1971 Plymouth Barracuda convertible borrows engine from Dodge Viper

In the field of automobile refurbishing and remodeling, engine swaps have possibly been the most common. Next to these are the chassis swaps which are usually done to decrease the overall weight and at the same time better the vehicle performance. However, Time Machines from Hudson, Florida has probably gone even one step further and has managed to blend two entirely different vehicles, with the 1971 Plymouth Barracuda convertible as the end result. With an exterior that’s viper red in color and an interior that screams black leather bucket, this 1971 Plymouth Barracuda is complete with a 6-speed manual transmission and independent suspension along with a thundering 450 horsepower characteristic of a 2001 Dodge Viper.

1971 Plymouth Viper 'Cuda Convertible

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1971 Plymouth Viper 'Cuda Convertible

1971 Plymouth Viper Cuda Convertible 8.0Liter Viper V10 6-speed

Basically designed as a two-seater from its original five-seater frame, this convertible took origin from a 318-powered ’71 ‘Cuda convertible which was gutted, stripped and had the floors except the rockers, radiator cradle and sub-frame removed. This done, the designers at Time Machines next gave it a coat of bright viper red paint and added customized billboards along with a Viper logo.

Also, Vipers are known to attract attention in any car show; however, to increase the magnitude of attention, a forward tilting hood was added, bumpers were freshly plated and the windscreen reinstalled. For the chassis swap, a 2001 Viper was used on which `Cuda sheet metal fenders were mounted – no doubt a tough task and for which special brackets were used.

The basic remodeling done, the 8.0 Liter Viper V10 was next snuggled into the engine bay without disturbing the overall weight distribution. Clever modeling helped avoid crankiness or overheating which is but a common headache. Customized floors, Aldan coilover shocks and an exhaust setup with glasspacks and resonators were further used to add to the aura of the Plymouth Barracuda convertible.

However, it was the electrically operated hood which added a totally new customization to this convertible. Furthermore, the vroom powered by a firing of 10 cylinders added an extra oomph to this convertible. Having already been featured in the February 2011 issue of Mopar Action, the cost of the convertible which reads $199,900 is definitely on the higher side. Nevertheless, if we consider the designing intricacies, it probably doesn’t add up to much.

Via: RKMotors