A 1970 Hemi Cuda convertible will be auctioned off.
A very rare 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible will be offered at Mecum's auction in Kissimmee, Florida, from January 6-16. The topless muscle car is expected to fetch a significant amount of money.
The Plymouth Barracuda (performance versions were named 'Cuda' starting in 1970) was a rival to the Ford Mustang and shared the E-body platform with the Dodge Challenger. In other words, a number of affordable entry-level models were produced, but this was not one of them.
According to the listing, it was one of 14 1970 'Cuda convertibles with the legendary Hemi V-8 engine, one of nine with automatic transmissions, and one of only three built for Canadian export. Of those three, one is believed to have been destroyed, while this car and another were shipped from the factory with a high-impact FY1 Lemon Twist paint job that assaulted the retina.
The 426 cubic-inch Hemi is powered by dual four-barrel carburetors and sits under the iconic Shaker hood scoop. The convertible left the factory with 15-inch steel wheels painted in the same lemon twist color as the body and a saddle tan interior. According to the listing, this is the only Hemi Cuda convertible with such an interior/exterior color combination.
The car was rotisserie restored by Legendary Motorcar of Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada. The entire body was stripped to bare metal and all chrome parts were repainted. Assembly line markings and tags were retained for authenticity.
Hemi Cuda's typically sell at auction for millions of dollars; at the 2016 Mecum auction, two Hemi Cuda convertibles fetched over $2 million each. The other sold for $3.5 million in 2014. A similar amount is expected to be paid for this beauty.