In 1971, the Plymouth HEMI® Barracuda became a legendary car, and it has since become highly sought after and valuable. It’s easily recognizable by its distinctive features, such as the signature cheese grater grille. The groundbreaking 426-cube V8 was put away at the end of the 1971 production year and production of the ’Cuda itself ended in 1974 – exactly ten years after its introduction.
Today, the last-year HEMI ’Cuda is one of the most coveted muscle cars from the Golden Age for collectors, commanding high prices at auctions based on their condition, history and authenticity. There were only 114 units produced, with 107 having a metal roof and just seven with a convertible option. Among these, 48 hardtops received the three-speed TorqueFlite® automatic transmission.
One such example, owned by Jeff Sparks for nearly three decades, will be auctioned this January at Mecum Kissimmee. Sparks got a discount when he purchased the car in 1995 and while there have been some modifications to the engine, the ‘Cuda retained the original transmission and rear end.
The standout feature of this model is its unique orange and black interior, with only one other known example with the same trim. Head down to Mecum in January to catch this almost one-of-a-kind 1971Plymouth HEMI Barracuda convertible cross the auction block.