The ’Cuda name has become synonymous with the earth-shaking machines that prowled streets, dragstrips, and road courses of America in the early ’70s, but the Barracuda’s origins predate the muscle car craze. How the Plymouth Barracuda Became a Mopar Muscle Car LegendIf you ask your average gearhead what the original pony car is, they’ll likely point to the Mustang. Ford introduced its groundbreaking two-door to the general public at the New York World’s Fair on April 17, 1964, and it was an immediate success. Sporting a long hood, short rear deck, and air of European sophistication, the Mustang would become the segment’s standard-bearer. But the first pony car out of the corral was actually a Mopar.Although the Barracuda would later go one to become an icon of muscle car design and performance, its origins are even humbler than Ford’s Falcon-based 2+2. Unveiled on April 1, 1964, the Barracuda was Plymouth’s attempt to launch a preemptive strike against Ford’s upcoming sporty compact. Using a similar development tactic to keep costs down and fast-track the model into production, designers turned their attention to the Valiant, Plymouth’s unassuming A-Body-based economy car, for the new model’s foundation and injected some youthful exuberance into the proceedings by way of a fastback roofline and a newly available small-block V-8.The Barracuda ultimately didn’t take the world by storm in the way that the Mustang did, but Plymouth’s pony car did manage to leave an indelible mark on automotive history during its 10-year production run.1964 plymouth barracuda ronald weingerHigh-Performance Makeover The ’64 Barracuda did little to hide its Valiant underpinnings. Not only did it share its wheelbase and powertrain options, along with most of its bodywork and glass, but the fastback also even wore the Valiant’s “V” badge on its rear deck. Nevertheless, the Barracuda’s performance intentions were cause for celebration. MotorTrend put Plymouth’s new sporty compact on the cover for our May ’64 issue, consigning the Mustang to a small blurb in the corner.The 1964 Barracuda’s base 170-cubic-inch, 101-hp inline-six didn’t get hearts racing, and the optional 145-hp 225-cubic-inch version of Mopar’s slant-six didn’t do much to move the needle, either, but Chrysler’s all-new, 273-cubic-inch V-8 showed promise. While the small-block’s 180 hp was quickly eclipsed by Ford’s new 289-cubic-inch small-block V-8, the Barracuda’s available A-833 four-speed manual transmission with a Hurst shift linkage gave performance enthusiasts something to get excited about. A three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission was also offered.The following year, Plymouth introduced the Commando version of the 273-cubic-inch V-8, which benefited from a more aggressive camshaft profile, a 10.5:1 compression, and a four-barrel carburetor that bumped output to 235 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. For the 1965 model year, Plymouth also unveiled the Formula S package, which included a performance-tuned suspension, larger wheels and tires, and a tachometer, all of which helped the Barracuda become a more legitimate contender in the rapidly evolving performance car landscape of the mid-1960s.During testing at Riverside Raceway in October 1964, Hot Rod clocked a 0–60-mph sprint in 8.0 seconds on the way to a 16.1 second quarter mile in a V-8-powered Barracuda Formula S outfitted with a four-speed and a limited-slip rear differential with 3.55 gears.By 1966, the Barracuda’s largely Valiant-sourced interior was starting to develop a personality of its own thanks to a new instrument panel and more performance-oriented features. But it was still a more utilitarian affair than the Mustang and Chevrolet’s upcoming Camaro, the latter making its debut in the fall of that year.001 wind 1967 plymouth barracuda dragstrip action altPlymouth countered by launching the redesigned second-generation Barracuda for 1967, which boasted a longer 108-inch wheelbase and more aggressive, model-specific bodywork. Now available in fastback, notchback coupe, and convertible configurations, the second-generation Barracuda leaned further into the burgeoning muscle car craze with the availability of a new 280-hp 383-cubic-inch big-block V-8 and a wide range of high-performance hardware.No less than four high-performance V-8s were available on the option sheet by the end of the second-generation Barracuda’s production run in 1969, including a 440-cube “Super Commando” big-block V-8 dishing out 375 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. But the best was still yet to come.1969-plymouth-barracuda-blue1A Whole New Ballgame The Barracuda received a comprehensive redesign for 1970. Now underpinned by Chrysler’s new E-Body platform, which it shared with the all-new, slightly larger Dodge Challenger, the Barracuda abandoned its Valiant roots in favor of a wider and longer architecture that allowed for a purposeful muscle car stance and a head-turning design.Available in coupe or convertible form, the third-generation Barracuda could still be had with one of two inline-six engines or one of four V-8s that ranged from a 318-cubic-inch small-block to a 383-cube big-block.car-front-(1)1970 also marked the introduction of the ’Cuda. Derived from an options package offered the year prior, ’Cuda became the marketing nomenclature for high-performance iterations of Barracuda. The standard ’Cuda powerplant was the 335-hp 383-cubic-inch big-block V-8, while a hopped-up version of the 340-cube small-block V-8, the 375-hp Super Commando big-block 440 V-8, a 390-hp 440 “Six Barrel” V-8, and the 425-hp, 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8 were also on the menu. In an instrumented test for the May 1970 issue of MotorTrend, the Hemi-powered ’Cuda reached 60 mph from rest in 5.8 seconds on the way to a 14.0-second quarter mile.A range of Chrysler's High Impact Paint colors like Lime Light green and Vitamin C orange were also made available on the new Barracuda, along with bold graphics packages and a shaker hood option, all of which enhanced the model’s appeal to performance enthusiasts. While it was still low on creature comforts, the third-generation car featured a significantly more performance-oriented cabin than its predecessor, typified by a no-nonsense gauge cluster and a Pistol Grip shifter on four-speed-equipped models.1970-plymouth-barracuda-dashboardFor 1971, the Barracuda received a new grille, revised taillights, new seats, and other minor updates. It was also the only year that the Barracuda was equipped with four headlights. Power was down slightly from the year prior, but with the exception of the six-barrel 340ci small-block V-8 (which bowed out after a single model year), the engine options largely carried over from 1970.For 1972, the Barracuda returned to the two-headlight configuration with a revised grille, while four circular taillights were outfitted at the rear. This exterior design would stay mostly unchanged for the rest of the Barracuda’s time in production. As with other models throughout the automotive industry, the Barracuda’s performance began to steadily decline during this time, as an array of factors ranging from emissions regulations to higher fuel prices conspired to bring the muscle car era to a close. A redesigned Barracuda was planned for 1975 but never made it to showrooms.001 1970 AAR Cuda Mecum Ralley Red MOPAR 340The All-American Racer Inspired by Dan Gurney’s All-American Racers Plymouth ’Cudas that competed in the SCCA’s Trans Am road-racing series at the time, Plymouth added an AAR ’Cuda package to the options sheet for 1970. The homologation special included strobe side stripes, a matte black fiberglass hood, body-colored side mirrors and bumpers, side-exit exhaust, a ducktail rear spoiler, and unique suspension tuning.Under the hood was a high-winding, 340-cubic-inch small-block V-8 outfitted with a trio of two-barrel carburetors mounted on top of an Edelbrock aluminum intake. The combination produced 290 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, and it could be paired with either an A833 four-speed manual gearbox or a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic. In total, 2,724 examples of the 1970 AAR ’Cuda were built. A 1971 AAR ’Cuda was planned but never produced, making this a one-year model.001-stephen-tate-1970-aar-cudaA Mopar Performance Icon The third-generation Plymouth Barracuda stands as one of the greatest automotive designs of all time, and these cars have been featured in countless movies, television shows, and music videos as a result.The 1970–1974 cars are sought-after commodities regardless of original specification or condition. High-performance models fetch a substantial premium of their own, but original Hemi ’Cudas are on an entirely different level. First- and second-generation Barracudas are far more accessible, though the prices of restored or well-kept Formula S models can still command hefty sums at auction.The Plymouth brand closed its doors in 2001, so it’s unlikely we’ll see a revival of this nameplate any time soon. But the automaker produced more than 350,000 examples of the Barracuda in total, so while this pony car’s legacy isn’t as extensive as the Ford Mustang’s, those with the means shouldn’t have a hard time finding one to put in their driveway.001 1971 plymouth cuda front rightPlymouth Barracuda Highlights The 1964 Plymouth Barracuda was the first pony car, debuting 16 days before Ford’s Mustang.The first- and second-generation models were based on the A-Body Valiant.The introduction of the Formula S package in 1965 gave the Barracuda a much-needed dose of excitement.Performance ramped up substantially with the debut of the second-generation car in 1967 with the availability of big-block V-8s and an array of go-fast options.Debuting for the 1970 model year, the third-generation Barracuda moved from the A-Body platform to the E-Body, an architecture it shared only with the then-new Dodge Challenger.The Barracuda name was used for garden-variety third-generation models, while the high-performance offerings were marketed as ’Cudas.The one-year-only AAR ’Cuda was a corner-carving homologation special in the same vein as the Mustang Boss 302 and Camaro Z/28.Third-generation Barracudas are highly sought after today; original Hemi ’Cuda convertibles can fetch prices that venture into seven-figure territory at auction.
