The 1971 Buick Skylark wore styling that was similar to its 1970 model year sibling. The base overhead-valve six-cylinder engine displaced 250 cubic-inches offering 155 horsepower. An optional V8 displaced 350 CID and delivered 260 horsepower. Body styles included a coupe, hardtop coupe, and sedan on the base trim level. The Skylark Custom trim level offered extra brightwork and luxury amenities, plus a hardtop sedan and convertible body style.
The Buick Skylark had a heater and defroster, Step-On parking brake, ashtrays, and padded head restraints. The interior was vinyl or vinyl and cloth. The Custom level trim added a Comfort-Flo ventilation system, glove box light, Deluxe steering wheel, and full carpeting. Custom badges and rocker panel molding helped distinguish the Custom from the base level.
A total of 61,201 examples of the hardtop coupe were built, plus an additional 29,536 examples of the Custom hardtop coupe. Total production of all body styles exceeded 184,500 examples, which accounted for over 33% of Buick's total production.
The Skylark model was used by Buick for nearly five decades, with its first use in 1953 as a celebration of Buick's 50th anniversary. It re-appeared in 1954, then lay dormant until 1961 when it returned as a new compact car that shared its chassis, basic sheet metal, and engine with the Buick Special, Pontiac Tempest, and Oldsmobile F-85. A major restyling and change occurred in 1968, with the Buick Skylark now using two different length wheelbases, with a 112-inch version for its two-door models and a 116-inch platform for its four-door models. The new designs incorporated items that complied with Federally mandated safety requirements, with improved occupant protection and accident avoidance, shoulder belts on all models constructed after January 1st of 1968, parking lights that illuminated with headlights, and side marker lights.
This new generation of styling would continue, with updates along the way, through 1972. The previous six-cylinder engine was no longer offered, and all the tooling and the engine designs were sold to kaiser Industries for use in its Jeep trucks and sport utility vehicles. The Buick Skylarks now came standard with a 250 CID Chevrolet inline-6 fitted with a Rochester one-barrel carburetor.
The optional Skylark Custom came standard with a 350 CID V8 previously installed in the 340, with a two-barrel Rochester carburetor that offered 230 horsepower.
In 1969, the Buick Special name was no longer offered, and styling changes followed in 1970. The two-door body styles, all of which were hardtops, shared its roofline with the 1970 Chevelle.
1972 would be the final year for the mid-sized Buick Skylark, and in 1973 the Skylark, along with the Sport Wagon and Gran Sport, was replaced by the new mid-sized Buick Century. The Skylark name re-appeared in 1975 as a two-door hatchback sedan and a two-door sedan, in both standard and S/R ('Sports/Rallye') trim.
by Dan Vaughan