The Skylark was one of Buick’s longest-running nameplates. It started as a special edition Roadmaster convertible in 1953 to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, and most of the rest were either mid-sizes or compacts. This 1969 Skylark Custom convertible is from the car’s second generation after becoming its own series and it looks like a solid survivor that may only need new paint. It’s being offered here on craigslist for $29,000 by its second owner. Location: Lodi, California. Thanks for the heads up on this one, rex m!
Redesigned for 1968, the Skylarks maybe had the most unorthodox styling of the General Motors intermediates. Its headlight housings were slanted inward, and the rear deck was “v”-shaped and reminds me a bit of the 1959-60 Chevrolets. Styling was toned down slightly in 1969, just had been the case with those “batwing” Chevies. Buick built 188,603 Skylarks across five series in 1969: Special Deluxe, Skylark, Skylark Custom, Gran Sport, and Sportwagon. The convertible was only offered in the Custom and GS models and just 6,552 of the former were built, including the seller’s car. That’s just 3.5% of the total Skylark output.
This Buick has yet to see the sixth digit to the left in the odometer turn from a “4” to a “5” if the record-keeping is accurate. It’s a well-equipped drop-top, with the usual power accessories and factory air conditioning. The car is said to have been garage-kept and the overall condition of the Skylark reflects that. We’re told it runs like new, powered by a 350 cubic inch 4-barrel V8 with automatic transmission, with matching numbers.
Recently upgrades to the car include new tires, a gas tank (suggesting it had been sitting for a while), and dual exhaust. Also, the power brake booster looks new. The interior looks especially clean, and the bucket seats are a nice treat along with the console and shifter. The convertible top doesn’t seem to have any flaws and – depending on the photo – the paint is either nice or faded and chipped and could stand a respray. If the latter is the case, it’s nothing major, especially if that’s the original paint.
NADA suggests that a nice Skylark Custom convertible would top out at $36,000 in terms of resale value. The seller is asking about 20% below that which leaves room for new paint if the buyer chose to go that way. I’d leave it alone and show it off just the way it is.
I had a ’68 hardtop in that color that I bought in 1990. It looked just like that, right down to the dullness. Had a rod knock when I bought it and threw said rod though the side of the block on the way home from buying it. Dad gave me crap for even buying a car with a rod knock, but I was a 20 year-old kid with more money than brains.
Brings back some memories.
He’s dreamin’
Have to agree. It’s a nice drop-top 350 in need of a re-paint. That puts it well beneath his $29,000 asking price, even with the presently inflated car prices today.
Although not as popular as Chevelles and GTOs, the Buick Skylark and GS were excellent cars in their own right while sharing the same 112″ wheelbase and GM options. One thing younger readers seem to miss is that when buying an intermediate in the GM hierarchy of brands back in the day, is that in stock models of the Buick-Olds-Pontiac tended to have more more equipment such as power steering, power brakes and factory air conditioning than found on the price leader Chevrolet lots. A look at old brochures misleads younger collectors into thinking Malibus were all optioned out or SS 396 models. This Buick follows the pricing trend with air conditioning and being a convertible. This looks like a nice car but I remember my GS 350 I had in college had power drum brakes that required constant turning.
It’s a Buick! Yawn!
Nice !
Yes for some people (losers ahem) if any car that isn’t one of the Cheap Three ( ford chevy plymouth now there’s a triple parade of yawns) dares to appear then they must crap on it with witty comments.