1971 Buick Skylark for sale $27,900

This handsome 1971 Buick Skylark convertible is an exceptional survivor with just one repaint in its original Verdemist Green a few years ago. The bodywork is laser-straight and has no signs of accidents or rust repair and whomever did the paint work did a great job of making it look like factory. The doors open and close well, although you need to give the driverandrsquo;s door button a good shove with your thumb to unlatch it. I donandrsquo;t think the car has ever been apart because the fit, alignment, and gaps are all about what you would have received on a new car in 1971. The chrome glitters and thereandrsquo;s no doubt that itandrsquo;s production plating on the bumpers, which have a soft shine but arenandrsquo;t like todayandrsquo;s modern show chrome thatandrsquo;s so ridiculously perfect. Emblems, glass, and lenses are equally nice and the car presents as a very high-quality survivor that you can show with pride.

The green interior is a nice match and I think I like it better than, say, white or tan simply because itandrsquo;s so unusual. Those are original seat covers without any split seams or apparent wear on the seating surfaces, and the foam underneath remains firm and supportive. The carpets are also original, protected by color-matched rubber mats that have probably been there since it was new and the door panels are excellent. The only major demerits inside might be an area on the steering wheel where the green finish has worn off and the puzzling cloudy lens on the clock, which sadly is not functional. As a Buick, you do get such niceties as a tilt wheel, ice cold factory A/C, and an AM/FM radio with a rear speaker that still pulls in signals loud and clear. The trunk is finished with factory spatter paint and what I believe is the original mat. The white power top is also original and works superbly, latching without a wrestling match and tucking neatly under a green boot

This is a Skylark Deluxe, which means a 350 cubic inch Buick V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust. Performance is energetic and smooth, which shouldnandrsquo;t be surprisingandmdash;this is a Buick, after all. Itandrsquo;s nicely detailed under the hood with correct Dante Red paint on the small block V8, a factory air cleaner with andlsquo;350-4andrsquo; air cleaner, denoting the 4-barrel carburetor, and mostly original-style hardware throughout. Itandrsquo;s not quite ready for show in preservation classes, but a little clean up here and there will pay big dividends if thatandrsquo;s your thing. It starts quickly and easily with a great V8 rumble from the dual exhaust system, but itandrsquo;s far from being a noisy kidandrsquo;s car. The TH350 3-speed automatic shifts crisply and with 2.73 gears in the 10-bolt rear end, itandrsquo;s a fantastic highway cruiser that just loafs along at highway speeds. The suspension and brakes, like all well-maintained, low-mileage survivors, have a very polished feel and the car could easily be driven any distance without a concern. Finally, it wears factory Road Wheels, which were some of the most attractive rolling stock of the era and itandrsquo;s fitted with recent 225/75/14 BFGoodrich T/A radials.

We call a lot of cars nice and this one truly fits the bill. Itandrsquo;s wonderful to look at, a joy to drive, and the ideal combination of performance and comfort. If you like looking like a grown-up instead of someone reliving their teenage years, perhaps this Buick will fit the bill.