Car: Plymouth Road Runner Hardtop Coupe

Year: 1969

What makes it special: The Road Runner was built with a focus on performance built by Plymouth between 1968 and 1980. By 1968, some of the original muscle cars were moving away from their roots as relatively cheap, fast cars as they gained features and increased in price. Plymouth developed the Road Runner to market a lower priced, basic trim model to its upscale GTX. The 1969 model kept the same basic look as the 1968, but with slight changes to the taillights and grille, side marker lights, optional bucket seats, and new Road Runner decals. The Road Runner added a convertible option for 1969.

What made it famous: An Air Grabber option N96 code was introduced this year; it consisted of a fiberglass air duct assembly bolted to the underside of the hood that connected to twin rectangular upward-facing vents in the hood with rallye red vent screens. The fiberglass hood box had an “Air Grabber” sticker on the front. When the hood was closed, a rubber seal fitted over the large-oval unsilenced air cleaner. A decal with Wile E. Coyote saying “Coyote Duster” was on the air cleaner lid. The assembly ducted air directly into the engine. The vents in the hood could be opened and closed via a lever under the dashboard labeled “Carb Air.” The 383 engine was standard with the 426 Hemi the only option available for the Road Runner until mid-year production. The 383 was marketed as the “383 Road Runner” engine. The A12 440 engine option with 3X2 barrel Holley carburetors was added to the lineup at mid-year. The “440 Six Pack” had no wheel covers or hubcaps, only the 15×6″ “H” stamped steel black wheels with chrome lug nuts. It featured a black fiberglass lift-off hood with 4 hood pins and a large functional hood scoop with a red sticker on each side saying “440 6BBL”. The scoop sealed to the large air breather. All cars had a Dana 60 rear axle with a 4.10 gear ratio. 

Why I would want one: I’ve always been a fan of the less-optioned, low budget body with maximum power engine optioned cars.

Fun fact: The Plymouth Road Runner was named Motor Trend Car of the Year for 1969.

Car: Cadillac DeVille Convertible

Year: 1965

What makes it special: The DeVille was originally a trim level and later a separate model produced by Cadillac. The first car to bear the name was the 1949 Coupe de Ville, a pillarless two-door hardtop body style with a prestige trim level above that of the Series 62 luxury coupe. The last model to be formally known as a DeVille was the 2005 Cadillac DeVille, a full-size sedan, the largest car in the Cadillac model range at the time. The next year, the DeVille was officially renamed DTS.

What made it famous: As it had been since DeVille became a separate series, DeVille denoted Cadillac’s mainstream model, falling between the Calais and the Sixty Special and Eldorado. The DeVille was redesigned for 1965 but rode on the same wheelbase. Tailfins were canted slightly downward, and sharp, distinct body lines replaced the rounded look. Also new were a straight rear bumper and vertical lamp clusters. The headlight pairs switched from horizontal to vertical, thus permitting a wider grille. Curved frameless side windows appeared, and convertibles acquired tempered glass backlights. New standard features included lamps for luggage, glove and rear passenger compartments and front and rear safety belts. Power was still supplied by the 340 horsepower 429 cu in V8. Perimeter frame construction allowed repositioning the engine six inches forward in the frame, thus lowering the transmission hump and increasing interior room. Pillared sedans appeared on the DeVille series for the first time, while six-window hardtop sedans were dropped. A padded vinyl roof was a $121 extra-cost option on the hardtop model. All four DeVille models had small “Tiffany-like” script nameplates on the ends of their rear fenders just above the chrome side molding.

Why I would want one: Love the stacked headlights, and the downward canted tailfins.

Fun fact: The name “DeVille” is derived from the French de la ville or de ville meaning “Of the town.” The first Cadillac “Coupe de Ville” was shown during the 1949 Motorama.