1973 Plymouth Barracuda

For 1973, the automobile industry continued to move away from high performance vehicles and conform to the increase safety regulations and emission standards. Horsepower fell, bumpers size increased, and safety and luxury became even more popular. Plymouth followed this trend, and their high-performance Barracuda and Cuda adjusted accordingly. Both the Cuda and Barracuda were 2-door hardtop coupes with seating for five individuals. Pricing for the Barracuda began at $2,940 while the 'Cuda sold for $3,120. The six-cylinder engine was no longer available to either of these models. The 318 cubic-inch V8, standard in many Plymouth models for 1973, offered 150 (SAE) horsepower. All 1973 Plymouth engines were given a new EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system, offset spark advance and electric choke. Both the Barracuda and the Cuda also came standard with electronic ignition. Another new standard features was manual disc brakes.

Perhaps one of the biggest visual changes to the Barracuda and the Cuda were larger bumpers with rubber-faced guards. The front side marker lamps moved slightly to a new location on the sidebody feature line. Cuda models were easily identifiable by their large model letters on the left-hand side of the rear panel and by the twin-scoop performance hood of the prior year.

Plymouth offered several performance packages and decor packages on both models. The list of items included upgrades to the suspension, sport hoods, and body side tape stripes.

For 1973, a total of 11,587 examples of the Barracuda were produced, along with 10,626 examples of the 'Cuda.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2015