the recipient of a highly detailed bare-metal restoration completed in the early 2000s. Beautifully finished in Carlsbad Black with red wheel-well accents, brake drums, and a striking red interior, it exemplifies the stylistic dynamism that made General Motors design among the greatest of the mid-century era.
Receipts on file show the restoration commenced in 2005, with the work entrusted to Art Wright of Art's Antique and Classic Auto Service, a renowned specialist restorer of 1950s Skylarks based in Tempe, Arizona. A selection of restoration photos shows the car was stripped to bare metal prior to its repair and restoration. Every car enthusiast knows that finishing such a large car in black requires meticulous and skilled prep work, and this car reveals nothing but superb, laser straight panels and beautiful finish quality. The Buick's extensive brightwork was restored to an equally high standard by Paul's Chrome Plating and refitted to the car to better-than-new standards. Punctuating the gorgeous presentation are chrome wire wheels, red wheel well coves, and red-painted brake drums.
The superb quality and 50s American glamour continue in the opulent cabin, where the rich red leather upholstery and matching red carpet are restored using authentic materials, details and finishes. Quarter panels and door cards are expertly fitted and detailed, and the car features all the luxury options of the time including power windows, power seats, power operated soft top, and a factory radio with powered aerial.
Buick's renowned 322 cubic-inch 'Nailhead' V8 is rated at 200 horsepower in the Skylark. It marked a departure for Buick, which had to that point been in no hurry to replace its refined but bulky 'Valve-in-head' inline-eights, but needed to keep with the times. The Nailhead in this car is fully detailed and beautifully finished to show-quality standards. The engine is properly painted in Buick green, and dressed with factory correct labels, tags and decals, with black enamel ancillaries including the oil bath air cleaner and power steering pump. Only light use is apparent, reflecting the care it has had under the watch of its most recent custodian.
This Buick is one of the finest examples we've had the pleasure of offering. Exquisitely restored by a respected Skylark specialist and kept in superb condition in long-term private ownership, it is a sparkling example of General Motors' celebrated design legacy under the leadership of the inimitable Harley J. Earl; restored to a standard worthy of its flagship stature in the Buick range.

Offers welcome and trades considered