THE FLAGSHIP

AUTOMODELLO ONE24 1954 BUICK SKYLARK

TEXT BY MICHAEL GREY IMAGES BY JERRY TSAI

There’s a reason why the Buick nameplate gained such popularity from the 1930s through the 1940s. The marque innovated the automotive industry with new engine and transmission designs and backed up that technology with eye-pleasing styling. During the post-war period, Buick continued turning out popular cars that are still sought-after today.

One of the most collectible Buicks today is the Skylark. Original survivors and fully restored examples are known to have sold at auction for north of $200,000. To mark Buick’s 50th anniversary in 1953, the Roadmaster Skylark was offered as the brand’s top-of-the-line convertible. Much of the Roadmaster Skylark was hand-built and many of its parts were crafted especially for the car. The limited-edition convertible was positioned as Buick’s ultimate personal luxury vehicle, blending every aspect of luxury and sportiness in the brand’s repertoire.

SPECS

BRAND

AUTOMODELLO

SERIES

ONE24

MODEL

1954 BUICK SKYLARK

COLOR OPTIONS

LIDO GREEN, ARCTIC WHITE (ENCOMIUM EDITION), MATADOR RED (ENCOMIUM EDITION)

SCALE

1:24

MSRP

$249.95 (ENCOMIUM EDITION: $299.95)

URL

AUTOMODELLO.COM

“AS WITH THE 1953 MODEL, THE 1954 SKYLARK ALSO BOASTED MANY UNIQUE PARTS THAT WERE NOT SHARED WITH OTHER GM AUTOMOBILES. ”

The 1954 Buick Skylark is one of the most collectible cars of its make. Some have auctioned for more than $200k.

The Skylark comes in a beautiful, multi-tiered display box that comes with paperwork about the car and a hand-signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.

Automodello includes parts to display the Skylark with its top in the up and down positions.

As with the 1953 model, the 1954 Skylark also boasted many unique parts that were not shared with other GM automobiles. For example, it had unique sheet metal stampings for its elongated wheel cutouts and new semi-barrel trunk, along with a new Buick hood ornament. What differed was that the 1954 model was based on the smaller Buick Century convertible platform, which was five inches shorter than the newly upsized 1954 Roadmaster’s 127-inch-wheelbase chassis.

The ’54 Skylark received bespoke bodywork with a rounded rear deck and an even more dramatic wheel treatment than its predecessor, with teardrop-shaped cutouts that allowed the inner wheel wells to be painted a contrasting color. Filling those unique wheel wells were 15-inch-diameter Kelsey-Hayes faux knock-off wire wheels. Being a mid-1950s car, its wheels were appropriately wrapped in a set of wide whitewall tires.

The 1954 Skylark was equipped with a powertrain that consisted of Buick’s top-spec 322-cubic-inch “Nailhead” V8, which produced 200 horsepower, and a smooth-driving Dynaflow

“THE ’54 SKYLARK RECEIVED BESPOKE BODYWORK WITH A ROUNDED REAR DECK AND AN EVEN MORE DRAMATIC WHEEL TREATMENT THAN ITS PREDECESSOR. ”

This limited-run model is available in Lido Green, Matador Red and Arctic White colorways. transmission. Even though the Skylark was packed to the hilt with features, it was a slow seller for Buick, moving only 836 units. In contrast, that’s less than half the number made in 1953. Basing it on the smaller chassis with the price tag of a larger car is said to be its downfall. The sparse sales ended the Skylark name until it eventually made a comeback in 1961. Slow 1954 sales and low production numbers also mean that the 1954 model Skylark has become one of the most collectible Buicks today.

Automodello recognizes the collectability of the 1954 model, as it was the final Skylark to hold the prestigious position as Buick’s flagship. The die cast experts have released it as a part of their 1:24-scale collection, aptly called ONE24. Only up to 199 Standard Edition replicas in Lido Green with a two-tone green interior have been produced. The company also produces an even more exclusive Encomium Edition Skylark that has been painted in Arctic White and Matador Red in numbers of only up to 54 each. Each Skylark replica features a removable CanvasTouch convertible top to better showcase the highly detailed interior. Every Skylark is hand-numbered and comes mounted to a decorative plinth that makes it easy to display.

Speaking of display, Automodello’s presentation of this ONE24 model is incredible. The Skylark comes in a beautiful, multi-tiered display box and also comes with paperwork about the car as well as a hand-signed and numbered

Many fine details such as an antenna, hood ornament and door handles are accurately represented.

certificate of authenticity. The second tier of the box, found below the car and its display stand, includes provisions to hold detailed recreations of the Skylark’s soft-top in both its rolled down and fully deployed positions. Both versions of the top can be placed on the rear of the car, but the top does not snap in place.

The highly detailed Lido Green ’54 Skylark as shown here is simply beautiful and available in very limited quantities. As mentioned, there are also even more limited editions of this Skylark available from Automodello, so don’t miss out. Their collectability and value are sure to match their impressive detail. If you ’re looking for a 1950s flagship to park in your display case, this rare Buick convertible is a must-get.