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Had a buddy that wanted to show me his newly acquired car He threw back the car cover, exposing the beautiful 1954 Buick Skylark and said.... " there's everything a '56 Chevy ever wanted to be"
I loved my Dad taking me with him to dealer Grand Opening of New Models ,events! Buick was real nice in 1953/for 54 models. As a early teen in the 1950s,Studebaker had already blow my mind in 49 n 50 so much. I then in 52/53 super loved Study's low 2dr hard top V8 coupe,that it took tell seeing the Corvette n Ford Thunder Bird too get just about even to Study's super lines. For Dad,he didn't gofore real big steps in style,yet we want too each big unvailing dealer event! With often free hot dogs an now an then a small free model car too !!
Again learn something everyday on the HAMB. I had never heard of these before reading this. And that is a beautiful car.
Hometown Buick thinks just 123 of them still exist: 1954 Buick Skylark - how many of them still exist - Hometown Buick
Used to be one in a local Junkyard up to the mid 80s and heard it went to the New York area to be used for parts.
I think it's closest rival has to be the 53 Carribean; I'm no fan of Continental kits on postwar cars, but this one gets a pass. Note how they set it into the rear of the car vs letting it hang out and muck up the profile: Other stunning custom cues are the almost hidden door handles by putting them into the upper door trim, bold wheel moldings, chrome fins splitting the tail lamps, broad hood scoop, and the 2-tiered bumpers. These cars are best left low and sneaky, and in my opinion darker colors but almost any color works. The 54 doesn't even compare, looking more like a generic Packard with a little extra trim. This, like the 54 Skylark, was "the one" in their dream car stable. A collection of such would have to span a few years, but imagine your "Dream Car Dept" that had a 54 Skylark, 53 Eldorado, 53 Carribean, 55 Corvette (V8), 57 Eldorado Broughm (dual quads), 61 Dual Ghia L6.4, Continental MK II, 53 Olds Fiesta and 57 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser. Anyone who'd visit, well like Ricky often said to Lucy, you'd have some 'splainin to do. Good stuff 'bomber.
I always wondered, given their scarcity, that there were always plenty of used Skylark wheels, at least around Kansas City in the '60's. At one time in the mid-6o's, I was buying up every Skylark wire wheel I came across. I had about 20 of them and I paid $20-25 each.
In my opinion, the '53 Skylark, on the Roadmaster chassis is WAY nicer than the '54 on the Special chassis. The '53 looks made to be, the '54 looks like they cut out sheetmetal to add stuff, the tail lights, and the wheel wells to look like the show car I can't think of the name of and don't really like either. Just my $.02
Absolutely the '53 was masterful, a timelessly beautiful design. The '54 just threw some JC Whitney accessories on a regular Buick and tried to cash in on the name. No comparison between the two
41 woodie, you said it! Back around '58 in Kingston, there was a '53 and a '54. I remember sitting on the curb drooling when the '54 was parked. I wished AMT would have made a model! (I was 8 or 9!) I liked the '54 but it never turned me on like the '53!
Hello, Nice story on the Buick Skylark. We had a connection with Buick Skylarks in our family over the years. Our dad had just bought a new 1953 Buick on his 4 year plan of a new car rotation. He had a black 1949 Buick Roadmaster new and now, it was time. We had no idea that the next year and for the next several years would bring the cool Skylark convertibles to the Buick dealer showrooms. But, as our dad always did during August and September, we all went to look at the new cars from GM. I think he really wanted a Cadillac, but it was a little ostentatious. Besides, our family doctor already had a new Cadillac. So, we primarily looked at the Chevrolet models and then up the block to see the new Buick models. By the time the next 4 year new car rotation was approaching, we were in late 56. We all went to the Buick dealer and our mom found the car she wanted, a 1954 Buick Skylark convertible. We tried to convince our dad to get a 54 convertible for our mom-only, the year before during our family shopping tour, but he said the convertible tops are too noisy and not safe. So, in 1956 the showroom tour continued and the Skylark still sat in the showroom as a display only. Our dad surprised everyone by coming home with a dark blue 1957 Roadmaster two door sedan and that stayed in our garage until the fall of 1962. 1957 Buick with the black 58 Impala in the garage… check out the chrome roof vent from the Impala on the left side of the photo. Jnaki He skipped the 4 year plan as he did not like the 61 Buick or the 62. But, his friend in Los Angeles already knew of a new design Buick that was on the drawing board for late 62 and into 1963. The new 63 Buick Riviera Hardtop. So, that was his new car for the next 4 years. Our mom did not have her own car, she borrowed our 58 Impala after we got the C&O Stick Hydro as an automatic replacement for the 3 speed stick she could not handle. She had access to a cool, fast, comfortable sedan that she liked taking her friends to go shopping and to the grocery store. She was ok about not having her own car. What about my mom’s own convertible choice from back in 1954 new or used in 1955, the Buick Skylark? Since our dad nixed the soft top convertible as not safe and easily broken into anywhere it was parked, she still wanted a convertible. So, my brother and I took her to see the new 57 Ford Skyliner with a hard top convertible. We did not buy that car (because, our dad did not like Fords) and we did not win any points with our dad for taking our mom to see a Ford, too. The Skylark has always been a great convertible design. We were sorry our dad was such a stick in the mud, but it was his family car decision. So, in 1963, Summer, I bought 5 Skylark Wire Wheels to put on my black 58 Impala as a modified, custom touch and make it have some more pizazz… At least our mom got to drive the Impala with some Buick Skylark Wire Wheels before the Impala got stolen. My wife and I saw this Candy Red Buick Skylark in 2019 from one of our lunch adventures. If the Candy Apple Red Buick Skylark convertible were for sale, my wife would have bought it on the spot. Girls/women and convertibles are just some big part of the car world. The attraction is always there.
Varied taste and opinions are the spice of life, but @Tony Martino I disagree. Yes, the 54 is indeed on the Special/Century platform vs the Roadmaster like the 53 was. But it also got the more powerful Roadmaster engine. I also don't see the 54 as just cutout wheelwells and add-ons. Custom decklid, quater panels, badging, no holes, special rear lamps (which was a portend of what was coming in 55-6-7), then the big balls wheel openings with an added color. Factory dream car all the way. And this isn't to say the 53 wasn't, just the the 54 was bolder. A 54 conv for caomparison; vs the Skylark (shagged from above); It's a little different, and I'll take the 54 all day. The sister companies didn't follow suit except Chevrolet that kept the Vette. The Eldorado was trim/feature/name plate as was the Fiesta. Got change for a nickle so I can leave .02?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Hey Highlander, Personally, I like the stock '54 Special more than the '54 Skylark. I'm just liking the more understated look of the '53 Skylark. I do agree with the big engine in the '54 Special! I think for me, that yellow Special would be perfect with the chopped windshield from the '53 Skylark! And the spinners on the wire wheels! Just my $.02.
What a voice. Saw her live at the Capital Center back in the 80's. No one else I've ever heard had her power...range. She could do it all. Country, Rock, Broadway, Mexican...check out the recent documentary "The Sound of My Voice". Tragic what's happened to her once unique singing talent.
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