I hope you are enjoying the Hooniverse Showdown Weekend, and we continue with an American Icon, the classic Full Sized Convertible. There is just something glamorous about an American Full Sized Droptop, whether its how large the car is, or the styling of the body, or the fact that six adults can ride comfortably in one. So let’s explore which of these five Convertibles you would like to enjoy for yourself; The 1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV, the 1964 Buick Wildcat, the 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL, the 1965 Chrysler 300, or the 1966 Cadillac DeVille. I will start out with the Largest Domestic Convertible ever built, the 1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV. These cars were over 227 inches long, 80 inches wide, and the convertible weighed over 5,200 pounds. Under the massive hood was the 430 CID MEL V-8 (7.0L) and produced between 345 and 350 HP. According to the dealer:

Rare 1959 Lincoln Mark IV Convertible, Beautiful “Bollardo Red” finish, Black leather, # 2195 of a very limited production. List price new was $7,056 in 1959. This car shows 48,744 actual miles, Powered by 430 V-8, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Power Seat, Power Vent Windows, Drop Down Power Rear Window, Power Roof, Power Brakes, Tinted Glass, Fender Skirts, New White Wall Tires, Travel Tuner Radio. This ca can be a showstopper any where it goes. Very collectible and showable time piece that has always been garaged and pampered all its life and it really shows.

This is a car built for the Hollywood Elite at that time, and it has every styling cliche of the period, from Canted Headlamps, to Tailfins, to a wrap around Windshield. Its large, loud, and you can’t miss it, and the price reflects the rarity of this car at $62,800. Take a look at the dealer listing here, and see if this is the Convertible off your dreams. Let’s stay with the Ford Motor Company, and take a look at this 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL convertible. This is almost the Polar opposite of the big Mark IV above in that this car has a powerful 390 under the hood backed up by a 4-speed stick. According to the dealer:

1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Convertible Fully restored equipped with 390 Thunderbird Special V-8 with a 4BBL producing 300HP, 4-speed floor shift, sport buckets, Power Steering, Power Brakes, New Power Top, AM/FM Radio, Clock, “Vintage Burgundy Poly” finish with a White Top and interior. 61,120 actual miles, show quality, runs and drives excellent.

Just because its a Ford doesn’t mean that its not Glamorous. Look at the lines of this top-spec Ford. The Automotive Pundits have stated that this was probably the best year Galaxie because they were well built, and have stood the test of time. I bet you could see yourself banging the gear shift, listening to the growl of that 390, with the top down on a warm spring or autumn day, and having a big grin on your face. Well, you will have to pony up $28,800 for that privilege, but I think it’s worth it. Look at the listing here and see if you agree. Buick has always equaled Glamour, and this 1964 Wildcat Convertible is probably the most Glamorous of the convertibles shown today. It is rather understated, with just enough jewelry to get your attention. Yes, it is large, and boldly styled, yet very elegant. According to the dealer:

Rare 1964 Buick Wildcat Convertible, 401 CID V-8, 325HP and 445 lb/ft of Torque, 4 Barrel Carburetor, Super Turbine 400 Automatic, finished in Regal Black with a sharp Red Interior. 52,271 original miles on an older body restoration. Very original car and truly a rare find. Runs and drives excellent,

While a Black Convertible is classy and elegant, the lack of A/C would be a problem to a few future buyers (Tony, I’m looking at you…) For such a beautiful Wildcat, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of options such as Power Windows, Power Seat, or an AM FM radio, but who cares, just look at it, and fall in love. The asking price for this well kept Buick is $22,500, which is less than the Ford above. You could always throw in Vintage A/C at some point… See the listing here, and tell me if you agree with me. Next we have this beautiful Chrysler 300 Convertible, one of only 1,418 produced that year. Chrysler has always produced wonderful looking convertibles throughout the years (Yes, there are a few exceptions… moving on) and this 300 is one of them. According to the dealer:

Rare Survivor! A 1965 Chrysler”300″ Convertible…last yr. Chrysler produced a convertible produced for 34 more years. Powered by a strong running 413 C.I. V-8 ( 4bbl carb, 360bhp @ 4,800rpm, 470ft/lbs @ 3,200rpm) 2-door convertible five passenger with 3-speed auto. The powertrain was refurbished about 5 yrs/ 18,000 miles ago. VERY RARE AUTOMOBILE! ***Only 1,418 produced in this, the last year of convertible production for 34 years!!! Truly a rare find, still very nice and original in it’s condition. A freshened finish in the factory “Nassau Blue Poly” still very nice and glossy. The white leather interior w/ blue edging is gorgeous. It has a newer white power top also very nice condition. Equipped with: power steering, power brakes, a/c, newer tires, just serviced and detailed ready to go enjoy. Perfect for the home coming parade, a sunny day cruise, or just to relax after a hard days work. Runs and drives excellent.

The dealer ad isn’t exactly correct. Chrysler did offer convertible models in the Fuselage era (1969-1973) as I almost bought a 1969 300 Convertible several years ago, but I digress. The interior isn’t exactly original to the car either, as one of the previous owners decided to take a little liberty when it came time to refresh the interior. The car shows 17,073 Miles, and I’m sure that’s also not accurate. But as a cruiser, you could do a lot worse, and the asking price is in Kia territory at $18,500. See the listing and tell me what you think about this Chrysler. Our final contestant is a beautiful 1966 Cadillac deVille Convertible. In six short years, Cadillac went from excessive to understated when it came to styling. Sure, the Cadillac hallmark styling trait of tail fins was still there, but many of you are calling them “Fender Blades”, and I’ll leave it at that. According to the dealer:

1966 Cadillac Deville Convertible In “Sandlewood” with sandlewood interior. 429 CID (7.0L) V-8, 3-speed Turbohydramatic automatic, A/C, power windows, power locks, tilt and telescoping wheel, cruise control, power top and more. Runs well and drives like a dream, excellent. A garaged vehicle all its life, pampered and truly a fine example. 73K original miles, just serviced and detailed. Take it home.

A Cadillac Convertible from the 60s is a truly elegant way to cruise the countryside. It is classic, understated, and makes you feel rich riding behind the wheel of this land barge. With the asking price of only $8,950, how in the hell could you go wrong? See the dealer listing here, and you tell me if you find this Cadillac the convertible of your dreams. [poll id=”98″]