1970 Plymouth AAR ‘Cuda Facts and Specifications
The 1970 AAR ‘Cuda is a legendary car. Many people ask what is an AAR ‘Cuda and what does AAR stand for?
The 1970 Plymouth AAR ‘Cuda is a high-performance muscle car, based on the ‘Cuda, that was produced by Plymouth, a division of Chrysler. The “AAR” stands for “All American Racers,” which was a racing team founded by Dan Gurney. This special edition street car was designed to meet the requirements for the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Trans-Am racing series. The SCCA required a street version of any car raced in their racing series.
The AAR ‘Cuda came with a 340 Six Barrel engine, fiberglass hood, side exit exhaust, reflective strobe stripes, rear spoiler, heavy duty suspension, side racing mirror and side exit exhaust.
This article will examine the AAR ‘Cuda facts and specifications in more detail. This includes its engine, drivetrain, design, suspension, brakes, performance, production and legacy.
1970 Plymouth AAR ‘CUDA Key Features, Facts and Specifications
The AAR ‘Cuda is different from the ‘Cuda in many ways. It has differences in the engine, stripes, tires, exhaust, hood, suspension and spoilers. Let’s examine each feature of the car in more detail.
340 Six Barrel Engine
It was powered by a 340 cubic inch V8 engine, which was equipped with three Holley two-barrel carburetors (often referred to as a “Six Barrel” setup), producing 290 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 345 foot pounds of torque at 3,400 rpm. This engine wasn’t available with a regular ‘Cuda.
The 340 Six Barrel engine had the following items which made it different from the 340 4 barrel:
- Three 2 barrel Holley carburetors.
- Edelbrok aluminum intake manifold.
- The block was reinforced with additional material in the main bearing webs so racers could modify it to 4 bolt mains.
- Cylinder head castings were modified (pushrods holes) so racers could expand the ports.
- The valve train used different rockers (adjustable and offset) and pushrods (longer) to accommodate the heads.
The following is the AAR ‘Cuda engine specifications:
| Specifications | 340 Six Barrel |
| Displacement | 340 |
| Bore and Stroke | 4.04″ x 3.31″ |
| Horsepower | 290 @ 5,000 RPM |
| Torque | 345 @ 3,400 RPM |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5:1 |
| Camshaft | High lift, high performance |
| Cam Duration/Overlap | 268°/276°/44° |
| Cam Lift | .429″/.444″ |
| Lifter Type | Hydraulic |
| Valve Diameter, Intake | 2.02″ |
| Valve Diameter, Exhaust | 1.60″ |
| Carburetion | Three Holley 2-bbl |
| Air Cleaner | Unsilenced |
| Exhaust System | Dual, low restriction |
| Fuel Recommended | Premium |
Design
The AAR ‘Cuda had distinctive styling which included the following:
- A hinged fiberglass hood with functional scoop and hood pins. The hood was painted flat black. The hood hinges weren’t as stiff as the metal hood hinges on a ‘Cuda.
- Unique striping which featured reflective strobe stripes down the side of the car.
- A dovetail rear spoiler.
- Rallye wheels were standard.
- Staggered tire sizes with the rear bigger than the front.
- Driver’s side racing mirror painted the same as the body color.
- Dual exhaust system exited the sides of the car before the rear tires. The pipes had a trumpet style shaped opening.
- The rear of the car was slightly higher than the front due to the camber of the rear leaf springs allowing clearance for the side exhaust pipes and wider tires.
- Front chin, whisker type spoilers were optional.
- A radio equipped car had the antenna mounted on the top of the passenger side rear quarter panel.
Transmissions
The AAR came standard with a 4-speed close ratio manual transmission. It came with a 10.5″ clutch.
The 727 torqueflite automatic transmission was optional.
The 4-speed close ratio transmission gears:
- 1st: 2.47
- 2nd: 1.77
- 3rd: 1.34
- 4th: 1.00
- Reverse: 2.40
The automatic came with the following gear ratios:
- 1st: 2.45
- 2nd: 1.45
- 3rd: 1.00
- Reverse: 2.20
Rear Axle
All AAR ‘Cuda cars came with an 8 3/4″ sure grip rear end with 3.55 to 1 gear ratio. 3.91 gears were optional.
Brakes
The car came with power disc front brakes that had semi metallic pads. In the rear were 11″ drum brakes.
Suspension and Tires
The car came equipped with a heavy duty suspension that consisted of front and rear sway bars and heavy duty shocks. The rear leaf spring camber had been increased to provide ground clearance for the side exhaust pipes and wider rear tires.
The front tires were E 60 x 15″ and the rear tires G 60 x 15″. The staggered tire size was the first time a car rolled out of Detroit with such as feature. The Good Year tires had raised white letters. The collapsible spare was trunk mounted.
The Rallye wheels came standard and were 15″ x 7″ size.
Steering
Manual steering was standard with a 24 to 1 ratio. Power steering and quick ratio steering were available as an option.
AAR ‘Cuda Performance
The AAR Cuda was known for its impressive handling and performance, making it a competitive vehicle in its class.
So how fast was the AAR ‘Cuda in the 1/4 mile?
Most road tests back in the day had the car running in the low 14 second range. The fastest road test I could find was by Super Stock magazine. They tested a Challenger T/A which had the same engine and drivetrain as the AAR ‘Cuda. Both cars were exact twins as far as performance.
They were able to get a best 1/4 mile time of 13.75 seconds at 101.92 miles per hour. This was accomplished by lowering the rear tire pressure to 24 pounds, removing the air cleaner and shifting at 6, 000 rpms. The car was equipped with a 4-speed and 3.55 gears.
Warranty
The warranty was the same as any other North American Chrysler built passenger car.
Production Numbers
The AAR Cuda was produced in limited numbers, making it a sought-after collector’s item today.
Here are the 1970 AAR ‘Cuda production numbers:
- 2,724 total AAR ‘Cudas were produced.
- 1,604 were automatics.
- 1,120 were 4-speeds.
All 2,724 AAR Cuda cars were produced within a 5 week period between March and April of 1970. They were built at the Hamtramck Plant in Michigan.
AAR ‘Cuda Dimensions
- Length: 186.7 inches
- Width: 74.9 inches
- Height: 50.9 inches
- Wheelbase: 108 inches
- Track: 59.7 inches (front) 60.7 inches (rear)
- Weight: 3,593 pounds
- Fuel capacity: 19 gallons.
Legacy
The 1970 AAR Cuda remains a significant piece of automotive history, celebrated for its performance and connection to American motorsports.
Overall, the 1970 AAR Cuda is highly regarded among muscle car enthusiasts and collectors for its performance, rarity, and historical significance in the world of American racing.
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