We were headed back toward the U.S. border after visiting friends in Merritt, Canada B.C., when I noticed an angular grille growing larger in my rear-view mirror…
Going by that same grille, I’m tagging this nice Skylark convertible as a 1967 model. I’m not aware of whether Buick used special badging to indicate an engine upgrade, but if this car has the standard engine it’s most likely a 300 cu in (4.9-liter) V8. But it could well be the 340 cubic inch version too.
We played “tag” with this car for a good twenty or more miles while motoring through the hills and valleys of the lower BC wine country. The Skylark’s wallowy handling was very evident on the sharper curves.
What a beautiful day to enjoy vintage open-top motoring!
What a beautiful place BC is too. Nice, thanks.
I know that road well, Highway 97C. The northern end of it towards Enderby is stunningly pretty.
Actually, I think thats 97C in the background of the first shot. That’s 97 south between Peachland and Summerland in the rest of the shots. He must have missed the wildfire in Peachland by no more than a day or 2.
I grew up in the Okanagan valley and these pictures bring back some memories. Theres a lot of nice iron in the valley.
Hwy 97 through the Okanagan is one of my favorite roads ever. Not too much traffic, sweeping curves and elevation changes and most locals drive well over the speed limit too. And the scenery’s gorgeous.
You must have one hell of of a shutter speed on your camera. Those wheels look like they’re standing still.
iPhone 4… “The best camera is the one you have with you.”
“The Skylark’s wallowy handling was very evident on the sharper curves.”
Unless there’s a few bales of BC Red in the trunk, I think the old girl needs some springs.
Agreed. Still such a stately, classy ride though.
Wallowing or not, that car and that scenery would make me a very happy man!
This ’67 ragtop has ’65 Skylark wheel covers and is sans the (optional) fender skirts.
My Dad ostensibly bought, for college (allegedly), my brother a low-mile ’67 Buick Skylark Custom Coupe. Black vinyl top, white body, fender skirts, Turbine Drive (2-speed) automatic, power steering/brakes and the 300 2-bbl V-8. First year for a conventional 90 degree V-8 (non-nailhead). Came in 300/340/400/430 varieties for ’67.
I remember it was bought from Leon C. Felton Volkswagen used in March of ’74. Anything with a V-8 and was above 108″ wheelbase seemed like it was shunned in that day as trying to sell anything with more than a six cylinder engine was tough; V-8 bigger car sales reeling from the first U.S. fuel crisis (I remember odd/even license plate days and 5 gal purchases only ended about the time my Dad got this car).
Said Buick was listed at $995.00 – ridiculously dirt cheap at the time – simply because of the aforementioned gas crisis put a hamper on these. (Side note: late ’73 early ’74 probably was the best time ever to pick up a big V-8 or muscle car for dirt cheap – I saw a used ’70 Road Runner Superbird at a third tier car lot in San Rafael for $2995.00 – clean, too! Ca. late ’74). This Buick was a very clean car, about 35K on the clock, and my Dad snapped it up and let my older brother have it.
Car had driveabiltiy problems from day one. Being an “older” (at the time) California used car, it had that thremal device thingy put on it, but, somehow, some rocket scientist at Felton, in order to make the ’67 1974 California smog compliant, ended up dismantling the 2-bbl Rochester and put the butterfly valves upside down (we found this out when my brother and his mechanically inclined friend who turned out to be my older sister’s husband #2 took apart the carb while removing the add-on California smog crap). Car ran a little better, but had constant cold idle issues (constant stalling until the engine warmed up). This reminds me of my brother’s car. He ended up driving it to the junkyard, which was damn stupid as the car was still very clean. He said, “the timing chain was slipping” . . . I think he got $150.00 for it. Shortly after, he moved into San Francisco to be closer to his school (SFSU) and ended up buying a beater ’74 Pontiac Catalina (just the car to park on the congested streets of SFO -what a grapehead).
I wanted the Buick, but, by that time, I was in Hawaii (1981).
This Buick brought back memories as my brother’s Skylark was used to light off firecrackers throwing out the coupe’s windows at innocent passers by. . . .
When in SF, I marvel at how there aren’t more of those “74 Catalinas” left parked @ 45 degrees, more of them whose cheap old old brakes dont break and set them rolling downhill… The Vertigo Getting In Some cars at those steep angles can be downright frightening for me. Add in 50 year Old Mechanicals Maybe Having a Rough time warming up, and Im good to go!
Some cities small cars RULE.
There’s an equally somewhat ratty 1968 Impala or Carapace (sic) convertible running around here in the northern Cincinnati suburbs – I saw it last weekend. Same color, too.
As for the Skylark, I like the “stripe” cars – what my buddy and I used to call them – the 1968-69 models, with that long S-shaped trim alongside.
I can count on one hand ( actually 2 fingers) GM’s I have owned in the past that I wish I still had. One of them was a 66-67? Buick Skylark Sportwagon . 340 V-8, two speed turbine transmission and the great Vista Crusier type window in the back. I thought that Sportwagon’s body integrity,and over all build quality was second to none.
I as most people know have a soft spot for Buicks and a big soft spot for the Sportwagon’s. We moved from KS to DE in one when I was about 8. When I was 14 or 15 and our Sportwagon long gone, a neighboor down the street had one for sale and I wanted it so bad but I didn’t have a license nor the $995 IIRC they wanted for it. I actually talked my Dad into looking at it, but he nixed the idea.
When I was still working as a mechanic I’d usually see one pass me going the other way when I was coming back from lunch obviously still a daily driver.
I often search Sportwagon on CL, unfortunately the one that has popped up the guy was trying to flip for a big profit and was in pretty sad shape.
the ’67 Buick intermediates aren’t my favorite Buick of all, but I think they are the most beautiful car that Buick ever built.
I had a ’67 GS400 for a short period of time: gold with black bucket seat interior. Even the engine itself was gorgeous with its Star Wars air cleaner. Despite the fact the keys were in the ignition & the car ran fine, my father decided it was in his way one day so he dragged it out of his barn with the Bobcat, punching the forks through the gas tank and trunk floor…the nice guy he is.
I was distraught & sold it to a guy I worked with in Birmingham for $800. From what I hear, he’s got it almost completely restored back to original.
“Despite the fact the keys were in the ignition & the car ran fine, my father decided it was in his way one day so he dragged it out of his barn with the Bobcat, punching the forks through the gas tank and trunk floor…the nice guy he is.”
Yikes, JB…if they ever expand the “Cars” franchise into teenage slasher flicks, I’d expect a scene like that. “Texas Nailhead Massacre”?
it’s truly a gorgeous car !
Just a geographic note….
Calling it “Merritt, Canada” makes about as much sense as someone saying “Everett, USA”
“Merritt, BC” or “Merritt, British Columbia” please….
Sorry about that! I’ve never really thought about it until you pointed it out, and it makes perfect sense… Just count me as another one of those ignorant Americans… (c:
There is still a ’72 Skylark coupe in mom’s garage, same tan color. She doesnt drive it anymore. 350 4bbl Texas car, not CA emissions, but it still is very cold blooded on E10 gas.Bought new by her mother and it looks like it may be passed on to my grandson, making it a four generation car in one family.
As Bob and Doug McKenzie would say, “beauty, eh?”