1953 Buick Skylark Convertible

This 1953 Buick Skylark is a beautiful 50s cruiser with gorgeous lines and fantastic options! In 1953, Buick celebrated its 50th Anniversary. In celebration of its Golden...

This 1953 Buick Skylark is a beautiful 50s cruiser with gorgeous lines and fantastic options! In 1953, Buick celebrated its 50th Anniversary. In celebration of its Golden Anniversary, Buick debuted what was perhaps the finest vehicles the GM marque ever produced up until that point, the Buick Skylark. While the Skylark made its official debut in 1953, its genesis dated back a couple years earlier when it was one of the "Dream Car" convertible prototypes seen at the Motorama and the national show circuit. Those familar with the GM Dream Cars know that the collection was made up of Chevrolet's Corvette and the trifecta of the Cadillac Eldorado, the Oldsmobile Fiesta, and the Buick Skylark. These four automobiles would, of course, be put into production, albeit in limited quantities, in the 1953 model year, with three of the four nameplates experiencing impressive staying power under their respective GM marques. Buick's Dream Car, the Skylark, was built on its Roadmaster chassis but featured a brand new style both inside and out. Perhaps the biggest divergence on the Skylark from Buick's iconic post-war design was the noticeably absent "Venti-Ports" which made the Skylark the only car during Buick's "hole era" without the iconic 3 or 4 hole design. Moreover, the wheelhousings were painted in either bright red or stark white further separating the Skylark from its Buick sister cars. The 1953 Buick Skylark's side silhouette was also significantly changed from the rest of Buick's 1953 lineup with the Skylark sporting a lowered roofline with a more raked back look, along with special Skylark-specific chrome sweepspears that further added to the Skylark's unique design. The 1953 Skylarks also all rode on wide whitewall tires mounted on chrome wire wheels that furthered the luxurious look and feel of these special edition Buicks. At the tail end of the '53 Skylark, modified quarter panels and special emblems served as the final bookends for the exterior of the special limited-edition Buick. Not only did the Skylark's exterior look completely different than all other Buicks at the time, the interiors were also outfitted with a special look that was unique to the special anniversary model. The Skylark also came loaded with numerous standard accessories and options not commonly seen on early 50s cars such as power steering, power brakes, and Dynaflow automatic transmissions. In total, Buick produced a mere 1,690 1953 Skylarks which with its $5,000 original MSRP price tag made it one of the rarest '53 Buicks. This particular example comes to us from a southern museum collection where it spent its most recent years following its frame off restoration. Powering this '53 Skylark is a 322 Cubic Inch "Nailhead" Fireball V8 engine paired with a single 4 barrel carburetor that was said to have created 188 horsepower when new. The 322 Fireball engine is backed by a Dynaflow Automatic Transmission that makes this classic Buick an easy car for anybody to take for a cruise. Being that the Skylark was the top of the line Buick in its day, these cars came loaded with options. Factory power steering is fantastic option on any classic car since it makes turning this 4,300+ pound convertible a nearly effortless endeavor. This Skylark also comes equipped with power brakes featuring an upgraded modern brake booster under the floor that replaces the original Treddlevac system and it makes for easier and much more reliable braking going down the road. Dual outside mirrors are always a welcome addition on any large classic car since they make it significantly easier to manuver this Skylark in and out of tight spaces. The white vinyl power convertible top is in fantastic condition as well and it goes up and down with the simple pull or push of the button mounted under the dash. When the top is in the down position, it tucks neatly below the color-matched boot tonneau cover. Riding on a set of wide whitewall bias-ply tires mounted on chrome wire wheels with knock-off spinner hubcaps, this '53 Skylark has a truly classy look. The gorgeous body of this '53 Skylark has been refinished in a beautiful Matador Red paint that completes the exterior look of the car. The interior of this 1953 Buick Skylark Convertible is truly upscale! The front and rear bench seats have been correctly reupholstered in a beautiful two-tone color scheme consisting of Red and White leather. The red carpeting, door panels, dash, and steering wheel are all in wonderful condition and all appear to retain a nice stock appearance. The interior of this 1953 Skylark is also loaded with creature comforts seldom seen in early 50s automobiles. The front leather bench seat is power-adjustable so that just about anyone can reach the pedals with minimal effort. You won't be cranking the front and rear windows up and down since all four are power windows. The instrument cluster is outfitted with a 120 MPH speedometer, temperature gauge, generator gauge, oil pressure gauge, and fuel gauge. The dash is finished off with climate and lighting controls, a cigar lighter, clock, Sonomatic AM radio, and a locking glovebox. Whether you're buying your very first classic car or you're adding to an existing collection of GM cruisers, this 1953 Buick Skylark Convertible would make an excellent choice. Give Ellingson's a call today at 763-428-7337!