When it comes to rare Mopars, few cars get enthusiasts buzzing like the 1969 Plymouth Barracuda M-code 440. Built in extremely limited numbers, these small-bodied A-cars were factory hot rods—stuffing Chrysler’s massive 7.2-liter (440-cubic-inch) Super Commando V8 into a lightweight platform that was more often seen with slant-6s or small-blocks. Now, one of just 45 notchback coupes produced is up for grabs on Bring a Trailer, and it’s got a history as colorful as its Limelight Metallic paint.
Factory Muscle With a Twist –
Plymouth’s idea behind the M-code Barracuda was simple: take a compact car and shoehorn in one of the biggest engines in the lineup. The result was a street machine that punched well above its weight. Every 440-equipped ’Cuda came with Chrysler’s heavy-duty A727 TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip rear end. On paper, the Super Commando 440 delivered 375 horsepower and a pavement-twisting 480 lb-ft of torque—serious numbers in 1969, especially in a car that weighed less than most midsizers.
This particular coupe left the factory wearing Limelight Metallic with green vinyl upholstery, tape stripes, non-functional hood scoops, and 14-inch body-colored steel wheels capped with hubcaps. It was a bare-knuckle muscle machine that looked as mean as it drove.
Racing Days and Dormant Years –
The Barracuda was purchased new in Washington state and later moved with its original owner to Minnesota. From there, it went to Tennessee in 1977. During those early years, both owners put the car to work at the drag strip, competing in the F/SA class between 1969 and 1981. At its best, with headers, a performance camshaft, and slicks bolted on, it ripped through the quarter-mile in just 10.40 seconds—a staggering time for what started life as a showroom-stock Plymouth.
After years of racing, the car was parked in 1985 with just over 3,100 miles on the odometer. A few years later, it was given a full refurbishment in Kentucky. That process included removing the race lettering, freshening the paint, reinstalling stock-style manifolds, and putting it back on Firestone red-line tires. The car has since accumulated fewer than 7,000 miles total.
Magazines, Calendars, and Carlisle –
This isn’t just a garage queen—it’s a Mopar with a reputation. The car was featured in Musclecar Classics in 1990 and scored a deeper feature in MorPerformance magazine in 1991. Car Craft covered it, too, and it was even used in promotions for the 2009 Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, where it helped advertise the M-code A-body display. To top it off, a NAPA calendar showcased the car in March 2009, cementing its status as a hobby favorite.
Today, the car remains one of only 19 documented M-code 440 notchback coupes registered as of 2002. Compare that with the 310 fastback versions built, and you start to understand just how exclusive this car really is.
What’s Under the Hood –
Like many race cars, this ’Cuda had its original powerplant swapped decades ago. Under the hood now sits a correct, 1969-dated E-440 HP-coded engine backed by its original TorqueFlite automatic. Importantly, the car still carries the Carter 4618S AVS carburetor, manifolds, and radiator that were specific to these M-code cars. It’s as close to stock as you’ll find for a car with a racing past.
Inside the ’Cuda –
The cabin is classic late-’60s Plymouth: bucket seats up front, a bench out back, a woodgrain-trimmed console, and green vinyl all around. The 120-mph speedometer and factory gauges sit behind a three-spoke steering wheel, and the AM radio remains in the dash. Even the trunk’s nylon-cord weatherstripping survives from new, a small but telling detail of originality.
A Special-Handling Car –
Decoding the fender tag and broadcast sheet reveals more nuggets of history. The sheet itself calls out “01 SPECIAL HANDLING CAR,” a reminder that these M-code Barracudas were purpose-built. Factory codes show the car started life as a ’Cuda 383 package, upgraded to house the monster 440, and optioned with touches like drip-rail moldings, simulated scoops, and Music Master AM radio.
Crossing the Block –
Now offered on Bring a Trailer with its documentation, magazine features, and a clean North Carolina title, this Barracuda represents a rare opportunity to buy into Plymouth’s late-’60s dragstrip legend. With its history, magazine pedigree, and status as one of fewer than 20 notchbacks accounted for today, it’s a car that speaks to collectors and racers alike.
Bidding ends Tuesday, September 16 at 1:33 p.m. EDT. If you’ve ever dreamed of owning one of the baddest A-bodies to roll out of Hamtramck, this is your shot.
