One of the most revered models to come out of the 1970s Chrysler brand is the Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible. Elegantly designed, powerful, with a look that even nearly fifty years later retains the appearance of significance that the designers had intended.
Why is it that the Plymouth-branded Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible is worth every penny of the, in this case, 2.3 million dollars? It should be mentioned that this price-range isn’t unexpected, why, just last year a 1971 model Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible sold for 3.5 million. Back to the 1970s model, of which only 14 were produced for that year, the ‘Cuda Convertible owes a lot of what it is to John Herlitz.
Who was he?
John Eric Herlitz was born on December 30th, 1942, and would become known as one of the most prolific American industrialists of his day – particularly for his styling of cars while working at the Chrysler Corporation. His life, it can be said, seemed destined to find its way to Chrysler – while living in Pine Plains, New York, Herlitz started sending sketches of cars to Chrysler, and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Chrysler responded. They offered Herlitz advice on what education he would require to find employment as a stylist. This was while he was still just 13 years old. This advice, it should be noted, he took – eventually proceeding to get a bachelor’s degree in industrial design from the Pratt Institute.
Immediately following his graduation in 1965, he began working for Plymouth, creating the Barracuda SX show car, which would go on to influence the production model for the 1967 Plymouth Barracuda.
This success put Herlitz’ name on the map – and in 1970 his Hemi-fitted Barracuda Convertible was showcased with renown and appreciation – taking on progressive responsibility in the design studios, with involvement on various K-cars, minivans, cab forward vehicles, and concepts along the way. He was named vice president for production design in 1994, retiring in 2000 in a senior capacity.
Among his post-retirement accomplishments, Herlitz was involves in establishing the Walter P. Chrysler Museum, as well as the design for the visual arts building in Michigan. He passed away in 2008 after complications from a fall at his winter home in Florida.
His legacy, though, specifically the Barracuda and ‘Cuda series, have certainly earned him a place alongside other innovators in the book of the remarkable people throughout automotive history.
The 1970’s ‘Cuda derivative was a race-themed AAR, with 425 horsepower and matching torque, this is a car built for performance, speed, and control. Able to do the quarter-mile in just 13.41 seconds, this was a huge leap forward at the time, and backed by a huge amount of customization opportunities, the ‘Cuda was recognized, immediately, for the gem that it was.
The post Hemi Cuda convertibles hit the 2.3 million dollar mark at auction appeared first on Vernon Dodge Jeep.
from Vernon Dodge Jeep http://ift.tt/1TlArHA
No comments:
Post a Comment