Rare Plymouth Hemi Cuda muscle car sold for nearly $2 million

FoxNews.com/auto ^ | May 18, 2019 | Gary Gastelu | Fox News

[ETL]

Just 14 Hemi Cuda convertibles were built in 1970, and the Lemon Twist yellow example is one of three that were delivered to our northern neighbor.

The fully restored car is powered by a 426/425 V8 that breathes through an iconic Shaker hood scoop and sends its power to the rear wheels through a 4-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission.

Those wheels are steel and painted yellow for added visual impact, while the interior is a subdued saddle tan, but the high bid was an eye-popper at $1,980,000 (which is $2,700,000 Canadian, if you must know.)

That makes it among the most expensive Hemi Cudas to ever cross an auction block, but still far short of the record $3.5 million paid in 2014 for the only numbers-matching 1971 Hemi Cuda Convertible with a manual transmission.

Compared to those figures, the other Cuda convertible sold in Indy almost seems like a bargain at $1,115,000.

[ETL]

Thanks, but I wouldn’t know myself...

The following description is from the website of Mecum Auctions. They are the ones who sold the car.

1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible
1 of 14 Produced, Well Documented

Highlights

1 of 14 Hemi Cuda Convertibles produced in 1970
1 of only 9 with automatic transmission
Documented with two broadcast sheets
Displayed at the MCACN Mopar E Body Hemi Convertible Invitational
Rotisserie restoration completed by Legendary Motorcar in Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada
Body stripped to bare metal, components refinished to OEM style
Production markings and tags present and correct throughout engine bay and undercarriage
Chrome has been triple-plated and stainless has been polished
Body stripped to bare metal and refinished in correct High Impact FY1 Lemon Twist
H6T5 Tan interior and Black convertible top
Body sill, belt and deck moldings
Dual exhaust with bright tips
Shaker hood with hold-down pins
Power brakes
Bucket seats and console with woodgrain applique
Painted steel wheels and Goodyear Polyglas tires
Documented ownership history
Restoration photos and paperwork
Owner’s manual

What does the word “exclusivity” mean when considering a premium muscle car? Is it the production, the presentation, the options, the provenance, or perhaps a combination of all of these factors? This particular 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible is certainly a vehicle that lives up to the ideals in each of those categories, and its simple availability is a final aspect of the desirability a rarity like this can generate.

Of course, production numbers on these E-body Chrysler sport models is noteworthy. Of the 14 Hemi Cuda convertibles built in 1970, three were destined as Canadian exports. Of the trio, one is believed to have been destroyed, and the other two, quite uniquely, were both delivered in High Impact FY1 Lemon Twist paint.

Indeed, Legendary Motorcar in Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada, recognized its singular importance when it was originally brought to the company, and, under its direction, the Cuda benefited from an extensively thorough rotisserie restoration. Once apart, the entire body was stripped to bare metal, which revealed an outstanding original and extremely solid example. Every component was refinished to its original form, with assembly line production markings and tags present and correct throughout both the engine bay and undercarriage. All chrome parts have been triple-plated, and the stainless components were professionally polished before the car was reassembled. It is truly better than new.

Of course, having the E74 426 Hemi option checked off on the order form was a major key to this convertible’s attraction, and most people familiar with Chrysler products already know what is underneath the Shaker scoop that emerges menacingly from the hood—10.25:1 compression forged pistons, a race-bred reciprocating assembly, dual 4-barrel carburetors, massive-port cylinder heads and a free-flowing dual exhaust that ends in chrome tips. On this car, a console-shifted Slap-Stik shifter operates the A727 Hemi TorqueFlite automatic transmission, feeding power to the Sure Grip differential.

Exclusivity in presentation is found on both the exterior and interior of this car. Sans the hockey-stripe callouts, this car instead originally came with M25 body-sill moldings, M31 body-belt moldings and M88 deck-molding treatment. Adding to this were the J45 hood pins, road lamps and a black convertible top. Coupled with the argent-toned scoop with discrete “hemi ‘cuda” tags, it is a High Impact machine with minor detractions. Inside, the selection chosen was rarely seen saddle tan, code H6T5, which gives this car an additional unequaled appearance as the only Hemi Cuda convertible with this color combination. The appointments within included wonderfully matched wood-grain accent pieces, the AM Music Master radio, bucket seats and the interior-matched top boot.

The original buyer truly seems to have desired the Lemon Twist look, as once again, the premium wheel design was foregone for something that matched the body. The wheels are 15-inch body-color steel versions with small-diameter hubcaps and the Hemi-option-mandated F15-60 Goodyear Polyglas tires. Power brakes are behind them, and there is a space-saver spare with the associated fill cannister mounted in the trunk.

Honored as part of the one-time-only E-Body Hemi Convertible Invitational at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, the provenance on this car is extensive, as the options are documented with two broadcast sheets. Also included will be the extensive ownership history back to 1970, owner’s manual, finance paperwork, restoration pictures and previous registrations. Taken as a whole, its pedigree is certainly unquestionable.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0519-378669/1970-plymouth-hemi-cuda-convertible/

[atc23]

My dad and Tony Capanna of Hot Rod City in Torrance were the first team to bring a Hemi powered roadster they built themselves to Indianapolis for qualifying- I believe it was 1955 or so.

Ever wonder why Hemi’s have never been run at Indy? After seeing the car run in practice and literally smoke everybody else who showed up in Miller/Offy’s some “concerned” official reported seeing Tony adding nitromethane to the fuel of their car before practice runs (which he was doing but he swore no one ever saw him do it) - problem was, everybody’s eyes watered up real bad when they hit the ignition. The car ran great in the straights but in the corners they had oil starvation - which they somehow never figured on to be as big a problem as it was. Anyway, according to them, the car was black flagged after a few days and the rules were changed to forever outlaw the particulars of a Hemi cylinder head design as well as overall engine displacement.

[Lean-Right]

It is a rare and beautiful car.
Thanks for posting.

[ETL]

Yup, that’s it. Same color too.

Wow! That's something. Because I don't think that was a common color for them. But you probably know a lot more about it than I do. I'm basically just going on what I recall from those days.

[PLMerite]

[ETL]

There was an old horror movie from the ‘70s called The ‘Cuda Movie. Also known as, “Phantasm.”

Thanks. Never saw or even heard of it before.

But will look for it on YouTube and check it out if it's there.

[RandallFlagg]

It’s a cheesy, cheap 1979 flick. Huge cult following, though.
The commercials for it terrified me when I was ten.
Interesting storyline, too.

[cableguymn]

if you like old mopars..

Graveyard Carz is the show to watch.

[ETL]

If you like old mopars.. Graveyard Carz is the show to watch

Thanks. Haven't heard of it. Just got cable again after quite some time without it. I'll look for it on the guide.

[ETL]

Sounds like it might be fun, though. Many of the old movies and TV shows have some unintended humor in them.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Reggie banister and Angus scrimmage.

[LegendHasIt]

'Nash Bridges' drove something like that, although I guess his was a composite.

[wjcsux]

One of the idiots I grew up with had the Plymouth Duster variant of that exact car. It was a very nice car until he totaled it, killing the girl riding with him. His daddy (a very wealthy libtard attorney) bought him anything he wanted. Knowing this family is what started me down the path of despising leftists.

[BradyLS]

Good-looking car. Not entirely sold on the rims. Not $2MM-worth, anyway!

[BradyLS]

Man, those are nice! Having a tough time deciding whether #3 or #5 are the best of that bunch.

[BradyLS]

Sometimes, all it takes is time for something totally serious to become totally funny.

[21twelve]

I’ve been watching the old Rockford Files - love the cars from that era.

Was watching the long commercial and they talk about the 14.3 second quarter miles. I’m no car guy, but that almost sounded about what my wife’s Honda Odyssey van is like. I had to look it up - 15.6 seconds for the van!

I know when I bought the van I saw a car and driver review where they compared the van to a 1969(?) Porsche. The Porsche beat the van on the 0-60 and 1/4 mile, but the van did better on the slalom course, braking, and some other stuff.

Off course the looks and sounds of those old cars have no comparison today.

[mylife]

And all I had was a VW bus. :(

[tallyhoe]

Nice Cars!!

[mylife]

Great stuff!