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World's Only 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Four-Door Comes Out of Hiding, Needs a New Home

When talking about the golden muscle car era, we usually think about high-performance two-door coupes and convertibles. But that doesn't mean that Detroit did not make beefed-up sedans.
1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door 14 photos
Photo: Mecum Auctions
1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door
Ford, for instance, dropped its big-block V8 engines in the Thunderbird Landau sedan in the late 1960s and early 1970s. And both the Dodge Coronet and Monaco were available with Chrysler's big 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB V8 around the same time. In 1970, the Chevrolet Impala four-door sedan featured a 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8 good for 395 horsepower in range-topping trim.

But while most intermediate and full-size cars were offered in both two- and four-door body styles, the true-blue pony/muscle cars were restricted to the former layout. In short, no sedan versions of the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, or Dodge Challenger existed.

But what if Detroit built four-door muscle cars? Would they have been successful? Would collectors hunt them down as they do with the iconic two-door pony cars of the golden era?

We will never know, but Dave Walden of ESC Automotive Concepts took this "what if?" scenario more seriously and created a four-door muscle car. His nameplate of choice? The mighty 1970 Plymouth Barracuda.

1970 Plymouth Barracuda four\-door
Photo: Mecum Auctions
Still, it's not the George Barris type of conversion. It wasn't designed for a movie or a TV show and doesn't come with heavily modified bumpers, spoilers, or some crazy paint job.

More importantly, it's a modern build, having been completed in 2016 and showcased at that year's SEMA Show.

But make no mistake, despite being only six years old as of 2022, this Barracuda is no restomod either. The Mopar is as stock as they get beyond the four-door conversion. It looks just like Plymouth would have built it more than 50 years ago, and that's downright awesome.

And you know what? Plymouth actually did it. Sort of. Remember when Ford built a four-door Mustang concept in the 1960s? Well, Plymouth also toyed with the idea right before the third-generation Barracuda was introduced in 1969. And it turns out that Chrysler was actually close to offering a four-door production version.

1970 Plymouth Barracuda four\-door
Photo: Mecum Auctions
At least that's what Mechanix Illustrated claimed in its October 1969 issue, which said that the Barracuda "has a new look for 1970 that includes two- and four-door hardtops and a convertible." The project was eventually scrapped, but not before Plymouth built a concept car.

The prototype was mentioned by former Chrysler employee Roger Johnson in a story written in 2006. He recalled seeing a red four-door Barracuda at the Highland Park facility in 1969. That's the car Dave Walden replicated in 2016. And needless to say, he did a great job because the sedan looks like it rolled off the assembly line.

Dave didn't go with the usual four-door setup. In order to preserve the Barracuda's sporty profile, he went with shorter-than-usual rear doors and added only a few inches to the wheelbase.

The car is also wider than a stock Barracuda, but only by 1.5 inches (38 mm), which is hardly noticeable. The rear section of the roof is obviously taller than a Barracuda coupe for proper rear-seat headroom and easier ingress and egress.

1970 Plymouth Barracuda four\-door
Photo: Mecum Auctions
Is it more comfortable than the coupe version in the back? Well, I have no figures to run by, but the photos suggest there's notably more legroom behind the front seats.

The interior is no longer 100% original, but it looks authentic despite the added bench seat with a center armrest, the tilt-telescopic steering wheel, and the in-dash clock.

But here's what makes this Barracuda really special. A huge Mopar fan, Dave used his expertise to create a broadcast sheet, a reproduction window sticker, and even a very authentic-looking invoice. It also comes with a legal VIN that ends in 1000000, and it's titled and registered as a "Plymouth 4-Door Barracuda."

But is it an authentic 1970 Barracuda under the hood? Well, of course, it is. Power is provided by a period-correct 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) four-barrel V8, which was rated at 275 horsepower back in the day.

1970 Plymouth Barracuda four\-door
Photo: Mecum Auctions
It mates to an equally period-correct three-speed automatic transmission. Even the exhaust and the tinted glass are date-coded.

Paraded at various events in 2016, the Barracuda has been in storage ever since, and its tires "had not touched pavement until 2022." So what's it doing out of storage after so many years? Well, it's going under the hammer as part of the Gary Edwards Wing Car & Mopar Collection, which is scheduled to hit the auction block at Mecum's Kissimmee 2023 between January 4-15.

Given that it's the world's only four-door Plymouth Barracuda, it should get a lot of attention and enough bids to change hands for a six-figure sum.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

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.
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