The 1953 Skylark Was an American "Sports Car" For The Most Successful - Detailed Look & Drive

This particular 53 Skylark has been restored to excellence, and won the price of Scandinavia's nicest car in 2010.
Created to mark Buick's 50th anniversary, the Roadmaster Skylark joined the Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta and Cadillac Series 62 Eldorado as top-of-the-line, limited-production specialty convertibles introduced in 1953 by General Motors to promote its design leadership. Of the three, the Skylark's run of 1,690 units proved the most successful, and an amazing sales feat considering the car's 1953 list price of slightly in excess of US$5,000 ($50,641 in 2021 dollars) was over 50% more than the well-equipped US$3,200 Roadmaster convertible on which it was based ($32,410 in 2021 dollars). It was comparable in price to the 1953 Packard Caribbean with a similar retail price.
Production ran for two years. Based on the model 76R two-door Roadmaster convertible, the 1953 Skylark (designated model 76X) had identical dimensions (except height), almost identical appearance, shared its drive train, and had all its standard equipment, plus its few remaining options, including power windows, power brakes, full carpeting, and a "Selectronic" AM radio. Only air conditioning was not offered, unnecessary in either convertible.
Importantly, the new Skylark featured Buick's new 322 in3 (5.3 L) Fireball V8 in place of the automaker's longstanding straight 8, and a 12-volt electrical system, both division firsts. It debuted full-cutout wheel openings, a styling cue that spread to the main 1954 Buick line. Accenting its lowered, notched beltline was a new "Sweepspear" running almost the entire length of the vehicle, a styling cue that was to appear in various forms on many Buick models over the years.
The 1953 Skylark was handmade in many respects. Only stampings for the hood, trunk lid, and a portion of the convertible tub were shared with the Roadmaster and Super convertibles. All Skylark tubs were finished with various amounts of lead filler. The inner doors were made by cutting the 2-door Roadmaster's in two then welding the pieces back together at an angle to produce the rakish door dip. An overall more streamlined look was reinforced by cutting the windshield almost 3 inches (7.6 cm) shorter and lowering the side windows and convertible top frame proportionately. Seat frames and steering column were then dropped to provide proper headroom and driving position. Front legroom was 44.7 inches (114 cm). Authentic wire wheels were produced by Kelsey-Hayes, chromed everywhere except the plated and painted "Skylark" center emblem.
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Please watch: "1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Numbers Matching The Finest Biarritz? Must Watch!!!"
• 1959 Cadillac Eldorado...
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[@austingreenough6396]

Absolutely gorgeous car

[@FrankKnight8846]

Wow 🤩 now that is art

[@williamschoemann4209]

What an exquisite example, of a very rare and unusually beautiful model of car. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[@jimmycricket5366]

This thing is just gorgeous.... It's beyond a car... It's something else!

[@christopherkraft1327]

Wow, this beautiful Buick is a real show stopper!!! It's been meticulously restored & is gorgeous!!! Your filming excellent & your historical information is very thorough!!!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video!!! 👍👍🙂

[@youngexotics2155]

Thanks as always Chris. This car is remarkable, and i will be posting another one soon!

[@christopherkraft1327]

@@youngexotics2155 you're welcome, I know I'll enjoy your next video too!!! Take care my friend. 🙂

[@ScottALaFollette]

First one I’ve seen in this beautiful blue color. The blue and white interior is also a plus. Thanks for showing the center of the steering wheel. It’s my understanding that initial buyers of the Skylark could I have their name displayed there. If not I believe it would say “power steering” instead of the buyers name. (Corrections or comments encouraged). Air conditioning was an option available on series 50 and 70. Thanks for posting this wonderful example.

[@derrickrees8895]

Beautifully detailed and very well presented example of a rare and exceptionally well restored Buick !

[@billmagorian490]

This restored 53 Skylark does justice to this cutting edge personal luxury car of the early 50's. Absolutely gorgeous!

[@robertdryburgh1457]

The one and only one of these Skylarks I ever saw in person was on a used car lot in Winnipeg. Don Post Motors. This was in the early 1960s. It was faded green and well worn. I remember it had the original owners name "Cohan" engraved in the horn ring center plastic filler. Probably a rust bucket from eastern Canada. I thought as a kid back then that it was a neat car. Just an old used car then. Who knew.

[@vet-7174]

Some Zillionaire should start reproducing these classics! W/O all the computer module crap !!

[@HypocriticYT]

Love it!! I once had a 53 Cadillac coupe

[@bruceh92]

Magnificent, world class automobile. 👍

[@serafinacrystal9991]

American Beauty

[@mikedrown2721]

I watched without audio

[@billfish7359]

Talk about the car instead of playing a bunch of stupid music!

[@chadchivrell2606]

Yeah it's been restored perfectly but it's still ugly. i remember them them in the sixties.. They're just big fat and ugly they were then and still are now... hardly anybody ever wanted them back then... just too bulky heavy and gas eaters they were then and there still are now nice job on the restoration though...

[@pittsburghkid109]

You sir are without a soul.

[@keithdukes5990]

There's always one moron!!!🤨🧐🙄🤡