Introduced in 1964, the Plymouth Barracuda arrived at the pony car party nearly two weeks before the Ford Mustang. But unlike the latter, which remained in continuous production since then, the Barracuda went into the history books in 1974.
But despite its somewhat short stint in dealerships, the Barracuda morphed into an iconic classic car. And that's mainly thanks to the early third-generation model, the only one offered with Chrysler's high-performance V8 engines, the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB and 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI.
Both engines were short-lived. Introduced on the options list for the 1970 model year, they were discontinued in late 1971. Additionally, they found their way into only a few thousand examples due to the high insurance rates for high-performance cars at the time.
Specifically, Plymouth sold only 3,804 cars equipped with the 440 RB or 426 HEMI in 1970 and 1971. Only 986 were sold with the four-barrel 440, 2,038 got the six-barrel 440, and 780 were ordered with the HEMI. These numbers include US cars only.
The HEMI 'Cuda is obviously the most desirable. With only 666 examples sold, the 1970 version fetches $200,000 to $500,000 depending on specs, originality, and condition. The 1971 variant is even scarcer at only 114 built, with the super-rare convertibles going for millions of dollars at public auctions.
The 1970 'Cuda you see here is not a HEMI, but it's the next best thing in terms of rarity. That's because it packs a four-barrel 440 V8 that was only available in 1970. While not quite as powerful as the 440 Six-Pack at 375 horsepower (versus 390 for the latter), the Super Commando is notably rarer.
Plymouth delivered 986 of these cars in 1970 compared to 1,784 'Cudas fitted with the Six-Pack option. What's more, this red beauty is one of only 334 hardtops specified with the four-speed manual, a figure that makes it nearly as scarce as the HEMI 'Cuda manual, built in just 284 examples.
Moreover, it's one of those classics that soldiered on for more than 50 years with its numbers-matching engine and transmission. And according to our host, all of its body panels are still factory original. It's a combo we rarely see nowadays because many restored examples have received replacement fenders due to rust issues.
And while I'm not a fan of the Rallye Red paint with matching bumpers (I'd pick Sassy Grass with chrome bumpers), I must admit this Mopar is an attention-grabbing beast.
If it's a 'Cuda you'd park in your garage, this 440-powered hardtop is for sale. The seller is looking to get $95,000 for it, but he's open to offers. For reference, 440 manual examples in this condition go for $70,000 to $100,000. Check it out in the video below.
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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