autoevolution
 

1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip

The more money you earn, the more you spend. And by the time your car reaches your horsepower goal, you're going to want even more. This is a common scene among automotive enthusiasts. And who can blame them? Once you've gotten used to those 10-second passes, you're going to want to see some 9-second runs. And then you realize that a Rimac Nevera is still faster than your car. So you decide to push things just a bit farther.
1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip 13 photos
Photo: Chicago Motor Cars
1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip
But at what point do you decide enough is enough? 500-hp might be more than enough for most people. But some might aim for a four-figure horsepower output. But seeing that we've made it up to 1,000, why stop there? Things are going to feel bonkers at around 2,000-hp.

But there's still room for more. Of course, at that level, you'll need to be extremely skilled and brave at the same time. A project car with that kind of power is not going to be as user-friendly as a Bugatti Chiron, but then again, we are talking about completely different budgets here.

The third-generation Plymouth Barracuda was introduced in 1970, and production ended shortly after in 1974. During that period, customers could choose from a wide variety of engines, ranging from a 3.2-liter straight-six to a 7.2-liter V8.

The straight-six was less than impressive, but the Hemi 7.0-liter V8 would still feel exciting to drive today. After all, when's the last time you drove a 425-hp muscle car? Efficiency is not going to be its middle name, but it'll get your adrenaline pumping for sure.

1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip
Photo: Chicago Motor Cars
It takes just one look at this 1971 Plymouth Cuda for you to realize that there's something quite fishy about it. You may notice the 540 decals on the side or even the enormous rear tires. And what about that wheelie bar?

Forget about a 10-second car; this thing looks like it could stand a chance at the drag strip against any of today's mega cars. The Illinois resident that built this thing first bought it back in 2007. At the time, it was packing a massive 440 ci (7.2-liters) V8.

In 2008, after the engine's rebuild, this thing secured a 9.6-seconds pass down the quarter-mile (402 meters). But that's within reach for quite a few automotive enthusiasts these days. So the car was sent out for a full tube 25.2-cert chassis upgrade.

That's the kind of certification you need if your car needs between 6 to 7.49 seconds to run the whole quarter-mile. Of course, the chassis alone is not going to be enough. So if you were to build the King of all Cudas, what kind of an engine would you go for?

1971 Plymouth Looks Like the King of All Cudas, Could Gap Any Bugatti at the Strip
Photo: Chicago Motor Cars
How does a Steve Morris Racing Engines all-aluminum 540 ci (8.8-liters) V8 sound like? Pair that to an F3 ProCharger with a water-to-air intercooler and a host of other race-ready upgrades, and you've got yourself a 2,400-hp monster! Most people will never take their project car this far.

This is, by all means, a no-expense-spared kind of build. But even so, the current asking price for it is $199,800. If you already have a fast daily, this might be the ultimate drag strip weapon for you!
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories