Hemmings Muscle Machines

BACKFIRE

Letter of the Month: Surviving the Street Machine Era

My father, Paul Sonday Sr., purchased his 1974 Plymouth ’Cuda in November of 1973 at the age of 19 for $4,500 cash. He would spend the next 8-10 years customizing it to the ’70s “Street Machine” era. The exterior paint work was completed in September of 1981 by legendary metalflake master Hank Z. The interior, which consists of Naugahyde seats with diamond tufts and black piping, blue velour headliner, blue fuzz on the rear deck, and diamond-dust white pearl doors panels (also painted by Hank Z) were all completed very shortly after the extraordinary exterior paintwork. The drivetrain consists

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