Here’s a special model you don’t see very often. The Nighthawk was basically a dressed up Buick Skyhawk, but this visual package was one of the more unique ones ever thought up. It featured black paint, gold wheel covers, and some very special stripes that only came out at night! This particular example is located in Chicago, Illinois and is listed here on craigslist with a $6,500 asking price. Thanks goes to Pat L for the tip!
The Nighthawk package didn’t add any performance, but the Skyhawk wasn’t a total slouch. It was based on the H-body platform which was shared with the Chevy Monza. It came standard with a V6 engine and a manual transmission. We are not talking about high performance here, but this was a relatively sporty car for the era.
Here you can see how those magic stripes worked. They were reflective so they were only obvious at night when headlights were shining on them. Think of the material used on running shoes. The seller claims that the package was rare because the stripes were too distracting to oncoming traffic. I’m sure there was more to it than that.
This Nighthawk appears to be in decent condition, but with 133k miles on the clock, I’m guessing it will need a rebuild soon if it hasn’t been done already. It would be a fun one to freshen up and keep around, but I’m having a hard time with the asking price. Rarity doesn’t always equate to value. The novelty of this one does make it worth a look though.
It’s #380 on my list of cars that I desire.
Right in there with the Hyundai Pony!
Viewing those photos makes me want to fly out to the Windy City with a vacuum in hand and get to work cleaning that filthy car up!
That high up on the list?
I had a 1976 Olds Starfire, the only brand-new car I ever owned. It was the in-your-face orange. It had the odd-fire Buick V-6 which was one of the unhappiest engines ever made. I loved it. But these cars, while nicely styled, were rust magnets which is why very few survived. There were some Monzas built by Dekon, I believe, that were pretty successful SCCA racers, but they bore little relation to what you could drive on the street. The most likable thing about the car was the seats. I still like the shape even though it was just a Vega in disguise. Nice find.
ccrvtt, you are spot-on about the Dekon Monzas. A couple came to Australia. Chassis 1005 was owned and raced by ex-pat Canadian Allan Moffat. This car (pictured) eventually returned to the USA in pieces and has now been fully restored and competes in historic racing there.
That’s pretty cool. First time I’ve seen one.
I agree, that IS pretty cool! I’ve never seen or heard of one either.
They were so slow they had to glow in the dark so you wouldn’t hit them
Haha! That’s a good one Anthony!
There was also a 77 Skyhawk it was white , type in Buick Skyhawk 1977 to see one☺
While Ford made a Mustang out of a Pinto, Chevrolet didn’t make a Camaro out of a Vega.
where is the thumbs down button when you need it?
No, thankfully that platform ended with Nighthawk, Monza, Starfire and the Sunbird. In those days, GM knew where to draw the line.
Ford did NOT make a Mustang out of a Pinto. the Mustangs were around 5+ years before the Pinto. I like the styling of these, but hard to push when it won’t run….
Yes, Ford did make a Mustang out of a Pinto. The Mustang II shared the Pinto’s platform and many of its components. Not that that is a bad thing. The Mustang II was the right car needed at the time period and Ford sold a bunch.
Stephen, you really should research a little, lol.
I like it. Not for $6500 though. $2500-3000 maybe.
Ditto nice shape but overpriced. You’re correct…rarity does not equal value just like German (over) engineering does not equal reliabilty.
We had two Monza’s on the street…a 350 2+2 and a Monza Towne Coupe. Other notable cars on our street over the years were: Triumph TR7; Fiat X1-9; Matador fast back coupe; Renault Fuego; 71 Ranchero with reflective stripes; vw bug; Mercury Capri RWD; Pinto; Dodge Omni; 71 Hurst Olds Cutlass 442 W30; MGB; 67 Olds Toronado; Vega and my 52 Imperial.
We were at the forefront of automotive idiocy!
Don’t be too harsh on yourself and your neighbors. I’d take almost any of those cars in a heartbeat
A ’71 Hurst/Olds…and a W-30 at that!
Hmmmm…
I actually like all of those cars
That’s what’s cool about this site. Something as common as these were, in all their forms, and some folks never saw it. I always thought, Buick was offering a “mini-Trans-Am” with these.( not quite an eagle, but a hawk is kind of impressive) These were miserable cars. My ex-wife had a ’77 Monza, V8. I always thought the V6 would have been a better choice, but from what I’ve heard, it wasn’t much better. I’d have a hard time believing this speedo has actually rolled over. I never thought these cars were capable of that, and still look like this. They were fun cars, but poorly engineered. They did rust out, but not much worse than any other car, really. I’d check this underside real good. Coming from up north, one salt bath is all it takes. Not many left, for good reason. Cool find.
hi, Howard, funny thing is back in the day, I thought this was going to be the future of the Trans Am, and the ” screaming chicken” is actually a Phoenix :)
Hi Howard it was a screaming chicken 🐓not an eagle ,an eagle would have Ben a lot cooler on the trans am 😬
Hope someone thinks as much about a bunch of cracked/fading decals as the seller does. No interior pics, no engine pics, no underneath pics, no a/c, base radio, no options list, etc.. Yes, I like the 3.8L/4 speed combo but at 133K what’s that worth. I just can’t imagine this being worth anything close to what he’s asking for it.
Drop in a 3.8 turbo……and Gooooooooooooo
had one with 5 speed 3.8 a 650 holley and nitrous great fun in that car lots of work on heads
The ad says, “you’ve got to have it.”
LOL no, I don’t.
only about 3000 to $4000 too much, no A/C, needs paint badly, and who knows what else.
He won’t need a coffin, he can use the car
What, no RoadHawk? This one being, a 77, should be an even-fire.
Anything and everything you would ever want to know about the 1975 to 1980 GM H body – http://monza.homestead.com/monza.html
There are even pictures of the prototype Nighthawk on the GM design studio patio.
Only 19% of the V6’s in 1977 were even fire. Here is an engine pic of the car in the add and it appears to be an odd fire V6. Probably a late model year build by the valve cover style. Odd fires were going in right to the last week of production.
The decals had an expensive ink on them to look black during the day. To replicate them now would probably be as expensive as the price of the car.
Stage169
One of the great things about this site is anything and everything ever made eventually comes up! I forgot about the Nighthawk roughly 35 years ago.
The picture with the exhaust smoke – can’t make out if it’s blueish or because it’s cold. Something tells me this could go from Nighthawk to Nightmare quickly…
I miss my Skyhawk. I autocrossed the crap out of it, took it through two SCCA driver schools (even though it was an automatic) and drove it to work everyday. yeah, the V-6 wasn’t great, but we took the shafts and rocker arms out of a 455 Buick and put them in – kind of cheap cam as it gave some additional lift on the valves and some extra duration, just like when you take the rocker arms from a Ford 302 and put them in a small Chevy V8.
We put Holley jets in the Rochester carb, Sears Heavy Duty shocks and made an adjustable front sway bar using all thread, dumped the pellets out of the catalytic converter and put a Thrush Hush on backwards. Oh yeah, and 50 series TA’s. I had a blast driving that thing…
At the age of 16, I dated and fell in love with my husband of 35 years in a night hawk. He has a rare form of cancer. I would love to know where this car has gone. My dream is to sit in a night hawk with my husband one more time!! I don’t know if the car is for sale now, but if the person that bought the car would please cantact me, I would forever be in your debt. Even if you have sold it again. I never thought I would ever see one again…I cannot believe one still exists! Thank you…Wanda…(mittieearl@gmail.com)
https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/cto/d/1977-buick-skyhawk/6474724138.html
Wanda, here is one for sale now. https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/cto/d/1977-buick-skyhawk/6317846008.html
So much Nighthawk hate……OG owner I still have mine runs great ! turns heads, full of power ! Twinkles absurdly at night – On the West Coast, I would snatch that puppy up – if I had room in my car barn !
This junk ain’t worth what hes asking for, a barn find for what $500? Try to find them original decals. Plus look up NADA it’s only worth $750.00. Guy thought he hit the gold mine. I guess he wont need to buy a coffin he can take with him.