Plymouth Barracuda · 1970

AAR 'Cuda

The 1970 street version of Dan Gurney's Trans-Am racers: a 340 with three two-barrel carburetors, a fiberglass hood, side exhausts and 2,724 built.

The story

The AAR was built to qualify the small-block Plymouth for the SCCA Trans-Am series, where Gurney's team raced 305-cubic-inch versions.12

Car and Driver found the nose-heavy AAR prone to understeer and suggested the fat tires belonged at the front, by Consumer Guide's account.2one source

Its base price is disputed: $3,966 by Over-Drive, $4,340 by Consumer Guide.23sources disagree

How to spot an AAR 'Cuda

Fiberglass hood with pins

A black fiberglass fresh-air hood held down by pins.12

Side exhausts

The exhaust pipes exit ahead of the rear wheels.12

Bigger tires at the back

E60x15 tires at the front and G60x15 at the rear, with the tail raised to clear them.12

Strobe stripes and a rear spoiler

Black side stripes and a black duck-tail spoiler.12

Production by year

How many AAR 'Cudas were built each model year.

1970
2,724
As a table, with notes
YearBuiltNote
19702,724124Consumer Guide's AAR profile gives 2,724, and plymouthbarracuda.net's two 340 Six Barrel rows add to the same (our sum). Over-Drive's text says 2,724 too, but the caption under its photo says 2,742.

Engines

The letter is the engine code in the VIN.

YearsCodeEngineRated
1970J340 cu in V8, three 2-barrels290 hp125

Where the sources disagree

Every conflict behind the figures on this page. All rulings.

Open

The AAR 'Cuda's base price

Our ruling: Unresolved. Over-Drive gives $3,966 in its table and its photo caption; Consumer Guide's AAR profile gives $4,340. Neither says what the price includes. J.D. Power's guide lists the AAR without a price. The same Over-Drive caption gives 2,742 cars against the 2,724 in its text and table, which weakens it as a witness.

What each source says (2)

Sources

  1. 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  2. 1970 Plymouth AAR 'Cuda HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
  3. Plymouth Barracuda Production, 1970 and 1971 (two tables) Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  4. 1970 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  5. 1970 Plymouth Vehicle Identification Numbers The Plymouth Owners Club Registry (tpocr.com) · read 2026-10-11

Year by year

The AAR 'Cuda in each model year.

1970Plymouth BarracudaThe all-new E-body Barracuda: hardtop or convertible, as a Barracuda, a Gran Coupe or a 'Cuda, with engines from a 198 six to the 426 Hemi, and 55,499 built by Consumer Guide's count.55,499 built (disputed)