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Black Plate Survivor: 1964 Buick Skylark Custom Sport Wagon

I’ve seen some pretty cool classic wagons recently here at Barn Finds, but for my money, this 1964 Buick Skylark Custom Sport Wagon has to be up there with the best of them. It is a great looking car, and that raised roof with the glass panels is an awesome feature. This California Black Plate Buick is in nice condition and is located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. You will find it listed for sale here on eBay, and while bidding has reached $6,200, the reserve hasn’t been met.

The body of the Buick appears to be as straight as an arrow, and the Wedgewood Blue paint looks to be in really nice condition. There are no obvious signs of rust, and the exterior trim and chrome also seem to be in good order. However, my eyes just keep being drawn to the roof. It is a great feature and was really the precursor for the multi-sunroof systems that we see on a number of modern SUVs today.

Under the hood on the Buick is super clean, and what you get is the 300ci “310 Wildcat” V8 engine, backed by a Super Turbine automatic transmission. The owner says that the odometer shows 43,926 miles, but doesn’t indicate whether these are original. He also doesn’t give any real indication about the mechanical state of the car. However, if appearances are any indication, then things should be quite healthy there. The Buick also comes with its original Protect-O-Plate.

Overall, the interior condition of the Wagon is quite good. It looks to be original, and for a 55-year-old car, it has survived quite nicely. It is showing a bit of wear in some spots, but nothing that would really require restoration, unless the new owner was seeking perfection. One feature that I really love is these sun visors for the rear seat passengers. That should make life more pleasant when the sun is really beating in through that glass panel.

Classic wagons are incredibly popular at the moment, and while I’ve seen plenty of nice ones, I’ve haven’t seen one that I really desperately want in my garage…until now. It is such a cool vehicle that I would love to own it. This Buick looks like a real survivor, and it would make a great addition to any garage or driveway. I don’t know what the reserve has been set at, but I’d be willing to bet that this Buick will be on its way to a new home fairly soon.

Comments

  1. Avatar JOHN Member

    I’d put a set of the Buick Magnum 500 style whees and new tires and drive the heck out of it!

    Like 9
    • Avatar Alexander Member

      Those Buick Rally Wheels you speak of came out in 66-67 timeframe IIRC, but I agree I’d like them on this wagon. Easy to source them too because they were used off and on for Buick intermediates until the dawn of the FWD models in the 1980s. Whoever gets this vehicle can rest assured it was “well bought.” Nice.

      Like 1
  2. Avatar Mountainwoodie

    So……we had the ’65 Buick Special stripper wagon when I was a teenager and always wanted the Sportwagon. I think the ’64 and ’65 were almost identical. I looked at a ’65 out here but it had more roof rust around the windows than I thought I could deal with. But this one………really nice .

    Very inadequate ebay ad but doesnt seem to be slowing the bidding. Darn

    Like 2
  3. Avatar ken tilly Member

    Body is as straight as an arrow apart from the right hand front corner of the hood!

    Like 2
  4. Avatar local_sheriff

    Sport Wagons are so downright cool and combined with the understated Buick package they are perfect sleeper material.I was abit too hesistant on a 66 SW 3 years back, which turned out to be a shockingly great deal for the woman buying it for her retro shop. Regretted that ever since…

    As I understand the little 300 here should have aluminum heads, and the rear seat sunvisors are indeed cool! Will be exciting to see what it’ll sell for

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Kenneth Carney

    My parents had one–theirs was Tan or
    Beige with a beige and brown interior.
    This one’s almost identical to it in almost
    every way save for those rear sun visors
    over panels in the roof. We had it from
    ’67 to ’67 to ’70, when Dad traded it in
    for the ’66 Cadillac Caiais that I’d later
    buy from them. Magnum 500 rims would
    look good on this car but I’m partial to the
    road rims you see on the Cutlass Supremes from the late ’60’s to the ’80’s.
    Add some proper whitewall tires and
    trim rings with center caps, and you’d have a sharp looking car. And there’s
    just no beating that 5-60 air conditioning
    either! Dad was going to bring me a nice
    Texas car to redo in ’02, but he passed
    away before we could get the deal done.
    Even today, there’s still nothin’ like ’em
    nor will there ever will be again. Great
    car!

    Like 4
  6. Avatar Will Fox

    These, and the Olds Cutlass Vista Cruisers are climbing in value these days; the better condition you find `em, the more you’ll pay. This first year Skylark wagon is probably as nice and original as you’re likely to find. Wish I had one.

    Like 3
  7. Avatar Alexander Member

    They made Skylark wagons beginning in 1962. Same roofline as the Corvair Lakewoods and Olds F-85 wagons. Now, this IS the first year for the larger intermediate GM body and no longer considered a compact like the big 3 were touting in the early 1960s.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar MadHungarian

    CA plate shown in photos has a 1993 (I think) registration sticker. I wonder how much recommissioning the current owner has done. Both outside mirrors are missing. The rear bumper needs replacing although it does not prevent the tailgate from being opened. Often wagons of this vintage have a unique rear bumper not shared with the sedan. Is that true here?

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Butchb

    We had this sun baked 65 Sportwagon come into the yard back in the late 1990’s. Very complete car right down to the little Skylark bird trim on the 1/4’s. I remember advertising it in Hemmings and getting a very limited response. A collector of these wagons from OH I believe, finally stepped up and paid something like $1300-$1500 I can’t remember the exact amount, but I do recollect what a smart deal it was for a lover of these wagons. It had all the Sport upgrades and a super solid body. I think it even had AC which was a pricey option in 65.

    Like 5
  10. Avatar Steve D

    Looks just like the one my grandparents had in Texas back in the day.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar PatrickM

    Well, I really like this car and it has my attention. If only it were closer to home…(Maryland), then there would be no doubt in my mind. However…. anyway, back to the car itself…. Really good looking and I agree, if it is a mechanically sound as the reader leads us to believe, it could be a nice ride for someone. Okay, so there might be some work involved. But, I think that is to be expected. A good detailed look at it before plopping money down would be my first step. Then, there is the question of how I would get it back home. Sometimes I hate logistics. But, I like these things. Now what?

    Like 1
    • Avatar local_sheriff

      Sometimes we just have to take a chance. There are not going to be MORE SWs in the future. Wagons, and especially SWs and Vistas will steadily increase in value; unfortunately for all of those who don’t already own one !

      Like 0
  12. Avatar Oldog4tz

    Seller well known dealer who deals with vehicles you do a PPI on before you buy

    Like 1
  13. Avatar CaCarDude

    A very nice vista cruiser style wagon, my all time favorite and am in the market for a ’65 with the cast iron 300, the ’64 300 v8 was all aluminum. This was a popular SB V8 for the old time jeep drivers. A lot of the 64 and 65 “A” body parts interchange but one thing different is the side beltline trim the ’64 was longer just a bit and wider. The ’64 had the emblem center grille and the ’65 had no emblem. Not 100% sure on the rear bumper but may work off a sedan.
    I have a set of 14×6 factory Buick Rally’s that would look sweet on this wagon with the red Skylark emblem. My ’65 Skylark ragtop has 15″x 7″ Rally’s and do look nice! This wagon will make some new owner very happy, as they are a nice driving car.

    Like 1
  14. Avatar Al

    My father bought one like this, same color and all brand new to cope with a six kid family. I’m pretty sure it was called a Scenic Cruiser, the Vista Cruiser was the Olds equivalent. The picture sure brought back memories. It was the first car that he let me drive in preparation for getting a DL. I was 14 at the time and I was only permitted to drive it around the farm originally. The power steering was so strong you could turn the wheel with one finger.

    Like 0
    • Avatar CaCarDude

      Research shows this Buick is painted a Wedgewood Blue, nice color back in the day and same color I had on a ’63 Buick Special convertible I bought in 1970.

      Like 1
  15. Avatar Russ

    The 64 Buick Skylark was probably one of the sharpest looking domestic cars of the sixties. Folks had one from ’65 to ’71. I always wished it had been a station wagon though!

    Like 1
  16. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Ended: Apr 24, 2019 , 10:49PM
    Current bid:US $7,202.00
    Reserve not met
    [ 13 bids ]

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Gay Car Nut Tacoma Washington

    Lovely looking car. I’ve always found the 1964 Buick Special and Skylark more attractive than the 1965 model. Although they both share the same body, there are some cosmetic details that make the 1964 Buick more attractive than the 65.

    Like 0

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