1971 Plymouth 'Cuda Hemi
E-body · 1971 was the final year for the 426 Hemi in the 'Cuda. Insur... · The most valuable American muscle car — Hemi convertible is the holy grail
Ultra Rare
Production & Overview
Total Production
6,228
Original MSRP
N/A
Assembly Plants
Hamtramck, MI
Wheelbase
108 inches
Body Styles
Hardtop · Convertible
Curb Weight
3,860 lbs
Notable Packages & Production
Hemi Convertible — HemiConv
Holy grail of American muscle — 7 produced. Last sold $3.5M+
50-100x base
7
produced
Hemi Hardtop — HemiHT
Final year Hemi 'Cuda hardtop — 108 produced
15-25x base
108
produced
440 Six Pack — SixPack
Three 2-barrel carb setup — most popular performance option
2.5-4x base
1,032
produced
Available Engines
G 318ci — V8
Base engine
230 hp
H 383ci — V8
383 4-barrel
300 hp
J 440ci — V8
440 4-barrel
370 hp
V 440ci — V8
440+6 Six Pack — three 2-barrel carbs
385 hp
R 426ci — V8
426 Street Hemi — final year. Dual 4-barrel Carters. Last and most collectible Hemi 'Cuda.
425 hp
Buyer Checklist
⚠ Clone warning: Hemi convertible is essentially priceless with documentation — over $3.5M in recent sales. Hemi hardtop matching numbers $300,000-800,000+. Documentation is everything.. Always verify with cowl tag, engine stamp, and registry before purchase.
Engage a professional Mopar authenticator for any Hemi 'Cuda purchase
Fender tag decode — confirm R engine code, convertible body code if claimed
Engine VIN stamp on left front block pad — must match fender tag
Broadcast sheet — check under rear seat, dashboard, body cavities
Hemi specific components — dual Carter AFB carbs, correct intake, headers
E-body floor pan rust — front and rear
Convertible frame rust and structural integrity (if convertible)
Rear trunk and frame rust
Lower quarter panel rust
Shaker scoop — verify engine it's mounted to
Full professional appraisal mandatory before purchase at this value level
Known Problem Areas
Clone Hemi — most commonly cloned Mopar. Thorough authentication required.
Floor pan and frame rust
False convertibles — hardtops converted
Incorrect or missing fender tags
Six Pack conversions presented as Hemi
What Drives Value
↑ Increases Value
Hemi convertible with full documentation — priceless tier
Hemi hardtop matching numbers
High Impact colors on Hemi
Broadcast sheet present
Original window sticker
↓ Decreases Value
Clone Hemi without documentation
Structural rust
Missing fender tag
Non-matching engine
Restoration Overview
Difficulty
Hard
Parts Availability
Moderate — E-body specific parts harder than B-body
Driver Quality Cost
$30,000 – $70,000
Show Quality Cost
$80,000 – $200,000
Key Suppliers
Year One · Mopar Connection · The Parts Place · Legendary Auto Interiors
Pop Culture & Legacy
1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertible sold for $3.5M at Barrett-Jackson — most valuable American muscle car
Final year of the legendary 426 Hemi in any production car
The '7 convertibles' are among the most discussed cars in collector community
Insurance surcharges on Hemi cars in 1971 made them rare when new — buyers avoided them
Other Plymouth 'Cuda Hemi Years