1974 · Plymouth · United States
The Final Season
The final year: Barracuda and 'Cuda hardtops with a standard 318 and a new optional 360, and 11,734 built before the line ended.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
Plymouth's 1974 compact catalog carried the Barracuda and 'Cuda hardtops into what would be the final model year with the 318 V8 and an all-synchromesh three-speed manual standard, and TorqueFlite or a four-speed optional. A new 360 four-barrel V8 with dual exhausts replaced the 340 as the optional performance engine, described in the catalog as having a shot-peened crankshaft and a high-performance camshaft on top of the larger four-barrel induction. The 'Cuda's own standard equipment added F70 tires, a power-bulge hood, heavy-duty suspension with front and rear sway bars, a black lower deck panel, and power front disc brakes, visually and mechanically distinguishing the 'Cuda from the plainer Barracuda beneath the shared engine and transmission choices.
Several independent reference books agree on 11,734 total for the year, split 6,745 Barracudas and 4,989 'Cudas, and this record's own production notes flag that, unlike the disputed totals found for 1970 through 1973, no second lineage with a different total was located for 1974; the single figure stands unchallenged across every source consulted. The model did not return for 1975, and this record does not attribute a cause, since no source consulted addresses why the line ended rather than continuing into a fourth-generation redesign.1,2,3
Neither the 318 nor the 360 carries a horsepower or torque rating in the sources consulted for 1974, so the engines section here records only displacement, induction, and availability for each. Power front disc brakes were standard on the 'Cuda outright and required with the 360 on either model, while air conditioning required power disc brakes except on the 'Cuda, where they were already standard; the four-speed manual, fitted with Hurst linkage, a wood-grained knob, and a reverse warning light, was available only with the 360. Heavy-duty suspension was standard both with the 360 and on the 'Cuda independent of engine choice, so a Barracuda buyer could reach that suspension either by choosing the larger engine or by choosing the 'Cuda trim outright.
The salesman's pocket guide lists an extensive options sheet: an A51 Sport Decor Package and A36 Performance Axle Package as the two named packages, an A01 Light Package bundling ashtray, glove box, trunk, and courtesy lighting, and an A04 Basic Group of AM radio, power steering, wipers, and a remote left mirror. The 360 engine option itself bundled a sport hood, F70x14 white-sidewall tires, a seven-blade torque-drive fan, dual exhausts, and heavy-duty suspension into a single order rather than requiring each item separately, and buyers could add a Rallye Instrument Cluster with a simulated wood-grain panel, tachometer, clock, trip odometer, oil pressure gauge, and 150-mph speedometer on top of the base gauges.
One further claim about the year's engine mix was found but not tabulated: a single enthusiast web compilation lists 1974 splits of 846 automatic-only 360 Barracudas and, for the 'Cuda, 3,798 318s and 1,191 360s split 430 manual and 761 automatic, against the 6,745 and 4,989 totals reported elsewhere; since the compilation cites no factory record or established reference for its own figures, none of its splits are tabulated here. Overall dimensions for the Barracuda hardtop ran to a 108-inch wheelbase, 195.6-inch length, 75.6-inch width, and 50.9-inch height, with a 60.2/60.7-inch front and rear track; the catalog form number for the brochure, 81-005-7072, carries its own printing date of 8-1-73, several months ahead of the model year it documents.
Fact sheet · 1974 · United States
The numbers
1974 Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda — The final year: Barracuda and 'Cuda hardtops with a standard 318 and a new optional 360, and 11,734 built before the line ended.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barracuda and 'Cuda1,2,4,5 Barracuda and 'Cuda · 2-door hardtop · V8 · not stated Unlike 1970-1973, no second lineage with a different total was found for 1974. | 11,734 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barracuda hardtop (BH23)1,2,3 Barracuda · 2-door hardtop · V8 · not stated | 6,745 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 'Cuda hardtop (BS23)1,2,3 'Cuda · 2-door hardtop · V8 · not stated | 4,989 | built, model-year | Reported |
Rows are separately scoped; the two model rows are printed by the same sources as parts of the 11,734 total.
No 360 installation count was found.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 318 V8 318 cu in · 2-barrel | standard, Barracuda and 'Cuda | Not yet sourced | |
| 360 V8 4-bbl, dual exhausts 360 cu in · 4-barrel | optional, Barracuda and 'Cuda | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 3-speed all-synchromesh manual, floor-mounted | standard | Not yet sourced |
| 4-speed manual | optional | Not yet sourced |
| TorqueFlite automatic | optional | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rallye cluster (tachometer, tripodometer, oil pressure gauge, electric clock) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Hurst shifter | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Rallye road wheels; chrome-style road wheels | — | Not yet sourced |
A51package |
Sport Decor Package (Barracuda) | — | Not yet sourced |
A36package |
Performance Axle Package | — | Not yet sourced |
A01sales code |
Light Package (ashtray, glove box and trunk lights, time-delay ignition light, map/courtesy light, time-delay instrument floodlight, fender turn indicators) | — | Not yet sourced |
A04sales code |
Basic Group (Music Master AM radio, power steering, 3-speed wipers and electric washers, left remote chrome mirror) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Air conditioning (power disc brakes required except 'Cuda; not with 3-speed manual) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Power front disc brakes (standard on 'Cuda; required with 360 V8) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Rubber-faced front and rear bumper guards | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Electric clock (standard with Rallye cluster) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Console | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Rear window defogger | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Sure-Grip differential | — | Not yet sourced |
|
360 4-bbl V8 (includes sport hood, F70x14 white-sidewall tires, 7-blade torque-drive fan, dual exhausts, heavy-duty suspension) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Tinted glass, all windows | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Inside hood release | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Outside mirrors: left remote-control, dual racing chrome, dual painted body-colour racing | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Full-length body-side vinyl-insert moulding | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Power steering | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Music Master AM radio; AM/FM stereo; rear-seat speaker(s) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Rallye Instrument Cluster (simulated wood-grain panel, tachometer, clock, trip odometer, oil pressure gauge, 3-speed wipers and washers, 150-mph speedometer) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Seat adjustment, front, 2-way manual | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Heavy-duty suspension (standard with 360; standard on 'Cuda) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Performance body-side tape stripes | — | Not yet sourced |
|
4-speed manual with Hurst linkage, wood-grained knob and reverse warning light (with 360 only) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Undercoating and hood insulator pad | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Vinyl roof: green, white, gold, black | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Rallye wheels, 14-in, with chrome trim ring | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Road wheels, chrome trim ring, 14-in | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Deluxe 14-in wheel covers | — | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
KB1 |
Powder Blue | Not yet sourced |
KB5 |
Lucerne Blue Metallic | Not yet sourced |
FE5 |
Rallye Red | Not yet sourced |
GE7 |
Burnished Red Metallic | Not yet sourced |
KG2 |
Frosty Green Metallic | Not yet sourced |
KG8 |
Deep Sherwood Metallic | Not yet sourced |
KJ6 |
Avocado Gold Metallic | Not yet sourced |
HL4 |
Sahara Beige | Not yet sourced |
KL8 |
Dark Moonstone Metallic | Not yet sourced |
KT5 |
Sienna Metallic | Not yet sourced |
EW1 |
Spinnaker White | Not yet sourced |
TX9 |
Formal Black | Not yet sourced |
KY4 |
Golden Fawn | Not yet sourced |
KY5 |
Yellow Blaze | Not yet sourced |
JY6 |
Golden Haze Metallic | Not yet sourced |
JY9 |
Tahitian Gold Metallic | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard Barracuda and 'Cuda vinyl bucket seats in blue, green, black, or white/black | Not yet sourced |
A6B6 |
Vinyl bucket seats, blue (standard on Barracuda and 'Cuda hardtops, code A6); recommended exteriors KB1, KB5, EW1, TX9 | Not yet sourced |
A6G6 |
Vinyl bucket seats, green; recommended exteriors KG2, KG8, HL4, EW1, TX9 | Not yet sourced |
A6X9 |
Vinyl bucket seats, black; all Barracuda colours | Not yet sourced |
A6XW |
Vinyl bucket seats, white; all exteriors | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 108 in | Barracuda hardtop |
| Overall length | 195.6 in | Barracuda hardtop |
| Overall width | 75.6 in | Barracuda hardtop |
| Overall height | 50.9 in | Barracuda hardtop |
| Track front/rear | 60.2 / 60.7 in | Barracuda hardtop |
Identification
- Catalog form number
- Form No. 81-005-7072, dated 8-1-73.
Identification
Read a 1974 Plymouth VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1974
- AMC AMX The final Javelin AMX: 4,980 built, with the Go Package's cowl induction dropped and a production run that stretched into November 1974.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The Gremlin X gained a 'hockey stick' stripe. The 304 V8 remained available, but no X or V8 counts for the year were found.
- AMC Javelin The Javelin's final year: 22,556 non-AMX cars on a production run extended into November 1974.
- Buick Riviera Colonnade pillared roof; 20,129 built, 1,698 with Stage One and 4,119 with the GS handling option.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX The last year a 455 Stage 1 could be had in a Buick intermediate Gran Sport; 3,355 were built, 478 of them Stage 1.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The SS was gone; the new Laguna Type S-3 coupe carried the Chevelle's performance image, with a 235 net hp 454 still on the engine list.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Spirit of America Nova (RPO Z51) offered on the Custom hatchback per the source. Enthusiast-compiled production: 390,537 cars; Super Sport 21,419.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS Colonnade-era El Camino; Chevrolet's 1974 data pages define the RPO Z15 SS option for the El Camino Classic. Team Chevelle's production totals give 51,223 El Caminos built, 4,543 of them with SS equipment.
- Dodge Challenger The last original-era Challenger shared a catalog with the Dart; the 360 replaced the 340 as the optional engine and production ended in April 1974.
- Dodge Charger The last B-body Charger before the 1975 personal-luxury redesign, with 5-mph bumpers, carried-over powertrains and an SE that accounted for 30,957 V-8 cars.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon The 360 replaced the 340 in the Dart Sport, and Flory's production table counts 3,951 Dart Sport 360s at a $3,244 base price.
- Ford Maverick Grabber Grabber production fell to 23,502 by Classic Industries count.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 11,328 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird Sixth-generation personal-luxury Thunderbird; the record holds the production total and the luxury-group option prices only.
- Ford Torino The 1974 Torino grew again and added the Gran Torino Elite; the Gran Torino Sport survived only as a formal-roof hardtop, with 23,142 built.
- Mercury Cougar Outside the muscle focus: 91,670 Cougars for 1974 per Wikipedia's table.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The Hurst/Olds paced the Indianapolis 500 again and offered a 350 for the first time: 1,800 coupes, 380 of them with the 455 W-30.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 The 245 net hp 360 replaced the 340 in the Duster's best sales year: 3,969 Duster 360s among 281,378 Dusters, with Twister, Gold Duster and Space Duster packages priced separately.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite In 1974 a GTX nameplate came with the Road Runner's optional 440 four-barrel, TorqueFlite required; Mueller's Muscle Car Source Book counts 386 of them.
- Plymouth Road Runner The last Satellite-based Road Runner; production roughly halved from 1973.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am A new nose and the last Super Duty: 10,255 Trans Ams, 943 with the SD-455.
- Pontiac GTO The last original GTO: a package on the compact Ventura with a 200 hp 350; 7,058 built.
- Pontiac Grand Am A revised nose and 17,083 built, only 342 with a four-speed.
- Pontiac Grand Prix The 455 remains the SJ engine as Grand Prix volume falls to under 100,000.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans With the GTO moved to the Ventura, the LeMans GT package became the intermediate performance choice, backed by 350, 400 and 455 V8 options.