This car had me at “original,” as in the claim that this 1964 Buick Skylark as seen on ebay is all original as it came from the factory. Only two people have had it in long-term ownership. Now it’s being flipped, perhaps to you. Didn’t you want an excuse to visit Sullivan, Ohio? If so, find a way to come up with some coin. At the moment, not even $7700 is bid, so you can imagine that the reserve is not met. Why not go a bid or two and see if you can discover the seller’s desired number? You have about four days to make your voice heard.
What’s not to like here? It’s a factory V8, 4-speed car, and the top goes down. Does that leave any room for doubt as to its desirability? I’ve never been all that crazy about convertibles, but I could happily set aside that prejudice to acquire this 30,000-mile gem. But now it’s time to sound like a Nervous Nelly, so here goes: Why does this paint look so shiny, like a 1980s acrylic respray? Note that it is claimed as original. Why is there no language about lack of rust or body work, especially when the driver’s door doesn’t close all that well, at least as it appears to be the case in the video? Why is there no paperwork? Maybe the seller sees the car as so obviously desirable that there need be no further discussion, but I’d like to see in the trunk, just once, and underneath the car. Ohio is at times a wintry state, after all, and salt does its destructive work.
In the video, the idle is high, but the sound is great. V8 rumble from dual exhausts can’t be topped. Driving this second-generation model (offered from 1964-67) puts you in elite company, at least if the seller’s numbers make sense. He cites perhaps ten or fewer of these left from the original production run. I’m not sure that’s why you buy a car like this, but it certainly does hasten the need to act if you’ve had something like this Skylark in mind. They don’t grow on trees, and they aren’t even found under them all that often any more.
The added bonus here is that all you have to do is put some gas in the tank and go. No repairs to do. Just enjoy on day one. The question that lingers, then, concerns price. Is this car going to be sold for a number that most modest collectors could come up to, maybe $25K? Or will it be pushed into the stratosphere? Would someone come up with twice that number just to be the last person standing? A more comprehensive ad with deeper and broader information might have pushed more people in that direction. It will be interesting to see where this Skylark ends up.
“Got it all”,,,,except interest. I’m sorry, Brian, I don’t intentionally intend to hijack the post, but example after example, shows I’m not totally off base here. Personally, at 71, I think this is the coolest Skylark, yet,,if you don’t see a trend here, well, not sure how to finish that respectfully. Like the ’67 Firebird, people just aren’t looking for a convertible now, like a snowmobile in the summer. I see there are 26 bids on this car, just under $8 grand, which I feel is far more in line for any sales at all, and someone is going to get a sweetheart, and under $10grand. You’ll see a lot more selling for that amount in the future.
Thanks for your comment. I don’t have perfect foresight, but if someone gets this car for under ten grand, then everyone else is asleep at the switch. I do think the seller leaves a lot unsaid, so I’m not sure I’d be bidding crazy money without, as Terry says in his comment, an in-person look, but if this car is really an all-original 30,000 mile 4-speed convertible, the reserve has to be at least double what is now being offered. Too bad the seller doesn’t offer enough detail for a more confident and robust bid.
You’ve heard the saying”too much information”, well here it’s “too little information”. Eight words. Does the guy want to sell or not? And he could have gotten the engine “off the choke” in the video if that’s why it idles high. Lazy, or at least a non-communicative seller. Prospective buyers need to check out the car in person first or pay someone to do it.
Pathetic lack of info and pics. Some weird stuff here: ill-fitting wheels, red armrests, yellow headlights. Also, an odometer showing 30k miles means NOTHING without documentation.