This is one of the cars that earned its driver the title of "Miss Mighty Mopar."
Judy Lilly was a colossal figure in the automotive world for quite some time, known primarily for her massively influential cars and cool control in some of the world's most daunting performance driving situations. Interviews with the legendary racer have proven that she cared a lot more about the act of going fast than she ever did about beating her opponent. That's likely what made her a great racer; Judy was driving against herself and nobody else. Then, having raced her whole life, she got the chance to drive some of the world's fastest cars. One such vehicle was her beloved 1967 Plymouth Belvedere, whose boastful style caught the eyes of thousands at the drag strip while its massive engine carried her and the car into many victories.
Under the hood of this legendary racing vehicle is an icon within the automotive industry, a 426 cubic inch Hemi V8 engine. Known primarily for its highly efficient production of power, having a power to displacement ratio of around 1:1, this V8 proved to be a substantial advantage on the drag strip, causing nearly every Mopar fan with a passion for racing to dream of owning one someday. While it's difficult to find exact data on her fastest ¼-mile time, it's easy to imagine the sort of wild performance that massive V8 would have given the stripped-down factory drag car. According to the information panel in the trunk, this incredible piece of Mopar racing history would consistently run 10-second passes in the Super Stock B class. All of this performance is well and good, but you might be wondering where the car is now, in case you want to try and catch a glimpse as the new driver takes the car on the road.
In 2015, the car was treated to a thorough restoration process which entailed getting the vehicle running just as well as when it competed. Somewhere down the line, Chrysler gave "Miss Mighty Mopar" a stunning 1968 Plymouth Cuda. This led the racing legend to campaign the car for sale for around one year, enough time for a racer to hype up their old ride for auction. Nowadays, the vehicle is with a new owner, a Mopar enthusiast named Rich Gottlieb, where it is well cared for and perceived like an artifact. Thankfully, we get to hear the car start up in a video made to showcase the vehicle, and it sounds just how you might expect a classic racer to fire up. Rich looked so excited when he cranked the Hemi engine that you can't help but smile as that glorious V8 made its presence known to the world. Overall this is a fantastic example of one of racing's best competitors, and we hope to see it preserved and well maintained for as long as it can, possibly with some occasional trips to the drag strip in the coming years.
