For Mopar enthusiasts, the words “Hemi ‘Cuda” are enough to get their pulses racing. Unfortunately, the Hemi ‘Cuda is also a classic that can empty a bank account in a hurry. Genuine examples now command some incredible figures in the market. That places them out of the reach of the average buyer, which has seen plenty of tributes pop out of the woodwork to fill the void. This 1971 ‘Cuda Hardtop is a perfect example, and its condition is a long way above average. After putting in the hard yards, the owner has decided to part with this pearl. Located in Orlando, Florida, you will find the Plymouth listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has hit $76,100, which remains short of the reserve. The owner indicates that the reserve has been set at $110,000.

If you are going to tackle a project build, there’s a lot to be said for commencing the project with the best car possible. This owner did that because he managed to source a rust-free ‘Cuda from California as his starting point in 1990. He then spent years accumulating all of the parts required to create the beast that you see in these photos. Once he had assembled the parts, he ensured that the panels were laser straight before applying the classic Hemi Orange paint. If that wasn’t eye-catching enough, the Billboard Hemi stripes leave no doubt about what this car is. Its presentation is stunning, and there’s not much of which to be critical. The paint has a depth of color that you could nearly walk into, and the shine is beautiful. No rust has developed since the owner purchased the vehicle, so there are no concerns in that area for potential buyers. The trim and glass are as immaculate as the rest of the exterior, and the ‘Cuda looks like it has just rolled off a showroom floor. Eagle-eyed enthusiasts will have noticed that the Rallye wheels look slightly out of scale to the rest of the vehicle. The owner chose to fit 17″ reproduction items from Year One, which should allow a more comprehensive selection of tires that will cope with the enormous power being generated under the hood.

When it was shiny and new, this ‘Cuda featured a drivetrain comprised of a 383ci V8 and a 3-speed TorqueFlite transmission. With an even 300hp available under the right foot, it would’ve offered sufficient performance to satisfy most owners. However, the seller wanted more, so he invested around $16,000 on a Mopar Performance 472ci Crate Engine. Equipped with a single 4-barrel carburetor, this monster should be churning out somewhere around 525hp. There’s no point having enormous power if you can’t get it to the road, so the owner invested in a Viper 6-speed manual transmission and a Dana 60 Sure Grip rear end. When you consider that a genuine Hemi ‘Cuda had 425hp at its disposal and could demolish the ¼ mile in 13.8 seconds, this one should be considerably faster. The owner has clocked a mere 5,228 miles since he completed the build, which means that the car is barely broken in. Two things disappoint me about this listing. The first is that given how important that fire-breathing Hemi is to this car’s story, the two photos that the owner supplies are pretty poor. The second is that he doesn’t provide any insight into how well it runs and drives. When you consider the accumulated miles and the presentation, you would probably expect the news to be pretty positive in that area.

The owner uses the word “re-imagined” in his description of this Plymouth, so many aspects of the car aren’t original. Turning our attention to the interior, we find that while it is equipped with a Rally gauge cluster, it is a reproduction item. The dash also houses a CD player with Bluetooth, and the owner has installed an aftermarket air conditioning system. All of these items should make life pretty pleasant on the move.

Once again, the interior photos are not the greatest, but they do paint a positive picture. The seats are upholstered in Burnt Orange cloth and vinyl, while the remaining trim and upholstered surfaces wear Black vinyl. Burnt Orange carpet graces the floors, and it all appears to be spotlessly clean and free from flaws. The vehicle is also equipped with a factory console, and a pistol grip shifter emerges from this to make swapping cogs a pleasant experience. The owner states that there are some minor details that the buyer might want to complete, but he doesn’t elaborate on what these are. He rightly points out that anyone who undertakes a project build will always consider that there is one more thing that they want to do, no matter how good the car may look to others. It could be a case of him being too critical, but only an in-person inspection could confirm this.

Market values on genuine Hemi ‘Cudas have taken a hit over the past three years, but this trend has flattened during 2021. However, the average price for a Hardtop has remained at around $200,000, while pristine examples can command prices of $500,000 or more. This one isn’t the real deal, but it’s as close as most ordinary people are likely to afford. It holds the promise of performance that would at least match a genuine Hemi at a fraction of the price. Is that thought enough to make you consider submitting a bid?