A Modern Spin on Classic Muscle: Inside This 1970 Hemi Cuda Restomod
https://www.topspeed.com/inside-1970-he ... -restomod/
More Photos: http://www.thehemi.com/gallery3/index.p ... -HEMI-CudaTo muscle car enthusiasts, especially the Mopar Crew, the idea of a resto-mod is heresy of the highest order. Restoring a car should bring it back to factory condition with original parts and matching numbers, while anything else is an abomination. There are, however, circumstances where it's not only okay to upgrade to modern performance components on a restoration, but a far better option. The truth is, not all classic muscle cars are valuable collectibles, but giving them a mechanical upgrade can make them showpieces.
A Hemi-equipped 1968 Dodge Charger R/T should never be toyed with, but almost every second-gen car was sold with something other than a 426 or 440. As crazy as it sounds, classic Chargers could be optioned with a 225ci inline-six, and many of them were equipped with the unimpressive 318 V-8. Restoring one of these mild Mopars would cost tens of thousands of dollars and it wouldn't be worth the money put into it, despite keeping it all original. Dropping a large displacement Hemi crate engine in one and modernizing the suspension, on the other hand, would make for a big-bucks resto that's actually a thrill to drive.
The good folks at RestoMod have built a 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda that will change the hearts and minds of the Mopar faithful on the sacrilegious nature of modifying a classic. A lot of resto-mods and custom classics turn muscle cars that were perfect to begin with into lowriders or pimp-mobiles, but this glorious 'Cuda looks almost like it did originally. The only differences are a few subtle styling cues and a hell of a lot more performance. Best of all, no original Hemi 'Cudas were harmed in this project, so there is no reason Mopar purists and muscle car fans won't fall in love with it.
The way a resto-mod works, at least in its purest form, is that a classic donor car is fully restored, which is where the “resto” comes from, and then modified with modern mechanical components. The idea is to preserve the original beauty of the car's styling, but give it a better ride, with more power and comfort. For the RM28 Hemi 'Cuda project, RestoMods started out with a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda that was equipped with a 318ci V-8. This is not a classic Mopar with much appeal, other than its appearance, and in fact, RestoMods bought it off of Bring A Trailer, where small-engine 'Cudas go for as little as $30k.
RestoMods took this non-collectible 'Cuda and turned it into a head-turner that draws attention and thumbs-ups at every red light or Sonic parking lot. Starting with a complete frame-up restoration, they basically left the original design alone, with only a few minimal changes. An equally important component of a resto-mod, is the “mod” and so, the 'Cuda was upgraded to a 6.1-liter Hemi crate engine and the suspension was rebuilt with modern parts. It looks like a classic muscle car but performs like a next-gen Mopar, and that's exactly as cool as it sounds.
Mopar Approved Resto-Mod
The thing that makes classic muscle car enthusiasts cringe when it comes to resto-mods and custom classics is how much the original appearance is changed. Some builds will chop the top, alter the sheet metal, or drop the car to the pavement, but RestoMods left the basic shape designers came up with two generations ago. It's clear that the RM28 was built with respect for the '70 Hemi 'Cuda, by Mopar fans, and it shows in the absolutely stunning end product.
Wheels Of Confusion
If there's one complaint, and it's a small one that applies to all resto-mods, it's the choice of wheels. The US Mags Rambler Wheels they used look cool, but something with a more retro style would be even cooler. They still make Cragar SS wheels, which were a dealer option on classic Mopar muscle cars that really made them look badass. Cragar has even updated its wheels to work with modern performance cars. Again, this is some nitpicky stuff, and the RM28 is amazing from bumper to bumper and at every angle.
Building The Neo-Classic RM28 Hemi 'Cuda
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTdGV0vKEak
Keeping a car looking original while updating it is art unto itself, and RestoMods put on a display with the RM28 Hemi 'Cuda. They went with body-color bumpers, which is not unprecedented for a classic Mopar, and did a little bit of shaping of the front to give a sleeker look. The grille is fairly close to the original, but has LED headlights as a necessary upgrade.
The fiber-glass hood is different to accommodate the 6.1-liter, but has a scoop and looks cool emblazoned with Hemi badging. They also put fairly accurate vinyl Hemi decals on the rear fenders. The only major mod is that there are no door handles, with a keyless remote entry, which isn't going to make any Mopar fans cry.
RestoMods RM28 Hemi 'Cuda Upgrades:
* 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 crate engine
* Five-Speed Tremec Manual Transmission
* Holley terminator X engine management system
* Wilwood Four-wheel disc brakes
* Rack and Pinion Steering
* Lecarra steering wheel
* Toyo Proxes Tires
* VintageAir A/C
* Power windows
They kept the interior also very similar to the original, but with more comfort. The gauge cluster is updated with a carbon fiber back and they added a tilting steering column. The bucket seats are leather with cloth inserts, and obviously more comfortable than the glorified lawn chairs the car came with.
The big stars on the interior run down the middle, starting with the center console, which is a factory reproduction. This was a brilliant choice because the original center console on Mopars with buckets was very unique, so it really helps keep the retro feel. Even better, the RM28 is equipped with a Hurst pistol grip shifter, which no Mopar should be without, classic or resto-mod.
Hemi-Powered Rest-Mod
Obviously the biggest issue with this 1970 'Cuda was the anemic 318ci engine it came with, so RestoMods grabbed a 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 and dropped it under the hood. They could have gone crazy with a 700-800 horsepower Hellcat, but this is by far the most appropriate engine they could have picked because it cranks out 425 ponies, just like the original 426 Street Hemi. Mated to this killer V-8 is a five-speed Tremec manual transmission, giving the car an extra gear of kicking butt, and again, it has a pistol grip shifter.
Suspension Of Disbelief.
Anyone who owns a classic muscle car, or has driven one, knows they aren't the smoothest handling rides of all time and remind you of every bump you hit for a couple of blocks. RestoMod pulled out the leaf springs and torsion bars on the RM28 to build a completely modern performance suspension.
In the front, they put an aftermarket K-member with tubular front control arms, and in the back, a full four-link suspension. Rounding things out, they also installed adjustable coil-over shocks, making for a ride that's going to hug the road instead of bouncing down the boulevard.
RM28 Hemi 'Cuda v.s. 1970 Hemi 'Cuda
RestoMods built this spectacular tribute to a classic Mopar icon, but to truly shine, it needs to go head-to-head with the original '70 Hemi 'Cuda before it gets any street machine cred. TopSpeed likes to compare vehicles by putting them on the line and have 'em settle it in a quarter-mile, but the problem is, there haven't been any test drives with the RM28 and, as such, there is no performance data to go on. The car does have the same engine as the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT-8, but it is a much lighter vehicle, so we can estimate some likely acceleration times.
The RM28 is the faster ride, but is it a better car? The answer is yes and no. In terms of a collectible, the original Hemi 'Cuda fetches millions of dollars at auction, and is the most sought-after classic muscle car in existence. On the other hand, the RM28 is something an owner can enjoy taking out for a spin, while there's a zero percent chance that anyone is cruising around in a $3.5 million classic. Also, the RM28 is 3.5 million times better than the 318 'Cuda it began with in terms of performance, comfort, and even style.
The Price Of Brilliance
Now that we've all sufficiently drooled over this amazing update of a classic muscle car, it's time to address that nagging voice in the back of the head that's been saying, “Yeah, but how much?” the whole time. Resto-mods generally start at $200,000 and go up exponentially, but the cost of the RM28 '70 Hemi 'Cuda is the most shocking of all: it's free! RestoMods is giving this car away, and to sweeten the pot, it comes with $50,000 in cold hard cash.
Unfortunately, there is only one, so it's not like an episode of Oprah where, “You get a Hemi 'Cuda, and you get a Hemi 'Cuda, and you get a Hemi 'Cuda,” but one lucky person is going to end up with the ride of a lifetime. There are no entry fees for this sweepstake and all you have to do is click here to register for a shot, or just visit RestoMods' website. Here's hoping a TopSpeed reader wins this phenomenal tribute to classic Mopar muscle, and maybe wants to give us a test drive for review.
Everyone knows I love restomods and this one is absolutely awesome!
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