Wow... 1971 Hemi Cuda Sells For $3.5 Million at Mecum Auction - Hot Rod Magazine Blog [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5tQm8HBB2Y[/ame] Mike
Wow that's high. I know its an extremely rare car but I always remember when these cars were basically worthless in the mid 80's and I was in my early teens with no money to buy them. I am surprised that it got this kind of money because the muscle car market seemed to be getting to a more sane level where I would actually even consider buying a restored AAR again. There is a point when you don't want to pay 6 figures let alone 7 for a full plastic interior car that needs a screwdriver kept in the glove box to keep the rattles at bay.
Prices like that are usually an emotional purchase where money is no object but who is waiting out there to buy it for more than what was just paid? Ive had many mopars when they were inexpensive. Paid $2250 for a yellow AAR zero rust and owned it for many years and sold when the market started going crazy. Sold my Hemi roadrunner and a six-pack challenger at the same time and got out. Cool cars but out of the big three the chryslers are the absolute worst cars to drive. I could use a Superbird or Daytona once they get back to 5 figures and they will!
With something like 15 ever built it's the holy grail for mopar muscle collectors. Far more rare than a 250 GTO and those go for $20M-$30M... which is more "crazy"?
Agreed. To some, the rare Hemi cars are every bit the "exotic" that a rare European car is. When you consider that the Hemi is one of the greatest engines ever created, bar none and the cars were the ultimate examples of what happened during an era when the factories were creating street racers and Nascar homologation specials right from the factory-why not?
More like 50mil + now if you are shopping a 250 GTO For all of these older cars now it is a question of too much money chasing too few cars.
Why I don't understand the value is that one could buy a beautiful 318 ci 71 Barracuda convertible for 50K and turn it into a EXACT clone (with the exception of a different digit in the VIN) of that Hemi Cuda convertible for another 50K. A nice big block 71 rag is what.... a hundred grand, $150000 max. I just don't see the value in paying 3.1 for a hemi car.
I believe what sets this one apart, is the colour. I remember something about this being the only one, and it is factory mint condition, never really driven. I think there's a white one too, worth about the same.
Somebody is going to loose some millions on that one. There might be one other guy that views it as valuable as that. Good luck in finding him.
Insane price for this cuda especially when its primary (or only) market is here in the U.S. Rarity comparisons aside, the GTO appeals globally.
Globally sure, but it also stems from hype. I would choose a number of Ferrari's over the 250 from a special standpoint.
Agreed ...just shows the stupid money has re-entered the collector car market aside from Shelby's the rest are a house of cards.
My first car was a Barracuda in the 70s......horrible car compared to a Corvette.....I don't get stuff like this
Lots of Mopar E bodies were made. Yes, the Hemi option was rare in a car that came with big and small block V8s and a slant 6. The Hemi is probably the most overrated engine ever. The 440 6bbl was a more streetable powerplant and cheaper to boot.
I've been reading the posts and have hesitated to comment until now. I inspected this car, although some minor details were not right, they were easily correctable. The car is very, very nice. Not OE Gold, but very nice. With only 7 accounted for, an this car apparently the only matching numbers, four speed existing, it checks all the right boxes. And if is not THE most collectible American muscle car, it certainly is in the top 5, period. Worth every penny. And the next time it sells, if it ever does, it will sell for more. The Hemi Cuda convertible club is a very small group of 7. Wanna join the club? It is going to cost you. From a low of $1.5 million USD to $3.5 million USD. JCR: Exactly how is the Hemi the "most overrated engine ever" ? I could write an entire book on how the Chyrsler Hemi engine changed the American automotive industry and racing in North America. Infact, many, many books have already been written on the subject. So tell me, how is it "overrated"? Ciao and best!
It's not overrated. It did indeed change the world of racing. Every bit as legendary as the Ferrari V12. It dominated drag racing and NASCAR during a time in which the Big Three were doing everything in their considerable power to win. There were even more radical versions in the pipeline if Nascar hadn't began to limit the factory specials. Its architecture is still used today to power the quickest and most powerful forms of motorsport. On the street they didn't suffer fools and were more expensive than the more common motors to run, so they were not seen on every corner. Even so, the most legendary street racer of all time, the Silver Bullet GTX, was Hemi Powered as were all of Big Willies wild Daytonas out here on the west coast. There was also a 66 Hemi Belvedere than ruled the socal streets where I grew up and raced. I had a chance to speak with the original Ramchargers in Las Vegas at an event this year(including Tom Hoover-the father of the 426 Hemi) and listening to them there was no doubt of their and their creation's brilliance. The Six Pack was indeed a cool engine package, but its no Hemi.
+1 The 426 HEMI is the greatest production engine ever built. There is no comparison with it to a Ferrari V12 in terms of performance. One just needs to look a Super Stock racing to see just how venerable these engines are. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Finally, a Ferrari/Italian car enthusiast that knows and understands American cars. You lot are hard to come across!! Ciao and best!