1956 Buick Special Riviera Hardtop Coupe

Buick's entry-level model from 1936 to 1958 was called simply the Special. Starting in 1953, the Special was Buick's best-selling model, and one of the most popular Buick Specials was the Buick Special Riviera hardtop coupe. Buick had first introduced the Riviera hardtop coupe in mid-1949 as part of the top Roadmaster line, and expanded it to include the mid-range Super in 1950 and the Special in 1951. In 1955, the Special Riviera hardtop coupe was Buick's top seller, with 155,000 sold.

Pictured here is a 1956 Buick Special Riviera hardtop coupe in Rainier, Oregon, in July 1996. 1956 was the last year for the Buick bodies that had been introduced in 1954, but the 1956 Buicks were the most powerful yet; the 1956 Buick Special's 264-cubic-inch V8 produced 220 horsepower.

1941 Cadillac Series Sixty-Two Five-Passenger Touring Sedan

The Cadillac Series Sixty-Two had been introduced in 1940 as a new entry-level model. Just one year later, the Cadillac Series Sixty-Two was dramatically restyled with Cadillac's new "Torpedo" styling, with the headlights being incorporated into the front fenders for the first time. Again, this styling would only last a single year, as the 1942 Cadillac Series Sixty-Two featured a broader grille and elongated fenders that extended into the doors. The 1941 Cadillac was very popular, helping Cadillac set new sales records. Like all 1941 Cadillacs, the Series Sixty-Two was powered by a 135-horsepower 346-cubic-inch L-Head V8 engine.

The 1941 Cadillac Series Sixty-Two was available as a four-passenger coupe or as the five-passenger touring sedan pictured here. This 1941 Cadillac Series Sixty-Two Five-Passenger Touring Sedan was in the Days in the Park parade in Rainier, Oregon, in July 1996.

1963 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova 400 Convertible

Chevrolet's compact Chevy II was introduced in 1962 as a counterpart to Ford's Falcon, which had been easily outselling Chevrolet's air-cooled rear-engine compact Corvair since 1960. The Chevy II was a conventional front-engined car like the Falcon, and was powered by an in-line 4-cylinder or 6-cylinder engine. The Chevy II outsold the Falcon in 1963, though that would be the only time. The Chevy II's top trim level was the Nova 400, which was also available as a convertible, as seen here.

This 1963 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova 400 convertible was in the Days in the Park parade in Rainier, Oregon, in July 1996.

1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible

1972 was the last year for the third generation of the Oldsmobile Cutlass and Cutlass Supreme. Oldsmobile's mid-sized line had been redesigned in 1968, and the styling had seen only minor changes since 1970. For 1972, the base in-line 6-cylinder engine had been dropped, making all 1972 Cutlass and Cutlass Supremes V8-powered, with the base engine being the 350-cubic-inch Rocket V8. 1972 was also the last year for the Cutlass Supreme convertible, as seen here.

This 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible was in the Days in the Park Parade in Rainier, Oregon, in July 1996.

1953 Packard Deluxe Clipper 4-Door Sedan

The Packard line had been completely redesigned in 1951, which included the introduction of the 200 series at the bottom of the line on a 122-inch wheelbase. In 1953, this same basic design was still in production, but the Packard 200 was renamed the Packard Clipper. Like the Packard 200 that preceded it, the Packard Clipper was available as either a 2-door or 4-door sedan. The standard engine for the Packard Clipper was a 150-horsepower, 288-cubic-inch in-line 8-cylinder engine. The Packard Deluxe Clipper was powered by a 160-horsepower 327-cubic-inch 8-cylinder engine.

This 1953 Packard 4-door sedan was in the Days in the Park Parade in Rainier, Oregon, in July 1996. It appears to be the Deluxe Clipper model.