Hemmings Daily: The coolest 'Cuda at the 2019 SEMA Show

When the December 2019 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines hit newsstands and mailboxes, it brought an unusual cover subject: an unfinished car still wearing primer. The accompanying story details how the owners of the 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda brought the car to Zane Cullen's Cotati Speed Shop in Santa Rosa, California, to have the long-abandoned project built into a modern street machine, veering away from the previous owner's intentions of a Pro Street influenced drag racer. Zane and the crew at Cotati conc [View in Browser | Subscribe]( [Hemmings Daily] Friday, November 8, 2019 [The coolest 'Cuda at the 2019 SEMA Show]( [The coolest 'Cuda at the 2019 SEMA Show]( Posted by Terry McGean - When the December 2019 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines hit newsstands and mailboxes, it brought an unusual cover subject: an unfinished car still wearing primer. The accompanying story details how the owners of the 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda brought the car to Zane Cullen's Cotati Speed Shop in Santa Rosa, California, to have the long-abandoned project built into a modern street machine, veering away from the previous owner's intentions of a Pro Street influenced drag racer. Zane and the crew at Cotati conc... [Read More]( [Sponsor]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1983 Piaggio Ape P2]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1983 Piaggio Ape P2]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Unrestored 1983 Piaggio Ape P2 for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: Up for Sale is a nice original 1983 Piaggio APE 50 version P2. It's a 2-stoke and is a blast to drive to the car shows or use for a marketing vehicle. Clean FL title! Thanks to the exciting new P2 look, combined with the three wheel, rear wheel drive configuration, Ape 50 is also capable for off road use. This Ape is in good all original condition and very comfortable & fun to drive. Does have it's minor dents etc from ag...[Read More]( [Ford v Ferrari is worth watching, even with the Hollywood treatment]( [Ford v Ferrari is worth watching, even with the Hollywood treatment]( Posted by Hemmings contributor - Ford v Ferrari is a story that's been a long time comingin fact, it's been over 53 years since Ford beat Ferrari at Le Mans. It took that long to take the bones of that story and bring it to the big screen as a drama. And it's a story worth telling. A sort of David-versus-Goliath tale, though sometimes, considering Ferrari's experience in endurance racing (five back-to-back victories at Le Mans leading up to their defeat in '66), you wonder if tiny Ferrari is really the Goliath. This will be classifi...[Read More]( [Sponsor]( [VIDEO: The history of the first Pro-Touring car, Mark Stielow's Tri-Tip 1969 Camaro]( [VIDEO: The history of the first Pro-Touring car, Mark Stielow's Tri-Tip 1969 Camaro]( Posted by Mike Austin - We've waxed poetic about Mark Stielow's Tri-Tip 1969 Camaro a few times before, including a deep dive into the car's history and how it carved its name into muscle car history. As a quick review, yes, there were other vintage muscle cars with modern power and big brakes before this one, but Stielow, who works as an engineer at General Motors, found a unique balance. He took an existing car, almost completely redesigned the suspension, and built a machine that kept pace with serious track cars while retaining a level...[Read More]( [Denver, 1975]( [Denver, 1975]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: May 1975 Location: Denver, Colorado Source: Boyd Norton, via U.S. National Archives What do you see here? ...[Read More]( [Champion for Autism Awareness and two-time Great Race winner Rex Gardner passes]( [Champion for Autism Awareness and two-time Great Race winner Rex Gardner passes]( Posted by Jim O'Clair - The Vintage Car Rally Association (VCRA), The Great Race, Hemmings Motor News, and the Race for Autism lost a great friend and hero this week, with the passing of Rex Gardner of Grove, Oklahoma. Rex has been a fixture in The Great Race since 1984, the second year of the contest, and won the event twice driving a 1917 Hudson Indianapolis racer. In recent years, he has campaigned his flathead V-8-powered 1935 Ford coupe with his grandson, Kolton Hastert, as navigator. While The Great Race was on hiatus for several ...[Read More]( [Sponsor]( [This Day in Automotive History] THIS DAY IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY 11/8/1866: Herbert Austin born, Buckinghamshire, England UPCOMING EVENTS [Hot Spring Classic Auto Auction]( November 15, 2019 - Hot Springs, AR [Goodguys 22nd Speedway Motors Southwest Nationals]( November 15, 2019 - Scottsdale, AZ [Cruisin' Against Prostate Cancer]( November 16, 2019 - Clearwater, FL [Chicagoland Antique Advertising, Slot Machine and Jukebox Show]( November 16, 2019 - Grayslake, IL [Heims BBQ on The River Classic Car Show]( November 16, 2019 - Ft. worth, TX [6th Annual Aircooled for Charity Car Show]( November 16, 2019 - West Palm Beach, FL [See All Events]( [Sponsor]( FEATURED AUCTIONS [1949 Chevrolet 3100]( [1949 Chevrolet 3100]( [1975 Chevrolet C20]( [1975 Chevrolet C20]( [1956 Lincoln Premiere]( [1956 Lincoln Premiere]( [1963 Rambler 660]( [1963 Rambler 660]( [1969 Chevrolet Camaro]( [1969 Chevrolet Camaro]( [1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL]( [1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL]( [1988 Merkur XR4TI]( [1988 Merkur XR4TI]( [1970 Chevrolet Camaro]( [1970 Chevrolet Camaro]( [1966 Chevrolet Chevelle]( [1966 Chevrolet Chevelle]( [1958 Cadillac]( [1958 Cadillac]( PROMOTED LISTING [1969 Chevrolet Camaro]( [1969 Chevrolet Camaro]( [$65,000]( [mercedes 300 sel 6.3]( [mercedes 300 sel 6.3]( [$15,000]( [View All Classifieds]( FEATURED IN THE BLOG [A sports car classic turns 50: Remembering Triumph's TR6]( [A sports car classic turns 50: Remembering Triumph's TR6]( [Ask a Hemmings Editor: How many Oldsmobile F-88s did GM make?]( [Ask a Hemmings Editor: How many Oldsmobile F-88s did GM make?]( [See All Featured Blog Posts]( FOLLOW US: [Hemmings Instagram]( [Follow us on Twitter]( [Join us on Facebook]( [View our Flickr pool]( [View Newsletter Archives]( WEEK IN REVIEW Thursday, November 7, 2019 [Cotati Speed Shop readies a 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda for SEMA]( [Cotati Speed Shop readies a 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda for SEMA]( Posted by Dan Stoner - For dyed-in-the-wool gearheads, Northern California is a special place: In a relatively small geographic area, there's a higher concentration of unique strains of car culture than just about anywhere else in the country. Antiques, customs, hot rods, lowriders, overlanders, bikes, vintage military, Eurosport, JDM, classics, old boats, vintage circle track, the truck scene, dragsters and muscle cars are all equally represented. There's even a chopper moped gang. The point is there are literal tons of influence, that all f...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1989 Ford Probe GT]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1989 Ford Probe GT]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Turbocharged unrestored 1989 Ford Probe GT for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: Three owners and 160,000 original miles, No Rust, No Accidents. This offering is for a Rare and carefully revitalized survivor car. It has Original Paint and Interior with minimal repairs performed to maintain the survivor class of this Unique Show Car. The vast majority of parts used are Ford Factory original or OEM replacements to maintain originality of the car and uphold factory specifications. Major Mechanical ...[Read More]( [SEMA 2019: Day two video walkaround, looking at custom trucks]( [SEMA 2019: Day two video walkaround, looking at custom trucks]( Posted by Mike Austin - It's time for another video walkaround at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. If you haven't seen day one yet, check it out here. In today's installment, Dan Stoner is joined by Hemmings Editor in Chief Terry McGean for a look at the cars and trucks on display outside of the convention hall. Which, it turns out, is mostly trucks. Dan and Terry discuss the history behind some of the models where the trucks started, and highlight a few features we've seen this year on several builds. As before, more of our vid...[Read More]( [Bill Lear once tried to build an Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Reno just to test his steam-powered racer]( [Bill Lear once tried to build an Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Reno just to test his steam-powered racer]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Bill Lear gestured confidently off toward the horizon outside of Reno while bulldozers pushed dirt behind him. Here, he told reporters, would rise an Indianapolis Motor Speedway of the west, a grand design with the sole purpose of developing a steam-powered racer to take on the field at the actual speedway back east. Neither ever materialized. In 1968, Lear found himself rich and bored and, according to some reports, suicidal. He'd sold off Lear Incorporated in 1962 and Lear Jet Corp. in 1967. Before that, he'd w...[Read More]( [Hot Wheels crowns a new Legends Tour winner to be turned into a die-cast model]( [Hot Wheels crowns a new Legends Tour winner to be turned into a die-cast model]( Posted by Mike Austin - For the second year in a row, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour picked one car to be immortalized as a 1:64 scale die-cast toy car at the SEMA Show. This time around, the finalists came from 20 different car shows in the United States and Mexico. The grand prize went to this 1957 Nash Metropolitan, built by Greg Salzillo and Greg Ford. The finalist judging panel was packed with automotive celebrities, including Jay Leno, Adam Carolla, Richard Rawlings, Dave Marek, and Peter Brock. This little Nash Metro has a small...[Read More]( [Honolulu, Hawaii, 1973]( [Honolulu, Hawaii, 1973]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: October 1973 Location: Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii Source: Charles O'Rear, via U.S. National Archives What do you see here?...[Read More]( [Mercedes-Benz 540 K wins Best of Show at Hilton Head Island Concours]( [Mercedes-Benz 540 K wins Best of Show at Hilton Head Island Concours]( Posted by Richard Lentinello - This striking 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet won the coveted Best of Show honors at Sunday's Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance. Owned by collector Robert Jepson, Jr. of nearby Savannah, Georgia, and restored by Prueitt Automotive Restoration in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, the exquisite quality of this supercharged beauty was breathtaking to behold. The show field at Hilton Head is always one of great diversity, with many truly rare and significant examples both pre- and postwar American and foreign ...[Read More]( Wednesday, November 6, 2019 [SEMA Show 2019: Video from day one on the show floor]( [SEMA Show 2019: Video from day one on the show floor]( Posted by Mike Austin - The 2019 SEMA Show is in full swing, and we're right in the middle of the action at the Las Vegas Convention Center. To give you a taste of the action back home, our own Dan Stoner took a walk of the show floor. Take a look, and check out more of our video from SEMA on our Facebook page. ...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1954 Volvo PV444]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1954 Volvo PV444]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - LCP veteran 1954 Volvo PV444 for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This race car comes with an extensive list of modifications, beginning with custom made wide body includes front fenders, trunk and hood. Included is a La Carrera legal roll cage, OMP race seats, Brontz rally computer, Fire suppression system, quick release steering, full rally instrumentation, 18 gal. fuel cell by Fuel Safe (bladder was replaced in 2010). A race built Volvo B-20 engine with dual 45 side draft Weber carburetors, S...[Read More]( [These models of a custom '73 Challenger are almost as rare as the car]( [These models of a custom '73 Challenger are almost as rare as the car]( Posted by Jeff Koch - If you've read our story about the one-off 1973 Dodge Challenger presented to the winner of The Colonial, a Charles-Schwab-sponsored PGA Tour event held in Texas, you already know about how the car was miraculously put together in less than four months. It's quite the feat, but perhaps more improbable is how the car's eventual owner predicted it would be his. Steve Strope of Pure Vision explains: When Schwab announced this car as a prize and released the artwork in mid-April, Steve recalled, golf pro Kev...[Read More]( [Omaha, Nebraska, 1971]( [Omaha, Nebraska, 1971]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: 1971 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Source: University of Nebraska Omaha Criss Library What do you see here?...[Read More]( [The Dodge Challenger Drag Pak returns for 2020]( [The Dodge Challenger Drag Pak returns for 2020]( Posted by Mike Austin - Chevrolet has the COPO Camaro, Ford has the Mustang Cobra Jet, and Dodge has the Challenger Drag Pak. Each one is a limited-edition, track-only turnkey drag racer from the factory. Dodge will bring out a new version of its model next year, with a reveal at the 2019 SEMA Show . We last saw a new Challenger Drag Pak in 2015, preceded by models in 2010 and 2008 (yet another reminder that the current Challenger has been around a long time). Dodge will build just 50 of these quarter-mile specials, and there are few detai...[Read More]( Tuesday, November 5, 2019 [This modified 1973 Challenger was built in under four months as a golf tournament prize]( [This modified 1973 Challenger was built in under four months as a golf tournament prize]( Posted by Jeff Koch - Modified muscle is, by design, personalized. Color, power, wheels, driving feel--all are highly subjective and are ideally dictated by the owner/builder. What the car is, how it performs, how it looks and feels … how it makes the owner feel … all are meant to be curated and custom-tailored for an audience of one. How do you build a custom car for someone when no one knows who the end user will be? How do you build a custom car for someone who (whisper it) may not even be into cars? Such was the conundrum p...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1977 Toyota Celica ST]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1977 Toyota Celica ST]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Original condition 1977 Toyota Celica ST for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This truly is a time capsule survivor car, and may be a handful of its kind. Original items included are the doormats, radio with cassette player, rims and gas cap. Even original is the ignition key. I am the second owner of this beautiful car, that was purchased two years ago from an estate in Ohio. This car is 100% rust and bondo free with no prior accidents. The pictures and video speak for themselves. Granted, l...[Read More]( [The last time the Indianapolis Motor Speedway changed hands, it was a dilapidated wreck]( [The last time the Indianapolis Motor Speedway changed hands, it was a dilapidated wreck]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - These days, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway looks pristine, polished, and ready for the world stage pretty much any day of the year, and that condition certainly played no small role in the sale of the American motorsports institution from the Hulman family to Roger Penske, as announced on Monday. That was not the case, however, when Tony Hulman first laid eyes on the track prior to buying it nearly 75 years ago. Eddie Rickenbacker likely didn't intend to let the track deteriorate during World War II. He bought i...[Read More]( [Take my advice, you want a 450 SEL 6.9, just not the one I had]( [Take my advice, you want a 450 SEL 6.9, just not the one I had]( Posted by Mike Austin - When it comes to big Benzes, there are few that were as ambitious as the 450 SEL 6.9. With its massive, 6.9-liter V-8 sporting a racing-derived dry sump oil system and a self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension, this car combined size and speed in a way that was unheard of a the time. Consider that the 1984 Chevrolet Corvette was only a half second faster through the quarter-mile than the 6.9 that Car and Driver tested in 1977. It cost $39,377 in 1977, the first year of official sales in the United States, or 64 p...[Read More]( [Guthrie, Oklahoma, 1980s]( [Guthrie, Oklahoma, 1980s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa 1980s Location: West Oklahoma Avenue, Guthrie, Oklahoma Source: IMCDB What do you see here? ...[Read More]( Monday, November 4, 2019 [Bred For Battle: The 1963 1/2 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Lightweight]( [Bred For Battle: The 1963 1/2 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Lightweight]( Posted by Barry Kluczyk - By 1963, a new front had opened in the Stock Eliminator war: "lightweighting." Detroit's Big Three had already shelled each other with increasingly powerful and larger-displacement engines running right up against the 7.0-liter threshold that made them legal in NASCAR and FIA racing series. Those big-inch engines, including Ford's FE-based 427 (it technically displaced just less than 426 cubic inches), Chevy's W-head 427, and Mopar's 426 Wedge, were equally effective in helping their respective manufacturers advance the...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1976 Chevy Van Custom]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1976 Chevy Van Custom]( Posted by Mike Austin - Original van culture time capsule 1976 Chevy Van for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This 1976 Chevrolet Good Times Van for sale has a 350c.i. V8 w/ 4bbl Carb, TH350 Automatic Transmission, Believed to be 82,097 Original Miles, Very Rare ''Good Times Machine'' Conversion, Produced by Good Times Inc. in Texas During the 70's, Originally Purchased at Koenig Chevrolet in Carbondale, IL, Very Original and Never Restored, Custom Plush Shag Carpet Lined Interior, Rear Bed, Custom Divider, Custom Ligh...[Read More]( [Open Diff: What's the longest you would let a vehicle sit?]( [Open Diff: What's the longest you would let a vehicle sit?]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - I keep having this recurring dream in which I suddenly recall some long-neglected project vehicle, stored somewhere I don't frequent. While whoever's stored it for me over the intervening years is kind enough to not charge me storage fees, I still get a minor panic attack over adding one more thing to my projects list, one more thing to try to find garage space for, one more thing to decide what to do with. I'm not the sort of person to let something sit unused or unattended for long, which is one reason why I so...[Read More]( [How the new Ford Bronco logo compares to the old ones]( [How the new Ford Bronco logo compares to the old ones]( Posted by Mike Austin - Ford released the logo for the upcoming retro-styled Bronco, teasing a reveal in spring 2020. If you're unfamiliar with the story so far, the new Bronco is loosely based on the Ranger truck platform, suggesting the possibility of serious off-road capabilities. The only official photo to date is this teaser image, which shows some retro boxy goodness. But back to today's news, the logo. This being a teaser and all, it might not be the actual production material, but we'll analyze it anyway. The font is similar...[Read More]( [Indiana, 1960s]( [Indiana, 1960s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: 1960s Location: somewhere in Indiana Source: via Jim and Chester's Garage What do you see here?...[Read More]( [Really rising to the occasion: the full restoration of Honda N600 Serial No. 1]( [Really rising to the occasion: the full restoration of Honda N600 Serial No. 1]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - While perusing the several cars that Honda's taking to SEMA to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Honda in the U.S., we were surprised to see that the company didn't include the first Honda automobile sold in the States (or, at least, the first by serial number). After all, Honda spent a lot of time following around Honda 600 specialist Tim Mings as he restored Serial No. 1, a car that he just happened to come across by chance. Fortunately, Honda captured much of the restoration process in a series of videos, whic...[Read More]( Sunday, November 3, 2019 [Really rising to the occasion: the full restoration of Honda N600 Serial No. 1]( [Really rising to the occasion: the full restoration of Honda N600 Serial No. 1]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - While perusing the several cars that Honda's taking to SEMA to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Honda in the U.S., we were surprised to see that the company didn't include the first Honda automobile sold in the States (or, at least, the first by serial number). After all, Honda spent a lot of time following around Honda 600 specialist Tim Mings as he restored Serial No. 1, a car that he just happened to come across by chance. Fortunately, Honda captured much of the restoration process in a series of videos, whic...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1961 Plymouth Fury]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1961 Plymouth Fury]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Refurbished 1961 Plymouth Fury for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This is a very nicely preserved 1961 Plymouth Fury. It was sold new in El Paso, TX and spent all its life until recently, out west. It is still wearing its original paint! It does not appear to me to have had any significant paintwork. I recently spent approximately $5000 on replicating the exact materials used on the front and rear seats, down to the embosssed Plymouth crests. All were supplied by SMS. The rest of the interior ...[Read More]( [Four-Links - Atomic Camper, Purvis Eureka, Honda heritage, hidden Benzes]( [Four-Links - Atomic Camper, Purvis Eureka, Honda heritage, hidden Benzes]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Can't recall whether we've given space to Bill Guernsey's Atomic Camper in the past. Even if we have, it's worth pointing to Bubblemania's post (English translation) on it, if for nothing else than the construction and interior shots. The assembly process of this trailer took a little more than two years, and the attention to detail was incredible. The atomic-inspired motorhome is fully functional and extremely eye-catching. The man spent six hours a day, six days a week, creating a unique red rocket caravan with a...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1998 Ford Mustang Saleen S281]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1998 Ford Mustang Saleen S281]( Posted by Mike Austin - Well-preserved 1998 Ford Mustang Saleen S281 for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: 1998 Ford Mustang Saleen S281 speedster, very rare car. This car has never been in the rain or even outside over night. Always garaged and covered so shows like new. Convertable top shows as new and has rarely seen sunshine. Normally aspirated 4.6 liter motor meticulously maintained. Fresh battery and great tires. Great stereo, 8 speakers in a two seater with two power amps. Five speed manual transmission. This car...[Read More]( LAST WEEK'S BEST DISCUSSION [Living large, living low: The Mopar Lowliner custom D200]( [Living large, living low: The Mopar Lowliner custom D200]( Posted by Mike Austin - How does Dodge follow up last year's SEMA show special, a restomod Super Charger with a 1,000-horsepower crate engine? By going in a completely different direction. The truck you see here is called the Mopar Lowliner, and it started life as a 1968 Dodge D200 Camper Special. It's different, but there's a whole lot to like under the two-tone Candy Delmonico and Dairy Cream paint job. The Lowliner will make its public debut at the 2019 SEMA show, alongside an overland-ready Ram Rebel pickup truck, a custom Jeep Wrangle...[Read More]( LAST WEEK'S MOST READ [Eggs from the same carton: Pontiac Trans Sport versus Bertone Genesis]( [Eggs from the same carton: Pontiac Trans Sport versus Bertone Genesis]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - As the popularity of minivans soared in the mid-Eighties on both sides of the Atlantic, the new-ish form factor not only inspired a wave of rethinking the basic format of the automobile, it also pushed manufacturers that had never considered building anything but cars to suddenly abandon decades of precedent, as we see from the more-similar-the-more-you-look-at-them Pontiac Trans Sport and Bertone Genesis concept vehicles. It wouldn't be enough for carmakers who were late to the minivan scene to just hawk their o...[Read More]( Hemmings Motor News will not sell or share your e-mail address with other companies. For more information about this newsletter, email webmaster@hemmings.com or write to: Customer Service, Hemmings Motor News, 222 Main St., Bennington VT 05201. If you do not want to receive this newsletter from Hemmings Motor News, you can [change your email preferences here](.