The Barracuda rolled out for the 1964 model year, then Chrysler pulled the plug after 1974 as the Malaise Era started to rear its ugly head. In addition to OPEC's original oil embargo, the American muscle car's downfall is also attributed to reduced compression ratios due to the introduction of unleaded fuel in 1971, as well as the catalytic converter going mainstream for model year 1975.
Before the muscle car genre was temporarily replaced by slow land yachts, the Plymouth division was allowed to shoehorn the legendary 426 Hemi in the engine bay of the Barracuda. This resulted in the Hemi 'Cuda, with the 'Cuda moniker introduced for MY69 with a selection of three powerplants: the 340, 383, and the torque monster referred to as the 440.
The 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda in the featured photos is one of merely 368 examples produced that year, an FE5 Rallye Red-painted blast from the past whose first owner used to race it under the name Warlock. Chassis number BS23R0B146694 remained with the first owner's family until 2015, the year this fellow was subjected to a nut-and-bolt restoration by Oregon-based Rouze Rod & Custom.
Finished in 2018, said restoration included a replacement 426 Hemi overbored to 431 cubic inches. That means 7.06 liters compared to 6.98 for the stock engine. Fed by two four-barrel carburetors topped by a Shaker Bubble in FE5 Rallye Red, the naturally-aspirated V8 was allegedly sourced from another 1970 model year Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda.
Connected to a period-correct TorqueFlite A727 three-speed automatic spinning 4.10:1 gears in the Dana 60 rear axle, said engine completely dominates the driving experience. Presently located in Minnesota, this badass car is featured as a premium listing on Bring a Trailer. At press time, the highest offer is $75,000 with nine days of bidding left to go.
Photo: wlb400 on Bring a Trailer
Given that we're not dealing with a numbers-matching time capsule, it's not going to fetch top dollar. Broad Arrow Auctions recently auctioned 0B100010 (the press preview car) without reserve, with said 1970 model hammering for 280 big ones.
The most expensive Hemi 'Cuda of them all is the 1971 convertible bearing vehicle identification number BS27R1B315367. Auctioned in Seattle back in 2014, the car sold for a tremendous $3,780,000.
This being said, there's no denying the 431-ci example offered on Bring a Trailer will easily surpass $100,000 in the following days. The current owner purchased it back in 2020 from Rouze Rod & Custom, but its mileage isn't unknown. The odometer was reportedly disconnected by the first owner, and it currently indicates 9 miles (14.48 kilometers).
The 8,000-rpm tachometer does work, and so does the 150-mph speedometer. In metric, that means 241.40 kilometers per hour. The Hemi 'Cuda isn't capable of hitting that speed, though, for it maxes out at 117 miles per hour (188 kilometers per hour).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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