Long Lost Barn Find RTS Rapid Transit System Cuda FOUND! - Filmed April 2022...

This video was filmed on April 7th, 2022. I've been waiting a YEAR to release this - the sole condition of me being able to record was that I wouldn't release until the car was sold; sadly there is quite a lot to this story that I can't share, but this car is an INCREDIBLE time capsule. If you have a keen eye and have ever been in my office, you may have seen a picture of dad and I in front of this car, sitting on my desk, lol. Anyway, I sincerely hope that whoever buys it at MECUM Indy next month decides to clean it up and not restore or repaint it.

[@plymouthdie-castreplicas]

What a find! It's fantastic that such a magnificent car of Mopar history is back. Plymouth RTS is definitely the best marketing idea in automotive history. Thank you for video!

[@drianashton]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@Ingwine]

Sold for $2,100,000 amazing

[@MarkWilliamson-l1e]

The car I referenced earlier was not this car! As it turns out, Chrysler made two of these front clips and the other clip was used on a "give away" that was won by a gentleman named Pennington who owned a bump shop in the area. The car I referenced was in Pennington's driveway for a few years. His house was across the street from Dawson Rd. North of Chicago (street) and south of 14 Mile Rd, East side of Ryan Rd along Red Run.

[@kellyscars]

It absolutely blows my mind this car was built in LA. Stranger still, the 802 SPD is a Saturday. I thought LA didn't come online until 14 August. My guess is LA needed to assemble some pilot cars to fine tune production, and Hamtramck being busy with Pilot Cars, the LA boys took a Saturday to do that. Also, being this was an FE5 car, it would definitely have a red shaker bubble. I'm curious why the fender tag was unpainted...

[@roguewarr4662]

Just got 2 mill at auction ,wow . Really the car is really worth 120k-175k .

[@drianashton]

The sale surprised a lot of us, that’s for sure!

[@SpyderGarage]

Totally agree. Don’t paint it!

[@jimschneider9559]

Take a moment to meet Anthony. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fquoZnaZebmta7s He owned and preserved the car all those years. He never intended on selling the car. He always wanted to donate it to an automotive museum. He was forced to sell his home and liquidate all his assets. Knowing this he had a neighbor contact Chuck Miller to store the car and keep it safe. What bothers me about the whole thing is all those people were salivating over Anthony’s car while he was having medical issues. He is doing better now and getting his strength back now all of the things he worked so hard for are sold off and no longer his. It’s so sad! I have known Anthony for over 20 years and he is the most interesting person I have ever met. He is the real deal and his love for cars goes deep! He is a very generous person and loved to give back to young people that were interested in cars. Over the years he has donated many cars and his time to high school automotive programs in Macomb county and the Detroit area. Keep a look out for more of his interesting stories and rare cars he had over the years.

[@apatheticempathy]

Do you know what he paid for it originally? From that crooked cop? Thank you for sharing the REAL truth Jim !

[@michaeladamo6279]

That’s a shame that Steve never got this car to go with the other three

[@drianashton]

It would have been cool!

[@abodyjoe]

heard he offered good money for it at one time and got turned down.

[@MrsZuzanaN]

@@abodyjoe my father didn’t want to sell, to him it wasn’t about the money.

[@cresenthammergarage]

Nobody that can afford that car would ever touch it's natural patina

[@MrBlaze256]

I'd repaint it

[@drianashton]

Interestingly enough, another super high value original paint Mopar recently changed hands for a lot of money, and is already mid-restoration.

[@cresenthammergarage]

@@drianashton more money than brains clearly, I live up in the north eastern corner of Indiana and about 30 minutes south of me in New Haven Indiana a older fella bought a 1970 hemi cuda in 1983 for $500 and it's going up on auction this year, it's the third one made that year and the first one to actually roll of the line as the first two were scraped, should be interesting, keep your eyes open for that, especially with the price that ghost challenger went at with a huge fake story and all the bull crap

[@nachtjager77]

Glad Caz mentioned Steven's attempt to buy it. Steven called me right after that trip and couldn't have been more disgusted. He went with cash in a briefcase, a LOT of cash, and the guy flat turned him down and he was stunned. Curious how this whole saga will turn out. Great video, Randy with MCG here BTW. Keep up the good work man!

[@drianashton]

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed! I too am curious with how the story will end. Was BLOWN AWAY with the car ending up at Mecum, as I’m sure you were.

[@nicksgarage2]

Too bad Steven isn't here to tell the whole tale. When I built his web site, he wouldn't allow me to put the 'Cuda, or any documentation he had on it, in the RTS section because it was such a frustration for him. He was certainly a New Yorker, but he was a very giving genuine friend who loved sharing the collection he had accumulated over the years. RIP SJ.

[@MrsZuzanaN]

@@nicksgarage2 Steven’s family auctioned off his cars I believe at a Mecum auction in 2018 and I’m glad my father didn’t sell the ‘Cuda.

[@nicksgarage2]

@@MrsZuzanaN It was his choice not to sell it and that's ok. Steven would have cherished it and shared it with many people along with the others he had rather than it languishing in a garage. Yes, his family sold off his collection after he tragically passed away. He was a dear friend to me. Hopefully your family will get a good result from the auction and maybe the set will be together again at some event.

[@MrsZuzanaN]

@@nicksgarage2 his estate sold it last month, someone else is having it auctioned at Mecum. To my father it was never about the money, he loved cars.

[@MarkWilliamson-l1e]

This is crazy, but I'm 95% certain that this is the car that was parked in a driveway across the street from my bus stop for a number of years in Warren, Michigan! I'm talking 1971-72 era. Did the original owner live in Warren, MI off Ryan Rd.?

[@drianashton]

The original owner was Chrysler Corporation, but Tony, the guy that owned it for the last 50 years bought it from somewhere in Warren! There is another video on KZbin of Tony telling the story!

[@jed6271]

I grew up in Warren also in the Ryan Road area, I believe I remember seeing it as a kid. Cannot pinpoint the location but it definitely looks familiar. Warren, MI was full of Chrysler employee and Chrysler retiree residents, so it is highly likely that someone bought it from Chrysler Corporation, maybe an internal sale or auction.

[@jessicagreene1773]

Great story and great car but please slow that camera down, you swing it around so fast you can't see anything.

[@getm24]

Just sold for 2 million

[@drianashton]

I watched it - I cannot believe it bid that high. Anxious to learn who the buyer was, and hear the stories about who else was in on the bidding. We know a few people that were on it much earlier, but $2mm is nuts! Sad that Tony’s estate won’t see any of that, as I understand it.

[@Xplantdad]

Great job Ian and Bob!!

[@MapleLeafMoPaRs]

That was awesome. Thank you for sharing! Great details....almost as good as seeing it in person.

[@drianashton]

I’m glad you liked!

[@billbazen9432]

Only a 8 3/4 rear axle? Would have thought it would have a Dana 60.

[@abodyjoe]

car was hardly lost. certain people knew where the car was, offered the owner at the time good money for it got turned down.

[@bradschroeder809]

Cool stuff Ian. It must have been tough for you having to keep this find a secret until now!

[@drianashton]

Very much so!

[@bigdogblast]

@@drianashton hey can i ask why the police were there verifying the VIN??

[@drianashton]

At the time, the original title had not been located so to apply for a replacement an officer had to sign an affidavit certifying the VIN

[@michaeladamo6279]

This is just totally a guess on my part, but I imagine it’s gonna end up in the brothers collection! They have the money to pay the ridiculous amount that he’s going to want plus it will be shared with a lot of people

[@drianashton]

It is extremely unlikely that they will buy this car at auction.

[@michaeladamo6279]

@@drianashton I thought they would sweep it up before auction because $100,000 in auction fees can go to the owner

[@michaeladamo6279]

Do you think it’s going to be on display in November and a certain show?

[@nonotever-cu3nr]

I don't see the value in this car it's a stock cuda with a ugly nose cone and crappy paint job with ugly side pipes.

[@paulhewson4600]

I remember those 4 or 5 cars RTS used . Fantastic.

[@raymondsheffield5366]

Why was a cop checking the VIN???

[@drianashton]

The owner/estate could not locate the original title. A copy was later found, but since it had never been registered there was no record of ownership.

[@raymondsheffield5366]

@@drianashton So couldn't that have been done at the DMV? Having a cop there seems like someone was trying to infer something.

[@drianashton]

I think you are overthinking it. Transporting the car is a nightmare, and I believe this is the standard process the police station follows

[@shovel_head80]

2 million for that

[@Caz999]

@@raymondsheffield5366 this was part of what the dmv (secretary or state) wanted done to obtain the title for the car FYI

[@pjg1216]

It's not a barn find; the owner knew what he was doing.

[@drianashton]

I think you are taking the term “barn find” too literally / just about every barn find I know of was parked intentionally 😂

[@MrsZuzanaN]

Well Steve’s children/his estate auctioned off his cars after his death. I’m glad my father didn’t sell it.

[@MrsZuzanaN]

Steven Juliano’s family/estate

[@Caz999]

Did you get your paper work and slides Zuzana? I gave it to mike to give you

[@MrsZuzanaN]

@@Caz999 no I did not, I’ll have my hubby call him.

[@mrrustyshackleford62]

steven`s daughter did not auction off his cars.steven sold most of his collection to dana mecum prior to his passing with authority to sell them as the steven juliano collection.steven sold the diamante and daroo to name a couple,in private sales prior to his passing.

[@hemihead001]

Other than the paint and the body mods it looks like any other of a million Cuda Trailer Queens out there . Just a another rich guy's toy that will never be driven .

[@drianashton]

I mean, it’s a pretty amazing time capsule at this point, having less than 1,000 miles, being a factory show car, and VIN 00005

[@Caz999]

Its Caz not Kas lol

[@drianashton]

Whoops! I’m sorry!

[@williambrown7719]

Auto Archaeology show the car too

[@apatheticempathy]

Yeah, he (Ryan B) will try to take all credit for ALL of it. He purposely leaked out some pictures of this car in the garage and said he did "not" just for social feedback fame. He is a real piece of work. Just really sad.

[@RyanBrutt]

@@apatheticempathy Gotta keep making up stuff to get attention I see.

[@apatheticempathy]

truth hurts huh, ? Always riding other people waves. Go watch a train crossing ya F/A !!! Everyone is learning the truth about you now.

[@AutoArchaeology]

@apatheticempathy Hahahahahahahaha👍

[@AutoArchaeology]

@apatheticempathy 👍

[@johndillinger8482]

Why all the secrecy?,totally absurd

[@drianashton]

It was kept a secret until proper ownership documentation could be sourced and the vehicle was out of the hands of the conservator, as we have seen too many times historically significant vehicles tied up in years long court battles when they are unearthed and scumbags find out.

[@dartgts383]

Thanks for this video , I didn't want to watch that other clowns video !

[@RyanBrutt]

Hahahahahahaha... I'm so sorry I lost your view.

[@drianashton]

Yeesh, tough crowd! For what its worth Ryan, I liked your video!

[@RyanBrutt]

@@drianashton And I liked yours. Can't please everyone though. Some people don't like clowns.

[@DavidS-w8r]

Quick picture loading this car on a flatbed truck. Did Tony (I guess based on the video discussion) give Chuck and crew permission to extract the car out of the garage?

[@drianashton]

Sadly Tony had a conservator, so not able to make that call, but it is my understanding that he was in favor the car being moved to Chuck’s garage, as the home was being sold and it had to be vacated anyway.

[@DavidS-w8r]

@@drianashton Wrong!! The car was extracted WITHOUT telling the conservator who was in charge of Tony’s physical assets . Basically stollen. And when the conservator found out the car was no longer in the garage, she threatened Chuck with legal action if anything happened to the Cuda.

[@Caz999]

@@DavidS-w8r Your WRONG! The conservator was called she didn't return the call, Tony was given a letter from the courts saying he had till midnight to remove ANY personal items off the property that's when he wrote a permission slip for items to be removed and stored.

[@DavidS-w8r]

@@Caz999 Sorry Caz, something doesn’t add up. Tony had a conservator which is a legal representative to liquidate his assets. Tony would not receive any court papers as he had legal representation handling such matters. And because Tony had legal representation he had no authority to write any “permission” slips for anything to be removed. His house was not sold at the time of Cuda extraction, so why would there be court documents saying to move it? Bottom line, the car was taken from the garage without legal authority and when the conservator found out the car was missing, she hunted down the perpetrator(s) and told them if anything happens to the Cuda they would be responsible.

[@Caz999]

@@DavidS-w8r for someone that was not their you sure "think" you know all about it! not only did he receive that court paper (from the social worker at medilodge with 2 witnesses) I Have it in all my records! And don't act like you know what was said in the meeting with the conservator, you weren't their. I was! bottom line is the conservator sucked at her job (no wonder tony tried to get rid of her for years) not only did she make him loose the big money for the RTS car she made him loose another cuda he had in storage that was vin 0007, because she ignored the paperwork sent to tony about the sale of that car that took 1 year to sell per the laws on abandoned vehicles is storage!