Like most classic car enthusiasts out there, I'm a big fan of all-original rigs. And I like them even more when they're unrestored and unmolested. But originality is quite expensive when it comes to muscle cars from the golden era, and sometimes, we have to settle for replicas.
Even though they get some heat from diehard enthusiasts, tribute cars are actually cool. Including the ones that aren't 100% accurate, like the triple-black 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda you see here.
If you know your Barracudas, you probably already noticed the "AAR" decals gracing the rear fenders. Look close enough, and you'll also see dark gray stripes running along the beltline. The car also sports the unique hood and rear spoiler that comes with the limited-edition AAR 'Cuda.
However, this Mopar is not an original homologation special. The first hint that you're not looking at an AAR is the absence of side-exiting exhaust pipes. All AARs left the assembly line with this feature, which was specific to many SCCA Trans-Am vehicles back in the day. Whoever built this car opted to keep the regular exhaust setup with rectangular pipes popping out underneath the rear bumper.
But does this AAR trickster come with the correct engine under the hood? Not really. However, this isn't necessarily bad news. While the AAR 'Cuda had a special 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) V8 with a unique six-barrel setup, this Mopar packs an even more potent punch. Specifically, it has the other six-barrel that Plymouth offered at the time. I'm talking about the massive 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB.
The mill was factory-rated at 390 horsepower, a number that made it the second most powerful Chrysler V8 after the 425-horsepower HEMI. The 340 six-barrel came with only 290 horses on tap. And if this 'Cuda is an authentic 440-6 car, it's actually rarer than the AAR.
Specifically, Plymouth dropped the beefed-up RB engine in only 1,784 'Cudas that year. For reference, AAR production came in at 2,724 examples. This 'Cuda also rocks an automatic gearbox, making it one of 865 vehicles sporting this layout. The triple-black paint scheme would make it one of fewer than 20 units. However, I have doubts this Mopar left the factory as a 440 six-barrel car.
Being the second rarest 'Cuda after the HEMI, it's not the kind of classic you want to mess around with. Restored examples are worth six figures on the auction block, and specific models can go for more than $200,000. We're probably looking at a four-barrel 340 'Cuda that lost its original unit at some point.
I totally get it if you feel a bit disappointed right now, but I like this project. Sure, it's not an AAR, it's not a true 440-6, and it may not even be a real 'Cuda, but it's a 1970 Barracuda that's still on the road. And that's a big deal because only a tiny fraction of the nearly 49,000 examples built that year are still running and driving in 2023.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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