Plymouth Barracuda · 1970–1974

'Cuda

The Barracuda's performance series for all five years: the 383 as standard and big blocks up to the 426 Hemi in 1970–71, then the 318, 340 and 360.

Side view of a 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda hardtop with the hockey-stick side stripe

The story

Plymouth made the 'Cuda its own series for the new 1970 body, with the 383 as standard and the 440s and the 426 Hemi reserved for it.12

After 1971 the big blocks were gone, and the 'Cuda became a hardtop with the 318 or 340, and from 1974 the 360.34

How to spot a 'Cuda

Shaker hood (1970–71)

A hood scoop fixed to the engine that pokes through the hood and shakes with it. Standard on the Hemi, an option on the other 'Cudas.56

Fender gills (1971)

Gills on the front fenders, for 1971 only.6one source

Black rear deck panel (1971–74)

A black-painted rear deck panel, standard on the 'Cuda by Plymouth's catalogs.478one source

Production by year

How many 'Cudas were built each model year.

1970
19,515open ruling
1971
6,602open ruling
1972
7,828open ruling
1973
10,626open ruling
1974
4,989
As a table, with notes
YearBuiltNote
197019,515 (open ruling)1359Our sum of Consumer Guide's 18,880 hardtops and 635 convertibles. Consumer Guide's Hemi 'Cuda article gives 17,242 and plymouthbarracuda.net 17,258 (our sum). Ruling
19716,602 (open ruling)1310Our sum of Consumer Guide's 6,228 hardtops and 374 convertibles; plymouthbarracuda.net gives 5,675 (our sum). Ruling
19727,828 (open ruling)311Consumer Guide and plymouthbarracuda.net alike, but plymouthbarracuda.net's own split by engine, 1,946 with the 318 and 5,864 with the 340, adds to 7,810 (our sum). Ruling
197310,626 (open ruling)312Consumer Guide; plymouthbarracuda.net gives 9,305. Ruling
19744,989313Consumer Guide and plymouthbarracuda.net alike.

Engines

The letter is the engine code in the VIN.

YearsCodeEngineRated
1970N383 cu in V8, 4-barrel, high performance (standard)335 hp25
1971N383 cu in V8, 4-barrel (standard)300 hp gross, 250 net6714
1970–1971H340 cu in V8, 4-barrel275 hp gross (1971: 235 net)5615
1970U440 cu in V8, 4-barrel375 hp25
1970–1971V440 cu in V8, three 2-barrels390 hp (1970); 385 gross, 330 net (1971)561416
1970–1971R426 cu in Hemi V8, two 4-barrels425 hp (1971: 425 gross, 350 net)5615
1972–1973H340 cu in V8, 4-barrel (standard in 1972 by Plymouth's catalog)240 hp net6817
1973–1974G318 cu in V8, 2-barrel (standard)150 hp net468
1974J or L360 cu in V8, 4-barrel245 hp net46

Where the sources disagree

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

Open

How many 1970 'Cudas

Our ruling: Unresolved. Consumer Guide gives two different totals in two articles. plymouthbarracuda.net is close to the lower one. The 'Cuda variant page uses the year articles' rows, so that they add up to the year's total.

What each source says (3)
  • 18,880 hardtops and 635 convertibles: 19,515 (our sum)13one source
  • 17,242 'Cudas5one source
  • 16,710 hardtops and 548 convertibles: 17,258 (our sum), the AARs included9one source

Settled

The 1970 'Cuda's standard engine

Our ruling: 335 hp. Plymouth's own 1970 catalog rates the 383 four-barrel at 335 hp at 5200 rpm and the 440 four-barrel at 375; Over-Drive's engine table makes the 383 standard on the 'Cuda, and Consumer Guide's Hemi 'Cuda article and Wikipedia give 335 too (Over-Drive's text repeats Wikipedia and is not counted). That Consumer Guide's convertible article took the 440's 375 for the 383 is our guess.

What each source says (4)
  • 383 four-barrel: 335 hp at 5200 rpm; 440 four-barrel: 375 hp at 4600 rpm18one source
  • the 383 high-performance four-barrel, standard on the 'Cuda2one source
  • 335 hp56
  • a 375-horsepower 3831one source

Open

The 1972 'Cuda's standard engine

Our ruling: Unresolved. Plymouth's 1972 catalog makes the 340 standard on the 'Cuda in two places; Wikipedia says the 318 was, and plymouthbarracuda.net counts 1,946 'Cudas with the 318, but its split, 1,946 with the 318 and 5,864 with the 340, adds to 7,810 (our sum), 18 fewer than its own 'Cuda total of 7,828. From 1973 Plymouth's own catalogs make the 318 standard on both.

What each source says (3)

Open

1971 Barracuda production

Our ruling: Unresolved. Consumer Guide's rows add to 18,690 (our sum). Over-Drive's table repeats them row for row, so it is a copy, not a confirmation, and its 30,778 again adds its subtotals to the rows (our arithmetic). plymouthbarracuda.net gives 16,492 with no breakdown for the plain Barracuda; its Gran Coupe and 'Cuda figures (1,331 and 5,675, our sum) are lower than Consumer Guide's.

What each source says (3)

Open

1973 Barracuda production

Our ruling: Unresolved. Both sources show production rising from 1972, but by different amounts. We show Consumer Guide's rows, as for the other years.

What each source says (2)

Open

The VIN letter for the 1974 360

Our ruling: Unresolved. The tpocr club's 1974 table of Plymouth codes has two four-barrel 360 codes, J and L («Hi. perf.»); Wikipedia gives L for the Barracuda's 360, and Plymouth's 1974 catalog calls it the «high-performance» 360 with a four-barrel carburetor, which leans toward L. No source we have ties the 245-hp engine to one code.

What each source says (3)
  • J for the 360 four-barrel, L for a «Hi. perf.» 36021one source
  • L for the 360 four-barrel with dual exhausts6one source
  • the «high-performance» 360, with a four-barrel carburetor, optional on the Barracuda and 'Cuda4one source

Sources

  1. 1970-1971 Plymouth Barracuda Convertibles HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
  2. 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  3. 1970-1974 Plymouth Barracuda Coupes HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
  4. 1974 Plymouth Duster, Valiant and Barracuda catalog Chrysler-Plymouth Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  5. 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
  6. Plymouth Barracuda Wikipedia · read 2026-10-11
  7. 1971 Plymouth Barracuda sales catalog Chrysler-Plymouth Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  8. 1973 Plymouth Barracuda, Duster and Valiant catalog Chrysler-Plymouth Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  9. 1970 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  10. 1971 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  11. 1972 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  12. 1973 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  13. 1974 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  14. 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  15. 1970 Plymouth Vehicle Identification Numbers The Plymouth Owners Club Registry (tpocr.com) · read 2026-10-11
  16. 1971 Plymouth Vehicle Identification Numbers The Plymouth Owners Club Registry (tpocr.com) · read 2026-10-11
  17. 1972 Plymouth Duster, Valiant and Barracuda catalog Chrysler-Plymouth Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  18. 1970 Plymouth Barracuda sales catalog Chrysler-Plymouth Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  19. Plymouth Barracuda Production, 1970 and 1971 (two tables) Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  20. Plymouth Barracuda: the production table Wikipedia · read 2026-10-11
  21. 1974 Plymouth Vehicle Identification Numbers The Plymouth Owners Club Registry (tpocr.com) · read 2026-10-11

Year by year

The '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)1971Plymouth BarracudaThe second year: dual headlights, a new grille, gills on the 'Cuda's fenders, a low-priced coupe, and production down to 18,690 by Consumer Guide's count.18,690 built (disputed)1972Plymouth BarracudaTwo hardtops, the Barracuda and the 'Cuda, single headlights again, four round taillights, and no big-block, convertible or Gran Coupe.18,450 built (disputed)1973Plymouth BarracudaSafety bumpers front and rear, no six-cylinder engine, the 318 and 340 V8s, and production up on 1972.22,213 built (disputed)1974Plymouth BarracudaThe last Barracuda: a 360 V8 in place of the 340, 11,734 built, and the end of production in April 1974.11,734 built