1959 Cadillac Series 62

Depending on your taste -- and maybe age -- the 1959 Cadillac Series 62's soaring tailfins are either the literal height of period excess or a campy icon for Happy Days exuberance. The result of a crash General Motors redesign effort prompted by Chrysler Corporation's '57 "Forward Look," the '59 Cadillac was almost as radical as that year's "bat-wing" Chevrolet, though the towering fins and bomb-shape taillamps were nicely balanced by lower-slung bodies with tapered lines. There were also worthwhile technical improvements, headlined by a larger 390-cubic-inch V-8 (up from 365) with 325 standard horsepower and a rousing 345 in Eldorados.

The 1959 Cadillac Series 62's distinctive tailfins defined an automotive era.

The Eldo convertible remained queen of the line at $7401, but the less glittery $5455 Series 62 version was no less arresting. It was certainly more numerous, with a record 11,130 built versus just 1320 ragtop Eldos. Today, all '59 Cadillacs are firmly enshrined as emblems of their era, thanks to those fins -- and the fact that Cadillacs would never look so wild again.

The 1959 Cadillac Series 62 are prized by collectors for their unique styling.