(first posted 3/27/2016) I was trying hard to think of something appropriate to run for Easter. I Googled “Easter Bunny Car”, but nothing grabbed me. Then I remembered a post I did back in 2012 of a beautiful woman in front of a pink 1969 Shelby 500KR. It turned out to be the Playboy Bunny Of The Year 1969, in front of her gift car. It had become a tradition for the Playmate of the year to get a new car as part of her winnings, and a pink one at that, at least through 1975. Bunnies…and pink vintage cars; now that’s a good subject for Easter, no?
The first Playboy Bunny of the Year to get a car was Donna Michelle, in 1964. The choice of car was all too obvious: the all-new Mustang, along with a few other vintage toys from that year.
Jo Collins won in 1965, and she got a Sunbeam Tiger, with the Mustang’s V8 under the hood. Our CC of the Tiger is here.
Allison Parks scored in 1966, with a big, burly new Dodge Charger. She had kids, so she wanted something big enough to haul them in, just not a pink Country Squire. Our CC on the fastback Charger is here.
In 1967, Lisa Baker got the only Plymouth ever given to a Bunny. But then the new ’67 Barracuda wasn’t your typical Plymouth. We lavished praise on it here.
Angela Dorian won herself the new-for 1968 AMX. I wonder if any of these pink cars survived? We took a look at the AMX here.
1969. This is the photo that I posted back in 2012. I called it “Pink Shelby 500 With Hood Ornament – The Snake Charmer”. I was clueless as to its origins. Maybe I was just too…distracted to make the connection between very pretty girl and pink car. I was soon set straight. Her name is Connie Kreski. And this is my favorite one. Umm; not the car. I could never quite warm up to these, although Connie is making it somewhat easier. No CC on the 500 yet. But who cares?
Claudia Jennings poses with her new 1970 Capri, in front of Hugh Heffner’s DC-9. The Capri was probably one of the slower cars of this series, but that’s no reflection on Claudia. Our CC is here.
In 1971, Sharon Clark was the only Playmate of the Year to be given a boat instead of a car, and it isn’t even pink. It’s a Spectra 20 ski boat, if that means anything to you. She seems to like it well enough. The closest CC we have is a 1968 Chris Craft 35′ Commander, owned by Tom Klockau’s dad.
Liv Lindeland, Miss 1972, scored big time, with a pink DeTomaso Pantera. Surprisingly enough, we’ve yet to give the Pantera its day of fame here at CC. Here’s a pink head start.
Marilyn Cole was the only Brit to ever win the title of Playmate of the Year, but that didn’t get her a corresponding car. Instead, she won this 1973 Volvo 1800ES. Well, it is a shooting brake, so that’s close enough. Tom Klockau’s mother owned one once, but I don’t think hers was pink. And her name wasn’t Marilyn.
Cindi Wood did well, with a 1974 Mercedes 450SL, with color-coordinated wheel covers, no less. Jim Grey found a red one for CC here.
This 1975 Porsche 911 is the first of seven Porsches to be awarded. Marilyn Lange was the recipient. Lots of Marilyns; Gee; I wonder why? My CC is here.
There’s no picture of Lillian Müller’s 1976 BMW 530i. And it might not have been pink, which is not surprising, since she was Norwegian. That means that the ’75 911 was the last of the pink cars. Maybe the recipients complained about reduced re-sale value? Or it just added too much to the cost? Here’s Patti McGuire with her white 1977 Dodge Midnight Charger. The closest we have is this.
Debra Jo Fondren won the first Japanese car, this 1978 Datsun 280Z (which doesn’t look like a US-spec 280Z, though). My Z CC is here.
Monique St. Pierre adds a spicy touch to her new 1979 Porsche 928. Don Andreina titled his 928 CC “Blasphemy With A Big Butt”. I don’t see any big butt.
Dorothy Stratten is posing in front of her 1980 Jaguar XJ-S. She would be dead by August of that year, killed by her pimp/promoter Paul Snider, who took his life after hers. Several movies have been made about her life. We’ve had several XJ-S appearances here, including this recent COAL by Michael Ionno.
We’re going to skip forward to 1985, as there were just more Porsches and another XJ-S in between. The lovely Karen Velez received the first Toyota, an MR2. It’s a bit modest compared to the Porsches and Jags, but if she was smart and held on to it, it would undoubtedly still be running today. CC here.
Kathy Shower (really?) scored a Jaguar XJ-6 in 1986. Eric703 did a splendid CC on it here.
In 1987, Donna Edmonson got the very first GM car of this series, a Corvette convertible, appropriately enough. What took so long? You probably won’t like my CC on the C4 nearly as much as you like her. But then she’s not really my type either.
1988: Poor India Allen. What may look like a Lamborghini Countach at first glance is actually a kit car (hiss; boo!). What did she do to deserve that? I guess the real thing was too expensive. Still.
Well, with that, we’re going to end this bunny excursion back in time. If you want more, you can find all of them, right up to 2010, here. But you’d probably better leave it for now and join the family for the Easter festivities. Enough bunnies for one day.
One of my favourite articles ever in the history of just reading the articles.
Of course…the reading….not looking at the pictures. 🙂
I would buy a calendar with Playboy centerfolds draped across Gremlins, Pintos or, more exotic like A Henry J, or a Metropolitan.
My mechanic gives out a NAPA calendar that is sort of that. Not *quite* as interesting, but interesting enough that my 17 yo daughter tells me it’s “creepy” in no uncertain terms
I concur!
Sadly Connie passed away in 1995.at just 48 years old ,from a blocked cartiod artery . Wonder what happened to the 500KR ?. One For Denis Collins to track down. ..
I’ll take the transistor radio in the first picture.
The Ford Capri suffers from the pink treatment more than any other car in this line-up.
The 75 Porsche 911is air cooled, right? Right!
I’d rather have the Honda C100 Cub than the Mustang. 64-1/2 Mustangs are common as dirt. Vintage Honda Cubs are a lot rarer. Besides, I’ve already had an early Mustang, 260 and all.
It’s a Honda C107……
Electric start push rod 50 C.C. engine , three speed tranny with semi automatic clutch .
I love these old Tiddlers ! .
Here’s hoping everyone had a nice Easter .
-Nate
I agree, from a purely aesthetic view, the Shelby GT 500 pic is the best. I used that very pic as a screen saver. My wife was not impressed when she saw it, dispite my protests that my interest was strictly automotive.
I never realized that I was so enamored of a 1970 Capri…thanks, Paul, for all of the meticulous reasearch this must have entailed. I’m glad you were willing to put in the time for your readers, you are a true saint.
I’m not really one for Easter candy but this was a nice enough treat for me. Thanks Paul!
The 1968 AMX survived & has been restored. Jay Leno drove it! “1968 AMC Playmate of the Year AMX – Jay Leno’s Garage” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsQvxZbiiac
Thanks. I enjoyed that.
I saw it profiled in a magazine. The Playmate who received it new has done some prison time for attempted voluntary manslaughter after shooting her husband.
Her real name is Victoria Vectri, and she is now serving a nine-year sentence for attempted involuntary manslaughter.
Both Claudia Jennings and Connie Kreski are now deceased. Jennings died in a car accident in 1979, while Kreski died as the result of a blocked artery in 1995.
Strangely (or maybe not), there are few “American Cars” in the mix. Of those shown the playmate who most stirs me is Connie Kreski although I have to agree with Jimmy Carter when it comes to Patti McGuire. Her eyes alone could necessitate finding a defibrillator.
My most desired car of those pictured in this article is the Porsche 928.
IIRC, tennis star Jimmy Connors married Patti McGuire.
Had a co-worker while I was in the Navy in the mid 70s that had a Javalin “lookalike” to the Playmate AMX.
Of the cars pictured I would go with the Shelby first, followed by the Capri. Yes, I realize that pink Capri looks like something even Barbie might turn up her nose at, but I have a soft spot for Euro Fords.
I’ll vote the Barracuda the car that looks best in pink, and Liv Lindeland the best looking lady (although Monique St. Pierre is quite the looker too)
Somehow though, 1950s Cadillacs are the only cars that look right in pink.
The 69 GT500 isn’t a KR, that was 68 only. I actually find that to be my favorite Shelby Mustang year, with or without the hood ornament.
Fake Lambo kit car? That’s no good. All the others were either drivable or quickly sellable for a good price.
But by ’88 the other element in the picture was usually a repro kit, so I guess it’s fair after all.
Was that the same time that Playmates started using replica parts?
Thank you Paul! And Happy Easter to you too! I would take the Honda Cub in the first picture
A lot of groovy looking foxes with their cool rides. All doing their own thing. If it feels good, do it.
Just don’t bum out my trip if you have any hang ups. Keep on truckin’. Free love forever!
Too bad none of these bunnies got a white Easter Rabbit. Convertible, of course. Go ask Alice, when she’s ten feet tall.
I sure enjoyed this feature.
Scary part is that the first several girls are probably my age or older; and I’m a senior citizen…but not too decrepit to stare at the eye candy!
WHAT cars?
I took a few minutes out of curiosity to look up what happened to Hugh Hefner’s 1969-model DC-9-32, pictured above along with Claudia Jennings (WHAT Mercury Capri?).
It was sold to Ozark Airlines in 1972, and flew in airline service from then on. It was sold to Aeropostale in Mexico in 1976, re-registered XA-JEB, and next sold to Aeromexico in 1979. Its most exciting day of service was 24 June 1983:
“A few minutes before a brief scheduled stopover at Mérida. Mexico, a hijacker put a razor to the neck of a flight attendant and demanded to be flown to Cuba. The captain advised the hijacker he would be flown to Cuba but they had to stop in Mérida, Mexico because the aircraft was nearly out of fuel. The hijacker agreed and when the aircraft landed a police officer disguised as a mechanic sneaked aboard, disarmed the hijacker and took him into custody.”
It was removed from service in 2004 and stripped of usable parts. Final disposition of the airframe is not documented. Last reported location was Cadereyta Queretaro, Mexico.
It’s going to take a while to scrub “pink country squire” out of my head!
Would it be trimmed in fake rosewood??
Paul, I commend you on a “who would have thought of that for Easter” angle for today’s entry.
The Playmates: From the names actually familiar to me, I suppose anyone could guess my age within narrow limits.
The Cars: Fun to see the array, though the kit car seems like a “cheapie” compared to the others somehow (nice bit of wit from occam24!).
The lead-off pink Mustang looked oddly familiar, and then I remember the George Barris “Sonny and Cher” custom Mustangs (I have a feeling I bought two AMT kids, so I could build them both). Goodness, what the year “2016” looked like to me back then….
http://jalopnik.com/5270674/george-barris-mustangs-tacky-as-sonny-and-cher-inspiration
[Really only a tangent to Playmate angle—but when am I gonna be able to use this photo again?]
Promotional photo, late in the Metropolitan’s run. Happy Easter, everyone!
Sweet; in more ways than one.
What’s with the freaky black-eared bunny?
Fun nostalgia trip 🙂 I’m sure most of these ladies are lovely enough, but WOW those fashions are dated! Karen Velez is the only one who could step out of her photo and pass as modern today.
1988. Realizing that their cash cow, the printed girly mag would be replaced by Internet porn in coming decades, the give away car budget would only allow a kit car. Keep in mind that Viagra was about to be invented and Hef had better things to spend his money on.
Very cool. Somehow I don’t remember the cars from rummaging around in my dad’s collection….
It’s also nice to see that so many of these lovely women supported the space race by, ahem, defying gravity.
Wot, no staples in the middow of me pics?
I liked the satiny pink color of the 1967 Barracuda, a precursor of the Panther Pink of later E-body cars.
Yes, I did notice the cars too!
Voting for Miss 1972 and her DeTomaso Pantera. Although, in terms of decore, I like the TV in the first 1964 add. It would look great in the living room : )
I’m with you WoodgrainCoasty. Not much love today for that pink Pantera. All one would need to do is put a couple Inspector Clouseau stickers on each side of the front quarter panels just like Ferrari does.
Monique St Pierre looks like a dead ringer for Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface. That “dress” even looks like something Elvira wouldve worn. Funny how shes even posing next to the same color 928 Tony buys in the movie to impress Elvira
Where all these cars today???
Nice collection of broads, errr, cars.
The lovely Connie Kreski… as much as I would like to think it is Connie herself that seems so lovely, I believe that her image size has a lot to do with our affection for her. Her image is 4-12 times the average image area of the other women. The car is not the focus, it is just the backdrop.
The image is much better quality than most of the other photos, and the lighting itself is softer. Her semi transparent vestments invite us in, so many decades ago.
As for locations, I think Marilyn Lange is in Honolulu when the wind lofted her skirt just as the photographer took this image. Diamond Head is the mountain in the background. Any thoughts on where? I don’t think it is Round Top Drive, thought that is a very popular place to view the city. Any other locations? I think the Tiger was shot in California, but that isn’t much of a stretch…