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A genuine 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda with a four-speed manual is about as rare as muscle-car America gets, and one has just turned up for sale on Hagerty Marketplace, where bidding has already climbed past $78,000. Finished in Rally Red over a black interior, this 'Cuda comes from a seller who has owned it for three decades, giving it the kind of long, traceable history that serious collectors look for.
Chrysler's E-body Barracuda arrived for 1970 as a wider, lower, and far more purposeful platform than the compact-based car it replaced. Slotting the 426 Hemi under that low hood turned the 'Cuda into an instant legend, and Chrysler built only 666 Hemi 'Cudas that year. Just 284 of those left the factory with the A833 four-speed manual, pistol-grip shifter, and Dana 60 rear axle that this car carries.
Period road testers at Motorcade magazine were suitably impressed, writing that the Hemi 'Cuda was "a hairy machine that commands respect, admiration, and awe." More than five decades later, that reputation still holds, and cars like this one are a big reason why.
This particular 'Cuda's 426 Hemi has reportedly been bored and stroked to 472 cubic inches by Larry Shepard of Hemis Only, backed by an explosion-proof aftermarket bell housing and Hooker headers. Power still reaches the pavement through a four-speed manual and a Super Track Pak axle geared at 4.10:1, with a Strange Engineering driveshaft and electronic ignition rounding out the drivetrain upgrades. A Shaker-style hood, Rallye instrument cluster, tachometer, and a six-way driver's seat keep the muscle-era character intact, while power-assisted brakes make it far more livable than it was in period.
According to the listing, the seller recently treated the 'Cuda to a fresh respray in its factory Rally Red along with an engine and transmission rebuild, and the car now carries a clean Arizona title in the seller's name. That kind of long-term ownership and documented care tends to give bidders real confidence in a car's condition.
With 37 bids already placed and the auction set to close September 14, this Rally Red Hemi 'Cuda looks like exactly the kind of driver-quality, well-documented Mopar that keeps the muscle car market healthy. For a car with this pedigree, this build, and this ownership story, the bidding is likely far from over.
