1971 Plymouth Cuda Convertible 440 Six-Pack 4-Speed Sells Privately for $1.975 Million

HILTON, NY, UNITED STATES, August 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A 1971 Plymouth Cuda convertible, equipped with a rare 440 six-pack engine and matching numbers throughout, has changed hands for $1.975 million. The private sale was arranged by Engels Gualdani, a Classic Car Expert better known in muscle car circles as Mr. Muscle Car.

At the heart of the deal is a numbers-matching 1971 440 six-pack Cuda convertible fitted with its original four-speed manual transmission. For serious collectors, matching numbers are non-negotiable; they're often the single biggest driver of a car's value.

Backing up the car's authenticity is its original factory build sheet, the document that spells out a vehicle's exact original specifications. Paperwork like this carries enormous weight when collectors are evaluating whether a car is truly what it claims to be.

Adding to its rarity, the Cuda retains its factory front and rear spoilers alongside the unmistakable shaker hood scoop; all options in 1971, and a combination that seldom survives intact on a single car decades later.

Gualdani confirmed the car's identity by its VIN. The transaction, $1.975 million for the 440 six-pack convertible, was negotiated directly between two private collectors.

Gualdani managed the deal from first contact through closing, personally verifying the car's provenance before terms were finalized. Sales at this price point remain rare even among high-end muscle car trading circles.

The scarcity behind the number: numbers-matching 440 six-pack Cuda convertibles were never built in large quantities, and well-documented examples like this one routinely draw premium bids. Gualdani ranks the sale among the most significant muscle car transactions of the year so far.

His approach is methodical — every deal starts with confirming the numbers, authenticating the paperwork, and inspecting mechanical condition before any negotiation begins. That diligence is what gave both the buyer and the seller confidence to close at this level.

This isn't Gualdani's only headline sale in 2026. Earlier this year, he brought a 1971 Hemi Cuda convertible to auction at Mecum, where it sold for more than $3 million. Between that result and this latest deal, Gualdani, known industry-wide as Mr. Muscle Car, continues to cement his reputation built over years of work in the collector car market.

Pat McCabe
HelloNation
info@hellonation.com