Lilac bush is over 40 years old. Fading color and fragrance.
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https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/lilac/lilacs-no-scent.htm
https://lancaster.unl.edu/hort/articles/2005/prunelilacs.shtml
Hello. I had one that this happened to. It was very woody in the center and no growth on the bottom. What I did was cut it back so it was about 4'. It doesn't look so nice at first but it will fill in and get new growth at the bottom. Good Luck.
I would think a 40 year old bush has given you all it has. Dig some clumps from it, all the shoots that came up and left there to grow. Start over and start a new one. Maybe start cutting it back? I would say, start over using the old bush as the starter.
You can rejuvenate a very old or overgrown lilac in stages, by cutting out the oldest, woodiest stems at the bottom. Do a bit each year, perhaps a third of the bush's stems, taking care not to cut the newer ones. It takes time, the bush doesn't always look great, but it works.
It is best to do it right after the flowers fade, so now is the time in most places. Otherwise, you lose blooms for next spring. But if your lilac isn't producing very well, you won't be losing that much.