Have you ever dreamed of finding a long-forgotten gem in the back of a barn but thought they no longer exist? This 1970 Chrysler Plymouth Barracuda proves you should still be knocking on doors. Ryan Brutt from the Auto Archaeology YouTube channel takes us on a video tour of a barn in Arkansas containing several gems, including the Hemi Cuda, that needs very little polish.
How Does A 1970 Hemi Cuda Stay In A Barn For 40 Years?
HotCars staff spoke with Brutt confirming the story in the video. The barn housing this particular "quadruple black" Hemi Cuda seen in the video was its second barn home. “It was kept in a garage in Memphis, then a farm in Arkansas. It hasn't been driven in 40 years,” Brutt told HotCars.
The story is that Danny, the man who owns the Arkansas barn, bought the Cuda in 1978 out of a barn in Memphis, Tennessee, for $2,000. The Cuda's Memphis owner sold the car to Danny without the Hemi engine, bucket seats, and other essential parts, but overall, the car was in good condition. Over the years, Danny slowly acquired the needed parts to rebuild the car, including a new factory Hemi short-block crate motor designed as a warranty replacement. Danny purchased the short-block assembly from a seller on eBay with part of his $200,000 Powerball winnings in 2011.
Is there a Hemi Cuda in a Barn Near You?
If we've learned anything from watching car rebuilding shows on television and YouTube, it is that finding a treasure hidden under a pile of junk happens more than most of us ever thought possible. More often than not, people buy an old project car that never gets finished due to life changes, finances, or the reality that fixing an old car is a big commitment. Other times a beloved automobile breaks down, and life requires parking the car until it's no longer feasible to repair.
It is not unusual at all to inquire about buying a rusted heap with a tree growing through where the windshield glass should be, only to find out that the owner "will fix it up someday." But you won't know unless you ask, and there is no way to know what lurks underneath a dusty old tarp in the back corner of that dilapidated barn just outside of town until you knock on the door and ask.