Model year 1954 saw a return engagement for the Buick Skylark, although it had been restyled in a significant manner. The new-for-1954 Skylark featured elongated wheel cutouts. These wheelwell surfaces were utilized in providing the prospective owner the opportunity to have a contrasting color to the overall body tone. For instance, if you ordered a Carlsbad Black car, you could receive either Matador Red or Arctic White inner wheelwells for a sporty contrast.

Like its 1953 counterpart, the 1954 Skylark was enveloped with a number of exclusive sheetmetal stampings, but without the hand labor that went into producing the 1953 version. In addition to the above-mentioned wheelwells, the ’54 Skylark had a unique trunk profile with a semi-barrel shape accented by the large, rounded and chromed fins. The hood was also special, but was only slightly deviated in design from the standard Buick lines. The hood ornament was also a stand-alone Buick component for 1954, although it would be seen as the standard for the 1955 Buick line. A wraparound type windshield further contributes to the sports car image that Buick was portraying this model as.

The Series 100 platform was now based on the all-new and shorter Series 60 Century and Series 40 Special chassis’ and not the top-of-the-line Series 70 Roadmaster and Series 50 Super chassis’, also new-for-1954. What it did share with the Roadmaster was its powertrain, delivering the highest output in the entire Buick lineup. This 322-cid, 200-hp Fireball V-8 was connected to the standard Twin-Turbine Dynaflow automatic transmission. All Buick Skylark production cars were built as two-door convertibles and were lavishly fitted with standardized features that included Buick Safety power steering, brakes, four-way seat, windows, telescopic antenna and top. Additional items automatically included with your 1954 Skylark purchase were Easy-Eye glass, Selectronic radio, Weather Warden heater and defroster, plus whitewall tires. This example is seen with gorgeous Kelsey-Hayes chrome wire wheels.

This beautiful Skylark is finished in the uncommon color of Titian Red with complementary red “waffled” leather interior and a white soft-top for an outstanding overall presentation. It has a nicely executed older restoration that was completed approximately 10-years ago and still is attractive in appearance.

With only 836 similar cars built during the 1954 model year, the car has built-in exclusiveness. Of this already small number, it is thought that fewer than 50 still survive.

The Skylark was advertised as being a vehicle for “those with boundless zest for automotive adventure.” Deemed to be Buick’s sports car, it has flight-influenced design lines, with road-hugging compactness and pulse-pounding performance that was second to no Buick ever built in period. Despite all of the obvious positives about the Skylark, poor sales figures signaled the cars demise after 1954; perhaps this fall in fortune and the low numbers now available makes the Buick Skylark a perfect candidate for collectors now and in the future.