As a result, 1970 and 1971 Barracudas are now the most desirable iterations of the nameplate. Enthusiasts are obviously looking for the HEMI and Six-Barrel cars, which also happen to be rare. Of the nearly 49,000 Barracudas produced in 1970, only 1,784 got the 440 Six-Barrel. The HEMI is even rarer, with just 666 sold.
Due to a significant drop in demand, the 1971 versions are notably scarcer. Only 254 customers selected the 440 Six-Barrel, and just 114 buyers went with the 426 HEMI. When it comes to HEMI-powered Barracudas, the 1971 is the rarest and most desirable of the bunch.
“Expensive” is yet another term associated with these cars, particularly when talking about convertibles. Of the 114 HEMI Cudas sold in 1971, only seven were ordered with a soft top. Not that the 1970 version isn’t very rare, too, at 14 units, but the 1971 version is already a million-dollar classic.
The hardtop variant is not there just yet, but you can expect to pay more than $300,000 to park one in your driveway. And as recent auctions have taught us, a high degree of originality and a numbers-matching drivetrain could very well push the price beyond the $500,000 mark. This B5 Blue example may be one of those rigs.
This four-speed hardtop HEMI Cuda is one of only 59 examples built with this drivetrain and body style in 1971. It’s also believed to be one of only 10 finished in B5 Blue that year.
Authenticated by Mopar expert Dave Wise, the Cuda is in highly original condition except for the core support, which was replaced at some point. The paint is also mostly original, which pretty much means it got a few touch-ups here and there.
Both the 426 HEMI and the four-speed manual are obviously numbers-matching, and the Cuda was also ordered with the A33 Track Pak package. There is one thing that’s not original on this car. You’ll probably never guess because it’s a flawless job, but the black billboard stripes were added aftermarket.
There’s not much information on its history, but the ad says this Mopar was never sold at a public auction before. Its first outing will be on January 18 at Mecum’s upcoming Kissimmee 2025 event.
If previous auctions are any indication, this 1971 HEMI Cuda should fetch more than $500,000. On the flipside, it probably won’t surpass the current record for 1971 hardtops, set at $935,000 in 2022.
