1970 Plymouth AAR 'Cuda Tribute

Description

The Plymouth 'Cuda AAR was the muscle car equivalent of a comet - almost impossible to look away from and yet around for just a brief time. Built only for a single year (1970), these were the street versions of their Trans Am racing brethren, which were piloted by racing legends Swede Savage and Dan Gurney. This carefully equipped 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda AAR Tribute represents the chance to own a piece of that racing heritage in a vehicle mirroring the original in looks, but with performance capabilities that actually exceed it.

A lot of work and planning went into making sure this 'Cuda tribute properly paid homage to the original AARs. Ice Blue is a great color - stopping just short of silver. It's an eye-catcher. Its solid black hood and "strobe-style" black stripes running down its entire length both faithfully recreate the styling cues of its inspiration and retain their sharpness and vitality. The rear spoiler, also faithfully recreated, is still fresh and resides above a deep black taillight panel adorned with the distinctive 'Cuda badge. Considering the power this muscle car possesses, it's a view many motorists are likely to see. Both the front and rear bumpers are Ice Blue as well, a monochrome effect adding a little modernity to this classic, which was originally dressed in more traditional chrome. Stance-wise, it represents a nice balance of aggression and proper attention to physics, with a slight incline but relatively low overall position so as not to mess with its center of gravity.

The 'Cuda's interior retains its original styling, but features black vinyl buckets in front and bench in back that are well-upholstered and look good sitting on a matching sea of black carpeting. The black dash pad still looks plenty supple and the Barracuda badging positioned over the glove box pops out at you from its black background. This is an interior whose factory-correctness seems obvious from every angle, but it also benefits from the addition of a number of more modern features to bring the driving experience to a more present-day level. The stock gauges all look back at you through very clear lenses and are fully functional. They're joined by a column mounted Sport-Comp tach to monitor revs, and additional aftermarket gauges for voltage and oil pressure reside just below the BOSS stereo, which features a CD player to go along with its AM/FM radio. The added Hurst Pistol Grip shifter is also a great looking touch. A Vintage Air A/C system blows both strong and cold through its stock-looking vents. The smaller details have been well looked after, too, and you'll note that the light in both bright and everyday mode, as well as the brake lights and even the dome, all work as intended.

The mechanical features on this 'Cuda are exceptional and almost invariably new!! At front and center is a Mopar 360 block that's been stroked to 408 cubic inches and features a mild cam for additional power. The faithfully recreated 'Cuda AAR 6-pack carb setup sits atop the engine in its distinctive oval air cleaner. A Champion aluminum radiator, joined by an electric fan, sits in front position to make sure things don't get overly heated, regardless of road conditions. The stroked powerplant is mated to a 4 speed Passion Performance transmission and the rest of the drivetrain is a cavalcade of new parts - including the bellhousing, Z-Bar, clutch components, flywheel and shift linkages. With a 3.73 ratio in back, it's a setup that provides all the off the line "GO" you'll need, while still avoiding impractical revs at higher speeds. Enhanced spark comes via the upgraded MSD ignition and upgraded spark plug wires. There's plenty of stopping power, as well, with slotted and drilled power disc brakes in both front and back. The steering, often a weakness in muscle cars due to excessive slop, has been taken care of as well, as this 'Cuda is navigated by a Unisteer rack and pinion system. The Goodrich T/As – 215s in front and 255s in back, surround a set of Ion rims and show a lot of remaining rubber.

Looking for an unabashed homage to racing history that actually EXCEEDS its original inspiration? This is the car for you. Call today!