1979 Buick Skyhawk - Stock, Low Miles, Old Lady Garage Find - Rare Opportunity

Description

History: This 1979 Buick Skyhawk was introduced during the "gas crisis" of the late 1970s. Similar in look to the larger Camaros, this was General Motor's attempt to offer an economical yet sporty, compact car. If you are not familiar with this model, GM had four branded versions. At the low end was the Chevy Monza, followed by the Pontiac Sunbird, then the Oldsmobile Starfire (which is what I drove in high school), and at the top of the GM product offering was the Buick Skyhawk.
This particular Skyhawk was manufactured in January of 1979 and purchased in February of the same year for a woman by her husband to be used in their retirement years. It has always been in a non-smoking household, has never been an every day driver, is maintained better than most, and garaged. A file folder of documentation - maintenance receipts, records, owners manual, even the original window sticker - is included in the sale.
The couple were still alive and in their late 80s when I bought the car but downsizing their possessions in preparation of moving into an assisted care facility. They decided that they only needed one vehicle, put the car up for sale, and I purchased it in 2007 (I am the second owner - you will only be the third!). I have put a total of a little over 500 miles total on it. It now has around 27,600 miles on it, which averages out to it being driven less than 800 miles per year over its lifetime.
Even though it was well maintained, I had my local mechanic perform an inspection, lube, filter, oil change, and gave it a clean bill of health. I went ahead and replaced the original shocks and tires as a safety precaution and had the brakes inspected. The dash speaker was deteriorated so while I was replacing it and had the opportunity, a modern AM/FM/Cassette/MP3 Input stereo was installed in place of the factory radio. The footprint of the new radio required no modification and the original radio is included in the sale if you want to reinstall it.
This car is a rare find to say the least. There just are not many of the old H-Body cars on the road today, let alone one with such a tight and immaculate history and that is in a condition to drive home.
Q. Why are you selling it if it is so great?
A. I have too many projects and toys and am running out of garage space. The car literally sits in a climate controlled garage, under cover, and rarely ever gets driven. I am hoping to find a good home for this car with an owner who will appreciate and respect the uniqueness and rarity of this vehicle.
Q. What still needs to be done to the car?
A. That truly depends on your preferences. As described above, it is a stock, 1970s car in running condition. However, like any vehicle new or old, there is always room to improve. There are small parking lot dings, faded plastic trim, etc. that comes from age. I want do disclose everything that I know about this car and have created a web page here - More Info - On that page you will also find high-res photos, as well as a video. The URL is - http://www.goodnotions.com/the_garage/1979_skyhawk/index.htm
Q. What is the car worth?
A. You tell me? I know what I paid, what I have put into it, and what I need to get out of it. In all my years as an H-Body enthusiast, the only vehicles that I have run across with a comparable history was a one-owner, 1976 Skyhawk in Vancouver, B.C., with 150,000 miles on it that was listed for $16,000. There is another comparable 1978 Skyhawk in Florida with an asking price of $13,500.
Q. What is the reserve anyway?
A. You must not be familiar with auction protocol. The reserve is set at the bare minimum that I can let the car go for, but is hidden so as not to discourage active bidding. I can tell you that it is set at many thousands of dollars less than the two comparable vehicles mentioned above!
Q. Then why aren't you asking as much as the other cars sold or are asking?
A. As mentioned above, I have too many projects demanding my time and money. Additionally, I am not a greedy person and am just trying to recoup what I have into it. I am hoping that this lower price-point helps it find a good home, but if you are into flipping cars for a profit, this may be a good opportunity for you if you have more storage space and time than I do.
If you have any other questions after reading this listing and visiting my web page or please feel free to drop me an email.
This vehicle is being sold "As Is" with no warranty being expressed or implied. Deposit is non-refundable. I have tried to be as accurate and forthcoming as possible. Please read the information provided, visit the web page for more information and pictures, and ASK QUESTIONS before you bid.