# Old Buick Skylark **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** skylark, buick\ **Created:** [February 9, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176 "2010-02-09T16:30:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Monty236](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Monty236](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Monty236)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/1 "2010-02-09T16:30:50Z")
OK. I own a 1971 Buick Skylark, stored in my garage west of Boston. It needs some work… a few hundred dollars and a lot of elbow grease will get it running again, I am sure. I?d like to sell it and make a few bucks, but would consider donating it… either to some individual or group… I need the room in my garage. Question: What are my options? Thank you !! ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/2 "2010-02-09T16:34:40Z")
What options? Which body style? How much work is needed to get it running? What kind of shape is it in, body/engine/trans? When did it last run? Craigslist would be the first option, but there are places to donate it where they will come and get it, running or not. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/3 "2010-02-09T16:40:21Z")
2-door? 4-door? Rust? V8? Trim package? These are the things that determine the value of your car… ---
**Author:** ![Monty236](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Monty236](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Monty236)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/4 "2010-02-09T21:06:23Z")
2-door coupe, small V8, decent shape, little rust. Last time running… maybe 7 years ago. Needs either starter motor or equivalent of today’s voltage regulator. Would like to sell/give it to someone that would fix it up…maybe a trade school…? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/5 "2010-02-09T21:11:28Z")
Good, a 2-door, lots more interest in that. Donating to an interested trade school sounds like a good idea, but it makes the tax deduction harder to figure, if that’s important to you. Donating it to charities that conduct periodic auctions allows you deduct the eventual sales price of the car. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/6 "2010-02-09T21:54:48Z")
I doubt that a trade school would want it. They are interested in more modern cars, like the majority of the ones that the students will repair after they get a job. There was a teacher at just such a school a few months ago and he wanted something about 2002 or newer. But it doesn’t hurt to try. If you donate it to a charity, you may only deduct whatever they get when they sell it. They will send you a receipt after it is sold at auction. The only exception is if the receiver uses it themselves. Then you can deduct whatever you think its fair market value is. The trade school would fall into this category if they’ll take it. Check eBay and see if there are any like your for sale to gauge the market if you want to sell it. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/7 "2010-02-09T22:08:42Z")
On Ebay it looks like rough running ones get bid up to about $2000 or so. This one, not running, maybe $1000? Project cars are hard to sell in this economy. But OP could try Craigslist (cash only), or donate. ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/8 "2010-02-09T23:23:32Z")
7 years of not running is gonna need a bit more than just a starter motor. You’ll need to drain the fuel tank, most likely replace it if it’s too bad. Purge the fuel lines, clean the carb out, and a few other things as well. search the forum here for starting a vehicle after a long time and you’ll see what I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Monty236](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Monty236](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Monty236)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/9 "2010-02-10T15:32:15Z")
Well it looks like more of a pain than I thought…tax deduction would be nice but it isn’t a deal breaker… so I might just offer it free to some hobbyist…The car has 71 thousand on it, I still have the operator’s manual and I’ll throw in a pair of snow tires on rims… ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/10 "2010-02-10T16:39:29Z")
2-door or Four??? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-buick-skylark/44176/11 "2010-02-10T16:42:28Z")
2-door, see above. Sounds like a decent project car for a Buick fan.