Daily Pick: 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda 440

“Signature car” is a topic In the classic car world, this term isn’t used often. To this writer, it refers to a car that has been configured for marketing purposes, especially a signature color that may be universally associated with the car. Our featured vehicle today is a signature configuration of Plymouth’s new Barracuda, a 1970 ‘Cuda 440 two-door hardtop. It’s listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Las Vegas. (Click on the link to view the listing)

Have you ever noticed how certain cars are advertised when they are new? The 1969 GTO Judge is a simple example. Initial production was led by Pontiac, and 1,000 Judges were distributed to dealers with 10 mandatory options: the Judge package, power disc brakes, power steering, console, Rally gauges with clock, AM radio, deluxe seatbelts with front shoulders, Soft-Ray tinted glass windows, remote driver side mirrors, and Safe-T-Track limited-slip rear wheels. These cars came to be known as “Judge models.” Their transmissions varied, with manual cars having a hood tachometer but no automatics. Another batch of 1,000 were produced, all in Carousel Red, but dealers and customers could specify other amenities. After these 2,000 units, Pontiac allowed the Judge to be specified in any stock GTO color.

Another example is what Jim Wangers mentions in his book Glory DaysPontiac advertised the redesigned (and gorgeous) 1963 Grand Prix in the Detroit metropolitan area, popping up Nocturne Blue models around the city to create a ubiquitous effect. A third example might be Oldsmobile’s 1967 lineup, where you’ll find several models advertised with a Light Yellow interior, often paired with Saffron paint, and examples of this combination aren’t hard to find.

So when Plymouth introduced the Barracuda, based on the all-new E-body platform, the car often seen in advertising and the media wasn’t offered in the many bright High Impact colors, many of which were new for 1970. But promoting the performance-oriented ‘Cuda in Rallye Red made sense, considering that one of the Barracuda’s exterior options was originally only available in red. That exterior option was a flex bumper kit.

If you look at the 1969 Camaros, you could order a polyurethane front bumper for a smooth, monochromatic look. Plymouth liked the idea and developed it for the redesigned Barracuda, although Plymouth outdid Chevy by offering the kit for either the front (A21) or both front and rear (A22). When the Barracuda was introduced, the A21 kit was available in nine colors:

• Rally Red (FE5)
• Blue Fire Metal(EB5)
• Ivy Green Metallic (EF8)
• Dark Burnt Orange Metallic (FK5)
• Alpine White (EW1)
• Black Velvet (TX9)
• Purple (FC7)
• Spotlight(FJ5)
• Lemon Roll(FY1)

We don’t know why the A22-equipped Barracuda was limited to red at the beginning of the model year, but perhaps it was a supplier issue. By December, Plymouth announced effective production dates for the A22-equipped Barracuda in eight other colors.

If you look through old brochures, ads, publications and promos, you’ll find a red ‘Cuda that featured a “V1X” black vinyl roof, A22 bumpers and a red Shaker “N96” hood, as well as “V6X” rear side stripes, although some early material lacked the stripes. You’ll also find different wheels (three by my count), but the core iconic elements are the color, roof, bumpers and hood.

This 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda 440 seems to fit the bill for those iconic components. It was built with the V code 440, also known as the 440 Six-Barrel. 1,755 hardtops with this engine were built for the U.S. market (not including Canada or export), and 902 of them were equipped with the Pistol Grip four-speed transmission. This engine and transmission necessitated the axle kit, which featured Track Pak and Dana 60 axles with 3.54 gears. In addition to the roof, bumpers, and stripes, this ‘Cuda also features Rallye wheels, a rear spoiler, a red interior, a Rallye instrument panel, a center console, a rim-blown steering wheel, a Music Master AM radio with rear speakers, and an inflatable spare tire.

Although the 1970 Barracuda didn’t sell well (sales of sporty and high-performance cars were declining), it was still the pinnacle of Mopar performance, an iconic car that required your signature and $198,500 to own.

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