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1970 Cuda Convertible Makes Us Wish Plymouth Was Still Around Making Muscle Cars

Founded in 1928 by none other than Walter Chrysler, the Plymouth brand started out as a challenger to the low-priced car segment that Ford and Chevrolet were dominating during that era. Fast-forward to the 1950s, and Plymouth became a household name in the U.S. automotive world thanks to the Forward Look design language of Virgil Exner, combining aesthetics with aerodynamics.
Restored 1970 Plymouth Cuda Convertible 26 photos
Photo: Classic Auto Mall
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A decade later, pony and muscle cars were selling like hotcakes and every division of Chrysler except for the Chrysler brand wanted a piece of the action. This gets us to the Cuda and Barracuda, two similar yet very different siblings related to the Dodge Challenger thanks to the E-Body platform.

First things first, you could get the Barracuda with a six-cylinder engine but not the Cuda. As a rule of thumb, the latter nameplate designates the higher end of the performance spectrum. This particular example of the breed is a 1970 model – the first year for the Cuda – with the 426 HEMI V8.

The 7.0-liter blunderbuss was rated 425 horsepower (SAE gross) out of the box, making it more potent than the 440-cu.in. options. Coupled to a three-speed automatic transmission, there’s no denying the 426 HEMI V8 could rip the BFG Radial T/A rear tires to shreds, one traffic light sprint at a time.

It should be mentioned, however, that the Cuda offered for sale by Classic Auto Mall isn’t original. The G in BH27G0B198087 designates the 318-cu.in. engine, and the seller highlights that the Shaker Hood was needed to feed the Holley 750 CFM four-barrel carburetor sitting atop of the 426 HEMI V8. The rear end, meanwhile, comes in the guise of a Dana 60 diff with 3.54 gearing.

Both the engine bay and the Lemon Twist paintwork grab one’s attention by the scruff of the neck, but the most impressive part of this unoriginal yet nicely upgraded Cuda is the undercarriage. Free of rust and dirt, the underbody is certainly a wowzer if you take a look at the engine pan.

Offered at $123,000, this fellow here is a kind reminder of Plymouth at its peak and what could’ve been if Chrysler would have kept the brand alive. The carmaker was phased out in 2001 because only the Neon remained in the lineup, totaling 38,657 units in the final model year of the small sedan.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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