Plymouth Hemi Cuda 1970

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Plymouth Hemi Cuda is a car made in 1970 or precisely finished manufactured on August 1, 1969 at Chrysler's Claire Point, Michigan, United States.

At first, the producer-Chrysler-not intend to sell it. However, eventually the manufacturer began producing and marketing.

The production car is also relatively brief, lasting only until 1970 or 1971 models. Plymouth Cuda was offered in coupe and convertible variants with advanced engine HEMI.

Excellence HEMI engine for the car version of the highway is the power to 450 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. Power is transmitted to the wheels by using the manual transmission or four-speed automatic transmission level Torquelife three speed levels.

HEMI comes from a term that means a semi-circle hemispherical or dome. Fuel combustion chamber resembling a dome it had previously been used in mortar or cannon and began to be used by the car manufacturer in 1901.

One of the advantages to the engine combustion chamber dome is suction or intake valve and exhaust valve or exhaust are on opposite position. Thanks to such a position, the combustion process even more perfect. Power output was also more perfect.

Plymouth HEMI Cuda ever offered at a price of U.S. $ 3.2 million. Only, until now owners and auction houses that offer Plymouth HEMI Cuda did not specify the condition of the car has to offer.

Source: autotraderclassics.com.

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Big memories of Edna's Plymouth

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BY MIKE BERRY
The Wichita Eagle

Mike Kline realized at a young age that his great aunt Edna was someone special. Although she was a tiny lady, she drove a great big green car and it attracted a lot of attention.

The car was a 1947 Plymouth Model P-15 Special DeLuxe 4-door sedan.

"She was the original owner... she and her husband, Ed, bought it new in 1947," said Kline. New cars were still something of a rarity in those early post-war years.

"It could be seen almost any Sunday in front of St. Anthony's Church. People would stop and gawk at it. She got used to people following her home and putting a bid in on it.

"She was the ticket-taker at the Miller Theater downtown, and she used to sneak me and my brother in. We thought that was a riot... tickets were what, about 25 cents then," Mike Kline said.

Edna Kline drove her original, unrestored Plymouth until she was 91.

"When I was about 10 years old, everybody was talking about Edna's car, so I asked her, 'Can I have it when you're done with it?' " Mike Kline recalled. Luckily for him, she realized he shared her passion for the car and said yes.

"She taught me how to back it out of her garage. I was probably about 16 and I would drive it around the block," he said.

All of the old mechanics who worked on the car are long since gone, but Aunt Edna had confidence that her great nephew would know how to take care of her prized Plymouth.

"What you don't know about the car, it will teach you, in time," she told him sagely. And so, after she too was gone, he was able to buy the Plymouth from her estate and to continue to care for it the way she had.

"I'm the second owner. It's nothing glamorous or sexy. It's been that way since it was built. This is all original, save for the paint job," Kline said.

The original olive green, which he said screamed of World War II Army staff car, was replaced at some point with a more pleasing civilian green color.

With 86,000 miles on it, the engine has never been overhauled.

"The flathead 6 is still good and hums down the highway," Kline said.

The original 3-speed transmission remains in use, as do the factory-issued wheels, hubcaps and trim rings. A set of reproduction BF Goodrich Silvertown tires have been added, but the car still runs inner tubes in the tires, just like the old days.

Inside, the original mohair upholstery remains in remarkably good condition, as do the hand-painted wood-grained instrument panel and window moldings. Suicide rear doors emphasize the spaciousness of the somewhat itchy interior.

"It rolls down the street and runs fine. It has such a presence on the street that people notice it," Kline said. "I had to teach my two boys the drill because when I would be in the QuikTrip I would come out and there would be five guys pumping them with questions about the car."

One of his sons will be married in a few weeks and the new bride and groom have requested that they be driven to the airport to leave on their honeymoon in the car everyone refers to as "Edna."

"That's her legacy. Everybody says, 'Are you taking good care of 'Edna?' " Kline said.

There's no question about that.

"I still have the pillow she would have to sit on to see over the wheel. I've got the book that came with it, and Edna's original title," Kline said. He opens the glove box and reveals a tiny travel kit: a cardboard box containing a bottle of Campho-Phenique, a metal Band-Aid box and a collapsible drinking cup.

"I pretty much want to save it the way it always was. I like to put big band stuff on my iPod and drive around in it. It takes me back to a time when I didn't exist. It's a real snapshot in time," Mike Kline said.

Aunt Edna would approve.

source: www.kansas.com

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1972 Plymouth Barracuda 340 - Moulin Rouge In Baton Rouge

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Building A Car That's 2,000-Plus Miles Away From Home

From the February, 2011 issue of Mopar Muscle

By Scott Ross

Photography by Kevin DiOssi

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. That is a '72 Plymouth 'Cuda wearing FM3 Moulin Rouge High Impact paint on its restored E-Body sheetmetal. You can thank one of the under-25 members of the Mopar hobby for the color choice.

Stephanie Williams' family has always had car people, so says her father Steve. "As a young person, my brother Mike and I, and most of the guys in the family, were really into cars," he recalls from his Baton Rouge, Louisiana, home. "We had a mentor in our family, our grandfather, who was a Mopar salesman. The first car that we learned how to drive and work on was a '66 Charger with a 318."


Fast forward a few decades and another stylish Mopar is in the Williams' driveway. But, we're getting a little bit ahead of the story.

This project began at a family gathering a few years back. "My uncle had the 'Cuda up in California. He came to Louisiana for a family function and started talking about it with my dad and my big brother, Collin, who drives an '06 Charger SRT8," says Stephanie. "I was interested in it, and he said that he would build it for me. That's how that project got started." Fortunately, the 'Cuda in question was in "project ready" shape, and the only areas on its unibody that needed new steel were the front fenders, lower rear quarters, and the C-pillars near the rear window.

Steve says that one goal of the project was to bring this Barracuda back to the performance level the '72s had when new while keeping costs down. That started with the 340 under the hood. "We wanted to make it look pretty, and not so much high performance for a 16-year-old," says Steve of the 'Cuda and its LA-series engine. "It's a [decent] engine with primarily the original 340 parts in it. We added headers, a crossover pipe, and cutouts to complete the exhaust system, and we also added the rear valence with the exhaust tip cutouts because we all liked how that exhaust came through the rear valence," says Steve. "Of course, the paint Stephanie liked a lot, from the previous Mopar pinks that she'd seen."

The code FM3 color that Stephanie chose is one of the eye-grabbingest of the High Impact paints-but one of the rarest when it comes to production cars. That's because Moulin Rouge (and Panther Pink, per the Dodge color chart) was added to the option list in the middle of the 1970 model run and was not used as a factory color after 1970.

Another appearance item that wasn't on any '72 Plymouth options list: the AAR-inspired strobe stripes on each side of Stephanie's 'Cuda. Not only are they not OEM, but they're not made of the vinyl tape that so many '70s cars were trimmed with. "We spent a lot of time making the contrasting strobe stripes, which are painted on," says Steve. "That stripe itself has some luminescent material mixed in it, so after the car's been in bright sunshine all day, if you put it in the dark, those strobe stripes glow. That's a cool thing to see!"

Inside, the cabin's colors and modern-tech electronics are Stephanie's ideas. "I chose the radio and the GPS tracking system that's in it," she says. "Also the seat colors were going to be black, but I asked them to do a bright white."

After the 'Cuda was done last spring, Stephanie and her family traveled to Mopars at the Strip in Las Vegas, where they got their first look at the finished car. "The stripes were a surprise to me," Stephanie recalls. "When I first saw those glow at night, I didn't know what was going on. The only thing I kept saying was, 'Oh my God!' I was shocked!"

But that wasn't all. Mopars at the Strip was where Stephanie, at age 16, got her first chance to drive the pink 'Cuda-and where she took second place in her class in the weekend's autocross competion. Not only that, but that's where she did her first burnout, which our Kevin DiOssi captured with his camera. "I wasn't expecting the show to be that big," she says of the all-Mopar weekend whose exploits in Vegas don't stay in Vegas. "I thought it was just going to be a few hundred people, but it was a lot bigger than that."

Big as it was, there was something bigger ahead for Stephanie after the show-a nearly 1,700-mile-long trip home to Baton Rouge. "I was kind of scared at first," says Stephanie of the trip, but she was far from alone on the 27-hour straight-through trip. Her uncle accompanied her, and the rest of the family kept track of her cross-country progress. "My brother Michael and Stephanie left early on Monday morning while the rest of the family flew home to Louisiana," says Steven. "They wanted to drive back, so they drove it straight through. We were tracking them on GPS, and we were getting updates, including excessive speed notifications, as they were coming toward Baton Rouge." When they got home, there was another surprise waiting for them-a family get-together. "Most of the family had never seen the car," says Steven, "so upon their arrival we had a big crawfish boil in the backyard."

Does Stephanie or Steve have any advice for any Mopar builders to be? Steve remembers the role his grandfather played in his grandson's past, as a mentor that kept him interested in cars (Mopars, especially) and out of trouble. "My advice is to gravitate toward a family member who is into cars and do a lot of research on how to perform a project," he says. "You have to understand what your capabilities are, where to start, how much money to spend on the first project, and go from there. A lot of people have a lot of frustration when they go through this the first time, so you definitely need to read ahead and understand what you want to drive and how much of a budget you have."

Fast Facts '72 Plymouth 'Cuda 340 Owned by: Stephanie Williams, Baton Rouge, Lousiana

Mopar Power

* Engine: Original 340 was treated to a rebuild that included a Hughes hydraulic camshaft and lifters, an Edelbrock AirGap intake with a 650 cfm Holley on top, MSD electronic ignition, Doug's Headers and a Pypes 2 1/2-inch exhaust system with cross-over pipe, cutouts and 40-series Flowmaster mufflers.
* Transmission: 727 Torqueflite was rebuilt with a shift kit and other goodies from Mancini Racing.
* Rearend: 3.23-geared 8-3/4 with an open differential

Sure Grip

* Suspension: (Front) Longitudinal heavy-duty torsion bars, unequal length A-Arms and tubular Edelbrock shocks with a front anti-sway bar (Rear) Leaf springs and tubular Edelbrock shocks with a rear anti-sway bar
* Brakes: Restored OEM front disc/rear drum brakes, power-assisted.
* Wheels and Tires: Chromed Rallye wheels (15 x 7 inches in front, 15 x 8 inches in back) wear BFGoodrich Radial TA's, 235/60R15 in front, 275/60R15 in back.

High Impact

* Body: Original 1972 Plymouth E-Body two-door unibody was restored with lower rear quarter patch panels and new steel in the C-Pillars near the rear window
* Paint: Non-original FM3 Moulin Rouge was applied in PPG basecoat/clearcoat by Uncle Mike Williams and Brian Dowdy at Golden Age Restorations, Orland, California. They also painted on the luminescent AAR-style side stripes.
* Interior: Restored original '72 'Cuda, with new seat covers by Cleveland Upholstery, Orland, California.

www.moparmusclemagazine.com

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1999 Plymouth Breeze Base

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Introduction
Something's happened over the past 20 years. Back when the Baby Boomers were wearing bell bottoms and beads, young buyers could pick up a stripped-down new car without asking for an advance on their family inheritance. These days, it's almost impossible to find anything that fits into the "truly affordable" category. One reason is that even the low-end Asian imports are loaded up with high-cost and high-profit features.

The Plymouth Breeze is designed to rework that equation. This roomy sedan is the type of low-price, high-value vehicle that should blow away the competition. It's sporty, stylish and offers a surprising amount of interior space, yet it's affordable enough to attract many of the young buyers who might otherwise be forced to settle for something "pre-owned."

The Breeze is one of three Chrysler "cloud cars," compact cars that offer nearly as much interior space as a midsize sedan. Of the trio (Cirrus, Stratus, Breeze), the Breeze is the "stripped down" version. But don't think that means a bare-bones, barely driveable car.

The Plymouth Breeze comes standard with popular features: air conditioning, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, power front-disc/rear-drum brakes, AM/FM stereo, tilt steering column and dual front airbags. For 1999, power windows, door locks and mirrors have been made standard equipment.

Better yet, you won't feel like you're driving the domestic equivalent of a Yugo. Here's a look at what you get for your money.

Walkaround
The sedan segment is a staid lot. Line 'em up and you'd have a hard time telling most apart without taking a close look at the name badges. Not so with the Breeze. Like all the Chrysler cloud cars, it is a stylish standout. The aggressive, steep-sloping hoodline gives the Breeze a constant sense of motion and grace.

Better yet, the eye-pleasing look has a functional side. The automaker calls it "cab forward" design. You move the wheels close to the car's corners, minimize the engine compartment and devote the rest to passengers and cargo. The Breeze offers a big trunk and lots of rear-seat passenger space. That's certainly a plus when you're working up the value equation.

Out of sight, but not out of mind, Plymouth has taken steps to improve the '99 Breeze, reducing noise, vibration and harshness and upgrading ride comfort. All in all, the car doesn't look like something you'd have to make excuses for, and there are no apologies to be made when you take it for a drive, either.

Interior
The Breeze may be what they like to call "decontented" these days, but it still offers a surprising range of standard features, including air conditioning, dual air bags, intermittent windshield wipers and a rear-window defroster.

But it's roominess that makes the Breeze a stand-out in its class. The Breeze has nearly as much room as most midsize 4-doors, even though it is officially classified a compact sedan. You'll also find tremendous cargo space inside the cavernous trunk, enough for a golf foursome-and a picnic lunch.

The Breeze audio system was an especially nice touch. It comes with a cassette player and a CD upgrade is available. The Expresso package is a particularly popular version. It comes with unique interior fabric, badging and an AM/FM cassette stereo.

Fit and finish has been improved since the 1996 introduction of the Breeze. Door gaps have been tightened and everything seems to be put together better than we remembered when we first drove the car a few years back.

Back in the old days, a stripped sedan was likely to come with cheesy cloth bench seats. Forget about it. These comfortable buckets are attractive and supportive in all the right places.

Safety features include dual front airbags and anti-lock brakes. For parents, the integrated rear child safety seat is a real plus. And the security package includes remote keyless entry, panic alarm, illuminated entry and headlight turn-off delay.

Traction control is not on the option list, though, and would be a nice addition. Parents will be pleased to know they can order an integrated rear child safety seat. And there's a theft-deterrent security package available, as well.

Driving Impressions
We weren't blown away by the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. With 132 horsepower, you'll be able to merge into freeway traffic, but you'll need to give yourself time for a 65-mph pass. The Breeze with this engine is an acceptable economy package for those who only worry about the bottom line. (It gets 23/31 mpg EPA city/highway when equipped with an automatic transmission, 26/37 mpg when fitted with the 5-speed manual.) But in an era of cheap gas, even budget-minded buyers seem willing to spend a bit for a little more off-the-line muscle.

The 2.4-liter, double overhead-cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine is, for our money, a better package. It bumps the pony count to 150 horsepower, and that's just enough to make a difference. You still get great fuel economy (an EPA city/highway estimated 21/30 mpg) as well as a little more punch.

The bigger engine comes with a 4-speed, electronically controlled automatic transmission. The base engine is offered with either an automatic or a 5-speed manual.

As we noted already, there have been marked improvements since Breeze was introduced, especially when it comes to noise, vibration and harshness. The car isn't nearly as quiet as a Camry, but that's asking a lot. NVH levels are easily within our comfort range, especially with the upgrade engine package. And it appears that Chrysler has taken the time to beef up sound-deadening insulation used to isolate road and tire noise.

Happily, they haven't isolated road feel. And that's one of the best features of the Breeze. You're readily in touch with what the car is doing at all times. Credit the independent front and rear suspension, front and rear anti-roll bars, and speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering. The suspension is nicely damped, filtering some of the vibration from Detroit's broken pavement, yet it feels firm and controlled.

Handling is pretty good in this car. It's stable in corners and doesn't get ruffled by abrupt throttle changes. It offers good grip and well-controlled transient response. So it can handle an emergency lane-change maneuver. It's predictable when driven hard with surprisingly little understeer. (Most front-wheel-drive sedan tend toward lots of understeer -- where the front tires lose grip before the rear tires and the car tends to go straight in a corner.) The Breeze is quite stable at high speed and not overly sensitive to breezes -- or even strong crosswinds.

The anti-lock brakes proved comfortably sure-footed on wet and dreary Detroit highways. The brake system uses front discs and rear drums.

Headlight performance is a weak point for the Breeze. It's been a consistent problem with Chrysler products, a sacrifice made to accommodate smaller, more aerodynamic headlamps. (Few buyers shop for headlight performance and it's a difficult thing for us to measure.) The defroster could also use some beefing up. On a cold Detroit morning, it took quite a while to clear off the massive windshield.

1999 Breeze Review Summary & Specifications
It's been a long time since the Baby Boomers wore bell bottoms--and could get a new car at an affordable price. These days, entry level buyers--whether Boomers on a budget, or Gen-Xers finishing college--will find it rough to afford anything new. But if they're looking for a real alternative to a three-year-old sedan, the Breeze should land high on their shopping list.

It's a great-looking car that's also roomy and loaded with more standard features than you'd expect. And for just a little more, you can add a lot of upgrades, everything from CD sound to a peppier powertrain.

Plain and simple, the Breeze is a car to consider.

www.automotive.com

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