"The Automobile is the Art"
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The Rides of March – A Pretty in Pink
AAR ‘Cuda!
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If you were a teenager or young adult in the late 60s and early 70s, then you lived a kaleidoscope of culture and color like this country had never experienced before…..or since. It was an era of excess and experimentation fueling limitless self-expression. Fashion trends followed in lockstep and often looked like designers raided the closet at Clown College. As the decade of the 60s turned the page to 1970, the colors were brilliant…..not all decisions were.
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Car companies were right at the front of that line, especially Chrysler Corporation which went to extremes to stand out from its competition by introducing the most charismatic color pallet in automotive history. Pigments of the past were jettisoned in favor of eccentric options like Lemon Twist, Tor-Red, Lime Light, Go Mango, and Panther Pink (officially Moulin Rouge). Plymouth, specifically, was determined to scream in the face of the status quo. Plymouth introduced colors louder than its Hemis! Already five years late to the Pony Car party, Plymouth came roaring from the back of the pack.
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53 years ago, this past Friday on March 10th, 1970, a tiny 5-week window opened at Plymouth unlocking a legendary legacy. To qualify for competition in the SCCA Trans AM racing series against rivals that included the Z28 Camaro, Boss Mustang, Javelin, Firebird, and stablemate Dodge Challenger, Plymouth’s Barracuda was required to meet production quotas. A purpose-built race car wasn’t enough, Plymouth needed a matching passenger car. Production began March 10th and 38 days later the last of 2,724 AAR ‘Cudas was produced on April 17th. To work around the SCCA’s engine restrictions, Plymouth stacked a Six-Pack (3, 2-barrel carburetors) on top of its 340 cubic inch small block V-8. The combination was lethal.
Pairing racing legend Dan Gurney and his AAR (All American Racers) team with $1m of Chrysler’s money should have been equally lethal, but Gurney’s team was plagued with problems from the start.
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Going head to head with the greatest racers of the day like Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones, and Jim Hall didn’t help and budget cuts at Chrysler after just two races spelled doom. Plymouth faded to fifth in the 1970 Trans-Am Championship chase with no wins and just 15 points. Meanwhile, Parnelli Jones won the championship in his 1970 Boss 302 Mustang by a single point over Mark Donohue’s AMC Javelin.
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Pictured Above: Parnelli Jones |
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Pictured Above: Mark Donohue |
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The AAR ‘Cuda’s racing career was over in a flash at the end of the 1970 season, but its popularity was instant and everlasting. Five decades later, the AAR ‘Cuda is one of the most highly collectible and popular MOPARs ever produced. You won’t have any trouble locating ours at The Automobile Gallery & Event Center. Moulin Rouge is the rarest of all AAR colors with only 255 produced and the Gallery’s AAR is 1 of just 37 known to exist. You might say we’re “tickled pink” to have it in our collection.
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What could possibly be better than having an AAR ‘Cuda? Having two of them! My good friend Roger Schmeling from the Chicagoland MOPAR Club will be arriving soon with his multi-national award-winning AAR ‘Cuda. You won’t want to miss it!
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See over 100 other great Gallery classics and impeccable guest vehicles at these upcoming events!
March 23: Gallery Members Only Annual Celebration
(if you want to become a member for only $50, you receive unlimited Gallery viewing access for a full year, follow THIS link)
May 15-21: Brown County Historical Days
(Buy one admission, get one free all week; week-of FREE events to be posted on our website soon)
May 20: Festa Italiano (Italian Car Show)
June 17: Cars & Guitars Car Show
September 14: Cruisin' the Classics, Daddy D's Production
September 30: AUTOberfest (German Car Show)
November 9: Patriotic Salute, Daddy D's Production
December 2: Old Fashion Chrismas, Daddy D's Production
...Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details on each!
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Joyce-Lyn & Steve Altieri
Brent Baker
James Bednarowski
Christopher Boland
Ann & Steve Bradford
Kaleb Cieslewicz
Grant De Broux
Joe Griffiths & Family
Keith Obermiller & Family
Tom & Dawn Olejniczak
Michael Sullivan &M2Logistics
Jeff & Cheryl Tyndall
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Contemporary Automobile Gallery and Event Venue
"The Automobile is the Art"
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Gallery open 9:00am - 3:00pm daily, hours subject to change.
*Prepurchase Tickets and Gift Certificates Available*
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