1969 M-Code Cuda Fastback
I found this car one day while I was at a car show. I had no plans to buy a car, but this one was a no-brainer. I had been collecting Mopar A-Bodies for a long time and one thing missing was a 1969 M-Code Barracuda. It didn’t hurt that it was B-5 blue, either. At the end of the day, it was mine!
A lot of you do not even know these cars ever existed! Those of you who do will truly appreciate this perfect example of an ultrarare vehicle! The 1969 Plymouth ‘Cuda 440! Many of you know the “M Code” vehicles to be the 1969 Super Bee and Road Runner Lift-Off Hood cars only. But the 1969 Plymouth ‘Cuda 440 Special Package vehicles were “M Code” cars as well! In perhaps the ultimate shoehorn job of all time, Plymouth shoved their 440 Magnum engine in the tiny A-Body Barracuda.
This was also the first year of the high performance version of the Barracuda, officially called “‘Cuda” by Plymouth. It is a name that stuck and has become Muscle Car legend. The ‘Cuda 440 Special Package, as it was called, was considered a Factory Race Car and was covered by a restricted 12 month/ 12,000 mile Warranty. Customers were required to sign numerous release forms and Warranty papers to even take delivery of these beasts. Only 360 cars were built. There is no known breakdown as to how many were Coupes and how many were Fastbacks per Galen Govier. This vehicle is registered as #8 of 67 known to exist in the Chrysler Registry! All were equipped with the A727 Torqueflight automatic transmission.
Additional equipment in the ‘Cuda 440 Special Package included Console, Bucket Seats, 3.55 Sure Grip Rear Axle, Heavy Duty Suspension (HD Torsion Bars, HD Leaf Springs, Front Sway Bar}, Heavy Duty Shock Absorbers, 1″ Diameter front and rear, 14″ x 5.5″ Heavy Duty Steel Wheels, E70 x 14 Wide Boot Red-Streak tires, Dual Hood Scoops and Tape Stripes in Black, Lower Body Stripes in Black, Black Grille and ‘Cuda 440 callouts. Air Conditioning, Power Steering, Power Brakes or Disc Brakes were not available with the ‘Cuda 440. Undercoat delete, Sound Deadening delete and Radio delete! Pure bare-bones muscle!
