10 Wicked Facts About Jody's '71 Plymouth 'Cuda - Phantasm

[@davidthomits544]

I’ve been in love with that car ever since I’ve seen the movie phantasm

[@7runner4]

So if we find an old beat up shell of a 71 Cuda that was originally Plum Crazy Purple painted black with a bad aftermarket sunroof it could be this one.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

With electrical issues. 😉

[@Slowgroovin]

That 'Cuda was tough, and would still run hard with the 340. Sunroof is period correct for the car as it was a popular modification back in the day.

[@culcune]

I am very happy you included its cameo in CHiPs. The place where it was believed the 'Cuda last changed hands circa '81 or '82 (never to be seen again) was coincidentally under 4 miles from where the CHiPs scene took place. This scene was at Reseda/Cohasset and the gas station reportedly where the last known owner drove away was a gas station at Reseda/Devonshire. No, there is no actual connection, but considering how large the greater metropolitan L.A. area really is, 4 miles on one street is not a far distance and quite a coincidence.

[@CarStarz42]

That is interesting, thanks for sharing that 👍

[@DuckReach432]

Who else watched this and winced at the thought of missing out on such a cool car (with or without movie history) for only $2500? I haven't seen Phantasm - this has made me want to check it out.

[@miguelcastaneda7257]

Probably was turned in when they did that cash for clunkers...there was a Jensen interceptor..turbo masserati.. 928 gts..all had the engines cooked..had compound poured into engines and run till siezed

[@bloodhawk6252]

There's 6 phantasm movies

[@bobby1970]

In 1993, I bought a well used 1971 Plymouth Cuda for $2,000 and it was in decent shape. Unfortunately, it didn't have an engine or transmission, but I put those in a few months later. I pulled an old used 360 V8 and tranny out of a 1977 Dodge Diplomat that fit like a glove in the Cuda. I got the car drivable and it drove pretty good and was fairly fast. I found the Cuda's broadcast sheet behind the rear seat springs, and according to it, the car originally had a 383 big block engine. Unfortunately, I only owned the Cuda for less than a year. I sold the car for a lousy $600 at the end of 1993 because I had to hire a bankruptcy lawyer/attorney and didn't have any cash. Selling that car was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. That car would probably be worth a fortune today. My original goal was to make it look exactly like the Cuda in Phantasm 2. I really miss my Cuda. I'll never be able afford to get another one now. The value of those cars have increased 10 fold since I sold mine.

[@bobby1970]

​@@bloodhawk6252Part 1 and 2 are my favorites, and part 2 was my very favorite. The other movies were okay. I just wished they had kept Liz alive in the rest of the movies. She was so cute and very attractive. Actually, very sexy. Now she's a lot older and no longer attractive, sadly.

[@graemew7001]

Being a Brit, I haven't heard of a good number of these film cars even though I'm in my 50's and yet I love these videos because they're soinformative and well put together.

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks and I'm glad you are enjoying them and discovering some cool movies along the way 😉👍

[@richdetlaff-5983]

I am 49 year old American...I haven't either

[@bobby1970]

​@@richdetlaff-5983Well, now you have. It's an awesome looking car, isn't it? The Phantasm movies are also awesome. Well, at least part 1 and 2. Part 2 is my favorite by far.

[@vksjd]

I would love to see you do a video on “Phantasm 2.” It’s always heartbreaking to me when the ‘Cuda is flipped in that movie.

[@robsteingruber9488]

That ripped my heart out.

[@bobby1970]

I think they actually had a backup Cuda in Phantasm 2. I would like to know what happened to the surviving Cuda in that movie?

[@CarStarz42]

Yeah, I 'll eventually get around to sequel movies on my channel, just so many original movies to get through first 😉

[@ShanenDanaShoemaker-wf4tr]

When it was bought for the film it had a 340. However it does not have a through the pan exhaust. In California the through the pan exhaust was not available on 440-6 or hemi cars do to noise. Also if you watch where Jody pulls in the driveway it looks like a Dana 60 under the car. The car also sits to high and bounces way to hard when Mike bumps the throttle. Im guessing when the engine was swapped to a 340 but the torsion bars were not changed. The last owner traded it for a custom van which was featured in magazines. Match the van he traded for and the previous owners name from back issues of van magazines and maybe this car or its fate can be finally be decided.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

I like this Cuda so much! ❤ The movie is great too!

[@CarStarz42]

😉👍

[@robcreel4257]

Graveyard Cars did a tribute version of the Phantasm 'Cuda and even had Don Coscarelli and Michael Baldwin on the show it was featured. I remember the movie being fun watching it as a teenager but now not so much,l ol.

[@Piggypongtheavgeek]

Loved the cuda. And don’t forget the lady in lavender. The commercial for the trailer. If it doesn’t scare you. You’re already dead! This movie scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. Only topped by the original Salems lot!

[@CarStarz42]

😁

[@cliffdiver5357]

Depressing...😣 $2500.00???? I loved that car. Thanks for the great video anyway!👍

[@dukecraig2402]

That's what they went for back then, when I was in high school from 80 to 83 the parking lot at my school looked like it could be outside of a Barrett-Jackson auction in this day and age from all the classic late 60's and up V8 cars that could be had for a song back then. By the late 70's and early 80's no one wanted cars like that, they were considered gas guzzling relics that only gear heads really had an interest in, there just wasn't a used car market for them.

[@mypronouniswtf5559]

$2,500 in 1980 that's equal to $9,400 today... Remember $3 per hour that $2,500 was tough to save..Cars were pretty pricey then,also gas was always expensive.. Price of a gallon of gas in today's dollar for 1980 is the same as $4.45...that's what they paid in 1980 in today's dollar! Gas was never cheap back in the day,people see $1.19 per gallon oh that was cheap but they forget you didn't make the same wage you made $3 per hour starting out! $7 per hour for a good trade back in 1980! Yes,I know a 71 Cuda 340 can not be bought for $9400 today..I have a 72 340 4 speed Cuda and several other Mopars(collector/restorer) My Uncle owned a Chrysler-Plymouth dealer until the late 1990's..1951 he started the dealer! I drove all the cool Mopar cars!

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

'71 'Cudas were already a hot property in '81, so it's entirely possible that the car is socked away in a garage somewhere in LA, or pretty much anywhere for that matter.

[@CarStarz42]

Let's hope so and that it makes a public appearance again one day too 😉👍

[@bobby1970]

​@@CarStarz42That would be so awesome.

[@bobby1970]

Unfortunately, more than likely, the last owner probably wrecked it in a normal street accident and the car got destroyed and scrapped.

[@tehee1266]

Do a video. about Poncherello 1971 Firebird

[@edwardautrey3671]

Hell yea !

[@milfordh.mercado2787]

I agree for a video on firebird too.

[@CarStarz42]

Ah, good idea indeed; I'll add that one to the long list to look into as well. Thanks

[@bloodhawk6252]

​@@CarStarz42or John Wayne's mcQ firebird it was a SD

[@CarStarz42]

@@bloodhawk6252 Yep, that one is already on the list as well👍

[@HoosierDaddy_]

OK. I'm binge watching this awesome channel I just found, lol. You've picked real car guy stuff! Phantasm is freaking kick ass and very few people probably even know about this car. Nice!

[@CarStarz42]

Cool, glad you're still enjoying it and and yes; that 'Cuda is badass for sure 😉👍

[@teebird94]

Specifically,only 12 Hemi Cuda convertibles built for 1971,there were a little over 1000 Barracuda/Cuda convertibles built in 1971

[@CarStarz42]

Yep, that's why I said 'Cudas and not Barracudas 😉👍

[@teebird94]

@@CarStarz42 Still,374 cuda convertible's built..only 12 Hemi's

[@teebird94]

Not trying to be nitpicky honestly,i subbed when your channel started and follow it completely and the error was about the first i've seen and being a car guy i had to do the car guy thing :P

[@CarStarz42]

@@teebird94 It's all good and I thank you for your patronage. Yeah, the way I worded it, I see what you mean; hopefully most folks get the gist of what I meant. Thanks

[@unstablebobgable]

Great video. I wasn't aware that Phantasm was that old! 😲

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks, yep; scary how fast time passes.

[@johnh3476]

Great video once again. 👍 Surprised to hear its whereabouts is unknown.

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks much, yeah; it's a mystery for sure, still after all these years.

[@haroldbirge6881]

🏆Looks sinister 🏆 I'm not a kooda guy love the🍀 Challenger and charger😎✌️

[@chadkimmel8957]

To my knowledge, they used a different ‘Cuda in each movie.

[@IeeIee778]

Yes but he's talking about the first one

[@CarStarz42]

This is just about the 1979 movie as mentioned in the video. Thanks.

[@culcune]

One of the later cars (maybe the last one) used a crate Hemi if I recall the article correctly.

[@hydroplainsdrifter]

Cool! Thanks for putting that one out, been hopping to see that car for a while.

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks much, yeah; it has been requested often. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂👍

[@evanobrien2429]

I met Don Coscarelli a few years ago (really nice guy) and he said he had the Phantasm Cuda in his garage. Whether it was the first one or a backup vehicle, I don't know.

[@CarStarz42]

Would have to be one of the later movie ones for sure as the original one is gone without a trace. Which is of course why they had to use different 'Cudas in the later film, well that and the wilder stunts of course in the later films since they would have to use multiple cars anyways😉

[@bobby1970]

Did you get Don's autograph, or at least shake his hand? To me, he's a horror movie legend.

[@evanobrien2429]

​@bobby1970 I didn't get a autograph, but did shake his hand. I met him at an event for his daughter's cookbook release, so he was not in Phantasm mode. He was pleasantly surprised when he realized I knew the movies and the Cuda. He said the worlds of his daughter's cookbooks and his horror movies/cars never collide, so it was a fun time chatting.

[@bobby1970]

​@@evanobrien2429That's so awesome that you at least shook his hand. I would love to meet the guy someday, hopefully. I'm a big Phantasm fan (Phan).

[@miketate9901]

Now that I know the car was purple with white interior. I would rather have had it that way

[@bobby1970]

I think it looked good all black as it was in the movie, but purple definitely looks nice, also.

[@musclecarczarig4003]

Mind blown about it showing up in an episode of CHiPs! Great video.

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks and glad you enjoyed it 🙂👍

[@mickeyd9641]

Went with a friend to actually look at it when it was for sale, living in the San Fernando Valley minutes from a lot of Prop houses (friend today still does movie cars) The car was documented had all the paper work he was firm at $2500.00 they wanted my buddy to sign a paper if they did another movie the car would be available. No sale, my buddy ended up with a 70 383 4 speed car. It use to be just a car, pick up a local paper and stuff was cheap.

[@mypronouniswtf5559]

$2500 in 1980 was like spending $9400 today! Thats $9,400 for a 9 year old car. People always say cars were cheap back then but they were really not that cheap..$3 per hour that $2500 was hard to save! The last few years used car prices and new have jumped dramatically and $9400 for a 9 year old car now sounds like a bargain but cars were not like spending $2500 today for a 9 year old car its the same as spending $9400.

[@bobby1970]

Wow, that's really cool. Was the car parked at someone's private home when the car was for sale?

[@mickeyd9641]

@@bobby1970 it was in a local paper and my buddy use to buy cars all the time he’d own them for a few months then sell them. It was just cool to see as we loved the movie. Everything ended up in the paper. He also had a 340 Duster built by Dick Landy, it would have been cool if he saved one of the 100 cars. He went through phases, Mopar’s Datsun 240’s, Big Block Corvettes, Mustangs, and several others.

[@aaronmcconnell7358]

Love those crager's. I'm sure you have a extensive list of movies to do and this ones probably on it but I'd love to see one on "cobra" stallones mercury in that movie is just a awesome looking car with a sinister look.

[@CarStarz42]

Yep, that one is already on my list to look into. Thanks

[@aaronmcconnell7358]

@@CarStarz42 awesome

[@405wolf]

I get to be the first to comment yippie... Awesome movie! I think I have watched it dozens, upon dozens, upon dozens of times! Thank you for the fantastic content, I thoroughly enjoy them all! There are many car movie suggestions I could give.

[@CarStarz42]

😁 Indeed a cool movie, mostly because of the car 😉 Thanks👍

[@big10inch-record]

Best looking Plymouth ever

[@bobby1970]

Absolutely. I owned a 71 Cuda back in 1993. I should have never sold it. Such a horrible mistake. I really miss it a lot.

[@big10inch-record]

@@bobby1970 good ol days👍. I still got my 69 charger

[@milfordh.mercado2787]

'Boyyy' you did exalent job, my friend on the 71 phantasm cuda as this movie car may never be found because the tall man has it 🫣🫣anyway thanks for doing another mopar video so have nice weekend bye now.

[@CarStarz42]

Lol, thanks! Yeah, the Tall Man probably did and then shrunk it and sent it to the other world 😁😁😁😉

[@milfordh.mercado2787]

@CarStarz42 Well, that can be one fun topic to have at any horror convention oh one more thing to ask are you going to do the last ride pontiac gto in the future.

[@culcune]

​@@CarStarz42I have several HO scale (railroad scenery, not the larger size slot cars which were called 'HO' scale for some reason) Plum Crazy, red (not sure if there was a fancy name) and Vitamin C orange 1970 Hemi 'Cudas. Probably worth $10M, which in scale money is probably about $150.00 lol.

[@williambeckham7703]

As a kid in the 80s when I thought of the movie PHANTASM, I thought of the badazz CUDA and those badazz flying silver spheres!

[@CarStarz42]

😉👍

[@Rob_1776]

No matter what this is just a bad ass car!

[@CarStarz42]

Indeed 👍

[@rockzhard2009]

good one

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

[@ccg1171]

Love these vids. Very entertaining

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks again and glad you still like them 😉👍

[@user-vw2no6ep5h]

Awesome car Awesome movie

[@CarStarz42]

😉👍

[@DarrinR.-pq8md]

The Cuda was probably used as a 1/4 mile car and drag raced until it blew up.

[@phoenixblack1220]

Many, many, many thanks!!!

[@CarStarz42]

You are welcome and glad you enjoyed it 🙂👍

[@dave1986R]

I know that in 1979 it probably wasn’t that big of a deal, but the idea of sawing off part of a ‘Cuda roof to make a crude sunroof is sacrilegious to us car enthusiasts today. It almost reminds me of the time on Viva La Bam when Bam Margera and Billy Idol sawed through the top of Bam’s Lamborghini Gallardo to make a sunroof. Which he later had redone professionally sometime afterwards.

[@CarStarz42]

Indeed 😉

[@Formerlywarmer]

Look for it in downtown Nashville Georgia. There’s a company that rents cars for movies I bet they don’t know ur looking for it. They aren’t car guys they are money guys with a couple hundred cars circulating around movie industry

[@Shadowman...]

Cool channel ~ You deserve more views for the work that goes into these vids.

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks much, yeah the views on my channel and a lot of others' channels have dropped a lot in the last month or so too and we don't know why. I think KZbin is up to something sinister 🤔

[@Shadowman...]

Try uploading on Saturday Mornings at 8 am. And try to do that every week. Also make sure your final tags are the same in every video. You could put CarStars as the final tag. This way the system gets what it likes best ~Consistency.

[@Shadowman...]

@@CarStarz42I manage the Back In The Day Channel ( purple smiley face ) I did a video on the Phantasm Cuda also ( What Happened To The Phantasm Cuda ) But my views are terrible because I don't upload consistent enough, And I can't compete with all the big channels that have been on here for years. I'm ready to quit. I'm working on probably my last vid about The Car movie

[@CarStarz42]

@@Shadowman... Yeah, I already do that with my tags and I can only release videos on this channel during the week with my wacky schedule as I run multiple channels as well as have a side business, so my time is always stretched thin. Thanks for the suggestions anyways, much appreciated 😉👍

[@CarStarz42]

@@Shadowman... You know what, I came actually across that channel awhile back, the Phantasm video in particular, and was impressed by your editing skills. Yeah, you really have to put out at least one video a week for a few months to gain any traction, but if you truly enjoy doing it, then it worth continuing as it can be a great thing 🙂👍

[@Godzukidan]

Looks kind of evil. 😎👍

[@CarStarz42]

Indeed 😁

[@Formerlywarmer]

Again very nice video. This movie along with a few others at the drive in when I was a kid in the 70s helped make me a Mopar man for life. MOPAR2YA

[@McPh1741]

I always thought they used the same car in the second movie, but I guess they didn't. Don Coscarelli actually kept the main car from that movie.

[@CarStarz42]

Yeah, the original car is still lost at this point though unfortunately.

[@pliantimpala7858]

This looks suspiciously like the John Wick 4 one used near the end of the movie.

[@Craigstern73]

Funny the stock rally wheels replaced with the ss cragars were way nicer. Something done a lot back in the day, I guess having a set of cragars on my 76 el-camino they were lighter at least.

[@CarStarz42]

Indeed 😉

[@cathedford]

Love your channel. If you are ever looking for material. I’d love to know more about, and what happened to the GTO in My Science Project. Love GTO’s, although mine is a 67’ and not a 68’

[@CarStarz42]

Thanks, glad you are enjoying it and yep, that one is already on my list to look into as well. Cool, GTOs rule! 🙂👍

[@buckster2575]

I bet Mopar guys cringed over how that car was chopped up.

[@CarStarz42]

Indeed, wouldn't had been so bad if they had just had the sunroof professionally installed instead of just Jerry rigging it themselves 😬

[@dwc4343]

They used more than one 'Cuda in the movies too. In one of the movies they wrecked it and in another they rolled it over.

[@dukecraig2402]

He's just talking about the first movie from '79.

[@culcune]

Ultimately they installed a crate Hemi in one of the later film cars.

[@cuda6570]

The car was restored on the show graveyard cars. Was brought back to movie quality

[@IeeIee778]

No there was no evidence of it being THE car t people kinda just believed

[@CarStarz42]

This one was never found, that was probably the Cuda from one of the other movies.

[@jmarra6300]

The car that they did was a tribute car it was not the actual car and they even screwed that up by merging the part three and four cars with the one and 2 car

[@AA-eq5wk]

even cars die ..go different dimensions

[@CarStarz42]

lol

[@peterelliott7333]

Can we get a Hunter episode

[@peterelliott7333]

Ohh and the Tall Man Hurst?

[@CarStarz42]

Yeah, already on the list for when making second rounds through my massive list eventually 😉

[@peterelliott7333]

@@CarStarz42 cheers mate

[@captaindew3106]

the film creator told Mark Worman from GYC Mopar show that the sunroof was handmade by the crew and also the 340 C.I did not made 300 Horsepower in 1971 it was 270 horsepower it use to be 275 horsepower from 1968-1970 then in 1971 all Mopars engine drop their engine down by 5 horsepower due to the Insurance comp.

[@CarStarz42]

Don't forget the aftermarket carb and headers, so it would have been putting out at least 300HP if not more 😉👍

[@bobby1970]

​@@CarStarz42It's a shame they didn't mill down the cylinder heads of the engine some. That would have definitely increased the power. Also put in a high lift cam.

[@MH-rb7lp]

I thought Graveyard cars found and restored the car?

[@CarStarz42]

Unfortunately not, if you watch the video they made on that car, all they did was build a tribute car kind of like it, but they left out many important details, so it's not even really a decent replica, still was a very awesome car though 😉👍

[@MH-rb7lp]

@@CarStarz42 Thanks for the response and clarification. I am a die hard Mopar fan and live relatively near GYC but I cannot stand the show or the shop so I never watched the videos about that car, I just know that they were talking as if they had an original. There was something about getting one of the cast members (the tall bad guy) to sign it or something as well. Again thanks, just one more reason to hate those idiots.

[@CarStarz42]

@@MH-rb7lp Yeah, I wasn't a fan of how they presented it like that either and also how half assed the so called replica was. I mean it is a good looking car for sure, but still...

[@SailfishSoundSystem]

It's at Area 51 obviously!

[@CarStarz42]

Must be, lol!

[@Steverinomeister]

Factory name for the color is Plum Crazy not Plum Crazy Purple.

[@sgtyork9330]

Graveyard Carz built a clone of the movie car. It was powered by a 340 with pistol grip shifter and four speed transmission. My 71 will sport a 426 Hemi and four speed upgrade from the original 340 and automatic transmission.

[@bobby1970]

My 71 Cuda originally had the 383 engine, with automatic transmission.