1971 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible

From the mid-1960's until the close of that decade, automobiles became lighter, more compact, and more powerful. Auto manufacturers continued to compete against one another for drag-strip supremacy. As government regulations and safety concerns increased, the muscle car era began to decline rapidly.

Many of these ultimate high-performance muscle cars were built to satisfy homologation requirements. Others were built just to have the fastest machine on the road. The Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda is an example of one of the fiercest and most powerful vehicle ever constructed for the roadway. It was derived from the lesser Barracuda's which began in the mid-1960's. It was built atop the 'E' body platform and was restyled in 1970 by John Herlitz, making it longer, wider, and lower. The 426 cubic-inch Hemi V8 was capable of producing an astonishing 425 horsepower. Matted to a four-speed manual 833 transmission, this was the ultimate muscle car of its day.

This 1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda Convertible with black paint and orange billboards was offered for sale at the 2006 RM Auction in Monterey, CA where it was expected to sell between $180,000-$220,000. It came equipped from the factory with power windows, power brakes, power steering, Rally instrument cluster, rim blow steering wheel, bucket seats, AM/FM cassette radio, and driving lights. It has a Dana '60' rear end and the 426 cu in engine. It is one of just 374 'Cda Convertibles built in 1971. On auction day bidding reached $165,000 which was not high enough to satisfy reserve. The vehicle was left unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2006