Text and Images by Clive Branson
When I was young, I always wanted to visit a friend of mine, for his dad had a Plymouth ‘Cuda convertible to colour of a purple popsicle. It left an indelible imprint in my mind, for it personified what I imagined as cool. Today, Sergio Palumbo gets the same reaction when he drives his famling red 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda. It attracts a crowd like a magnet. Sex appeal is an emotional currency and this car has a Fort Knox amount of it.
Since its debut in 1964, Barracuda was supposed to be Plymouth’s answer to Ford’s Mustang, but it missed the “pony” market, projecting an inflexible boxy shape that was regarded by the youth market as dated and boring. The job of redesigning it went to John E. Herlitz, who developed a new personality from Chrysler’s shorter and wider existing B platform, called the E-body. Six years later, what emerged is one of those cars that disrupts the preconceived expectations and dispels everyone’s perception of what a car should be: pumped with steroid thrust and envoius implants. It was no longer a Barracuda, it was a ‘Cuda, and it redefined muscle cars while the Hemi 426 V8 had enough power to make a cruise missile look lethargic.
Streamlined, adorned in a variety of pop-art flourescent colours like Sassy Green, Lemon Twist, Vitamin C, or Moulin Rouge, and packed with a Hemi powerhorse. Not only did it become the definitive Plymouth muscle car, it is one of the most sought after muscle cars in automotive history. “The car was fully restored, but since purchasing it, I’ve spent countless hours trying to find the correct parts,” says Sergio, who runs a restoration auto parts business. “I added trim replacement and restoration, date coded alternator, matching number alternator belt hoses, date coded voltage regulator, date coded OEM correct exhaust clamps, NOS exhaust tips, correct woodgrain gauge restoration, factory restored radio, correct plated jack stand, and a space saver spare.”
For a car that is 35 yeras old, it doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. “Keeping the paint as perfect as possible can be a challenge sometimes, mainly due to bugs, but other than that, this car is easy to maintain. It was built in a simpler time where luxury gadgets were unnecessary.”
Coming from humble beginnings, acquiring a car like this was more a dream than a reality for Sergio. “Growing up in Montreal, muscle cars were everywhere. Street racing was a common occurrence. Seeing the Hemi ‘Cuda for the first time, well, let’s just say it was love at first sight,” he recalls. But it took decades before he could actually find one that he could afford. “The moon and the stars must have been aligned for what seemed to be an unattainable purchase became a reality in 2012 when I found it in a private collection in Florida.”
I asked Sergio what the 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda meant to him other than a teenager’s wet dream. “To me, there is a correlation between Plymouth and myself that anything is possible. Through persistence, we both achieved our goals. And yes, it brings back my days as a youth; a simpler time, and driving it, I feel a surge of pure freedom.”
That freedom is translated into unquestionable performance. “I took the car on a private road and let down the throttle. It was an amazing experience to see just how much pwoer this car really has. Only an owner of a Hemi ‘Cuda can tell you with confidence that there is nothing like it,”
Ferruccio Lamborghini stated to own a Lamborghini, you needed the personality of someone who enjoys the company of a mistress. What personality is best suited for the Hemi ‘Cuda? Sergio drew in a breath before responding. “You have to be a person with drive, ambition, no fear. And to drive it, let’s just say it’s not for the faint of heart.”
After all these years trying to get this car, how has the car changed you? “The moment it was delivered, and in my garage on a cold January night, I looked at the car tucked away safely before going to bed, and it just reinforced to me that hard work and sacrifice does pay off and sometimes the good guys do win.” ‘Cudas retain a special mystique in the muscle car market for their “last of a breed” status and undeniable swagger. The 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda is the pick of the muscle car pack. Its brawny engine and rarity places it on the collector’s pedestal, popular with purists and performance junkies. Not many can command premium prices in stock condition.
Sergio’s face stretched with a grin. “If I had an opportunity to own another muscle car, it would be a ’71 Hemi ‘Cuda. I love the body style. I believe that classic cars and enthusiasts will always be around. What changes is not the passion we have, but the cars that we are enthusiastic about – each generation appreciates the car they grew up with. Mine was the ‘Cuda.”
