Vehicle Description
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
Owned for over 30 years by the same family, this stately drop-top
is fresh 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.
OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION AND ACCESSORIES
A copy of Buick's Automobile Manufacturers Association Consolidated
Specifications Questionnaire
A copy of the January, 1953 edition of Buick Magazine
A 1953 Buick paint palette
Reproduction factory tags and decals
Reproduction factory literature
A 1953 Buick Shop Manual
A Dynaflow Transmission Shop Manual
Restoration receipts
Modern literature featuring the 1953 Buick Skylark
A sheet of commemorative stamps
A diecast model
An extra carburetor
Extra interior fabric
Extra paint
Combining a thorough restoration with acute detailing, this
investment grade Skylark is one of the best classics money can buy!
Add in the car's smooth drivetrain and low production numbers, and
it's virtually guaranteed to gain value AND exclusivity. We all
know it's becoming increasingly tough to find top-notch, correctly
restored post-war metal. Don't miss your chance to own one of the
coolest Buicks on the planet!
SUMMARY
Fresh out of a 5-year restoration that ensured factory-correct
aesthetics
Owned by one family for the last 30 years
Correct 322 cubic inch Fireball V8
Correct Twin Turbine Dynaflow 2-speed automatic transmission
Correct Mandarin Red paint
Correct White & Red leather interior / Factory power windows /
Correct Selectronic radio
Correct 15-inch wire wheels
Factory power steering / 4-wheel power drum brakes
10-bolt rear axle
1 of 1,690 Skylarks produced for the 1953 model year