By M. J. Frumkin
Chicago Auto Show Historian, Curator
After fire destroyed the original
McCormick Place on January 16,
1967, the Chicago Auto Show
returned to the International
Amphitheatre, Halsted and 43rd
street in 1968. Admission price to
the 60th annual Chicago Auto Show
was $1.50. On display were more
than 450 vehicles, 50 displays of accessories and allied
equipment, plus the twice daily, hour-long “Motorevue”
musical stage show.
American Motors Corporation selected Chicago
to debut its AMX two-seat fastback, and the Lincoln-
Mercury division of Ford Motor Co. premiered its
upscale Continental Mark III. Fulfilling the demands
from the youth market,
American manufacturers
flaunted the largest number
to date of unique muscle car
models. Among these were
the Buick GSX, Chevrolet
Chevelle SS 396, Dodge
Charger R/T, Ford Torino
GT, Mercury Cyclone CJ,
Oldsmobile 4-4-2, Plymouth
Road Runner, and Pontiac
GTO. The pony car corral
flourished for 1968, roping in
the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet
Camaro, Pontiac Firebird,
Mercury Cougar and AMC
Javelin.
At least 10 of the
23 different import
manufacturers displayed new
cars. The Opel Kadett, built by
General Motors in Germany,
was distributed by the
Buick Division. Volkswagen
presented the Beetle with an
automatic transmission and
showcased the Karmann-
Ghia cabriolet and sedan.
The Italian automakers
shipped over the new Fiat
124 Sports Coupe, Maserati
Quattroporte (four-door) and
“Ride’m Cowgirl” could be the headline for this shot taken
during the 1968 show. Sandi Freeman is behind the wheel of
an exposed Oldsmobile Cutlass 4-4-2. Those three numerals
originally stood for four-barrel carburetor, four-speed
transmission and dual exhausts.
An overhead view of the Dodge Charger III concept car, with Elaine O’Donnell, captured
the canopy top up and the two-bucket seats that elevated entry and exit by 8 inches in
the 42-inch high dream machine. The sports car wore a special rear air foil and concealed
headlamps. It had room in the engine compartment for the 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8.
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CHICAGO AUTO SHOW 2018
28
SPOTLIGHT 1968:
Muscle Cars, Motorvue and Imports
