I’m conflicted over this super straight Barracuda: dubbed a garage find, it’s said to have seen little use over the past several years, and it’s listed here on eBay with active bidding to $11,000 and the reserve unmet. And although it’s quite the survivor, the car is a non-numbers matching example, with the original 318 swapped out for a far more robust 340. So, what’s the verdict on this one? It’s certainly more enjoyable to drive with the upgraded power plant, but it’s no longer an original car despite the rest of it remaining so well preserved. I guess a stock 318 car wouldn’t command much attention unless you were a total purist and just wanted a virgin car – and that’s likely a tougher buyer to find than someone who wants a Barracuda with some actual go-juice under the hood that hasn’t been ripped apart for hot rodding. Regardless, the bidders are letting the market know what’s important and I’ll be curious to see where this one ends up.
This is the Cuda I would be looking for, no numbers matching trailer queen. I would be happy with the motor swap and minimal rust that could be repaired without taking it apart. Now if his reserve isn’t a trailer queen price.
Looks like nice car, especially for a Michigan car! However, Is it just me or does the passenger side trunk floor pan and frame rails looks suspicious? The passenger side floor pan looks like it has fresh black paint and wavy (possible bondo underneath the fresh black paint?). The frame rails look like it has fresh undercoating, not 43 year old undercoating. Wish the seller posted a pic of the rusty spot on the passenger rocker that he mentions in his ebay description. Wonder how many times it’s been repainted or touched up? Are those paintless dent holes that were drilled out and plugged on the driver and passenger door jambs? Three holes/plugs on the driver door jamb, two holes/plugs on the passenger door jamb. I personally think the 340 is an upgrade over the original 318 but the purists will most likely deduct from its value. One would think the original 318 would still be intact IF it only has 59k miles??
I don’t mind engine swaps like this, where there aren’t major structural changes or other considerations that impact the rest of the vehicle. Like going from a slant 6 to a big block. What I don’t like is how the job was finished, with absolutely no attempt at an original ‘look’ under the hood. I don’t know who thinks finned aluminum valve covers and the cheapest possible chrome air cleaner ‘dress up’ an engine, but I certainly don’t. Just clean up and paint the original valve covers and freshen up a period dual snorkel air cleaner with some 340 four barrel stickers. Maybe a re-pop OE Mopar battery while you’re at it. It would cost less than the stuff that’s there. This car is so crisp otherwise, that crap under the hood really detracts from it.
Are the plugs in the door jambs from the car being ziebart treated ?
gotta Love that Chevy emblem on the oil breather!
Having owned a ’73 Barracuda 318 as my first car, these always pull a lot of nostalgia strings. But even these later model cars (72 – 74) get big money. So, if this is in decent shape rust-wise, and no worries of trying to make it a numbers matching original, I would say anything under 15K would be a very good buy.