Neglected 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda Barn Find Is A Sad Sight
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious
YouTube channel Streamline Builds isn't huge, but it has some interesting car videos. Perhaps the highlight of the whole channel is a 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda barn find. At least the way it's presented, two guys in classic Chevy Camaros are cruising along some country backroads and happen upon one of the most coveted Mopar muscle cars ever made.
The classic E-Bodyis sitting at what looks like an auto shop lot, surrounded by a equipment and under an industrial pergola, apart from the other cars sitting out. One of the guys already has popped the hood and is fiddling around, obviously checking out the fact the Hemi engine is indeed still installed. Primer is on much of the Plymouth 'Cuda's body, the back glass and windshield are missing, there are no seats and the muscle car looks pretty rough, but it at least has an engine. Oh, and there's still some of that sweet Hemi Orange left, with a heavy patina on it, of course.
To be honest, the whole thing feels a little staged. That's the dirty 'secret' of many car shows, both on television and the internet. Production teams or YouTube personalities will locate a car and then work with the owner to stage a scene, making it look like they just happened across it while cruising along or doing something ridiculous. The fact it's at a shop where one of these guys probably have a friend who's an employee just makes the whole situation seem even more suspicious, especially since the entrance is gated for obvious reasons. In other words, this is definitely not a chance encounter.
While these backroads no doubt aren't traveled that much, people are going to notice valuable classic cars just sitting out in the open, even if they have some junk piled on top. And the fact these guys walk up to it on private property without any fear of being on the wrong end of a shotgun is pretty interesting. To be fair, at one point while looking at a bunch of classic Chevrolets you see two guys talking in the background, so these guys are hamming it up with the owner of the cars to grease the gears and get information, which is definitely advisable.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
21 minutes ago
- USA Today
The HEMI is back: Citing customer feedback, Ram returns V8 HEMI engines to 1500 pickups
The HEMI is back: Citing customer feedback, Ram returns V8 HEMI engines to 1500 pickups Show Caption Hide Caption Detroit Free Press Car, Truck, Utility of the Year revealed Decades of work by Toyota and a bold new strategy from General Motors pay off with great vehicles, all priced in the heart of the market. Ram discontinued the HEMI engine in 2024, opting for a more powerful and fuel efficient inline six-cylinder engine. Citing customer sentiment, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said the brand would rerelease the V-8 HEMI engine in most of its pickup offerings. Kuniskis also noted a change in Ram's market approach, with an extensive focus on one-to-one retail sales with "real customers." A year after removing the HEMI, Ram is reintroducing its famous V-8 engine to its product lineup and unveiling a new logo to accompany it. At a preview event with automotive media, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said the HEMI is coming back to Ram trucks along with a new emblem that the brand is calling a "symbol of protest," featuring a ram's head jutting out of a V-8 engine block. Rams reequipped with the HEMI engines will be available for sale this summer, the company said, in the following Ram 1500 models: Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Rebel (available later than other models), Limited and Longhorn. A year ago, Ram announced it would be discontinuing the HEMI V-8 engines in favor of a more fuel-efficient and powerful Hurricane twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine. The hurricane engines also performed better under emissions regulations. That move, Kuniskis said, was a mistake. "Ram screwed up when we dropped the HEMI — we own it and we fixed it,' Kuniskis said in a statement. Both the Hurricane and HEMI engines will be available for buyers now, giving buyers a choice. Kuniskis said that the decision was informed by customer feedback. People were mad. Toyota Tundra recalls: Is Toyota's most expensive truck reliable or plagued with issues? "(Buyers) hate the fact that we took away the freedom of choice," Kuniskis said. "We as Americans, probably more so truck buyers, hate the fact that we said, 'This is the choice you get, this is the engine you're going to take.' " Kuniskis said Ram's market approach has changed to focus almost entirely on retail sales, pulling back on fleet and rental business. Kuniskis considers this the truest reflection of the automotive market, he said, referring to retail sales as "sales to real customers." As is common with Kuniskis, whose persona reflects Ram's brand identity as loud and unapologetic, he was quick to decry experts who hawk Ram's sales numbers. The decision to bring the HEMI back was made because he heard enough from people who were upset, not crafty data analytics. "At the end of each month, we count sales to customers, not statisticians or ideologues," Kuniskis said. "Data be damned — we raise our flag and let the HEMI ring free again!' added Kuniskis. Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and the UAW. Contact him at LRappleye@
Business Wire
7 hours ago
- Business Wire
Vehlo's Dealerlogix Becomes Newest Certified Provider for Volkswagen's eConnect Program
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dealerlogix, a leading all-in-one fixed operations software suite for automotive dealership service departments, today announced its approval as a certified provider in Volkswagen's eConnect Program. Dealerlogix is driven by Vehlo, which also owns Text2Drive, Rapid Recon, Service Lane eAdvisor and Velocity Automotive Solutions in their Dealership Software Division. An all-in-one solution for dealership fixed operations, Dealerlogix provides retention text communications through its own best-in-class Text2Drive product, online service scheduling, service valet, service lane check-in, electronic multipoint inspections with video and pictures, mobile payments with fraud protection, bilateral DMS communications, and more. 'Dealerlogix has a reputation for working both independently without DMS integrations and seamlessly with DMS companies to provide a clean and easy customer and dealership experience, for vehicle maintenance, repairs, and payment,' said David Stalzer, Vice President of OEM Strategy & Partner Growth for Vehlo, parent company of Dealerlogix. 'We are truly honored to partner with another premier OEM like Volkswagen, and to help more VW dealerships offer easy repair and payment experiences that create lifelong customers.' To achieve certification in VW's eConnect Program, Dealerlogix passed a rigorous evaluation that ensures critical features and seamless integrations are available to VW dealerships to provide an effortless experience for online appointment scheduling, valet pickup & drop-off, repair order write-ups, digital multipoint inspections with e-Approvals, texting and mobile bill pay—all from the comfort of a customer's mobile phone. 'Our proven platform meets Volkswagen's high standards," said Euwart Anderson, the Executive Vice President for Vehlo. 'And the best part is that Dealerlogix creates transparency to help the customer feel they are an important piece in their repair process. When communication is clear, a customer's trust is gained.' About Dealerlogix Dealerlogix is a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for fixed operations departments of franchised automotive dealerships in the U.S. and Canada. The true all-in-one dealership software enables dealers to streamline service lane efficiency and improve customer satisfaction scores, retention, and profits. Dealerlogix's robust, customizable, and easy-to-use suite of products eliminates the need for multiple tech tools and optimizes the dealership service experience. Accessible from any device, Dealerlogix features scheduling, service write-up, multi-point inspection, video walkaround, tire tool, parts identifier, video ASR, e-signature, digital billing and payments, mobile checkout, text communication, Service Valet, and integrates seamlessly with many third-party tools. The combination of a thoughtful user interface and targeted process automation provides a unified experience for service advisors, technicians, parts personnel, billing, management and BDCs. To learn more, visit
Boston Globe
10 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Driver's licenses in limbo: Government debts jeopardize thousands of Mass. drivers
The number of drivers who lost their authority to drive under these circumstances is unclear. The Registry's data didn't specify how many drivers failed to settle their debts before their licenses expired. Those who do face limited choices. No payment plans are available, and unlike drivers who have been sanctioned for dangerous driving, there are no hardship licenses. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'They're really put in an impossible situation,' said Caroline Cohn, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. Advertisement This is the predicament facing Angel, 43, who drove himself into debt passing through tolls. He had no E-ZPass transponder for his car, but, he said, he never received toll bills, and later learned they were mailed to a previous address. By the time he realized he owed money, his bill was $1,247 and that would balloon to nearly $6,000 as a portion of his balance was sent to collections, and fees and penalties mounted. Related : Without a driver's license, Angel said he's been spiraling, thrust into a seemingly endless cycle of needing to work to pay off the debt, but unable to work consistently without a valid license. Advertisement 'Such a little thing can have a huge impact in your daily life,' said Angel, a former Uber driver who now relies on public transportation. (The Globe agreed to identify Angel, an East Boston resident, by his first name as requested by him and his lawyer because of his debts.) From 2020 through last year, the Registry has prohibited driver's licenses from being renewed an average of 593,580 times annually because of unpaid tolls, excise taxes, and a court fee imposed on low-income people eligible free legal representation, according to agency figures. The Registry has also blocked the renewal of motor vehicle registrations an average of 120,883 times each year between 2020 and 2024 for unpaid excise taxes and tolls. Related : Without a legal option for driving, many drivers with debt find themselves exiled from the job market and unable to pay off the debts to restore their licenses or risk further jeopardy by driving illegally, critics said. Their earning options are greatly diminished because they cannot commute by car, perform driving-related job functions, or use that form of identification, advocates said. State Senator Julian Cyr, a Cape Cod Democrat, is pushing a bill that would limit the Registry's authority to impose sanctions on driver's licenses and vehicle registrations triggered by state taxes and certain fines. The bill, which is backed by state Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, would let drivers seek to have their fees waived or reduced based on financial hardship, and would direct the Registry to send bill payment reminders by email and text message. Advertisement The Registry would keep its authority to suspend driver's licenses for dangerous driving, operating under the influence of alcohol, and repeated unsafe driving infractions, according to bill advocates. Related : 'There is a real cycle of debt and legal entrapment,' Cyr said. 'We need to catch up to a number of states who have already reformed or eliminated debt-based license suspensions.' In a statement, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said the law permitting the Registry to prohibit drivers with government debts from renewing their licenses has been in place since 1992. The assessments that can trigger the sanctions help to fund government services, including local aid to communities and highway maintenance, the agency said. 'MassDOT shares concerns about the fairness of the program and is open to discussions with our partners in the Legislature on any changes that could be made to minimize harm to people,' the statement said. Related : Massachusetts is out of step with other states that have limited or eliminated the government's authority to restrict driving because of debt, according to the Free to Drive campaign, a national coalition of organizations that favor reforms. Twenty-six states plus the District of Columbia have implemented changes to end or reduce restrictions for driver's licenses because of unpaid debts. Kristen Bor-Zale, a staff attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services who represents Angel, said the agency has been approached by other clients facing setbacks similar to his. According to a Globe review of RMV data, the agency placed licensees in non-renewal status more than 1.1 million times during a four-year period because of unpaid tolls. There are no options for payment plans or to petition for the debt to be reduced or waived; and legal protections that shield people receiving public benefits from being forced to pay consumer debts do not apply, Bor-Zale said. Advertisement By contrast, drivers who have been sanctioned for drunken-driving, driving under the influence of drugs, or have been designated as 'habitual traffic offenders' can apply Driving is vital for Massachusetts workers, with 70 percent commuting by vehicle to their jobs, 'If they can't legally drive they are getting cut out of the economy,' Bor-Zale said. 'It's pushing people to have to make very stark choices.' Another one of Bor-Zale's clients, Renata, said the Registry blocked her from renewing her license two years ago, claiming she owed more than $6,500 for tolls. The Hudson resident, who also asked that her last name be withheld because of her debts, said she had difficulty getting accurate information about her bill and was directed to debt collection companies. She accrued some of the debt, she said, while she was receiving cancer treatment and couldn't work. Renata lost her license because of unpaid tolls. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff 'I can't pay this bill. It was [worth] more than my car,' she said. Without a valid license, Renata, a licensed cosmetologist and chaplain for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said her daily life came to a standstill. Renata said her trips into the city for medical appointments are now arduous, requiring hours of travel on local buses, commuter rail, and then an Uber or subway trip. 'It's all the stress,' she said. Jucemar Pereira, 72, said he returned to Brazil last year to live with his daughter for a time because he couldn't renew his license over unpaid tolls. Advertisement 'Not having a driver's license was certainly a motivation,' Pereira said through a Portuguese interpreter from his residence in Brazil. 'My entire life relies on this … document,' said Pereira, a naturalized US citizen who had lived in Massachusetts for about 25 years. A working group of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, a trade group for state driver's licensing agencies, wrote in a 2021 report that 'using a driver's license suspension for nonhighway safety violations should be avoided.' The Fines and Fees Justice Center, a national organization behind the Free to Drive campaign, has highlighted research from Yet there is concern about how potential changes could impact revenue collections. Adam Chapdelaine, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, a nonprofit organization that represents municipal governments, said communities rely on the revenue from the Registry's fines to deliver 'essential services.' 'While we understand the intent of the legislation, we wouldn't support provisions that would make it harder to collect essential sources of municipal revenue,' he said in a statement. Meanwhile, Renata is working on paying off her debts. In March, the Registry agreed to reinstate her license but placed her vehicle registration in nonrenewal, giving her until the end of the month to pay about $3,400. She said she doesn't know how she's going find the money. 'This is very tough,' she said. 'I just need my life back.' Advertisement This story was produced by the Globe's team, which covers the racial wealth gap in Greater Boston. You can sign up for the newsletter . Laura Crimaldi can be reached at
