The First Super Stock ‘Cuda Now on Facebook Marketplace

If you’re even remotely into Mopar history, you’ve heard whispers about the 1968 B029 HEMI® Super Stock Barracudas. Built for war. Born to race. Just 50 of them left the line thanks to a collaboration between Chrysler and Hurst Performance—each engineered to obliterate the NHRA’s Super Stock/A HEMI (SS/AH) class.

But what most people don’t know is that before those 50 legends ever hit a drag strip, there was one that paved the way.

The Mule.

The very first B029. Not a showroom car. Not a dealer special. This was Chrysler’s factory prototype—the test bed, the proving ground, the blueprint. It was the first HEMI Barracuda, even before we officially started calling them ‘HEMI Cudas.’

And in May 2025, this rolling piece of Mopar history failed to meet reserve at Mecum Indy, topping out at a head-scratching $125,000.

Now? It’s been listed quietly on Facebook Marketplace for a jaw-dropping $2,000,000. And if you think that’s crazy, read on—because this car might just be the most important unsold Mopar in modern collector history.

Born In Fire, Built For Glory – 

Let’s rewind to late 1967. Chrysler’s Road Test Garage pulls a 1968 Formula S 340 fastback Barracuda—just your average small-block A-body—and sends it to the Special Vehicle Group. The goal? See if they can fit a 426 cubic-inch HEMI into it.

Under the watch of Tom Hoover (aka the “Father of the HEMI”), Chrysler handed the project off to Bob Tarozzi, a young engineer with more talent than tenure. Working out of the famed Woodward Garage in Detroit, Tarozzi turned that street car into a hardcore test mule for what would become the B029 Super Stock program.

It wasn’t a simple swap job. This was uncharted territory. Tarozzi had to hand-fabricate motor mounts, reroute brake lines to clear massive valve covers, and develop flexible fittings just to make the thing serviceable. He even fitted six-cylinder torsion bars up front to allow for better weight transfer—light in the nose, squat in the tail. And it worked.

“Nobody Cares” — But They Should Have – 

Tarozzi cheekily stamped “Nobody Cares” into the decklid—his jab at the corporate indifference he was up against. But the car spoke louder than any approval form ever could.

Once fitted with the monster HEMI, the car underwent extensive testing at both Irwindale Raceway and along Woodward Avenue. Chrysler engineers beat on it, recorded data, and dialed in the build. What came out of that process was a car that hooked, flew, and survived. This was the car that validated Chrysler’s B029 program.

But when Chrysler was done with it, the Mule was scheduled for destruction.

The Dollar That Saved Drag Racing History – 

Enter Arlen Vanke—a respected NHRA racer who knew what he was looking at. For the price of a cheeseburger and fries, Vanke bought the Mule for $1. He dropped in a HEMI of his own, rebadged it as the Suppa Cuda, and gave it to Tony Suppa to drive.

The car nearly beat Ron “Zoomo” Mancini at Indy. It made rounds at tracks across the country. It proved over and over again what it was made to do: win.

Later, collector Pat McGroder acquired it and had it restored to Irwindale-spec perfection, with Tarozzi himself overseeing the authenticity of the build. Then it passed to Myron Serbay, who has shown the car at the All HEMI Reunion, the Chrysler Museum, the Red Barns show, and even at the 2024 Sox & Martin HEMI Challenge—where Steve Comella, a modern SS/AH champ, stated:

“Without this car, none of us would be here today.”

We even seen the car the recent 2025 Chrysler Carlisle Nationals.

What Makes It So Special? – 

It’s not just the history—it’s what’s still there. The car retains most of its original test equipment:

• Vanke-built 426 HEMI with a cross-ram intake

• Dual Holley 4-barrel carbs

• Hooker Headers

• 12.5:1 compression

• TorqueFlite A727 automatic from original Chrysler testing

• Dana 60 rear end

• Super Stock leaf springs

• Lightweight steering and braking components

• Fiberglass front clip and acid-dipped steel doors

• Magnesium front wheels, chrome rear wheels

• Racing slicks in back, skinny whitewalls up front

• No radio, no carpet, no rear seat—just purpose-built guts

Everything about this car says maximum power, minimum fluff. This wasn’t built to win hearts. It was built to win races.

$125,000 at Auction. $2 Million Now. Still a Steal? – 

At Mecum Indy 2025, when bidding stalled at $125,000, you could practically hear jaws hitting the floor. It was a moment of disbelief. A car with more historical weight than most six-figure trailer queens—and it barely cracked six digits?

Now listed at $2,000,000 on Facebook Marketplace, some call the price outrageous. But for those who understand the car? It’s practically a bargain. You’re not buying a car. You’re buying a milestone in American racing history.

This isn’t another HEMI ‘Cuda. This is the first one.

The Last Word – 

Today’s collector car market tends to favor shiny paint and weekend cruisers. But real hot-rodders, historians, and race fans know: provenance is priceless.

“The Mule” isn’t a storybook. It’s the blueprint. Without it, there’s no B029 program, no Sox & Martin dominance, no HEMI drag car legacy.

And it’s still out there—engine fresh, title clean, history intact—waiting for someone who does care.

So if you’ve got $2 million and want more than just bragging rights, check Facebook Marketplace. The listing’s real. The car is too.

And it deserves to be preserved like the legend it is.