If you look at the muscle car market today, it’s basically a sea of overpriced Chevelles and GTOs that everyone and their uncle owns. People obsess over the GTO because it was the "first," but honestly? They’re overlooking the sophisticated sibling that actually feels like a car you’d want to drive for more than twenty minutes. The Buick Skylark convertible 1968 is that weirdly perfect middle ground. It’s got the A-body bones of a heavy hitter but carries itself with a sort of quiet confidence that the louder brands just can't replicate.
1968 was a weird year for GM. They decided to mess with the wheelbase lengths, giving the coupes and convertibles a shorter, 112-inch stance compared to the sedans. It changed everything about how the car sat on the road. When you see a Buick Skylark convertible 1968 in person, the first thing you notice isn't the chrome—it’s that sweeping "S" curve along the side. Buick called it the "Sweepspear." It’s a design cue that dates back to the fifties, but on the '68 frame, it makes the car look like it's moving while parked in a driveway.
The "Stepchild" Engine That Actually Rips
Most people see a Buick badge and think "grandfather car." That’s a mistake. While the GS (Gran Sport) gets all the glory for its 400 cubic inch monster, the standard Skylark often came with the 350-2 or 350-4 V8. This wasn't just a Chevy 350 with a different sticker on the air cleaner. Not even close. Buick’s 350 used a deep-skirt block design and a massive nickel content in the iron. It was lighter than the Chevy small block but built like a tank.
You get torque. Lots of it.
The 1968 Buick 350 V8 was rated at 230 horsepower for the 2-barrel and 280 for the 4-barrel, but the torque peaked low, right where you need it when pulling away from a stoplight. It’s smooth. It doesn't scream like a Small Block Chevy; it sort of just hums and then pushes you into the vinyl seats with a relentless, mechanical shove. If you’re lucky enough to find one with the "Custom" trim, you’re looking at upgraded upholstery that feels more like a lounge than a cockpit.
The Federal Safety Overhaul
You’ve probably noticed the weird side marker lights on these cars. 1968 was the first year the feds mandated them. On the Skylark, Buick actually integrated them quite well, unlike some other manufacturers who just slapped reflectors on the fenders as an afterthought. You also got the energy-absorbing steering column. It was a year of transition. You have that classic, thin-pillar 60s aesthetic mixed with the first real wave of modern safety tech.
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Inside, the dash is a masterpiece of brushed metal and sweeping lines. It’s wide. It feels expensive. Compared to a '68 Malibu, which can feel a bit "plastic-y" if we're being honest, the Skylark feels substantial. The switches have weight. The doors close with a thud, not a clang.
Driving a Buick Skylark Convertible 1968 Today
Driving one of these in 2026 is a lesson in perspective. It’s not "fast" by modern Tesla standards, but it is fast in a way that matters. The suspension on a well-sorted Skylark is famously plush. Buick engineers used softer bushings than Pontiac or Oldsmobile because they knew their customer base wanted to arrive at the golf course without a backache.
But don't think it's a boat.
The 112-inch wheelbase makes it surprisingly flickable. If you swap out the old bias-ply tires for some modern radials—which is the very first thing any owner should do—the car tracks straight and true. The steering is over-assisted, sure. You can turn the wheel with one finger. That’s just the 1968 vibe. You aren't "attacking" corners; you’re guiding the car through them. It’s a gentleman’s muscle car.
The convertible top mechanism on these is generally robust, but it’s a hydraulic system. It uses a pump behind the rear seat and two cylinders to lift the heavy steel frame. If it’s slow, it’s usually the fluid or a tired motor, not a catastrophic failure. Replacing the top is a rite of passage for owners. If you see one with a glass rear window instead of plastic, keep it. The glass doesn’t yellow, and it makes the interior feel infinitely more high-end when the top is up.
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What to Look for (The Bad Stuff)
No car is perfect, and 1968 Buicks have their demons. Rust is the big one. Specifically, look at the base of the windshield and the rear wheel arches. Because of that Sweepspear line, body work on a Skylark is significantly harder than on a flat-paneled car. If that line is "mudded" over with Bondo, the car loses its soul.
- Rear Frame Rails: Check where the rear springs sit. They love to rot there.
- The Core Support: The metal under the radiator often catches salt and moisture.
- The ST300 Transmission: Some '68s still had the two-speed "Super Turbine" automatic. It’s bulletproof but boring. If you find one with the TH350 three-speed, you’ve hit the jackpot.
The parts availability is a bit of a mixed bag. You can get any engine part at a local NAPA because the 350 Buick was used for years. However, trim pieces? Good luck. If you're missing the "Skylark" script or specific chrome bits for the 1968 model year, you'll be scouring eBay and specialized forums like V8Buick.com for months.
The Market Reality
While a 1968 GTO convertible might set you back $60,000 or more for a clean driver, you can still find a Buick Skylark convertible 1968 for significantly less. You’re getting 90% of the same experience—same chassis, same convertible top, same "A-body" coolness—for about 60% of the price. It’s the smart play.
Collectors are starting to wake up, though. The "orphan" brands or the "sub-premium" brands like Buick and Oldsmobile are seeing a surge because younger collectors realize they actually have better interiors than the base-model Chevys.
The color palettes in 1968 were also wild. You had colors like "Burnished Saddle," "Teal Blue," and "Scarlet Red." A Skylark in Teal Blue with a white top and white interior is arguably one of the best-looking cars to ever come out of Flint, Michigan. It’s evocative. It smells like old vinyl and unburnt hydrocarbons.
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Maintenance and Upgrades
If you buy one, don't keep it 100% stock unless it’s a museum piece.
- Disc Brake Conversion: The original drums are... adventurous. They fade fast. Putting discs on the front is a weekend job and will save your life in modern traffic.
- Electronic Ignition: Get rid of the points. Swap in a Pertronix unit under the distributor cap. You keep the stock look but the car actually starts every time.
- Cooling: These cars hate sitting in traffic. A 3-row aluminum radiator painted black (to look stock) is a "must-have" if you live anywhere warm.
Honestly, the Buick Skylark convertible 1968 represents the end of an era. By 1969 and 1970, the designs got beefier and more aggressive. The '68 still has some of that mid-sixties lightness in its design. It’s the car for the person who wants to be noticed but doesn't want to scream. It’s the car for the person who values a smooth idle over a cam-thump that shakes the mirrors.
If you’re hunting for a classic, stop looking at the same three models everyone else is looking at. Look at the Buick. It’s better built, it’s more comfortable, and it has a style that has aged better than almost anything else from the GM stable in 1968.
Actionable Steps for Potential Buyers
If you are serious about putting a Buick Skylark convertible 1968 in your garage, start by verifying the VIN. The second digit should be a "4" (for Buick) and the third and fourth digits will tell you if it’s a base Skylark (35) or a Skylark Custom (44). The "Custom" is the one you want; the interior upgrades are massive.
Join the Buick Heritage Alliance or sign up for the V8Buick forums. The community is smaller than the Chevy crowd, but they are incredibly obsessive about technical details and can help you identify if a car has the correct "long-tail" TH400 or the right cylinder heads.
Before handing over any cash, get the car on a lift. Because it’s a convertible, the frame is boxed for extra rigidity. If that boxing is soft or rusted through, the car will "scuttle shake" (the front and back shaking in different directions) so badly it’ll be unenjoyable to drive. A solid frame is more important than a running engine in these cars. You can fix an engine in a weekend; a twisted, rusted convertible frame is a nightmare that never ends. Look for a dry-state car—it’s worth the shipping cost.