1972 Buick Skylark

1972 was the final year for the styling introduced in 1968 when all of General Motor's mid-sized cars began using two different wheelbase sizes, including a shorter 112-inch platform for the two-doors and a longer 116-inch wheelbase for the four-door body styles. For 1973, the Buick Sport Wagons, Gran Sports, and Skylarks were replaced by the new mid-sized Buick Century.

The engines powering the 1972 Skylark were equipped with pollution controls and lower compression levels to comply with new federal emission regulations and to accept leaded and unleaded gas. Another emission reduction feature was the retarding of the spark timing while driving in lower gears. The standard engine was the 350 CID V8 with overhead valves, hydraulic valve lifters, a Rochester 2GV two-barrel carburetor, and delivering 150 (net) horsepower at 3,800 RPM. A four-barrel carbureted version boosted horsepower to 175 and was standard in the Skylark 350. A three-speed manual transmission was standard, and a four-speed manual and Turbo-Hydramatic 350 automatic was optional.

The front end styling of the 1972 Skylark was mildly updated with redesigned bumpers that now included bumper guards as standard. In the back, the taillight and bumper assembly gained black vinyl surrounds. The Skylark script could be found on the rear fenders, joined by a 350 badge when the four-barrel 350 CID V8 was installed in the engine bay. A lower body molding trim traversed the body side and chrome molding was used around the windshield frame and wheelhouse. Standard equipment included a heater and defroster, padded instrument panel, front ashtray, and side terminal energizer battery. The Skylark 350 came standard with Deluxe cloth and vinyl seats, rear ashtrays, armrests, dual horns, Deluxe steering, and carpeting.

A one-year-only trim option, offered only in conjunction with the Skylark 350 Sport Coupe, was known as the Sun Coupe. It had bright red or gold carpeting, golden emblems on each C-pillar, and a manually operated folding vinyl sunroof. The manual sunroof was also available as a stand-alone option on all three Skylark trim options, including the 'base', Skylark 350, and Skylark Custom, along with the Skylark-based GS. As many as 3,943 examples were equipped with the Sun Coupe option, however, but since Buick did not keep a detailed record of the actual count, some experts believed the actual number was fewer than 1,800 units.

The top trim level on the 1972 Buick Skylark was the Skylark Custom, distinguished by additional exterior trim and a more luxurious interior. It had a grid-textured bright grille, wider rocker panel and wheelhouse moldings, and rear stone guard extensions. The interiors were finished in cloth and vinyl, or all-vinyl. Body styles included a hardtop coupe, sedan, convertible, hardtop sedan, and a sport wagon. The hardtop coupe was priced at $3,260 and 34,271 examples were built. Next in popularity was the Sport Wagon, priced at $3,445 and finding 14,417 willing buyers. The hardtop sedan listed for $3,330 and 12,925 examples were built. The most exclusive was the convertible, priced at $3,400, with 3,608 examples built, followed by the $3,230 sedan with 9,924 examples built.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2021