Welly 1:43 1953 Buick Skylark

Yes, indeed 1950's American cars are something of an art with beautiful curves done in sheetmetal, fins, and the chrome trim that adorns these cars.  Some are beautifully done, while a few look overdone, but this 1953 Buick Skylark is one gorgeous car.

The Skylark was designed for Buick's 50th anniversary in 1953 and was the top model in the Roadmaster line.  The Skylark had similar features to the Roadmaster and then adds rear wheel openings (no skirts) and a chrome trim swipe that would appear in later Buick models.  What made this model more pricier than the Roadmaster was the hand-made body panels, including the chopped windshield, roof, and the dip of the doors.  The powertrain was the Buick Nailhead 322 CID V8 that produced an estimated 180 hp. through a two-speed hydramatic transmission.  Despite the custom look sales were poor so the model was axed after a few years, but the name lived on as a mid-size Buick model in the 1960's and as a compact sedan in the 1980's-1990's.

Painted in this turquoise color and glistening with chrome trim this Skylark looks beautiful for a pullback vehicle.  The front has round headlights in teardrop chrome housing with integrated signal lights, a waterfall grille with billets in the front bumper, and the round Roadmaster badge just below the hood ornament on the hood.  While Welly did a great job with the chrome trim detailing I added a few more to the unfinished areas to give it that finished look.  The sides are amazing with the contored upper beltline, the V-shaped chrome stripe, the dip in the doors, and the chrome Kelsey-Hayes wheels.  The rear fenders start to fin off from the round trunklid with four round taillights and a rather odd dip-down exhaust tip.  Now the car shown here has the top in the up position, and it is offered in the top-down look, but if you take apart the car, remove the two screws at the rear of the top and then scrape off the glue flash on the sunvisors you can make that top removable when needed as what I just did.

The base underneath shows the detailed frame with X-brace to support the body, the drivetrain, the exhaust, and then check out the blue oil pan that I added to the engine.  Note the brake master cylinder is still mounted below the driver's seat.  The interior has seating for six with the luggage occupying the rear bench seat.  The door panels are nicely detailed and flow with the dashboard with very familiar 1950's controls like the center speaker, the toggle switches just above, and the large steering wheel with chrome center spokes.  This is one nicely done car for a model that i'm not a big fan of, but once again Welly never fails to impress with this spectacular 1953 Skylark.