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HEMI Cuda Gets Stunning LeMans Makeover with Porsche 935K Rear End

The HEMI Cuda is such a cool car, kids name themselves after it on forums before they ever get to see one. It's named after a vicious fish with sharp teeth and looks the part too. But it hasn't been made since 1974, and some people don't even remember what a Plymouth is (brand discontinued in 2001).
HEMI Cuda Gets Stunning LeMans Makeover with Porsche 935K Rear End 1 photo
Photo: Khyzyl Saleem
That a little over four decades of neglect. It makes you wonder what would have happened if the Barracuda were made by another company, one at the cutting edge of sportscar development and that's not always battered by the winds of financial burdens.

That's kind of how we would present this "Experimental Cuda" made by car designer Khyzyl Saleem. He's a guy on the cutting edge of graphics design, using all the tricks in the Photoshop book to give us a Cuda that belongs in past, present and future at the same time.

The design of the original Cuda has undoubtedly been touched by Japanese cultural influence. The extra-wide front splitter and the pipes coming out through the front grille are typical of the "bosozoku" gangster ride style.

The wheels have a futuristic look about them and they, together with the paintjob and the fender flares, remind us of Judge Dredd vehicles.

Of course, the bosozoku style is in turn influenced by German racing cars. That's why Khyzyl was able to graft the rear end from a Porsche 935K race car. The last Porsche 935K3 was built in Cologne for the LeMans 24h race in 1981 and competed with a BMW M1 Turbo. Unless we're mistaken, it even had a Japanese sponsor liver, helping our story come full circle.

Those were really exciting times for European racing. Even though some HEMI Cudas have been known to push 1000 hp, just like the M1 and 935K, they don't have that motorsport thrill and pedigree.

It makes you wonder what would have happened if Plymouth had entered LeMans racing at that time. Maybe the Cuda would be a today's most talked about hybrid supercar.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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