How rare is a 72 moonroof Lark?

How rare is a 72 suncoupe Lark?

I know of one that is sitting in a backyard, I've seen the pics of it in it's prime and I've looked it over but I'm wondering how many there was???

 

You mean SunCoupe...not moonroof.
I think production was 3000-4000.

 

So not too rare then.

 

Yeah,but,you don't see one everyday.Unless you own one!

 

I believe there were a lot less made than 4000. I have heard it was somewhere around 1500 and there are not a lot of survivors. I m currently putting one together and the thousands of skylarks I've seen in junkyards over the last 35 years in the northeast, only 1 was a suncoupe. GM also marketed a nova version in 1972 with the same top assembly. I've only seen 1 nova version and that was over 25 years ago. They are rare. there were only a handful of suncoupes at the last GS national I attended.

 

The really rare ones are the GS 455s and the stage 1s. A board member has a stage 1 as I recall.

 

There is a black stage 2 Buick here in town with a moonroof on it. I'm not sure of any of the cars originality since I only saw the car once and the owner was a punk kid with a flat billed tappet hat on. Was a 70 car

 

They are EXTREMELY rare and VERY COOL :TU:

Peace WildBill

p.s.....they are trying to organize a Sun Coupe Reunion show this summer at one of the Buick events.

 

I too believe the number is between 3-4000.

 

3943 Skylark 350 SunCoupes were built in 1972. Regular RPO option.
Base Skylark, Skylark Custom, and GS could get them as a SCO.
6 Stage 1 GS cars were built.
Nova Roof was similar.
Studebaker used the exact same roof in 1961.




View attachment 250498

 

I want one.

 

Unique to be sure

 

This is what other people say, so it looks like nobody knows for sure:

 

I would consider 3943 official since I received a letter from Buick with that number and also found it hand written on documents at Sloan.



Why won't this thing take photo's sometimes?????????????? argh

Got it.

View attachment 250548

 

Here ya go Steve.

 

Steve, thank you for posting that :TU:

Here's an easier to open/read JPG version of the letter:

 

Thanks guys. How did you do that?

 

Buick only made the SunCoupe in 1972, and they made less than 4,000!

While the soft sliding roof was 72 only there were Suncoupes in 73 and 74 but they were traditional sunroofs made either from glass or metal and either electric or manual crank The quarter windows had a neat Suncoupe emblem sandwiched in the glass

 

As for a reunion, there is one planned for this year and it looks to be at the GS Nationals in Bowling Green. We hope to have as many as possible together. Having a production of 4000 doesn't seem too low, but these cars were Skylarks. Not GS cars and I am sure most were 350/2v cars also. Mine was! They were not and famed sports model, but if you rode in one... I gaurantee you would enjoy it. The roof opening is much larger from the inside.

I have also heard that Buick recalled the top as it had no provisions for water drainage. All owners know that you will get wet if driving in the rain. Right onto the lap! They apparntly cut the tops off and put full hard tops back on and did not document how many were put back to standard tops.


Please stop by if you are at the Nationals to see all of our cars.



Mike

 

I had a new one bought in Aug 1972 at end of the model year. The dealer had three on the lot to choose from. Green, yellow, and orange. I bought the orange one. All were Skylark 350-2bbl.

Although it was my pride and joy, realistically it was the worst of all worlds in some ways. The wind noise was that of a convertible without a full convertible top. The canvas top folded back accordian style and could shift from wind drag. In doing so, once when closing the original top the frame ripped the canvas. After I had new canvas put on, it was never right and would come completely off the frame at higher speed and flap in the wind. As mentioned above it also leaked. Sometimes after a windy rainstorm the carpet and seats were wet as if I'd left a window ajar.

It was a beartiful car and I loved it. It turned heads, was fun to have the top open (when it didn't malfunction), and distinctive.

It's true that back in the day the top opening was much larger than a typical hard sunroof, but it definitely had drawbacks. After three years I sold it and went back to a hardtop. It was a mid year 1965 Corvette coupe on an even money trade. He liked it too. I doubt you could trade a Sun Coupe for a mid year Corvette today.

Everything has its pros and cons. I have no regrets with my Sun Coupe in the overall scheme of things. As far as reliability, I cannot remember repairing a single thing in three years and 36K miles which is saying something for back then.

Mike