When the Barracuda arrived in the Plymouth lineup in mid-1964, it was given an unbearable task: compete against the new Ford Mustang. Out the gate, it was outsold by a 6 to 1 margin. Barracuda could always compete with Mustang in the performance category, but aesthetically it just wasn't accepted like its Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro counterparts. That was until 1970, when a complete re-design in the E-Body platform turned the tide. In terms of performance, the 1970-1974 Barracudas and Challengers were every bit the measure of the Ford and GM offerings. By 1971, the handsome Barracuda had established itself as one of the best-performing cars in the marketplace. Ordering the ’Cuda, owners could lay waste to Mustang and Camaro owners with such stout engine packages as the 440-6 and 426 Hemi. Sales numbers never did match that of its cross-town rivals, but in the end, the 1971 ’Cuda won the war. No other mass-production Pony Car can consistently claim asking prices of $2,000,000 its top model (in today's prices). As in all In Detail Series books, you get an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included are paint and option codes, VIN and build tag decoders, as well as production numbers.

Renowned for their sleek shapes and prodigiously powerful engines, the Chrysler corporation's Challenger and Barracuda were among the top cars of the muscle car era. This book will demonstrate the correct parts, finishes, options, and trim pieces for all the versions of the E-body Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda, which appeared from 1970 to 1974. Especially important to this are the variety of engine options available, including the hemispherical-head engines-Hemis-that are so crucial to the mystique of these muscle cars.

Chrysler entered the pony-car market with the capable but unlovely Barracuda in the early 1960s. The car was refined over the years, becoming a true muscle car, and a rather handsome one at that, but it wasn’t until the advent of the E-body pony cars from 1970-1974—Barracudas, the Dodge Challenger, and Plymouth ‘Cuda—that Chrysler became a true player in the pony-car market. This book tells the story of Chrysler’s pony car series, from the advent of the original Barracuda in 1964 to the final days of the smog-motored Challengers and ‘Cudas of the mid-1970s, focusing on the series’ heyday in the early 1970s.

“Just what is a Muscle Car?” Road Test magazine asked in June 1967. The answer: “Exactly what the name implies. It is a product of the American car industry adhering to the hot rodder’s philosophy of taking a small car and putting a BIG engine in it. . . . The Muscle Car is Charles Atlas kicking sand in the face of the 98 horsepower weakling.” Unconcerned with such trivial details as comfort and handling, the vintage American muscle car was built for straight-line speed and quickly became the ride of choice for power-hungry racers and serious gearheads. In a country where performance was measured in brute force, a quarter mile at a time, the muscle car was the perfect machine. In the intervening years, these down-and-dirty, high-performing beauties have earned their place in the automotive pantheon. As prized by collectors and aficionados as they are by denizens of garages and drag strips, classic muscle cars now fetch upwards of a million dollars at auctions and feature in any story of America’s automotive glory days. The icons of muscle car art—including Camaro and Chevelle SS, the Hemi and 440-6 ’Cuda, Challenger, Roadrunner, Super Bee, GTX, Super Bird, Daytona Charger, Super Cobra Jet and Boss Mustang, Talladega Torino, Buick GSX and W30 Oldsmobile 442, and AMX Javelin—are all here, on full display in this lavishly illustrated volume, each described in a detailed essay followed by a gallery of portraits and special gatefold presentations that capture the art of the muscle car at its finest.

Revive the muscular good looks and horsepower of your E-body! This helpful guide contains hundreds of detailed photos, factory illustrations, and helpful data tables covering everything from decoding VIN tags to applying the correct finish to virtually every part on your car. All the information you'll ever need to authentically restore your monster-engine musclecar to show-winning perfection!

1966-1967 precursors to the Scat Pack and Rapid Transit System -- 1968 Dodge Scat Pack program -- 1969 Dodge Scat Pack program -- 1970 the Scat Pack continues -- Bold new designs for 1971 -- 1968-1969 toward the Plymouth Rapid Transit System -- The Rapid Transit System is born -- Rapid Transit System for 1971 -- Scat Pack version two 2014-2017

Sox & Martin: The Most Famous Team in Drag Racing is a comprehensive archival recap of straight-line racing's greatest duo.

In 1969, the Camaro with the SS package took Chevy Camaro performance and styling to another level. First, the Camaro carried updated sheet metal for an aggressive and eye-catching appearance, and the ultra-high-performance 427 big-block engines were available for the first time. As history proved, 1969 was the pinnacle of performance and styling for the first-generation Chevy Camaro. Author and muscle car expert Robert Kimbrough provides a comprehensive examination of the all-time classic 1969 Camaro SS in Volume No. 4 of CarTech's In Detail series. He delves into the design, manufacturing, and equipment of Chevrolet's premier pony car. For the first time in its history, the 1969 Camaro SS had a full slate of high-performance small-blocks as well as big-blocks to conquer the competition on the street and track. The engines included the 350, 375-hp 396, and 425-hp COPO 427 Camaros. The Camaro SS made such an impression, that it became the Indy 500 Pace Car once again in 1969. All In Detail Series books include an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, and an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included is an appendix of paint and option codes, VIN and build-tag decoders, as well as production numbers.

In the world of archeology nothing compares to the discovery. Whether it’s related to King Tut’s tomb, the Titanic, or Amelia Earhart, the uncovering of an artifact outdoes all the research; work; and blood, sweat, and tears into a singular rush of adrenaline. In the world of the muscle car, some of the greatest creations are still waiting to be discovered. This book is a collection of stories written by enthusiasts about their quest to find these extremely rare and valuable muscle cars. You find four categories (Celebrity, Rare, Race Cars, and Concept/Prototype/Show Cars) within three genres (Missing, Lost History, Recently Discovered) that take you through the search for some of the most sought after muscle cars with names such as Shelby, Yenko, Hurst, and Hemi. Along the way, success stories including finding the first Z/28 Camaro, the 1971 Boss 302, and the 1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertible will make you wonder if you could uncover the next great muscle car find. Lost Muscle Cars includes 45 intriguing stories involving some of the most significant American iron ever created during the celebrated muscle car era. Readers will be armed with the tools to begin the quest to make the next great discovery in automotive archaeology!

Today, a 1970 Hemi Cuda can change hands for as much as a quarter of a million dollars. But when it was introduced, the Barracuda was just a car, and it was Joe Oldhams job to beat the daylights out of it. A tell-all from the man who tested the best, this book delves into the notes Oldham made on the cars he vetted for some of the top car magazines. Here are the photos (including outtakes) and the hard cold facts on muscle cars from the 1964 GTO to the 1976 Trans Am 455 HO--twenty-four in all. The 1970 Buick Gran Sport GSX, Oldham notes, was "the best handling muscle car we ever tested." The 1968 Plymouth Road Runner, on the other hand, was "just a car that didnt run very well"--despite its 426 Hemi. Today, people might know the articles Oldham wrote, and they might know the performance numbers he got. But how he did those things was an untold story. This behind-the-scenes book is a close-up look at what it was like to live in the muscle car era and to help create the myth that still lives on today. The list of reviewed cars includes: 1962 421 Super Duty Pontiac Catalina 1963 409 Chevrolet Biscayne 1968 Pontiac Firebird Sprint Turismo 1969 Baldwin-Motion SS-427 Camaro 1969 440 Plymouth Barracuda 1969 Firebird 400 Ram Air IV 1969 426 Hemi Road Runner 1969 440 Plymouth GTX 1969 440 6-BBL Plymouth Road Runner 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge 1969 428 Cobra Jet Mustang Mach 1 1970 426 Hemi Barracuda Convertible 1970 Buick GSX 455 Stage 1 1970 Pontiac GTO Ram Air IV 1971 429SCJ Ford Torino Cobra 1971 American Motors 401 AMX 1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W-30 1973 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 1976 455 Pontiac Trans Am