The Rarest Plymouth Muscle Car Ever Produced
Plymouth may have vanished from showroom floors decades ago, but its legacy in American muscle is as vivid as ever. The brand punched above its weight during the golden era of performance cars, fielding fire-breathing machines on drag strips and NASCAR ovals alike — think the iconic Superbird and the ever-menacing Road Runner. Yet for all its celebrated models, one stands apart not for its fame, but for its scarcity.
To find the rarest muscle car Plymouth ever built, we dug into original production numbers — not how many survivors remain on the road today, but how few rolled off the line in the first place. The answer is as remarkable as the car itself.
Just 12 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertibles Were Ever Made
Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible
|
Engine |
 71 autotech 427 ci V8 |
|
Power (Factory rated) |
425 hp |
|
Torque |
490 lb-ft |
|
Number Produced |
12 |
(Plymouth)
The rarest Plymouth that ever left the marque’s factory doors was the convertible version of the 1971 Hemi Cuda, of which only 12 were made, according to Hagerty. The Hemi Cuda was the top-range Barracuda model available at the time, and was one of the last true road-going hotrods before rising fuel and insurance costs, as well as tightening government legislation, started to squeeze out vehicles like it.
Despite arguably being one of the best muscle cars of all time, the ’71 Hemi Cuda convertible is a textbook example of why vehicles like it were becoming uneconomical for brands like Plymouth to offer. It wasn’t a homologation special or any kind of limited-run offering — it was simply too expensive for most buyers in 1971.
Shifting only 12 units speaks volumes about how difficult the muscle car market was becoming at the dawn of the 1970s.
The 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertibles Were Pricey Even Then
The drop-top version of the Hemi Cuda was also the most expensive variant of the car at the time. The base price of $3,291, combined with a further $883 to add the mighty 426 ci Hemi V8, brought the total to $4,174 — equivalent to well over $32,000 in today’s money. Factor in the era’s climbing fuel and insurance costs, and the Hemi Cuda Convertible was simply beyond the reach of most buyers.
That sticker price was only the beginning, as a long list of options didn’t come standard even on the top-of-the-line Hemi Cuda. Refinements such as air conditioning and power steering both cost extra, as did power brakes and power windows. The only items that came included as standard were a performance hood, heavy-duty hardware, and hood pins.
Unsurprisingly, the Hemi Cuda convertible’s poor sales signaled its impending doom, and Plymouth axed the model just three years later, in 1974.
Hemi Cuda Was One Of The Last Beastly Vehicles Made By Plymouth
While most extras had to be paid for on the Hemi Cuda, one upgrade worth every penny for gearheads was the revered 426 ci Hemi V8. The engine, which had a pair of four-barrel carburetors sitting on top, produced a hefty 425 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. This came partly courtesy of a 10.2:1 compression ratio, while a dual exhaust system allowed the powerplant to breathe effectively.
Unlike the other engines available for the vehicle, it also came with an unsilenced air cleaner paired with an Air Grabber hood scoop, which helped ram additional airflow into the engine for more power. Keen to offer more than simply exceptional straight-line performance, Plymouth also ensured the Hemi Cuda would allow its driver to attack corners with confidence.
Alongside the uprated shocks and springs that helped keep the car level, it also came with front and rear sway bars to improve body rigidity.
An advanced disc braking system was also available as an option. On the inside, all-vinyl bucket seats that helped keep occupants firmly in place were included, while Rallye-style gauges were selectable as an option. Flush customers — of which there evidently weren’t many in 1971 — could also swap the vinyl buckets for genuine leather units.
The 1971 Hemi Cuda Convertible Is Worth A Fortune Today
While the Hemi Cuda was considered insanely expensive back in 1971, its original cost is nothing compared to what examples command on the collector market now. As one of the cream of the muscle car crop bearing the iconic Hemi Cuda nameplate, it was always destined to appreciate. Its extreme rarity has pushed prices into the multi-million-dollar stratosphere, with a Concours-level car expected to fetch around $4.65 million according to Hagerty.
Even a Good-condition example can still manage $2.85 million, while a Fair-ranked Cuda that needs some work still demands well over $2 million. That is roughly ten times more than what the hardtop sister car is worth, with even Concours examples of the coupe coming in at a relatively bargain-basement $489,000.
In 2014, Mecum Auctions sold one example for a staggering $3.5 million. Values have only climbed since, and a pristine example today could theoretically fetch considerably more. With 1971 being the last year the convertible Hemi Cuda was offered, this version of the breed is a poignant and historically important one.
1968 Plymouth Barracuda B029 Super Stock Was A Rare Race Car Sold Through Dealers
Barracuda B029 SS
|
Engine |
427 ci V8 |
|
Power (Factory rated) |
425 hp |
|
Torque |
N/A |
|
Number Produced |
50 |
(Mecum Auctions)
Like many manufacturers during the 1960s, Plymouth was heavily involved in drag racing. Succeeding in this form of competition was seen as ultra-important in order to capture the hearts and minds of customers, which would translate directly into showroom sales.
The Super Stock class of the NHRA drag racing tour attracted huge manufacturer attention during the 1960s, as it allowed modified versions of street cars like the Barracuda, which was once turned into a sedan by a skilled gearhead, to be entered.
Keen to have more of its vehicles lining up on the start line, Plymouth decided to craft some racing versions of its Barracuda to fend off the competition. The brand built a total of 50 Barracudas fitted with the same 426 ci Hemi V8 that would later feature in the Hemi Cuda Convertible — the creation being christened the B029 Super Stock. The powerplant was joined by a suite of modifications to make each car suitable for drag racing.
Each Barracuda was fully stripped out to make them as light as possible before safety equipment like a roll cage was added. Teams could tweak the cars from there, with famed outfit Sox and Martin going as far as replacing the stock steel fenders and hood with lighter fiberglass components.
Alongside the commanding engine, the race-ready Cudas got a four-speed manual gearbox and a Dana limited-slip differential.
Like true drag vehicles, the B029 also came with special drag tires so that it was ready to decimate its rivals the moment its new owner picked it up. Despite being orderable directly through Plymouth dealers, the B029 was not street-legal. According to Hagerty, Concours examples are valued at around $230,000 — not bad for a purpose-built drag-racing beast.
Even the B029 can’t compete with the cost and exclusivity of the 1971 Hemi Cuda Convertible, though — the rarest Plymouth production muscle car ever to grace our existence.
Sources: Mecum Auctions, Hagerty, Hemmings, Plymouth
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