Rare 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda Is One Tiny Feature Away From Classic Car Perfection

It happened in 1970 when Dodge and Plymouth decided to give Chevrolet and Ford a run for their money with their new E-body platforms. Dodge used the brand-new Challenger, while Plymouth turned to the third-generation Barracuda.

Both brands had tackled the Trans-Am series in the 1966 inaugural season. Plymouth finished second behind Ford, while Dodge classified third. Plymouth did not return in 1967, while Dodge had an unsuccessful stint with just one victory. Neither Dodge nor Plymouth returned for the 1968 and 1969 seasons.

After two years of absence from Chrysler brands, the E-body was seen as the perfect opportunity to come back and challenge the Camaro Z/28 and Mustang Boss 302. However, Chrysler did not have the proper engine for the series, so the Challenger and Cuda hit the track with 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) V8s destroked by Keith Black. The engine proved troublesome, and Dodge and Plymouth finished the season with no wins and were far from the podium.

But while Mopar's Trans-Am attempt was unsuccessful, it gave us a pair of cool muscle cars. As required by homologation rules, Dodge and Plymouth sold a number of similar vehicles to the public. I'm talking about the Challenger T/A and the AAR Cuda.

Each Mopar hit showroom floors with unique stripe patterns, big hood scoops, matte-black fiberglass hoods, and side-exiting exhaust pipes. The cars also shared a unique version of Chrysler's 340-cubic-inch V8. Equipped with a trio of two-barrel carburetors, the small-block V8 delivered 290 horsepower, an extra 15 horses over the four-barrel version.

Dodge sold 2,399 Challenger T/As, while Plymouth delivered 2,724 AAR Cudas. Both are notably rarer than their 1970-model-year Camaro and Mustang counterparts, and they're also scarcer than most of their nameplate siblings. The Lemon Twist example you see here is one of those rigs. And it's actually rarer than the average AAR Cuda.

Equipped with a four-speed manual, it's one of 1,120 examples sporting the three-pedal setup. But the fact that it was sold in Canada makes it even scarcer. That's because Plymouth built only 138 AAR Cudas for export north of the border. That's only 5% of the total AAR Cuda production in 1970.

Scarcity aside, it's one of those golden-era Mopars lucky enough to get a proper restoration. The Lemon Twist paint looks flawless from all angles, while the black decals are factory-correct. The interior is just as spectacular and includes goodies like a center console and pistol grip shifter.

The car is also highly original but hides one tiny secret under the hood. While the four-speed gearbox is numbers-matching, the 340 V8 isn't. But it's a warranty replacement block, so it's pretty much the next best thing. The rear end was also changed to a 3:55 ratio, but the original 3:91 unit is included with the car.

Recently Featured on Pawn Stars Do America Detroit, the AAR Cuda was paraded at various car events and was fully documented by Mopar expert Galen V. Govier. If the replacement bloc is not an issue for you, this Trans-Am-spec Barracuda is looking for a new home at $144,900.