[HellcatHellYeah]

A 1971 Plymouth Cuda Convertible went for $1,000.000 at Mecum in Monterey. 😱 not even top of the line.

 

[njsteve]

Sold for $1,100,000 with commission.

It was one of twelve 440 Six Barrel, automatic Cuda convertibles produced in 1971.

I used to own this car and sold it to the late Steve Juliano in 1988. He then turned it into the world's most expensive coffee table. It had 19,000 miles on it at the time and has only 21,000 on it now. It is the best example on the planet. Completely original drivetrain that has never been touched internally - not even a valve cover has been off it. Nevertheless, he completely refurbished the car to an insane level. I don't think the car has even turned a wheel in anger since I sold it 35 years ago.

Here it is when I owned it and drove it like it like it should have been driven. The car was an absolute monster. Fastest orginal, untouched car I ever owned. Even faster than the 1971 426 Hemi Cuda Convertible I had. (but that's another story).

I thought I was the master wheelerdealer back then when I sold it for $38,000.

1971 Plymouth Cuda Convertible | F60 | Monterey 2022 | Mecum Auctions

1971 Plymouth Cuda Convertible presented as Lot F60 at Monterey, CA

www.mecum.com

 

[furious70]

not counting the restoration costs you'd have to have earned 9.5% on your 38k to be worth a million now. Definitely investments that could have done that but adjusted for inflation the indices fall a little short. Course you miss the smiles of ownership as well.

 

[NoScat]

I’ve got a friend with a 1971 Roadrunner. 426 4 speed with about 28k miles. Been sitting in a garage since about 1980. Not a show piece but it’s all there.

 

[Motorcat]

Woulda Coulda Shoulda, we all have them. Bought a used 1968 Olds Convertible in 1972 while in high school for $1500. Drove it for six years. Got another car and parked the Olds for a few months. Went to start it and it wouldn't start. Pissed me off so I towed it to junk yard and sold it for $25.00.

 

[Confuzed2]

I’ve got a friend with a 1971 Roadrunner. 426 4 speed with about 28k miles. Been sitting in a garage since about 1980. Not a show piece but it’s all there.

That's gotta be a super rare car on its own!! Wouldn't it be worth buying and restoring? A quick search says there were only 55 Hemi Roadrunners made that year...28 with 4 speeds!

 

[njsteve]

Here's a couple photos of the old car back when she was just a regular used musclecar in the snow in Ohio. Thse were the days!

 

[SickToo]

E bodies are cool I miss my ‘71 but tbh the car to have back then was a big block ‘68 or 69 (A body)

 

[NoScat]

That's gotta be a super rare car on its own!! Wouldn't it be worth buying and restoring? A quick search says there were only 55 Hemi Roadrunners made that year...28 with 4 speeds!

This guy has so many hemi cars and parts and won’t do a thing with any of them.

 

[SickToo]

I’ve got a friend with a 1971 Roadrunner. 426 4 speed with about 28k miles. Been sitting in a garage since about 1980. Not a show piece but it’s all there.

Heavy FUGLY car but I’m still gonna say it:

frame it - tub it

: )

 

[NoScat]

Heavy FUGLY car but I’m still gonna say it:

frame it - tub it

: )

He’s been offered serious cash and won’t part with it. It is a beast of a car.

 

[18WIDECAT]

Small world NJSteve,
I was friends with Steve Juliano, helped him with some rare parts from my collection, for the 1970 RTS duster back in early 2000's.
We had made plans to go to his private condo in HI for some vacation time, but couldn't do so before he passed away.
He was and always will be a legend in the Mopar community and preserved cars that would have otherwise been lost to time. He was one heck of cool guy that I was lucky to know!

 

[njsteve]

Small world NJSteve,
I was friends with Steve Juliano, helped him with some rare parts from my collection, for the 1970 RTS duster back in early 2000's.
We had made plans to go to his private condo in HI for some vacation time, but couldn't do so before he passed away.
He was and always will be a legend in the Mopar community and preserved cars that would have otherwise been lost to time. He was one heck of cool guy that I was lucky to know!

I was reminiscing about the car over on the yenko.net site and this was one of my recollections about him:

"Years ago I sold the 19,000 mile red 440+6 automatic Cuda ragtop to Steve Juliano (1988, I think it was?). In the early 2000's while cleaning my parent's garage out, I found the mangled, original set of carburetors buried in the garage along with the owners manual paperwork (braking distance, warranty papers etc). I reached out to Steve and the first thing he says, in his NewYawker accent is: "How friggen much are you gonna ransom this shit to me for Steve-O?" I responded in my best Joysey accent: "I want tree tings Stevie: 1) I wanna to see my old frikken car again, 2) I wanna a damn good bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich on white toast with mayo, and 3) A chocolate milkshake. Think youz can handle that, tough guy?" He started laughing hysterically and said. "Sold! I know the exact diner we can meet at." Since he was just over the border in NY, I spent a day visiting and seeing my old car and just handed him everything I found in the garage. It was a fun day. RIP Steve Juliano. (and yes, he paid the diner tab and left a nice tip for the big-haired waitress) "

 

[HellcatHellYeah]

Heavy FUGLY car but I’m still gonna say it:

frame it - tub it

: )

IDK, keep it factory spec, worth way more that way, framing and tubbing it will kill the value. It's not a racer but a collector, if it was some POS that hasn't been maintained and needs all new parts then it may be okay but in good condition with original parts, that adds a lot of value. I'm just not clear on what was done that isn't original.

It was one of twelve 440 Six Barrel, automatic Cuda convertibles produced in 1971.

I used to own this car and sold it to the late Steve Juliano in 1988. He then turned it into the world's most expensive coffee table. It had 19,000 miles on it at the time and has only 21,000 on it now. It is the best example on the planet. Completely original drivetrain that has never been touched internally - not even a valve cover has been off it. Nevertheless, he completely refurbished the car to an insane level. I don't think the car has even turned a wheel in anger since I sold it 35 years ago.

What's meant by "refurbished" period correct OEM parts?

It was an impressive sale until the Bugati, holy crap that thing went for millions, then again a Chiron goes for around $2.5 million new so it's not that big a surprise. What I didn't get was the Lamborghini's, a 2019 was selling for more than the price of a new one, that I don't get but maybe there was some limited edition tag or something I didn't see.

 

[njsteve]

"What's meant by "refurbished" period correct OEM parts?"

It was hard to explain Steve Juliano's expertise with his refurbishment/restorations. I personally thought he had invented a time machine and had it well hidden. His version of a restoration was insane. He would find ORIGINAL unused assembly line parts. Not NOS parts. Not replacement parts. These were what is commonly called "lunchbox parts" which were items smuggled off the assembly line back in the day by employees in their lunch boxes and then sat in a basement or attic for half a century. He also collected Shelby Cobras and GT40s. His old yellow Dragon Snake and blue Competetion Cobra were at this auction but did not sell despite multi-million dollar bids.

I am still not convinced he is actually gone. I think he just got in that time machine and slipped back into the past to another collector car era and is currently walking out during his lunch hour with a lunchbox full of parts.

 

[HellcatHellYeah]

Of the top 10 I'd say the Cuda appreciated the most, those Mercedes were high end cars in the 50's The Ferraris and Bugatti aren't to far away from new price. That's a Plymouth in there with Mercedes, Ferrari, and those super rare cars.

 

[Sarna March]

Heavy FUGLY car but I’m still gonna say it:

frame it - tub it

: )

Doesn't it weigh 600 pounds less than the Hellcats?

 

[NoScat]

Doesn't it weigh 600 pounds less than the Hellcats?

Probably does but damn it’s a rough ride compared to a newer car.

 

[Sarna March]

But isn't the rear axle made of helium alloy?