Some restorations begin with a solid foundation and a long list of cosmetic improvements. This 1970 Plymouth ’Cuda was not one of them, arriving at Graveyard Carz in such poor condition that the team eventually replaced nearly every major piece of sheet metal on the car.
The project was especially interesting because this was no ordinary color change. The car was originally built in FM3 Moulin Rouge, also known as Panther Pink, one of Chrysler’s most distinctive high-impact colors from the muscle-car era.
At some point in its life, however, the ’Cuda had been repainted white, hiding much of its factory identity. Enough original pink remained on areas of the body to give the restoration team a useful reference before the shell was stripped and sent out for chemical dipping.
What came back confirmed their concerns. Beneath the old finishes was a body suffering from extensive corrosion, setting the stage for an eight-week metalworking marathon before the car could even begin its journey back to bright pink glory.
Almost the Entire Body Needed Rebuilding
According to the Graveyard Carz team, very little original sheet metal was healthy enough to remain. The restoration required replacement of the main floor, seat pan, trunk floor, rear body structure, inner and outer wheelhouses, inner fenders, firewall, cowl panels, quarter panels, and numerous other structural and bolt-on components.
The damage also extended into areas that are far less straightforward to repair. Sections of the hinge pillars needed replacement, while the internal roof structure had deteriorated badly enough that the shop had to hand-fabricate around 50 individual pieces.
That level of reconstruction explains why the metalwork alone consumed roughly eight weeks of full-time labor. By the time the structural work was finished, the car was effectively rebuilt around the small number of usable original components that remained.
Bringing Back the Original FM3 Pink
With the body repaired, attention shifted to recreating the car’s factory color as accurately as possible. Graveyard Carz used surviving areas of original paint as a visual reference and mixed a spray-out sample before committing to the full finish.
The team identified the Chrysler color as FM3 Panther Pink or Moulin Rouge, a shade offered for the 1970 model year. Their paint formula used four toners, including two reds, white, and violet, which combined to create the unusually vivid pink hue.
The entire car required approximately three gallons of paint, with base coat and clear coat applied after careful preparation of the newly installed panels and hidden areas. The crew also duplicated factory-style sound deadening and undercoating where appropriate rather than simply concentrating on the visible exterior surfaces.
The Finish Required Plenty of Work After Paint
Getting color onto the body was only one part of the process. Once the clear coat had cured, the shop wet-sanded and polished the finish to remove minor texture and imperfections, gradually working through increasingly fine abrasives.
The goal was to leave the surfaces as flat and reflective as possible, giving the restored ’Cuda the show-car appearance associated with the shop’s finished builds. That attention extended underneath the vehicle as well, where the team aimed to preserve clean welds and factory-style details rather than bury repair work under excessive coatings.
Unlike many Graveyard Carz projects, the shop was primarily responsible for the body and paint on this particular car. The owner handled the engine, transmission, and rear axle work separately, while the Graveyard Carz crew later installed the drivetrain so the car could be transported safely once the body was complete.
Black Hockey Stick Stripes Finish the Look
The final exterior detail was a set of black hockey stick stripes running along the rear quarters and doors. Fresh reproduction graphics were used instead of aged original decals, allowing the team to achieve proper adhesion and alignment without dealing with brittle decades-old material.
Applying them still required precision because the shop had only one set available and the vehicle was scheduled to leave the following day. Each side had to be carefully measured so the stripes matched, with the 340 engine callout incorporated into the design.
Against the bright Moulin Rouge paint, the glossy black graphics provide exactly the contrast the car needs. The combination also returns the ’Cuda to a period-correct visual style, showing how a factory FM3 car could have appeared in 1970.
From Rusty Shell to Head-Turning ’Cuda
The finished Plymouth bears little resemblance to the deteriorated car that originally entered the shop. What was once a heavily rusted, white-painted shell now wears its proper pink finish, sharply aligned bodywork, black graphics, and rebuilt underpinnings.
Graveyard Carz did not perform a full mechanical restoration in this case, yet the amount of structural work involved arguably made the project every bit as demanding. Replacing such a large percentage of the body while maintaining correct fitment and factory-inspired detailing is an enormous undertaking.
The result is especially satisfying because the FM3 paint was not simply chosen for dramatic effect; it restores the car to its original specification. After decades of damage and an incorrect repaint, this 1970 ’Cuda has finally returned to the bold identity it left the factory with.