Frame Off Restored Skylark Convertible 322 V8 Dynaflow

So you're a connoisseur of vintage metal, and now that you've owned tens, maybe even hundreds of classic 50s cars, you want to go all out and find the best of the best. Of course, we ALL know it just doesn't get any better than an Eisenhower-era convertible; and with that in mind, there are a few top-of-the-line cruisers that might qualify as your 'ultimate'. You could always snatch up a hot "'57 Bel Air Fuelie":http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/top_sales_2011/1957-Chevrolet-Bel-Air/132420#!/; but as nice as those are, their 3K unit production makes exclusivity null and void. Well okay then, why not sign the papers on a "slick '58 Impala":http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/top_sales_2012/1958-Chevrolet-Impala/132874#!/? Unfortunately, its bulk and extravagance push things a little too far into modern and weighty for your tastes. There's always Pontiac's Holy Grail: the "high performance '57 Bonneville":http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/sold/1957-Pontiac-Bonneville/132642#!/. But, while original tin Indians are certainly cool, they're also really hard to find and they only come in one shade of white which isn't particularly awe inspiring. In that case, it's a good thing your friends at RK Motors Charlotte are offering this freshly restored, numbers matching, high option 1954 Buick Series 100 Skylark, in one of the best color combinations we've ever seen! An official member of the 836 cars assembled during the last model year of the original Skylark, this investment grade drop-top is one of the rarest and most desirable 50s collector cars ever produced. Want the ultimate classic to park at shows or parade down Main Street? This Buick is the freshly restored, 100% correct masterpiece you've been looking for!

Introduced as a celebration of Buick's 50th anniversary, the 1953 Roadmaster Skylark was one of three specialty convertibles created to promote General Motors' leadership in design and innovation. Like its Fiesta and Eldorado stablemates, the Skylark was a limited-production, hand-made halo that was overwhelmingly admired by the public and rewarded with a very successful sales rate. Unfortunately, 1954 brought a Century-based replacement that, despite being just as handsome, was no longer hand-built and subsequently not as well accepted. And by the end of the 1954 model year, sales were slow, sentiment was low and GM decided to pull the plug on Buick's once celebrated line-topper. Today, almost 60 years later, the car's world class design characteristics can be found in pretty much every modern car's aesthetic DNA; and its classic style and one-year-only production exclusivity make it one of the most coveted and desirable post-war cruisers on the market.

Let's begin by decoding the car's VIN and confirming its authenticity.

VIN: 7A1064045

* 7 = Series 75 Roadmaster
* A = 1954 model year
* 1 = Assembled at GM's Flint, Michigan manufacturing facility
* 064045 = Sequential production number

Next we'll move to the car's cowl tag, which confirms the accuracy of its restoration.

COWL TAG:

* 1954 Model 54-100 --- Produced in 1954 (1954) as a 1954 model (Model 54) Skylark (100)
* Style number 54-4667SX --- 1954 model (54) Buick Division (4) Century (6) convertible (67) Skylark (SX)
* Body number G225 --- Body assembled in Flint, Michigan
* Trim number 67W --- Light and Medium Blue interior (67) that's complete with a White (W) vinyl top
* Paint number 8 --- Cavalier Blue exterior paint

And finally, we'll highlight its extensive list of optional equipment.

OPTIONS:

* A --- Dynaflow transmission that's complete with a quadrant light
* B --- Heater that's complete with a defroster
* C --- Safety power steering (Dynaflow cars only)
* F --- Safety Group
* back up lights
* windshield washer system
* glare-proof mirror
* parking brake signal
* H --- Flexible spoke steering wheel
* I --- Easy-Eye glass
* K --- Foamtex seat cushions
* L --- Power brakes (Dynaflow cars only)
* M --- 40 series accessory group “M”
* trunk light
* electric clock
* rear license plate frame
* P --- Selectronic radio that's complete with an electric antenna
* Q --- White wall tires
* S --- 4-way front seat adjustment
* T --- Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels

The beneficiary of a no expense spared, nut and bolt rotisserie restoration that was completed in March of 2012, this killer Buick drop-top is one of the most impressive classics we've ever seen! The work began by stripping its smooth Harley Earl designed body to bare metal, blasting it with sand inside and out, and coating everything in a durable weather-proofing epoxy. Once that solid foundation was established, the car's panels were aligned into a straight and precise shape that was block-sanded until it was completely free of any waves or blemishes. Finally, after the clean body was test-fitted and completely disassembled, a correct coat of GM code 8 Cavalier Blue basecoat was buried in a thick clearcoat shell and teased to an excellent shine. If you're the kind of person who enjoys staring at a lust-worthy classic which combines an absurd level of detail with an unmatched level of fit and finish, your eyes just found their new apple!

When the Skylark returned for the 1954 model year, it was radically restyled, highly detailed and still very appealing. At the front of the car, bright GE headlights and small round parking lights ride inside chrome trimmed enclosures which hang over Buick's trademark waterfall grille. Below that grille a wraparound chrome bumper, which was triple-plated during the car's extensive restoration, features prominent bullets. And above that grille, a 1954-exclusive hood hangs a modernist Buick script below an intricately detailed bombsight. At the top of the car, a stainless trimmed cowl panel rides between an electric antenna that's a mandatory addition to Delco's innovative Selectronic radio, and bright stainless wipers which clear a stainless trimmed, Easy-eye windshield. At the sides of that windshield correct chrome mirrors hang between Skylark-exclusive fenders, the auto industry's first cut down doors, and a correct white vinyl top. And below that windshield, stainless rapier-styled sweep spears, which continue to be a Buick trademark, are perfectly aligned between traditional chrome door handles, elongated, white-painted wheel wells and impossible-to-duplicate side crests. At the back of the car, a Skylark-exclusive 'barreled' trunk hangs a modernist “Skylark” script above pristine optional safety group reverse lamps and a sculpted lock cylinder cover. At the sides of that trunk, chrome Harley Earl approved fins feature Wildcat II inspired three-way visible tail lights. And below that trunk, a second triple-plated bumper, which wraps around the corners of the car, features an optional accessory group tag bracket.

Lift this Buick's alligator hood and you'll find an original 322 cubic inch Fireball V8 which wears a correct V4437667 Roadmaster engine stamp, creates a stout 200 horsepower and cranks out a stellar 309 ft./lb. of torque. Nicknamed the “Nail valve”, and eventually known as the "Nailhead", because of the unusual vertical position of its small-sized valves, this fully-rebuilt and completely detailed V8 employs a camshaft with greater lift and duration to create a Kansas-flat power band which exceeds one foot-pound per cubic inch. Hot rodders of the day actually coined the engine's nickname as a derisive description of its puny valvetrain and restrictive plumbing, but they simply couldn't ignore its exceptional power! At the top of that bright green engine, a correct black AC heavy duty air cleaner pipes cool air into a correct, rebuilt 4-barrel carburetor. In front of that air cleaner, a tagged and rebuilt Delco Remy generator spins charge around brand new V-belts. And behind that air cleaner, a correct points distributor sends spark through fresh black plug wires that are neatly loomed between small metal tabs and stamped metal heat shields. On the left side of the engine a glass fluid jar, which is the foundation of the aforementioned optional safety group windshield washer system, hangs behind a tagged Delco yellow cap battery and factory correct power steering. And on the right side of the engine, a newly rebuilt heater/defroster system hangs behind perfectly bent stainless tubes which pipe fluids around the block's numerous contours. Not a detail has been missed in this top notch engine bay, and the correctly decaled powerplant is complemented by a full assortment of well-planned and well-executed details. Restored iron manifolds send spent gases into a factory replacement exhaust system, there's fresh hoses and brand new wiring throughout; and the car's solid inner fenders, fully finished hood and factory firewall are covered in a smooth coat of GM satin black paint.

While the original Skylark was essentially a fully-optioned and slightly customized Roadmaster, GM decided to build the '54 model on Buick's shorter Century/Special chassis. This certainly wasn't a popular decision at the time, but it definitely benefits the car today as more precise build techniques and better commonality make classic car restoration and maintenance much easier. At the center of the floors, an original twin turbine Dynaflow transmission, which wears a 100 series correct M110 build stamp, sends power to a fully rebuilt 10 bolt rear end. Just ahead of that super clean drivetrain you'll find a completely independent front suspension that has been painstakingly restored to factory specifications. Just behind that super clean drivetrain you'll find a rebuilt rear suspension which benefits from that same level of acute detail. Braking is handled by bright red, Dynaflow mandated drums which bring the car to a power-assisted stop in a surprisingly short distance; and turns are aided by Dynaflow mandated power steering that improves both handling and slow speed navigation. Above that paint shop fresh suspension solid, primer red floor pans provide an excellent backdrop for fresh stainless hardware and new stainless brake and fuel lines. At the corners of that suspension, four substantial wire wheels spin meaty L78-15 wide white wall Coker Classics around pristine white wheel wells and red white and blue Skylark spinner caps. And all the small details like correct shocks, a new fuel tank and a factory replacement, single-pipe exhaust system have been painstakingly located and professionally installed.

Loaded with virtually every option in the book, this classic Buick's correct GM code 67 interior features a perfect mix of outrageous style and traditional American luxury. The front 4-way adjustable and rear bench seats are stuffed with fresh Foamtex padding, covered in correct block-embossed leather, and trimmed in pristine stainless brightwork. In front of those seats, a metallic blue dash hangs a correct Selectronic AM radio, a rebuilt electric clock and a contoured speaker between a great looking chrome instrument panel and multiple chrome accessory knobs that, among other things, operate the car's optional heater/defroster. At the base of those seats, like-new California carpet is anchored by slick “Skylark” branded sill plates, protected by color-keyed floor mats and flanked by intricately detailed kick panels. And at the sides of those seats, Light and Medium Blue door panels hang new chrome door handles and chrome power window switches between mirror-like door toppers and textured stainless scuff plates. In front of the driver, a flexible spoke steering wheel spins a full chrome horn ring and a body-matched rim around a new chrome gear selector and a body-matched column. Behind the passengers a fully restored trunk, which is lit by a factory equipped courtesy light, features a fifth wire spoke wheel that's complete with a fifth wide white wall tire. And, based on a thorough visual inspection, the car's cockpit is exceptionally restored all the way from its correct glare-proof mirror to its snug-fitting convertible cowl.

The sale of this awesome Skylark includes detailed restoration pictures and a small stack of restoration receipts.

This investment grade Buick combines a fresh nut and bolt rotisserie restoration with a correct drivetrain and an acute attention to authenticity to create one of the coolest classics money can buy! And with strong international demand, unique 50s Detroit steel is one of the hottest markets in the collector car hobby. That means pedigreed cars like this super rare Skylark are only going to increase in both value and exclusivity; and if you don't act quickly, your opportunity of a lifetime might turn into what could've been. Don't miss your chance to own one of the finest Buicks on the planet!