1976-80 Dodge Aspen R / T / Plymouth Volaré Road Runner
OK, Mopar fans, here’ s your lone entry on our list – mostly because Chrysler was switching to their frontdrive era about the time Gen Xers were noticing cars.
Like the Mustang II, the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré were shadows of the performance cars they replaced, but it was the Seventies after all, so sporty models with decals and performance monikers were all but required by law. Again, they were rivals for Hemis or Six-Pack cars offered at the start of the decade, but the Aspen R / T and Volaré Road Runner offered stout 360 and 318 engine options that delivered strong torque and respectable performance. Special“ Kit Car” models in 1978 added a greater dimension of exclusivity, and they’ re exceptionally rare today – especially in good condition.
Apart from the special body kits on the Kit Car examples, there isn’ t much to distinguish the R / T and Road Runner models from their plain-Jane cousins, apart from graphics, some blacked-out trim and, on some models, rear quarter window slats. Here’ s the good news – apart from some of those crazy collectors who believe all Mopars worth their weight in gold, these cars are cheap! The trick is finding one that won’ t cost more than it’ s worth to shine up.
1975-76 Buick Indy Pace Car Replica /“ Free Spirit”
The rare and seldom-seen Buick Indy pace car replicas of 1975 and 1976 epitomize the graphics-heavy approach to specialty cars in the years after the muscle car era.
Starting in the mid-1970s and lasting through the late 1980s, Buick was a force in open-wheel racing, with its very successful V-6 turbo program. Supplying the pace cars for the Indianapolis 500 for two consecutive years was a direct result of its involvement. In those days, the cars required considerable modifications to handle the high-speed duties on the track, but the promotional models offered for sale to the public were mostly tape-stripe specials. That was the case with the Buicks, although in addition to their pace car references, they were touted as“ Free Spirit” editions to mirror Buick’ s primary marketing campaign.
Despite different color schemes, graphics and exterior styling, both the 1975 and 1976 cars had Hurst Hatch“ T-tops.” The 1975 model was V-8-powered, while the 1976 had a V-6 to align with the V-6 engine that powered the real pace car that year. These cars are very difficult to find and excellent-condition examples only more so, but they attract attention, and you’ re bound to be the only enthusiast at the show – or in the county or state, for that matter – with one.
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