1970 Plymouth 'Cuda AAR Sassy Grass Green Video Muscle Car Of The Week Video #50

[@c5back9]

In the early seventies, a friend had bought a used one (4 speed version) in green (I don’t recall if it was “sassy grass” or another shade, but it definitely was a highly visible green). After about a year of frequent speeding tickets and all manner of related “attention” being provided by local LE, he had it repainted the more mundane brown color offered by Mopar on AARs. After the repaint he left the stripe off to hopefully help reduce attention. This friend was an outstanding driver, and (like me) more interested in road course performance than quarter mile. Likely this was due to the fact that we lived in an area of a great many twisty, hilly, and narrow country roads. As proof of his skills, I offer the fact that he never crashed it (and trust me when I say, he certainly didn’t “baby it” either). Given the raw power of the AAR, there are very few owners who can say their AAR never got away from them causing a collision. He and I taught ourselves to drive on gravel roads - often borrowing his dad’s Plymouth station wagon (which in retrospect, I realize now must have been a great way to learn how handle skidding and sliding). His skills allowed him to avoid all trees, poles, holes, and various road hazards in our area while leaving every z28 and Mustang driver around here in his dust. I recall one evening in his AAR when I was co-pilot, we were in process of rapidly gaining on a Mustang to pass as we also were going through a tight turn on the approach to a very narrow railroad underpass. As he closed on the rear bumper of the Mustang, it occurred to me that we might either slam in to the rear of the Stang or at very least, sideswipe the stone underpass because there definitely was not sufficient room for two cars to fit through the opening simultaneously. I remember asking “are you at all worried that he might brake and we might run into him?”... His reply was classic. A rather nonchalant “not at all, my car is better than his”. I remember promising myself that I’d unload my hot rod Duster ASAP and get a ‘Cuda. I checked that box a few weeks later, and although “life” caused me to surrender my ‘Cuda for a more mainstream sedan a couple of years later, I still think of it as one of the best cars I ever owned.

[@quentin3330]

How can u not love the AAR Cuda.

[@mattcotten83]

this guy has the best job in the world....

[@CL600Sport]

If I recall correctly, the race engine used a destroked crank in the 340 block in order to reduce the displacement to 305 c.u. I drove a white AAR during the 70s and 80s, but I sold it in 1999. Great memories for sure!

[@jrg7951]

You can tell that this host knows his stuff and is passionate about these cars and their history. He does a great job.

[@rustycowll5735]

he made one glaring mistake. They came with 15"x7" ralley wheels at all four corners. The tire sizes were different front to back. G60x15's on rear and E60x15's on the front. This Sassy Grass Green example has polished trim rings, whereas originals were brushed SS trim rings.

[@azindependentsrt5721]

Damn that is so sweet. There is just no car like MoPaR, the #1 original American badass

[@danielnakon8056]

I have no idea why this channel does not have more views.

[@MuscleCarOfTheWeek]

Share it with your friends! And thanks!

[@michaelferik8060]

Believe it or not a friend of mine had bought a red 1970 AAR 'Cuda back in the eighties which had a column mounted shifter for the automatic from the factory. He had restored the body, interior and engine to near concourse condition but could never love the shifter. Eventually it was sold but I did manage a couple of rides in it. Bad to the bone on acceleration and the intake roar at full throttle was awesome!

[@budlanctot3060]

I've seen at least 2 other column shift real AAR's. I remember one of them was white, with a blk & wht HOUNDTOOTH pattern front split bench seat!

[@joecosgrove5711]

So sweet my favorite is the eb-5 blue with the blacked out Hood

[@quincee3376]

I love Cuda's . Duster's too.

[@hmackprotection1]

Outstanding!

[@bman99ss]

As the former owner of an original '71 Sassy Grass Green Roadrunner, I'd dare say that the color is not quite right on this particular AAR 'Cuda (although it's still a damn nice car) . . .

[@TheFokker03]

Mr Gurney sure started something with that car,i love it.

[@se1mase]

I like it

[@v.e.7236]

My Pop traded a lake boat for a "Cuda w/ a 440 and cross-ram intake manifold that sported giant Carter AFBs at the front corners of the engine that crossed over to the opposite side of the engine, giving it monstrous torque. It had a Torque Flite transmission w/ a shift kit that could definitely handle the power delivery. Mr. Showboat would put a $100 bill on a clip on the dash and bet anyone that if they could grab it before he reached 3rd gear, it was theirs. No one ever got that bill.

[@kubla777]

I lived on Telegraph Rd. in Redford, MI as a young teen when I saw one these I wanted one. Too young then and too poor now. I used to see these a lot, being in MI a lot of them rusted out young.

[@paulbengle3451]

sassy grass green, cool as it gets. if plymouth had retro built the cuda they would not have gone outa business.

[@jeffmueller9059]

I have this AAR in FJ6 which is sassy grass, limelight is a FJ5 code and a little more vibrant green that this car seems to be

[@rjwintl]

far out, man !!!

[@tomwolak3362]

Only 2 things wrong with that beauty.No pistol grip 4 spd and its not mine.LOL

[@EricH928]

It's in such perfect condition I'd be a nervous wreck if I actually drove it on the street.

[@d.s7741]

I had a 1970 Roadrunner that I beat the heck out of. So much better than sitting in a lawn chair and looking at it. Three other guys had the AAR 'cuda, a Dodge Dart GTS and one guy had the Shelby GT 500 The Roadrunner and the Dart looked nice parked in the driveway

[@ericou812]

what id like to know is how many dodge challenger TA`S were panther pink,i know its the rarest paint color choice out of every 1970 mopar

[@quentin3330]

ericou812 I read your comment and tried googling all sorts of different ways. Sorry can't find any numbers. Feel free to tag me if u find out. I dig the Panther Pink...especially on a 70.

[@ronaldmoparornocar9590]

A friend of mine and I went to Pennsylvania and purchased one from a gentleman and he stated it was 1 of 4 pink t/a challenger 3 auto and 1 4spd. The one he bought was auto had # match block with it but not in it had a replacement 340 non ta block in it

[@rustycowll5735]

I don't believe those numbers on pink AAR's & T/A's, because I've seen 3 of them, myself. I've seen two different Pink T/A's in WA State, and I've seen a totally burnt up AAR in Yakima, WA. I still have some parts I bought off the burnt one. Also, I don't believe that story about the dealers ordering them for their showroom for a couple of reasons. One, I've seen some bizarre combinations. There was a white AAR in Seattle on a used car lot, which had a hounds tooth bench seat and column shift. What kind of idiot dealer would order it that way? Two, I was told by a dealership salesman they were stored in a storage yard in Salt Lake City. Three, the story goes they were built in two production runs in March or April '70.

[@dwaynewingate893]

It's 6 minutes and 58 seconds is the tailpipe crushed inside of that Chrome chip

[@rustycowll5735]

no, not crushed. The smaller pipe is the actual exhaust pipe. The rest of the megaphone tip is just for show.

[@ChipMarine]

More like 400 H.P. at red line.

[@vincentwiles8410]

He said it was a 2 bolt main. But infact they were 4 bolt main.

[@WoodedAcres]

Uhh, no they weren't. All small blocks were two bolt main motors. Now, if you so desired there was enough webbing to drill the block and install 4 bolt main caps in the #2, 3 and 4 positions.

[@kellienicolebrooksschettin6598]

I am kinda glad to hear only 2500 had to be built an that was slpit 50 50 automatic to 4 speed cars.it was many years ago that i got my numbers about how many were built i was told 8000 an 4000 were autos but thats a lot to make for a production ruling race car agreement 2500 split is more realistic considering the Daytona s were hard to sell with the giant wing and no front bumper which made illegal in one state i heard....luckily they became collectable s hah hah hah.....where i live someone runs around in town with a coronet fake superbird car in yellow an o alway laugh when i see it because it dont look to bad an i know the general population gets a big kick out of it because they have know clue....so that why it makes me laugh i just play along .dual quads an a hemi right....an the wife is driving it an she always smiling funny....she loves the celebrity status.....

[@paul1x1]

Had one sold ot for a downpayment on a house could have lived in the car but not with a baby the wife said miss that car

[@jugrajsingh2445]

i want buy this car how much price

[@dvldwg8961]

Not sassy grass it's limelight. Mines sassy grass

[@bradhardy2629]

Only a butt hurt gm or ford bozo could thumbs down this car . they loved to hate mopar because they got their asses handed to them so many times by a Chrysler product .

[@D70340]

LOL, i know alot of my friends got real tired of seeing my tail lights every time they raced me against my T/A

[@vinriffic]

Mopar never had 4-bolt mains, even for performance.

[@jameshardin1100]

+vinriffic The Hemi had four bolted (cross bolted) mains.

[@charleshowlett1291]

except for TA blocks

[@rustycowll5735]

All "T/A" blocks have MUCH thicker walls on block skirt and main webs. Yes, all 2nd gen Hemis had 4bolt mains.

[@coltfanboi7747]

I've put a comment elsewhere on the recent red 'cuda you featured, never saw this video until I linked off it!. This is exactly the same colour and trim as one I saw during a car show last year on our trip to the USA. I put a vid up on my channel about it, at the time I was unsure what it was. Thanks for the info on the vehicle, it's always good to hear an expert on the subject. Love these cars, probably my fave Muscle car of them all!. Here's my vid of the one I saw at the show, the owner told me it got used during the good weather and stored during the winter months up in Hartford CA. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHbdaaKfhZ2jjq8