1970 Plymouth Cuda Convertible 383 4-BBL -- Numbers Matching, Factory Export Car, Nut-and-Bolt Restoration
Lemon Twist Yellow. Black top. 383 Magnum V8. Power everything. There are Cudas, and then there are cars like this one.
The 1970 Plymouth Cuda is one of the most visually stunning American muscle cars ever built. The convertible body makes it rarer still. But this particular car carries a story that goes well beyond the spec sheet -- and that story is a large part of what makes it so extraordinary.
The history
This Cuda left the Chrysler factory in April 1970 as an official factory export car, built to order for the European market. It was purchased new by its first owner from the Chrysler dealer in Vienna, Austria, where it had stood in the showroom after importation. He drove it in Austria for years before eventually moving it to his holiday home in Ibiza, where it remained with him for the rest of his life. One owner. Decades of careful, low-usage stewardship. The odometer today reads just 17,158 kilometres.
The car came to Pedal to the Metal in 2007, directly through the first owner's family. It had never changed hands on the open market. The factory-original Lemon Twist Yellow paint had been repainted white at some point during the Ibiza years -- but beneath that, under the paint in the engine bay, the original High Impact colour was still there. Waiting.
This is the second owner. There has been no one else.
The restoration
Between 2016 and 2018, we performed a complete nut-and-bolt restoration to factory-correct specification. Every component was disassembled, inspected, and restored or replaced. The body went through an acid bath. Every sub-assembly was addressed individually. The goal throughout was not to build a show car but to bring the car back exactly as it left the factory -- and to make it genuinely great to drive.
The matching-numbers 383 4-barrel Magnum V8 was fully rebuilt without replacing a single internal part that did not require it. The original pistons and bearings were in remarkable condition. The matching-numbers automatic transmission was similarly rebuilt. The drivetrain is intact, correct, and documented.
The result is a car that drives as well as it looks. Every system works. The power top goes up and down as it should. The power windows operate correctly. The factory Rallye instrument cluster is fully functional. This is not a trailer queen -- it is a restored driver, finished to a standard that any serious collector would be satisfied with.
The car itself
Lemon Twist Yellow is the correct factory colour, documented on the fender tag. It suits the Cuda's body lines perfectly -- aggressive from the front, sculpted from the rear, with the Sport Hood and Elastomeric front bumper adding to the period-correct competition look. The black convertible top and black bucket seat interior provide exactly the contrast this colour deserves. The wood-rim steering wheel, centre console, and Rallye dash make the cockpit feel properly equipped without a single unnecessary addition.
The 383 Magnum sits in the engine bay looking exactly as it should: orange block, Magnum air cleaner, correctly detailed throughout. Dual exhaust with bright tips. Maximum cooling package. It sounds and pulls like the car was built yesterday.
Documentation and provenance
Two fender tags are present and fully decoded, confirming the factory export order (Y09), original Lemon Twist Yellow (FY1), black convertible top (V3X), and the full options list including Rallye Instrument Cluster (A62), Power Windows (P31), Power Convertible Top (P37), Centre Console (C16), Performance Axle Package (A36), Hood Pins (J45), Sport Hood (L34), Tachometer (N85), Stereo AM/FM (R35), Light Package (A01), and more. The original partial build sheet was found beneath the rear seat. The km/h speedometer confirms the factory export identity of the car.
A word to our American buyers
Pedal to the Metal Muscle Cars is based in Sneek, the Netherlands, with a second location in Pelt, Belgium. We have been selling classic American muscle cars for over 20 years and sell dozens of cars annually to buyers across the United States. Every car we sell is delivered turn-key ready. We handle end-to-end shipping and door-to-door delivery anywhere in the US. Additional photos and video are available on request -- just reach out and we will send them over.
A car like this does not come around often
A numbers-matching, two-owner, factory export 1970 Cuda Convertible with a documented restoration and 17,158 kilometres on the clock. The history is real, the provenance is traceable, and the result of the restoration speaks for itself. We have driven hundreds of restored muscle cars. This one is genuinely among the best.
[email protected] | [email protected]
Phone/WhatsApp: +31 6 25 196 176
pttmcars.com
