1953 Buick Skylark 2-Door Hardtop

Here is a car you probably never knew existed.

This unique Skylark is a one-of-a-kind concept car documented by General Motors. It was created by Buick to test public interest in a Skylark hardtop.

This unique piece of automotive history was so stunning that the wife of the general manager of Buick, Mrs. Ivan Wilkes, purchased this car after it’s Motorama tours for her personal use, which was quite a departure for concept cars as most were retained by General Motors or crushed.

This special one-off car came with every option available at the time plus some that were not. Options that make this car special include trunk mounted factory air conditioning, foot controlled signal seeking radio, Autotronic eye headlight dimmer, Skylark chrome wire wheels with knock-off hubs, special interior and exterior badging, and much more.

It was shown for the first time after a full restoration was finished in January 2010 at Amelia Island, where it earned the prestigious Amelia Award in the “Cars You Never Knew Existed” class.

I have always felt the ’53 Buick Skylark convertible was one of the best auto designs ever, but now that I have seen this hardtop version, I don’t know which one I would pick if I was lucky enough to be able to own one of them.