"The design of the 1970 E-Body Plymouth Barracuda, and Dodge Challenger for that matter, quickly set themselves apart from the competition. The clean and streamlined profile with a long bonnet quickly became a classic and, as a result, now highly collectable.
The re-designed was necessitated to take the 426ci Hemi engine complete with its huge cross flow cylinder heads. The mentality with which the E-body spoke was ‘big,’ but accomplished with style, refinement and flair. Interestingly, the Barracuda brand was not entirely new for 1970 but, in fact, pre-dated the Ford Mustang in 1964. They split the brand into two areas, the base, small engined model and the fire-breathing, performance version, built in limited numbers. The name, even, coming from the Hemi ‘Cuda drag cars.
Indeed, it is the Barracuda that is the Holy Grail for the Mopar collector when in 1963, Chrysler engineers put a Hemi head on a modified raised-block 426 wedge to create a competitive NASCAR engine, the 426 Hemi. It was shaped by all the experience gained in years of competition and best of all for Mopar enthusiasts, to be eligible for NASCAR competition it had to be available in a regular production street configuration. The Street Hemi incorporated many of the race version’s performance components, including the crankshaft, connecting rods and cross-bolted main bearing caps. With dual Carter AFB carburettors it was the most awesome engine of a period when awesome engines were the rule. History has passed judgment on the Street Hemi, making it the most sought and valuable powerplant of the Muscle Car era.
So, top of range and in good order, this example, one of three presented from an extremely well-respected private collection is extremely well finished in the original factory Alpine white coachwork with contrasting black interior with an A727 automatic gearbox connected to an uprated 4.10 Dana Super Performance Axle Package. Paperwork includes the original broadcast sheet, a letter from Galen Govier with the decode of the broadcast sheet as well as US title. Additionally, the history states, ‘power brakes’, power steering’ and the classic Rallye Instrument Panel and is one of just 1755 six-barrel cars produced. The steering wheel is a thing of beauty and the prefect interface between man and machine and when I say machine, I mean fire-breathing monster..."