In the world of classic muscle cars there aren’t many more coveted machines that the Plymouth Hemi Cuda. This rare beast is about as exclusive and desirable as any Ferrari or Bugatti. That said, paying $3.2 million U.S dollars for one still seems on the steep side.

If you have that sort of money to blow then a fully mint example has just been put up for sale. This 1970 Hemi Cuda, has been driven just 17,729 miles, and will set you back the price of roughly 190 brand new Suzuki Swifts.

So why the hell is this car worth so much? Well, it was very rare even when it was built, and this model has a long history in Trans-Am racing in the States but obviously not this particular example. But what really makes this particular car unique is that it’s the first E-body Hemi Cuda, build by hand at Chrysler’s Claire Point, Michigan facility. It was built as a prototype and was never actually intended for sale, but eventually found its way into private hands. (more…)

The team from Famous Pacific Shipping just sent through these pics of their latest arrivals. A 2008 Cadillac CTS-V, Roush Track Pack Mustang and an awesome Cuda convertible.

The new left hand drive laws (as profiled in NZV8 issues 62 & 63) will see the two late model cars registered without requiring conversion from left to right hand drive.

The Cadillac is a very tough car, and is set to become the daily driver for the wife of one of our recent feature car owners. The Mustang is also very tough and we cant wait to see the cars in person cruising the streets of Auckland.

Check out some pics of the American machinery in the gallery below.

“… And so Wayne Grimmer caught the “Big One.” … Enough Said.”

Every good man has his hobbies. Some like golf; others like to tinker in their garage. Wayne Grimmer loves fish. Big, full blown fish to be precise.

This obviously means he loves his game fishing.

Ok guys I’ll stop with the lame jokes. But as you can imagine, I’m profiling Wayne Grimmer and his wicked 1968 Plymouth Barracuda. And I mean what isn’t there to love about it? It’s big, bad and it does some extreme wheelies on the start line. Wayne has been around the drag racing scene for quite a while, but my Dad and I discovered him when were at the drags, and he pointed out the ‘Cuda. “Now that’s a real car!” he exclaimed with excitement, eager to see how it ran on the start line, and he was itching to have a look, when it rolled gracefully back into the pits. As you can imagine, dad was off like a rocket (and began scoping around, pointing out all the specs in the engine, getting down to look underneath it, around it, you name it.

Now, my Dad being from the hot rod scene in his day (he owned a T-Bucket) always enjoys talking to me about the cars he owned or that he wished to own, and he admitted to me later that afternoon as we were driving back to Auckland, that a Plymouth was high on his list of cars he wants to own. And I could hardly argue. It was incredible. Though honestly, the child in me found the giant Barracuda painted down the sides of the car to be the most appealing.

As you all probably guessed by now, the joke is because his car is a Barracuda and I’ve made it look like a half car half fish hybrid. Again I’m impressed with how this has turned out, especially the car. And of course the small cartoon version of Wayne, having hooked the “Big One.” I do have to give the credit to dad as it was his idea for this one. Thanks Dad!

So, all in all, Wayne Grimmer, that car of yours is definitely a sight for sore eyes, and turns heads where ever she goes. An exceptional car that shows true love and dedication for what you do, and shows you have a real passion for drag racing. I also have that awesome poster of your car that was in NZV8 magazine a while back. Looks awesome on my bedroom wall!

Coming up next:
Something a little special…Watch this space!

270hp 340 engine, this lime green/black example has manual steering and brakes

Variety of Mopar machinery with some sweet burnouts

If Chrysler wasn’t already halfway doomed when the new Challenger was in the design phase, there could well have been a Cuda remake also. Since that obviously didn’t happen though, there are plenty of workshops out there who are transforming the new Dodge’s into old Plymouth replicas.

Legendary “Mr Norm” of Grand Spaulding Dodge in Chicago who has been playing with Mopars for many years now is just one such person. He has just released a 426 Hemi powered Cuda convertible based on the Challenger platform. Those who know their Mopar’s know that the old Hemi Cuda convertibles fetch over a million dollars. While Mr Norms version isn’t quite that expensive, we wouldn’t expect it to be cheap either.

The 426 is fitted with a Kenne Bell supercharger to create 725 hp, which is exactly the same as the top of the line Shelby Mustang SuperSnake. To handle that grunt each car has been fitted with a Viper-spec Dana 44 diff, subframe connectors and no doubt a strengthened body.

To find out more about Mr. Norm and what he does, click here to check out his website.

At last year’s SEMA Auto Show famous American Dodge dealer and car tuner Mr Norm unveiled a seriously upgraded Super Challenger. It was a total success and became one of the highlights of the show. Now, Mr Norm’s latest addition to its long-running ‘Super’ line of cars is based around the new Dodge Challenger, more specifically the high-performance SRT8 model. The Super Challenger and the Super Cuda have just begun full production at Mr. Norm’s facilities in Florida, USA.

The Super Challenger takes its inspiration from the original 1971 Mr. Norm’s Super Challenger Super Fuel Funny Car. The show car featured a black paint scheme with red stripes and ‘Mr. Norm’ labeling on the front fenders. Inside, the Super Challenger gets custom Katzkin leather trim, a Hurst pistol grip shifter, and special door sills.

Exterior upgrades include 22in forged wheels by Rodtana, Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires, a Hotchkis suspension kit, a Mopar ‘Six-Pack’ hood, and a SSBC eight-piston brake package. A new front spoiler and side scoops by Hurst Customs provide the finishing touches.

Modifications to the car’s 6.1 litre HEMI V8 include a Corsa Performance cat back dual exhaust system and a Kenne Bell supercharger system with a front-mount intercooler. The end result is a claimed 900hp (671kW) output. For those that don’t want to speed around with their hair on fire there’s a tamer 650hp (485kW) kit available too.

The Super ‘Cuda’ features similar mods to the Challenger but has been designed to resemble the original AAR Cuda from the 1970s. It’s intended as a modern interpretation of the classic Cuda grille and tail panel, coupled with an aggressive front spoiler and black body stripes. The Super Challengers are available in a range of colors but the Super Cuda is available solely in Hemi Orange.

The January 2009 issue of NZV8 has just hit the shelves, so grab a copy today. It’s the biggest issue of NZV8 ever with 156 power-packed pages. Inside we have feature cars galore including a 528CI Hemi-powered ‘Cuda, a tubbed, chopped and blown 57 Chev, a ultra-rare Hurst Oldsmobile, a Windsor-powered Cortina. We run some tests on GPS tracking units and have a look at some true Kiwi success stories, we have a sash of pics from the SEMA show in Las Vegas, and get a good look at the next generation of Holden V8s. We have all the usual advice and technical information, readers rides and competitions to keep you up to date with the world of NZ V8s. Pick up a copy now.