Tornado Nearly Totaled This 1973 Plymouth ‘Cuda, But Its Back!

When you think about tough cars, old-school Mopars are right up there. But few stories show just how tough they really are like what happened to Mike Wyse’s 1973 Plymouth ‘Cuda 340 — a former drag racing champ that beat the odds after getting crushed by a tornado and came out shining.

Mike’s story with the ‘Cuda started in 1980, but the car’s legacy stretches even further. Back in 1973, his brother Dan Wyse, just 21 years old at the time, traded in his little Buick Opel and bought the brand-new Plymouth ‘Cuda for one reason: to go fast. Dan got a deal too — around $900 off thanks to his trade — and picked up a 5.6-liter (340 cubic-inch) V8 four-speed setup, one of only a couple thousand like it made that year. It wasn’t the biggest engine Chrysler sold, but the 340 was quick, light, and deadly on the street or strip.

By 1975, Dan turned the E-body into a full-on quarter-mile warrior, racing it hard until 1980 before handing it off to Mike. The ‘Cuda kept tearing up the track throughout the ’80s, even winning points titles at Michigan’s Milan Dragway. Eventually, after chewing through its original motor, Mike dropped a fresh 340 in and kept racing until 1992, when he finally hung up the helmet and switched the car over to road duty.

That could’ve been the end of the story, but in 2010, disaster struck. Mike was getting some work done at his house in Dundee, Michigan — pouring a new driveway — and needed a safe place for the ‘Cuda to stay. Dan stepped up, offering space in his massive warehouse. It seemed like a good plan. Then on June 5, 2010, a monster tornado, nearly a mile wide, ripped straight through town, tearing up everything in its path. Houses were leveled, buildings shredded, cars tossed like toys.

Dan’s warehouse took a direct hit. The building was ripped in half, but somehow, parked right inside, the ‘Cuda survived. Sure, it had some dings and scratches, but considering what happened around it, the car was basically untouched. A little battered, maybe — but definitely not beaten.

Mike didn’t waste any time. He had the ‘Cuda fully restored cosmetically after the storm, keeping its soul intact. One piece of trim around the trunk panel was lost for good, but Mike decided not to replace it — a little missing piece of history that gives the car even more character.

Today, Mike’s Plymouth ‘Cuda is a living, breathing piece of muscle car history. It still has its drag-race setup with the race buckets, five-point harnesses, and emergency shutoffs — just like it had when it dominated the strip. Even though it hasn’t seen a starting line in over 30 years, it’s clear this ‘Cuda still means business. With just over 72,000 miles on the clock, it’s been through a lifetime of adventures, including surviving one of the worst tornadoes to ever hit Michigan.

In a world where everything feels disposable, it’s stories like this that show why we love classic muscle. Built tough, raced hard, knocked down, but never out. That’s real American muscle.

Source: JC Fernandez