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Parts Car Included: 1963 Buick Skylark Convertible

The owner of this 1963 Buick Skylark was out for a spot of top-down touring in early 2020 when the vehicle ground to a halt with no warning. They dropped five gallons in the tank, thinking it was out of fuel but discovered that the issue lay in a failed fuel pump. Other matters got in the way, and they only recently revived this classic. It runs and drives but needs a few small tasks completed to achieve mechanical perfection. Adding to its attraction, the seller includes a parts car in the deal, making it a genuine 2-for-1 offer. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, you will find the Skylark listed for sale here on eBay. The seller has set their auction to open at $4,500, but there has been no action. They also offer a BIN option of $5,500 for those wishing to avoid the auction action. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Harry for spotting this beauty for us.

The Buick’s owner is a genuine enthusiast, and parting with this pair of Convertibles represents the beginning of thinning their collection from its current level of eleven classics. Our feature car wears Glacier Blue paint, and while the presentation is okay, it could stand a cosmetic refresh. The panels have accumulated a few minor dings and marks, but these appear repairable. The Skylark does have some rust issues, but it remains structurally sound. The most pressing of these is an area about a foot long in the passenger side lower rear quarter panel. The owner also identifies matching spots in both outer rockers, but simple patches could render these a distant memory. A skilled owner could fashion pieces for these areas, although cutting sections from the parts car is an alternative the seller suggests. There are some small spots on both front floors, about six inches square, that a previous owner repaired. The quality isn’t great, but they don’t require immediate attention. The power top isn’t operational, but the seller feels that some basic maintenance and lubrication would address that problem. Some smaller trim pieces sport damage, but the glass looks pretty good.

Lifting this classic’s hood reveals a 215ci aluminum V8, backed by a two-speed Turbine Drive automatic transmission. For a V8 with a modest capacity, it churns out an impressive 200hp. That’s enough to launch the Convertible through the ¼ mile in 17.8 seconds. When the Skylark suffered its fuel pump failure, the seller was preparing to degrease and clean the engine bay before attacking it with black rattle cans. Thankfully, they never got that far, leaving the buyer to apply their mark to this aspect of the vehicle. After two years of hibernation, the car runs and drives. However, the seller identifies a few issues requiring future attention. The wheel cylinders are weeping, suggesting a rebuild or replacement will be on the agenda. There is a small fluid leak from the transmission requiring attention, and the owner includes a kit for the buyer to rebuild the carburetor. Despite these problems, they state that the car runs and drives well, with the brakes stopping it as they should.

The Skylark’s interior could benefit from some TLC, but the owner offers the buyer a starting point for a refresh. The seats wear White leather covers, and these have seen better days. The seller sourced a replacement set in the correct material and color in preparation for a restoration. These cost them a cool $900, but they are included in the deal. The remaining upholstered surfaces look reasonable, as does the dash. The buyer will need to purchase a carpet set, but the interior should present nicely with that, and the new seat covers installed. Being a luxury model, this Skylark features power windows, a power top, an AM radio, and rare factory air conditioning. The engine bay components for the system are missing, so the buyer may need to hunt for replacement parts. If they consider the second Convertible purely as a donor, it features a power driver’s seat and remote driver’s exterior mirror. Swapping those items onto this classic could be a viable proposition to consider.

The parts car appears to be a solid vehicle, but there is some damage to the driver’s side rear quarter panel. Repairing this would be possible, raising a point to ponder. Buick only produced 10,212 Skylark Convertibles in 1963, making this a relatively rare vehicle. That may be enough to convince the buyer to opt for restoration rather than cutting it up for parts. That raises the prospect of owning a matching pair, which is an attractive proposition.

When the sun is shining, are there many things better than owning a classic convertible? Perhaps there is, and the answer rests in owning a pair of them. That leaves the buyer with a tempting option to consider. Whipping this 1963 Skylark Convertible into good mechanical health should not be difficult or expensive, and the same appears true of its panel and paint issues. The buyer could sell the parts car and recoup some of the cost of turning this classic into a genuine show-stopper. Alternatively, they could lavish some TLC on that second Skylark to own a matching pair. It is an option worth considering, and it would be interesting to learn which path the buyer might elect to pursue. What would you do if you found them parked in your workshop?

Comments

  1. Avatar Bud Lee

    This is a bargain no matter how you look at it .

    Like 21
  2. Avatar Chris In Australia

    Good deal. A couple of weekend’s work ( and a few slabs of beer) and you’d have a running reliable cruiser. Do the rest when you need/want to.

    Like 4
  3. Avatar Will Fox

    Adam, the seat coverings aren’t “leather”. Just vinyl, as leather wasn’t ever an option on these. Just an FYI.

    Like 7
  4. Avatar Christopher Gush

    Fun cars with reliable nailhead aluminum engines. A bit unstable on accelerated turns with oversteer characteristics, and with a disconcerting amount of body roll but can be improved with upgrading the front suspension. The transmission leak on these cars is usually from the front seal, requiring transmission removal to correct but manageable. Nice to see these still out there. Someone should own a fun affordable collector car soon.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Larry g

      I have a 63 convertible as well. In dire need of a passenger door window frame

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Steve Brown

    bring the blue one up to snuff and restomod the gold one.

    Like 6
  6. Avatar Wayne

    I agree with Steve Brown.

    Like 3
  7. Avatar Florida Sunhine

    HVAC is of concern, should have two outboard vents in the dash. This center-dash mounted HVAC control may have been added sometime in the past 60 years. Fortunately this convertible was ordered with power windows for cruising with the top down!

    Like 0
  8. Avatar johnmloghry

    Good thing this is not in my neighborhood or I’d have two more fixer uppers in my driveway. It appears Las Vegas is running low on water. Lake Mead is so low they’re finding bodies that have been missing for decades. The Colorado river is drying up it would seem. So if you go to check this car out be sure to bring plenty of water with you. It’s not much better here in Houston, when I went to the store yesterday the thermometer in my car that shows ambient temperature to be 100 degrees F. I don’t know about you but that’s hot to me.

    God Bless America

    Like 0
  9. Avatar CaCarDude

    Back in 1970 just out of the Army, I bought a ’63 Buick Special droptop same color but with blue interior, it had the small V6 and auto, no power extras and manual white top. It was a blast to cruise in back then, paid a whopping $450 for the car. There are still times I miss that little Buick, but I currently own a restored ’65 Skylark Ragtop, so my Buick fix is complete for now.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar George

    1969-Just out of the service in NYC bought a 63 Olds F-85 convertible same V-8,but with a T10 four speed. Abused it but loved it also,have tried to find another recently, but with out luck. Loved seeing the 4 lug wheels. Passed by the Walmart auto shop today and was surprised to see they sell 13 inch tires.

    Like 1
  11. Avatar Wayne

    A couple of comments about the 4 lug wheels.If memory serves me correctly this bolt pattern is 4 on 4″. This pattern stayed the same for all 4 lug applications until the Chevette. (which is 4 on 100mm) The only thing that I know of that currently uses that bolt pattern (4 on 4″) is trailers. If you own one of these and are using wheel covers. Snag a set of the wider Vega wheels. (or one of the Vega derivatives like Monza, Skyhawk, etc.) As these are usually 13X6″ instead of the 4.5″ that were stock on these cars. Use the 185/70R-13 that most of you owners are most likely using (for the height) and you will be very pleased with the difference in handling. You can still buy “wide” wheels in 13″ and the 4 on 4″ bolt pattern in the “black spoke” style (like from Summit Racing) but generally not in the offset that works best for this car. JUST SAYIN’

    Like 2
  12. Avatar Nard Ceniccola

    What happened with these vehicles.

    Like 0

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