When it comes to old Buicks, there’s great ones and there’s not-so-great ones. After 1972, the muscle car era was quickly coming to an end. New emissions regulations from the EPA, plus safety regulations from the NHTSA, were already working to put a stop to powerful engines and forced automakers to reconfigure their products to increase weight. Not long after that, insurance companies figured out that they had a hand in what consumers should buy, and skyrocketed the rates on midsize cars with massive engines–effectively ending the party.

This did not stop Buick. This ’73 model is evidence that they still wanted to sell something, anything, to make muscle car fans stop and take a look on the showroom floor. I bet that this Skylark got a lot of attention, though–the sunroof and special-order yellow paint is a great attention-getter. According to the records on these cars, this is one of just 45 Sun Coupes produced. It’s 90% original–and I hope it stays that way. This one packs a 455-cubic inch V8 with 270 net horsepower (unfortunately SAE changed readouts in ’72). I’m not the biggest fan of post-1972 GM products (my dad had one blow up on him in 1983 with my mother in the car), but this one is just too good to pass up. Enjoy the photos.

-Albert S. Davis