Feast your eyes - the roadmaster 'Skylark'

Ahmed Janahi is a major car devotee; proven by the range of classic automobiles, mainly muscle cars, that he owns. Among his collection, one that stands out is a 1969 ‘Buick Skylark’.

The Buick Skylark is a passenger car produced by the Buick division of General Motors. The model was made in six production runs, during 46 years, over which the car's design varied dramatically due to changing technology, tastes, and new standards implemented over the years.

The 1969 model year was one of significant change for the Buick Skylark. Although still using the same basic chassis, all of GM’s mid-sized cars adopted a policy of using two different length wheelbases. Two-door models used a shorter wheelbase of 112 , while four-door models used a longer wheelbase of 116. All of GM's mid-sized cars received all-new sheet metal. Federally mandated safety features improved occupant protection and accident avoidance starting with the 1967s. The basic Skylark was available as a two-door hardtop coupe or a four-door sedan. The Skylark Custom came as a two-door convertible coupe, two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan, or four-door sedan.

Optional on the Skylark and standard on the Skylark Custom was a new 350-cubic-inch V8 engine using a 2-barrel Rochester carburetor that produced 230 hp (170 kW) at 4400 rpm. This engine was based on the previous 300- and 340-cubic inch-displacement V8 engines. The Buick Special name was dropped after the 1969 model year. A locking steering column with a new, rectangular ignition key became standard on all 1969 GM cars), one year ahead of the Federal requirement.

For 1970, the mid-sized Buicks once again received new sheet metal and the Buick Skylark name was moved down another notch, replacing the previous Buick Special. The Skylark became the entry-level Buick available in two- and four-door sedans with the 250-cubic-inch inline-6 as standard and the 350-cubic-inch V8 (260 horsepower at 4600 rpm) available as an option.

For the 1971 model year, the base Skylark was available only with the inline-6, now only putting out 145 hp (108 kW) due to emission control devices, but in a two-door hardtop coupe body-style (in addition to the previous two- and four-door sedans). The Skylark 350 had a V8 engine that put out only 230 hp (170 kW). It was now available as a two-door sedan in addition to the previous two-door hardtop coupe and four-door sedan.

1972 was the last model year for the mid-sized Buick Skylark. During this model year many pollution controls were added to the Engines, Compression was lowered, engines had to accept leaded and unleaded gas, and spark timing was retarded (no vacuum advance in lower gears) while driving in lower gears to reduce emissions.