Not all muscle cars had giant V-8s and mimicked straight-line drag racers. Some identified with modest-engine racers built to compete on twisting road courses. The 1970 Plymouth AAR 'Cuda was one of these.
Of course, the production AAR 'Cuda couldn't be mechanically identical to its Trans-Am racing namesake. But unlike the Mustang Boss 302 and Camaro Z28, which also were built to homologate track cars, it didn't even try to mimic the pavement-hugging posture of its competition cousin. What Plymouth built was a street rod.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Built to qualify racing versions for the Trans Am series, the 1970 Plymouth AAR 'Cuda was no muscle car wallflower, thanks to a black fiberglass hood, strobe stripes, and side-exit exhausts. See more muscle car pictures. |
and modified for all-out twisty-course combat.
And like production Challenger T/As built to qualify the cars for racing, street AARs used a 290-bhp 340-cid with three two-barrel Holley carbs on an Edelbrock aluminum manifold. Buyers could choose a four-speed or TorqueFlite, with a Sure-Grip axle and standard 3.55:1 or optional 3.91:1 gears. The engine breathed through a functional hood scoop.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Race versions used a 305-cid V-8 and one four-barrel carburetor. Street AAR 'Cudas had a 340 and hid three two-barrel carbs under this oval air cleaner. |
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. A one-year-only model, the AAR 'Cuda had a raked stance and wide rear tires. AAR stood for Dan Gurney's All-American Racers team. |
Wheelbase, inches: 108.0 Weight, lbs: 3,600 Number built: 2,724 Base price: $4,340 Standard Engine Type: ohv V-8 Displacement, cid: 340 Fuel system: 3 x 2bbl. Compression ratio: 10.5:1 Horsepower @ rpm: 290 @ 5000 Torque @ rpm: 345 @ 3400 Representative Performance 0-60 mph, sec: 5.8 1/4 mile, sec. @ mph: 14.4 @ 99.5 |
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For more cool information on muscle cars, check out:- Plymouth muscle cars spanned the spectrum from fanciful to fearsome -- and sometimes displayed both qualities in a single model. See profiles, photos, and specifications of Plymouth muscle cars.
- Muscle cars came in many shapes and sizes. Here are features on more than 100 muscle cars, including photos and specifications for each model.
- Muscle cars created their own culture. To learn about it, read How Muscle Cars Work.
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- Cougar pulled out of Mustang's shadow with the striped and spoilered 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator.
- Beep, beep! Make way for one of the baddest muscle cars of all time, the 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi.
- The 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am combined sports-car handling and muscle car power.
- Chrysler unleashed the modern version of its most famous engine in the 1964 Dodge 426 Hemi.
- An all-aluminum, race-proven V-8 defined the rare and wicked 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
- The engine is what gives a muscle car its flamboyant personality. To learn everything you need to know about car engines, see How Car Engines Work.
- Muscle cars wouldn't have much muscle without horsepower -- but what exactly is horsepower? How Horsepower Works answers that question.
- NASCAR race cars embody the muscle car philosophy of power. Read How NASCAR Race Cars Work to find out what makes these charged-up racers go.
- Are you thinking of buying a 2007 muscle car, or any other car? See Consumer Guide Automotive's New-Car Reviews, Prices, and Information.
