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Most Wanted Classic Cars: Plymouth Barracuda (Part 2)

It was in 1969 that Plymouth started to make a serious attempt to improve the performance of the Barracuda. The car was fitted with power steering, and the 383 cid V8 engine was upgraded to produce 330 hp. A new cosmetic package called the ‘Cuda was also introduced, and it came with either a 340 cid V8 or 383 cid V8. However, Plymouth was not satisfied with its performance, and it was refitted with a 440 cid triple-carb V8 engine, which was considered the largest engine found in any pony car at that time. Although the car gained more power, the braking and handling left much to be desired.

In 1970, a number of major changes were made to turn the Plymouth Barracuda into a true performance car. The car shifted to the E-body platform, which was the same platform that was used on the Dodge Challenger. All the performance models were offered as ‘Cudas, and five different engine options were made available, including the 340 cid V8, 383 cid V8, 440 cid V8, 440+6 V8, and the powerful 426 Hemi. A new model called the AAR ‘Cuda was also introduced.

The performance of the Plymouth Barracuda began to decline in 1972 with the discontinuation of the 383 and Hemi engines. Stricter emission standards also forced Plymouth to detune all the remaining Barracuda engines, and the 340 cid V8 became the top engine option. Production of the Barracuda as a performance vehicle came to an end in 1974.