 |
The 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda convertible is the rarest and most valuable muscle car most enthusiasts will never see in person — only 14 were ever built. Back in period, buyers largely ignored it, put off by insurance costs and a price tag that made little sense for a mid-size car. Decades later, that same scarcity has pushed individual examples toward eight-figure sales. Read on to find out how a commercial failure became the most expensive muscle car in the world.
For 23 months straight, the Ford Mustang outsold the Chevrolet Camaro every single month — until one September, when Chevrolet edged ahead by just 148 units, 6,577 to 6,429. The swing came right as Ford halted Mustang production over a sales slide, while new 2017 Camaro ZL1s were posting 554 rear-wheel horsepower on customer dynos. Read on to see how one of America’s oldest rivalries flipped in a single month.
Builder johnscudashop documented this 1971 Plymouth Barracuda pro-touring build — complete with a working HEMI Shaker hood — step by step on the Moparts forum. The gloss-and-flat-black paint won over commenters instantly; the visible welds underneath did not. Watch the build and see if you agree with the forum’s mixed verdict.
Not every muscle car story ends with a perfectly restored survivor in a climate-controlled garage. Longtime member Carl N.’s collection spans a 1970 Barracuda, two vintage Ford trucks, and a trade that eventually led to a Chevy van — a messier, more realistic version of what six decades of car ownership actually looks like. Here’s the history behind the cars in his story, and why this kind of winding path is more common than the highlight-reel restorations.