When the annual Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN) blows into the Windy City, it brings with it a myriad of hot rods, barn finds, classic iron, and an opportunity for the faithful to reconnect with old friends. While virtually all makes and models of Detroit’s fabled high-performance machines occupy every inch of the massive Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, it’s the rare, unique, and somewhat historical Dodge and Plymouth convertible muscle cars blazoned with scoops, spoilers, stripes, wild graphics, and retina-burning bright colors that tried to steal this year’s show.
For over a decade, the team of passionate car enthusiasts, led by Bob Ashton, has gone to extreme lengths to keep the MCACN show fresh. By scouring the country and unearthing rare cars, they get invited to this event. Many have rarely been seen by the general public in decades. Part of MCACN’s “Red Carpet Invitational,” this year’s event once again raised the bar to new heights. Gathered along the main entrance was a congregation of 1966 to 1970 Dodge and Plymouth B-Body (that’s Mopar speak for Chrysler’s intermediate line) Hemi-powered convertibles. Talk about rare! We’re looking at production numbers that you could literally count on one hand. While these pavement pounders literally put the wind in your hair, only a few managed to survive ravaging decades of abuse from reckless owners and unforgiving weather.
So, without playing favorites, here’s our Top Ten plus an honorable mention of our HEMI B-Body Convertible picks from the 2025 MCACN show.
1969 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T — Emblazoned in Rallye Green, a midyear color option for Dodge and Plymouth intermediates, this 1969 R/T, with its white top and interior, along with the rare Kelsey-Hayes “Recall” wheels, stands out among the other Hemi ragtops. The Ramcharger hood and quarter-panel scoops gave it a “Mean Green Machine” vibe.1970 Plymouth Hemi Road Runner — We’re not sure if it was the skinny whitewall Polyglas tires or the B3 blue paint and matching interior, but this Beeper had a subtle appearance but serious look about it. One could almost mistake this elephant-powered Bird for a run-of-the-mill Satellite. It’s one of four ever built, and now there are only three left. Restored by Dave Belcarz in a small shop outside Detroit, he’s already working on his next MCACN project. 1970 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T — Among the Mopar crowd, there seems to be a love/hate relationship with the 1970 Coronet body style. A one-year-only nose, the two-door Coronet would go bye-bye after 1970, and this Sublime example represented the final year of the Hemi in the Coronet line with flying colors. Another rare machine with production numbers you can count on one hand.1969 Plymouth Hemi GTX — After the Road Runner was hatched in 1968, Chrysler/Plymouth’s marketing team positioned the GTX as a more upscale and “adult” muscle car. While many were sold with the standard 440 Super Commando wedge engine making 375 horsepower, the cost of the 426 Street Hemi option was almost a third of the car’s overall MSRP. It’s safe to assume the price tag on this GTX was in Corvette Stingray territory.1969 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T — Another great example of Dodge’s upscale muscle car was this B5 Blue example. Wearing the ubiquitous dog dish hubcaps on 15×6-inch painted steel wheels, they looked out of place on this swanky member of the Dodge Scat Pack. As with all 1968 to 1969 Hemi B-Bodies, Chrysler mandated the standard 15-inch wheel with only a hub cap or ‘Turbine style’ full wheel cover.1969 Plymouth Hemi GTX – Finished in A4 Platinum with the optional flat black hood stripes, the color combo looked great against the white convertible top. Like the B5 Blue Coronet R/T, the steel wheels and hubcaps take away from the car. If this were in our garage, it’d be rolling on Cragars or Keystones.1968 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T – Often overlooked by enthusiasts, the 1968 Coronet R/T received a major facelift that year. While not as stylish as the Charger and always in its shadow, the Coronet R/T still received all the muscle Dodge had in its arsenal. Finished in Burgundy Poly, this Coronet R/T looks sedate until you notice the front fender HEMI badges.1968 Plymouth Hemi GTX — Once again, there was no shortage of Hemi GTX ragtops at MCACN, and this PP-1 Red example was freshly restored by Troy Angelly Muscle Car Specialists, who have made it a yearly tradition to unveil one of their latest restorations at MCACN.1968 Plymouth Hemi GTX – It appeared that every Hemi GTX ever built was at MCACN. Regardless, these cars were once restored to show the community the perfect blend of luxury and muscle. Finished in what appeared to Blue Poly, this GTX still looked like a tough customer.1969 Plymouth Hemi Road Runner — Motor Trend magazine awarded the Road Runner its Car of the Year award for 1969 for many reasons. With the addition of a convertible for the new model year, sales surged across the whole Road Runner line, and the option books were wide open to dealers and consumers to order whatever they wanted. This example in F-8 Ivy Green Poly, black top, and tan Interior was another great looking example.Honorable Mention — 1966 Plymouth Hemi Satellite – From its Goodyear Blue Streak Tires and spinner hubcaps to its Bright Red paint and white top, this Plymouth would look more at home in a Memorial Day parade than blasting down the drag strip.
Degreeing a camshaft is not always viewed as necessary. But if you want peak performance or intend to run the car at the track, degreeing the camshaft is critical.
