You really can’t go wrong with any of the GM A-bodies made between 1968-1972. They are popular, have an amazing aftermarket, look solid no matter how you build them, and are one of the few musclecar-era standouts where you might be lucky enough to find a clean driver for reasonable money. Whether you want a nice cruiser or a street bruiser, you can make it happen with one of these babies. Buick’s Skylark was the platform sibling that, for the most part, flew under the radar compared to the Chevelle, Cutlass and the offerings from Pontiac, and was shadowed by it’s big-brothers Gran Sport and GSX. But a clean, basic Skylark is still an awesome find, because that nets you plusher trim and subdued styling that still looks great forty-five years on. And if it’s a droptop, all the better. The whole concept of a muscle Buick is simple: hauling ass with class.

1972 might have been the sunset year for the muscle cars, but the basic cars were still doing just fine, with few changes made since the look debuted in 1970. With a name like “Turbo Buick”, finding this brown convertible on Craigslist equated to a purchase…the Skylark wasn’t rotted, was pretty straight and mostly original, and had a running Buick 350 and TH350 providing power. Sure, the interior is a mishmash of Buick and Oldsmobile touches, and there were some minor issues like small rust spots and incorrect trim, but overall, it was a pretty good starting point. The 350 leaked oil and coolant, but with a new timing chain cover (which, on a Buick, holds the oil pump and makes up the back of the water pump) the leaks were fixed. Currently, Turbo Buick is fighting with some under-dash wiring, but it’s nothing too bad…yet. If you want to see a clean Buick get prepared for the spring, stay tuned to this thread!

BangShift Project Thread: “Charlie Brown” 1972 Buick Skylark Convertible