In 1953, General Motors introduced three special convertible models. The Cadillac El Dorado featured standard chrome wire wheels and a metal body-color cover for the lowered top, and the Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta came with every conceivable factory option, except air conditioning. Both cars previewed the wraparound windshields that would appear on all upscale GM marques in 1954. Buick’s 1953 Skylark, however, was a car unto itself.

While the El Dorado and Fiesta were based on standard convertible bodies, the Skylark had its own distinctive fender lines. This car was called the “Anniversary Convertible,” as it commemorated Buick’s 50th birthday, and it came standard with virtually all options, including Kelsey Hayes chrome wire wheels. With 1,690 built, the Skylark outsold the Eldorado and Fiesta by nearly three to one.

For 1954, the Skylark became a series in its own right and the body was substantially redesigned. Its rear fenders were bobbed, sloping gently down, and large chrome taillight nacelles were added. Finally, there was a wraparound windshield, as on all ’54 Buicks, and the wheel cutouts were enlarged and elongated, with their contrasting color providing a visual accent. It was the most expensive Buick, at $4,355, which was more than $800 above the priciest Roadmaster.

This 1954 Skylark was restored by Greg Cook at Cook’s Restorations in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was an AACA Senior First Place Grand National award winner soon after completion. Although about two decades old, the restoration has held up very well and even earned a corporate award from Autoweek magazine at Amelia Island in 2003, when Buick was the featured marque. It is finished in correct Arctic White, with a maroon-and-cream interior in the correct distinctive pattern and a white vinyl convertible top. The carpets are of the proper type and fit very nicely. The paint and chrome are both very good, and the undercarriage shows just the slightest signs of use, despite being driven regularly.

The car was purchased by the current owner in 1997, and it has been driven 7,200 miles since restoration, including nearly 2,000 trouble-free miles on the 2014 AACA Centennial Tour in New England. As the owner’s summer car in Maine, it has provided many enjoyable trips and tours this past year. It is equipped with all the standard Skylark features, such as power steering and brakes, a power seat, a power top, power windows, a signal-seeking Selectronic radio with an electric antenna, and Kelsey-Hayes chrome wire wheels with B.F. Goodrich Silvertown whitewall tires.

Nineteen fifty-four was the final year for the Skylark as a specialty model, and this year is the rarest of the first-generation models, as just 836 cars were built. This car is an excellent example, and it is certain to provide its next owner with many more miles of motoring pleasure.