53 Buick Skylark Convertible 322ci/188HP Nail Head V8 Twin Turbine Dynoflow Auto

Breaking News…………………. Over $200. 00. 00 was just paid @ auction for a sister to our ’53 Skylark Convertible. Our pristine example represents a solid Grade 1 investment. Read on and no doubt you will agree. In 1953. Buick debuted their all-new “Nailhead” V8 engine. a masterpiece of modern engineering packing more power into a smaller. lighter package that would power Buicks for more than a decade. To celebrate 50 years of Buick production as well as the introduction of the new engine. Buick decided to go big. and designed a flagship convertible based on a Motorama show car from the year before. Today. the best examples have seen double-digit appreciation in recent years. making them highly-sought collectibles. It’s easy to see why these are such tremendously valuable cars. because your eye can’t help but wander over the shapely sheet metal. which was unique to this model and not shared with any of the other Buick lineup (although the Skylark was technically a Roadmaster convertible underneath). The metalwork and fitting on this example are very good. with superb panel fit and alignment. even on the large hood. which. for the first time in Buick’s history. opened from the front in the conventional manner. The paint is vivid and bright. a brilliant red that draws your eye and shows off the contrasting white fenderwells. which were a Skylark hallmark. In addition to the unique bodywork. the sweep spear that runs the length of the car. mirroring the dip in the windowsills. would become a Buick trademark design element for years. Up front. the grille has been beautifully restored. and is often regarded as one of the finest designs of the chrome-heavy ‘50s; flashy. but not over-wrought. The rear bumper wraps around the accessory continental kit. giving the rear of the car a very integrated. finished look that many cars with rear-mounted spares can’t claim. Inside. the interior has been finished in the correct red and white leather in the original patterns. The Roadmaster’s seat was lowered in production so that it would not protrude above the body line. but it remains supportive and comfortable thanks to fresh foam underneath and that supple red leather on top. The dash houses the original AM radio. with secondary switches clustered around the center-mounted speaker in a throwback to the previous decade. Beautifully restored gauges keep an eye on the engine’s vitals. while the contrasting steering wheel looks almost too delicate to maneuver a 2-ton car. You’ll also notice the sensor for the Autronic Eye automatic headlamp dimming system mounted atop the dash. as well as the clock located on the passenger’s side of the instrument panel. Of course. other items like the carpets and floor mats have been replaced during the restoration and remain in first-rate condition. Overhead. a black canvas top seals up tightly and provides contrast to the red paint. and folds effortlessly into the well behind the back seats. where it is covered by a matching boot. The fully restored 322 cubic inch “Nailhead” V8 under the hood was a state-of-the-art power plant in 1953. with a short stroke. overhead valves (Buick always used overhead valve engines). and a healthy 8. 5:1 compression ratio. developing a relatively robust 188 horsepower. Called the Nailhead because of the vertical orientation of the valves. it was famous for its durability and torque production. allowing the Skylark to be one of the fastest cars on the road in 1953. Beautifully detailed. the engine in this Skylark has clearly seen its share of show duty. From the correct Buick Turquoise paint to the smaller details like the decals on the air cleaner. as well as correct hoses and clamps. it looks exactly how it might have a few days after the new owner took delivery in 1953. Power steering was a new innovation. and it was standard on the Skylarks along with just about every luxury convenience Buick could imagine.

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Also published at eBay.com

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