The Plymouth ‘Cuda is a rare car, and one that some might point to as the ‘ultimate’ muscle car. Due to their popularity and low production numbers, it’s not shocking to hear that one is estimated to pull big bids at auctions, but it’s still hard to look at this car and think that it’s a million dollar unicorn car, but that’s the current consensus.
When this car crosses the Mecum auction block at the July 10-18, 2020 Indy event, it will carry an estimated value of $500,000-$700,000, but some are speculating that it could have a hammer price of much more – and for good reason.
It’s not easy on the eyes, but this 1971 Plymouth Cuda isn’t a run-of-the-mill muscle car; a few factors add up to make it one of the rarest examples you’re likely to see for sale this year. For one, in 1971, Plymouth didn’t mass produce these cars, mainly due to a lack of demand. This meant that only 17 V-Code 440 6BBL ‘Cuda convertibles would be made for 1971. Ironically, muscle car convertibles are proving to be the more desired collector cars in modern times, and it’s because of their low production numbers in their era.
Narrowing it down to one of only 17 cars is pretty rare for a ‘Cuda, but that’s not where it ends for this particular example. This ‘Cuda was built as an export model, meaning it was produced with the specific intention to ship it outside of the United States. For the 1971 year model, there were only two export ‘Cudas made, and there’s no information if the other one was a convertible, so this could be a one of one Mopar muscle car.
As far as the business of this ‘Cuda’s appearance goes, it looks pretty rough around the edges, but looks can be deceiving. This ‘Cuda was hidden away in a shipping container for 35 years, and is hiding a shocking well-preserved car under the exterior wear and tear. With no major rot or corrosion, this ‘Cuda would be considered a ‘survivor’ in the collector car market, and as an added bonus, the interior is in incredible condition.
When you look at this ‘Cuda, do you see a Mopar enthusiast’s dream? Or just another over-hyped project car?
Elizabeth is hardcore horsepower enthusiast with unmatched intensity for making things faster and louder. She wakes up for power and performance and only sleeps to charge up for the next project that’s heading to the track. From autocross to drag racing, Elizabeth is there with you, so stay tuned for her unique perspective on horsepower news, builds, tech info, and installs — with her, it’ll never be boring!
