1970 Plymouth Cuda 440 Tribute

Description

If you want a slick 'Cuda, now is probably the time to buy. They continue to accelerate in value, and even upgraded cars like this 1970 Plymouth 440 'Cuda Tribute are gaining value by leaps and bounds as the HEMI cars easily move past six figures. With a classic muscle-car stance, high-impact yellow paint, a full manual-valve body transmission, and sparkling performance from a stout big block, this is one MOPAR that truly delivers on the promises made by its awesome good looks.

There's a good argument to be made that this is the best-looking pony car ever made. Even if you're a GM guy or a Mustang fan, you have to admit that after standing back and watching Ford and Chevy figure out the formula, the Chrysler engineers got it exactly right when the brought out the revised E-bodies. This handsome 'Cuda appears to be wearing a shade of period-correct Lemon Twist, which in and of itself is a rather rare find. I, for one, am a fan of high-impact colors because they always turn heads on the road and harken back to a time where American horsepower ruled the streets. The bodywork is very nicely done with that yellow paint, 440 stripes, black spoiler, and black vinyl top looking just about right for a car that's been driven a little bit and should be driven a lot more. There's a custom-painted 'Cuda mural on the Shaker hood that was added during the restoration, and I can guarantee that nothing rolling out of the Hamtramck facility in 1970 ever fit together this well. Paint-matched bumpers fore and aft give it a purposeful, bright look, and between the hood scoop and fog lamps under the front bumper, it's an imposing sight, I don't care what you're driving. From any angle, this car is ultra-clean 'Cuda looks fast just sitting still.

The black interior is another place where taking their time scored the Mopar guys serious advantages. The aftermarket high-back buckets are beautiful to look at and every bit as comfortable as they look, and the cool center console with Huts Pro Matic 2 shifter remains a highly desirable option. The gauges offer bright, crisp markings and look fantastic in their individual round pods, and the wrapped steering wheel is a nice find, too. A JVC AM/FM/CD radio is neatly integrated into the dash, a nice upgrade over the factory unit. The seats, carpets, door panels, and dash pad have all likely been replaced or restored in the not-too-distant past and remain in very good condition thanks to careful ownership over the past few years. The headliner is covered in a custom diamond-stich pattern, and the trunk is correctly outfitted with a reproduction mat to complete the look.

The engine is a great-running 440 Magnum V8 matted to a full manual-valve body A727 Torqueflight transmission. It's not the original engine (this car was born with a 318 V8), but with a Holley 830CFM double-pumper carburetor resting on an Edelbrock intake, it has plenty of power. No doubt, this car will be a handful for anything this side of a Hemi on the street. It's very correctly detailed with Hemi Orange paint on the engine itself, body paint-matched fenders and firewall, and, of course, that giant Shaker hood scoop. Power front disc brakes, power steering, and a Flowmaster dual exhaust with dual electric cut-outs adorn the chassis, which you quickly noticed is beautifully painted and detailed to match the body. Shiny mag wheels are surrounded by fat BFGoodrich tires that totally fill the fenders.

Your chances to own one of these are getting smaller by the day and it would be a mistake to overlook the more-affordable Tribute MOPARs, especially a big-block with great colors like this. As this one so ably proves, recreations can be quite amazing in their own right. Call today!