The 1970 Plymouth Hemi-cuda was a redesign that eliminated all echoes of the Plymouth Valiant that had once been the foundation for the Barracuda styling. The fastback design was done away with in favor of coupe and convertible styling. The shorter, wider version of the Plymouth-Chrysler B platform resembled the Dodge Challenger, a new body type for that year. This “E” body barracuda did away with the “economy car” bad rap. The high performance versions were marketed as ‘Cuda and had larger engine bays that could accommodate Chrysler’s 426 Hemi engine. Engine options included two six cylinder engines and six different V8s.
All of the Hemi equipped cars were given upgraded suspension along with structural reinforcements in order to transfer the power to the road. Hemi-Cudas came in high impact colors with names like “vitamin C”, “in-violet,” and “moulin rouge.” Plymouth also came out with a street version powered by a 340 cubic inch (more…)