Gearheads and muscle car lovers always talk about the Plymouth Barracuda with reverence in their tone. One of the most famous American muscle cars ever, the 'Cuda is also one of the very first cars to start the great American muscle car wars. First launched in 1964, the Barracuda marked the beginning of the golden age of the American muscle car.
Sadly, however, not a lot of people today know very much about it. Not that the Plymouth Barracuda isn't a popular nameplate, but most people seem to not know too much about this once-great car that truly deserves our attention and its rightful place in the muscle car hall of fame.
What started off as an economy car for the masses evolved into the 'Cuda, the powerful muscle car that fought neck-and-neck with the Mustang and the Camaro for the attention of enthusiasts and youngsters. There is truly a lot of rich history to the Plymouth Barracuda, and it certainly deserves to be known. Here are 10 things you probably didn't know about the Plymouth Barracuda.
10 The Plymouth Barracuda And 'Cuda Are Actually Different
Yes, while many tend to use the two names synonymously, the initial Barracuda was merely a slight redesign and upgrade of the Plymouth Valiant. That's why it was called the Valiant Barracuda for a long time.
The 'Cuda, however, was the performance-oriented version of the Barracuda, which came in 1969, half-a-decade after the Barracuda first launched. Over three generations and one decade, the Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda became some of the most famous muscle cars of the time.
9 The Barracuda Came Just Two Weeks Before The '64 Ford Mustang
That's right. Plymouth had launched the Barracuda on the platform of their Valiant car, just 15 days before the legendary launch of the 1964 Ford Mustang. The production team had tried their best to flood dealerships with as many Barracuda units as they could.
Of course, the world knows just how explosive a launch the Mustang had, and how it did manage to overshadow the Barracuda, even if the Plymouth car came before the pony car.
8 The Plymouth Barracuda Was Initially Just A Fastback Valiant
Right before the launch of the Ford Mustang, the rumor mill was going crazy about the pony car. Competitors knew that Ford's next new car would be based on the Falcon's chassis and drivetrain. Thus, Plymouth understandably got to working on the Valiant's platform, seeing how the Valiant was the direct rival to the Falcon.
Thus, the Plymouth Barracuda, initially, was nothing more than just a fastback version of the Plymouth Valiant. The one thing we are truly thankful for, however, is that the brand chose not to go ahead with original plan of calling it the 'Panda,' instead settling for the Barracuda nameplate.
7 1966 Saw The First Convertible Plymouth Barracuda
Two years after the first launch, Plymouth took the Barracuda into its second generation, phasing out the Valiant lettering. Now, the iconic Barracuda fish logo graced the hood of their car.
With the coming of the second generation, a convertible Barracuda was also made available for the very first time. Design changes for the second-gen Barracuda saw a distinct redesign, with the bubble-top window now gone. The Barracuda looked better, sleeker, and sportier than ever before.
6 Plymouth Upped The Barracuda's Power In 1965 With Its Formula-S Package
Just a year after the launch of both the Plymouth Barracuda and the Ford Mustang, Plymouth knew that they had to give more muscle power to the Barracuda. This was the only way to stay in the same market as the Mustang, along with all the other competitors joining the fray.
Thus came the Formula-S version of the Barracuda, with a V8 Commando engine which took horsepower all the way up to 235-hp, featured a better compression ratio, and an improved camshaft. The Formula-S version of the Barracuda also got better tires, a tachometer, and an improved suspension. This is when the market began taking the Barracuda a lot more seriously than ever before.
5 The Barracudas Were Built On Chrysler's E-Body Platform
After the initial Barracuda cars used the valiant platform as their underpinnings, Plymouth eventually phased out that platform completely, moving to Chrysler's E-Body platform instead. This was the same platform that the Dodge Challenger used, with a steel monocoque.
However, Plymouth did make modifications to the platform in order to fit some of their big V8 engines. For this, the engineers used the subframe from some of Chrysler's B-Body cars. Thanks to this innovative design, the Barracuda was able to retain its size while still remaining competitive.
4 It Took Five Years For Plymouth To Turn The Barracuda Into The 'Cuda
It took Plymouth five years to make the 'Cuda, the performance-focused version of the Barracuda. Think of the Shelby or the Boss version of the Mustang. Built up around the Formula-S package, the Plymouth 'Cuda came in 1969, armed with a 6.3-liter V8 that churned out an impressive 330 horsepower.
In fact, the 'Cuda was so sporty and such a success that it spawned off an entirely new car, the 1970 Plymouth Duster. The difference between an original Barracuda and the 'Cuda is truly night and day, and ardent 'Cuda fans would never be caught dead behind the wheel of a Plymouth Barracuda.
3 Plymouth Also Built 50 Street-Illegal V8 Hemi Barracudas In 1968
At the halfway mark of its eventual life-cycle, things finally picked up for the Barracuda. The 'Cuda had cemented itself in the market as a respectable muscle car, and riding on that success, Plymouth entered Super Stock racing as well.
For that, they built 50 fastback Barracudas, all equipped with monstrous 7.0-liter Hemi engines. Of course, all fifty of these models were completely street-illegal. Some of the super-stock Barracudas are still around, and collectors pay an arm and a leg for them.
2 Plymouth Only Made 2 Convertible Barracudas In 1971
In its third and final generation, the Plymouth Barracuda was inarguably at its best. In 1971, Plymouth only made twelve convertible 'Cuda units, which came with a four-speed transmission. Naturally, these cars were so rare and exclusive that they also became two of the most expensive Mopar cars ever.
In fact, one of them sold for a whopping record of $3.5million at auction in 2014, becoming the most expensive auction sale for any Mopar car ever at the time. Another one of these cars surfaced last year, and it is a gray 'Cuda, looking as ravishing as possible.
1 The 1970 Hemi 'Cuda Was The Most Powerful Version Of The Plymouth Barracuda
The 1970 Hemi 'Cuda was the most powerful version of the Barracuda to ever grace the streets, equipped with a massive 7.0-liter V8 power mill. This gave the car a staggering 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque. In fact, by 1971, even NASCAR had banned all Hemis, for being way too powerful than the rest of the competition.
Absolutely loaded with power, the Hemi 'Cuda became an instant icon in the minds and hearts of gearheads. Thanks to its monstrous engine, the '70 Hemi 'Cuda could go from zero to sixty in just 5.3 seconds, despite its weight and stock tires.