A recent outing at Mission Raceway Park in British Columbia turned into a showcase of old-school muscle as a third-generation Plymouth Barracuda and a second-generation Chevrolet Chevelle SS lined up for a series of hard-running passes. Captured on the Wheels Plus YouTube channel, the matchup brought together two of the most recognized names from the height of the American performance era—cars now decades old but still capable of delivering serious power.
The Barracuda, often referred to as the ’Cuda by enthusiasts, has long held a respected place in muscle car history. Its third generation, designed by John Herlitz, shifted the model to Chrysler’s E-Body platform, a shorter and wider structure shared with the Dodge Challenger. Although the two cars shared architecture, they diverged in styling, with the ’Cuda developing a distinct identity that ultimately cemented its legendary status.
The Chevelle SS arrived from a different lineage, originally part of Chevrolet’s A-body family of practical mid-size cars. It became a muscle car icon only after Chevrolet introduced high-performance Super Sport versions, some of which carried large-displacement big-block engines up to 454 cubic inches. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Chevelle SS had firmly earned its place among the toughest street and strip machines of the era.
Both racers in the video appeared far from stock. Drag radials, aggressive stances and smoky burnouts signaled their purpose long before the starting lights dropped. From the moment the race began, the ’Cuda jumped ahead with a sharp launch, gaining an immediate advantage over the Chevelle. While the Chevrolet chased hard, the gap never closed.
The final numbers told the story: the quicker car posted a 10.56-second pass at 125 mph, while its rival clocked a 12.18-second run at 112 mph. For vehicles built more than half a century ago, those figures underscore how competitive vintage muscle can remain when properly prepared.
The matchup offered more than just entertainment—it served as a reminder of the enduring appeal of classic American performance. Even as modern technology pushes new cars into unprecedented performance territory, gatherings like this continue to highlight the raw charm of analog power on a well-prepped dragstrip.
