Who would have ever imagined that an American muscle car would be worth twice as much as a 1969 Lamborghini Miura or the same as a 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB?
Case in point, a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible with an automatic gearbox that will go under the hammer alongside the aforementioned Italian exotics at Mecum’s annual Daytime Auction held at Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa – Del Monte Golf Course on August 13-15, and which the auction house estimates to bring in between $2.5 and $3 million.
It’s not only one of 14 Hemi Cuda Convertibles produced in 1970, of which nine were fitted with an automatic, but the only one originally owned as an Executive Demonstrator by none other than it’s designer, John Herlitz, who penned the car under the watchful eye of Chrysler design chief Elwood Engel.
Mecums’ spec sheet gives us more details about the drop top muscle car that was restored back in 2002:
“It is one of 14 Hemi Cuda convertibles produced for the United States in 1970 and one of nine equipped with the A727 Torqueflite 3-speed automatic transmission, in this case teamed with the Dana 60 rear end, 4.10:1 Sure Grip differential, 7-blade Torque Drive fan, 26-inch radiator and front disc brakes comprising the A32 Super Performance Axle Package; power steering and brakes are also included.
The A21 Elastomeric Bumper Group added the color-keyed front bumper, chromed outside mirrors and bright belt moldings, with a Shaker hood, hold down pins, fender-mounted turn signals, road lights, lower sill trim, chromed luggage rack and Rallye wheels with Goodyear Polyglas GTs completing the exterior appointments.
The extensive list of interior features includes leather bucket seats, Rallye instrument cluster and console with wood-grain trim, Rim Blow wood-grain steering wheel, A01 Light Package, solid state AM radio, power windows and top and tinted glass. To top it all off, Herlitz chose to delete body stripes or callouts and eschewed body-side moldings.”
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