Buick Skylark Convertible 1953 - World Of Classic Cars -

Buick Skylark Convertible 1953

The Skylark was first displayed as a General Motors Motorama car in 1952, and it was essentially a factory-built “sport custom” that was based on the Roadmaster Convertible. The windshield was chopped four inches, while the beltline was cut down and notched at the rear fender line, and the rear-wheel cutouts were rounded and raised to match those in the front fenders. These were all techniques being used by California’s customizers during the same period. The model was noteworthy for lacking Buick’s trademark “ventiports” on the front fenders, and it rode on standard Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels.

Buick Skylark Convertible 1953

A production version of the Skylark wowed the following year, as it was a limited-production offering that celebrated Buick’s 50th anniversary. The production Skylark was noteworthy both for its beautiful design and as the car that debuted Buick’s first modern overhead-valve V-8, also called the “nailhead,” which could produce 188 horsepower. Power steering, brakes, windows, seat, antenna, and convertible top were included in the nearly $5,000 price tag, which helped to keep sales to just 1,690 units.
While the Skylark name would continue as a limited-production model for 1954 and would reappear in Buick’s hierarchy for decades, the 1953 model is generally considered the most special and desirable by collectors. Along with the original Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Fiesta of the same year, it was a true example of Harley Earl’s “dream car design” that had been put on the street for the public to buy.

Buick Skylark Convertible 1953

The Skylark presented here was restored in 1993 for a previous owner in Majestic White with a Red and White interior and black canvas top, and it is equipped with the optional chrome exhaust tip. In 1998, it was shown in Buick Club of America competition, achieving National Senior Gold status with 391 out of 400 points. It was then sold in August 1999 to the renowned collector of American 1950s convertibles Tom Gerrard, known for his superior, well-optioned cars and their outstanding restorations. That Mr. Gerrard chose to purchase this car, already finished, is a nod to the quality of the work done. In October 1999, the car achieved its AACA National First Junior at Hershey, followed by its Senior honors at Pompano Beach, Florida, in 2000. It remained a well-maintained part of Mr. Gerrard’s collection for over a decade, before its acquisition by the present owner.