Is this 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda worth more than two million dollars?

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A classic Plymouth that has reportedly been certified to be the first 1970-model-year Barracuda built with a 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8 is now up for sale—with an asking price of US$2.2 million. Besides apparently having seen just 17,755 miles (28,573 km) under its tires in its 50-plus years on this Earth, this ‘Cuda – spotted by Muscle Cars & Trucks as being listed for sale by Motorvault in Indiana – also boasts a build date of August 1, 1969, which would apparently make it a pre-production example and the third-ever 1970 Barracuda assembled.

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Factors outside of the legendary elephant 426 Hemi that typically drive up the price of classic Mopar E-bodies like ‘Cudas and Challengers are rare body styles, like convertibles; eye-catching Hi Impact colours like Plum Crazy purple or Sublime green; or long options list of way-cool accessories.

This ‘Cuda doesn’t have too many of those things – well, it does come with the unique overhead console and Premium trim package, and is oddly missing a tachometer – but there’s arguably a simple beauty in its unadorned Alpine White and Rallye wheels. (While the original colour, the finish on it now is apparently a repaint.) And besides, ’70 Hemi ‘Cudas with four-speed manuals are rare enough as it is anyway, with just 284 ever being assembled with that powertrain combo.

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What’s important for cars claiming provenance like this is the paperwork, and Motorvault apparently has the documentation from Mopar guru Galen Govier to prove this ‘Cuda was one of the first to roll off the line in Hamtramck, Michigan, before finding its way to Indiana in 1983 and spending most of its years in a museum there since.

But back to the headlining question: is it worth it? Quite possibly. “Regular” mint-condition Hemi ‘Cudas with four-speeds have been trading around the US$350,000 mark the past few years, but they also aren’t pre-production first-one-built cars either. Convertible Hemi ‘Cudas have cleared the US$2-million mark a few times before, and may be the better analogue, here. In any case, the listing is still up for now, so far as we know, no one’s yet bit—but we’re sure it’s only a matter of time before someone does.