1964 Buick Skylark

Buick's introduction of the Skylark in 1953 coincided with the arrival of Oldsmobiles 98 Fiesta and Cadillac's Series 62 Eldorado. These top-of-the-line, limited-production convertibles were built to celebrate Buick's 50th anniversary and to promote General Motors' design leadership. Buick built 1,690 examples of the Skylark in 1953 and 836 the following year. When Buick introduced its 1955 lineup, the Skylark name was noticeably absent, and it would lay dormant until 1961. When it did return, its role was completely different, serving as a compact car with similar mechanical components and sheet metal as the Pontiac Tempest, Oldsmobile F-85, and the Buick Special. Although more utilitarian in purpose than pomp and circumstance, the Skylark's popularity had grown considerably, with total sales for 1961 reaching nearly 13,000 units.

While the 1961 Skylark had been a part of the 'Special' model line, the 1962 Skylark became a model in its own right, positioned above the Special and offered as a hardtop and a convertible. A minor restyling and updates to the interior were applied in 1963 before more dramatic changes were made for the 1964 model year.

The 1964 Buick Skylark
The 1964 Buick model lineup included the entry-level 'Special' and 'Special Deluxe,' the intermediate Skylark, and the full-size LeSabre. The Wildcat was a more luxurious, better appointed, and sportier interpretation of Buick's full-size model, and the Electra 225 rested on the largest platform available (with a three-inch larger wheelbase than the Electra 225 and LeSabre).

The 1964 Buick Skylark rested on a new 115-inch wheelbase intermediate-size chassis, derived from the lower-priced Special, and was shared with the Pontiac Tempest, the Chevrolet Chevelle, and the Oldsmobile F-85. The previous 215 cubic-inch displacements, aluminum-block V8 engine was discontinued, and replaced by a new 225 cubic-inch, all-cast-iron-block V6 with a Rochester one-barrel carburetor that delivered 155 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. The optional 300 CID V8 had hydraulic valve lifters, aluminum heads, a cast-iron block, five main bearings, a two-barrel Rochester carburetor, 9.0:1 compression, and delivered 210 horsepower at 4,600 RPM. With higher compression (11:1) and a four-barrel carburetor, output rose to 250 bhp. A three-speed manual transmission was standard, and a long-throw, 4-speed Hurst shifter was optional, as was a Turbine 300 automatic.

Body styles included a four-door sedan at $2,670, a sport coupe priced at $2,680, and a convertible at $2,835. This was the first year the Skylark could be purchased as a four-door sedan. The most popular was the sport coupe with 42,356 examples built, followed by 19,635 for the sedan and 10,255 for the convertible.

Both the Skylark and its lower-priced sibling, the Special, wore more flowing bodywork with the Skylark distinguished by a higher level of brightwork, ornamentation, and interior trim. The Skylark emblem was positioned on the roof quarters of the sport coupe and sedan, and on the rear fenders of the convertible. Another round emblem was placed in the deck cove. The Sport Coupes had twin bright strips on the roof, and all Skylark body styles had bright rocker moldings, wider bodyside moldings, and a brushed metallic insert. The well-appointed interiors included instrument panel safety padding, paddle-type armrests, full carpeting, and a Skylark steering wheel. The sedan had cloth-and-vinyl seats as standard, and an all-vinyl interior with bucket seats was standard for the convertible and optional for the other body styles.

Buick applied minor styling and mechanical updates through 1967 on the Skylark before significant changes arrived for 1968. A Gran Sport option became available in mid-1965, available as a hardtop, coupe, or convertible. Standard equipment included a 401 cubic-inch V8 with a Carter four-barrel carburetor that delivered 325 horsepower. Buick's sales literature described this engine as having a 400 cubic-inch capacity to elude a General Motors limit of 400 CID in intermediate-sized cars.

The Skylark would remain in production through 1998, serving several different roles during that time including as the company's entry-level model, and then in the 1980s, it was offered as a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2022