Plymouth built only about 115 ‘Cudas with the factory 426 Hemi in 1971, each making 425 horsepower. This build goes well past that number with a modern 572 cubic-inch Hemi crate engine putting out over 800 horsepower, paired with a one-off grille and an interior from a shop with five Detroit Autorama Great 8 awards to its name. Here’s what sets this ‘Cuda apart from the factory original.
Talk about a cool car….This is one cool Car…572 HEMI under the hood…..Over 800HP…..A Steve Holcomb Pro Auto Custom Interior….A one off custom grill….Just as cool as it gets….Check it out!!
Plymouth built only about 115 ‘Cudas with a genuine factory Hemi in 1971 – 108 hardtops and a small handful of convertibles – and even those made barely half the power sitting in this one. The factory 426 Hemi was rated at 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque, numbers that made the ‘Cuda one of the fastest cars money could buy in 1971. This particular build swaps that legendary but comparatively modest engine for a modern 572 cubic-inch Hemi crate motor pushing north of 800 horsepower, wrapped around a one-off custom grille and an interior built by a shop with Detroit Autorama trophies to its name. So how does a crate engine nearly double the output of one of the most feared muscle cars of the era, and who builds an interior good enough to back it up?
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About 115 Factory Hemis, and This Isn’t One of Them
In 1971, Plymouth built roughly 115 ‘Cudas with the factory 426 Hemi (108 hardtops and a small handful of convertibles), each rated at 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque, making genuine Hemi ‘Cudas among the rarest and most valuable muscle cars from the era. This build reimagines that formula with a modern 572-cubic-inch Hemi crate engine that trades the original’s cast-iron limitations for well over 800 horsepower, paired with a one-off custom grille that sets it apart from any factory example.
The Interior Behind Five Detroit Autorama Wins
The custom interior comes from Pro Auto Custom Interiors, the Knoxville, Tennessee shop run by Steve and Veronica Holcomb, whose work has earned five Great 8 awards at Detroit’s Autorama and includes interiors for the Shades of the Past giveaway cars built by Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop since 1999, the kind of pedigree that explains why this ‘Cuda’s cabin gets as much attention as the engine bay.
The ‘Cuda Name Meant Something Specific
Not every Barracuda built in 1971 wore the ‘Cuda badge; that name was reserved for the performance-package cars, distinguished by their own grille, hood, and suspension upgrades regardless of engine choice. Pairing that specific ‘Cuda pedigree with a modern-day 572 crate Hemi and a bespoke interior turns this car into something that never technically existed on a factory order sheet, but still honors exactly what made the original nameplate special.
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