Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

340 Equipped: 1968 Plymouth Barracuda

barracuda1

Before the Malaise era took hold, automobile manufacturers upped the ante at every opportunity to have more powerful options available for customers. This 1968 Plymouth Barracuda 340 here on craigslist is a recent barn find and nicely equipped with the options necessary to go head-to-head in the muscle car wars. 

barracuda2

Said to have been recently unearthed, the Barracuda includes the more powerful 340 V8 along with a 4-speed manual transmission and SureGrip rear end. While the paint is not original, from a distance it at least looks like a complete re-paint that’s been in place for a while. While the 383 may have been the more powerful engine, the 340 with a stick is a respectable combination – but like the paint job, I’d want to know if it’s original and numbers matching.

barracuda3

Being a Formula S car, this Barracuda likely came from the factory with upgraded suspension, larger wheels and tires, a tachometer and special graphics identifying it as an “S” model. While the repaint likely saw the graphics get tossed aside, I’m sure you can find someone making reproductions. No word on the interior condition of the car, so it’s anyone’s guess if the tach is still present.

lmhoparscom
Image courtesy of lhmopars.com

I think the asking price of $21,500 is a touch high, but this is the first Barracuda barn find I’ve seen in a while that has some desirable equipment on board. This old-school advertisement paints an interesting picture of the buyers Plymouth was pursuing, especially with the thinly-veiled reference to the downsides of British motoring. With the ‘Cuda, you can have the performance and the comfort you desire. Would you agree?

Comments

  1. Avatar Dolphin Member

    From the 3 photos it looks like it could be a decent car if you want a late-’60s Mopar 2-door with V8 and 4-speed. I like the fairly clean look of these Barracudas, and even the dog dish hubcaps, which I guess are in keeping with it having the ‘small’ V8.

    But not at $21.5K with almost no information in a CL ad that has only zeroes for mileage. True, with a car like this mileage isn’t the biggest thing, but it makes me wonder whether the guy actually owns the car, or whether it’s a scam or he’s listing it for someone, or…….

    You would need to be close and really want this particular Barracuda build before you’d bother to respond. What this seller doesn’t know about selling an interesting car would fill a book, or at least a small paragraph.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar dave

    We have 2 1968 Barracudas
    One is a 383 4 speed, 3.91 SG, Formula S Convertible, this was special order. Not a car lot car. Red with black top and int.
    The other is the came except it has a 340.

    Like 2
    • Avatar dave

      The 383 car

      Like 2
      • Avatar dave

        340 car

        Like 2
  3. Avatar Dolphin Member

    A great looking pair, dave. You must like these ’68s a lot—-good looking, good performance builds, instantly recognizable as Cudas, and both convertibles. I think if someone bought these at the right time back some years ago they would be great cars to keep for the long term without the mega $$ price and maintenance costs that keep so many of us out of the overheated collector car market these days.

    Like 1
  4. Avatar Vince Habel

    Would want to see more than these pictures show.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar randy

    Very nice cars Dave. I bet you would like to see the one in the ad sell for 21.5K, as would I if I had two way better examples. I do not think it’ll happen. Sellers like this one may be what knocks some sense into a lot of buyers. I believe he would have been way better off with an auction starting low. There is no hype here, and that is what is needed to get top dollar for these old muscle cars.

    Like 0
    • Avatar dave

      Our 68s been in our company since 1997. I pick up the 340 from Detroit with my 10 car hauler for the new owner in 96. It was my 1st trip to CA in a 10 car hauler from the east coast. Just bought a 1995 Volvo that was a show truck for Volvo when they were doing the trade show. The 340 was from the Bay area until the owner moved to Detroit in 92? The 383 came out of Champaign Illinois and Passport delivered to the same owner in 97? It was going to be his and hers until the owner had passed unexpected 5 years ago. Then 383 is about 65% done and the 340 needs total resto. Both cars are documented and numbers matching. They will be going up for sale down the road. Both of these book
      end cars are convertibles in case you didn’t notice. Only A body cars in the 67=68=69 years that bring 6 digits are the 68 426 Hemi cars. I believe they only made 52? Our 383 car is even more rare than the Hemi but will never bring that kind of money.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Rocco

    I never cared for MoPar’s, but this is a very desirable car to me. Formula “S”, 4-speed, 340ci. If I was a MoPar guy, I’d be checking it out, but for a little less $$$$$$.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    Great photos – certainly representative of the 21 large wanted

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Phil

    That’s a very steep price for a car in that condition. I am a big fan of A-body Mopars, but the 67-69 Barracudas still don’t command big money in project form and unless a documented big block 4spd car, don’t bring all that much when done either. It’s probably a $12k car these days unless it has some redeeming quality we aren’t being told about like a solid gold shifter, a glove box liner made our of $100 bills or some other similar feature. Cool car though.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Chebby

    Arg, ten years ago a local guy was selling a sweet turquoise on white ’67 vert with a 273 for $7,200. Even then that seemed like a screaming deal.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Ed P

    A Barracuda with a 340 plus 4 speed would be a better handling car than one with a 383. With that said, the price for this one still seems high.

    Like 1
    • Avatar dave

      Parting these cars out bring good money. I have parted rust free Cuda’s for 5 years now and I was surprised what parts sell for.
      The 383 weights about 620.
      340 about 540.
      About 80 lbs difference. The 340 would out run the 383 in a 1/4.
      in stock form. The 383 was really restricted with the funny looking exhaust manifolds.

      Like 1
  11. Avatar Mark S

    This is one of my favorite Mopars but I think I’d like this one more at around $10K. I’ve always liked the hard tops way more than the convertibles. Up in Canada there is only about three real good months a year for convertibles anyway. I think for me a 340 cid. Would be plenty good enough. Might even do a little better at the pump too. Nice find all the same.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Mr. Bond

    Thanks for the Stat’s Dave. I was wondering about that. The 340 is a very solid engine.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar stillrunners

    agree…little high….nice cars dave…..have owned every year of S cars….but never a BB…came close to a Dart 383….was standing there with the money….he let his buddie have it….

    Like 0
  14. Avatar SanityFactor

    My uncle had a 68 fastback formula s 383 4 speed….mint….wrapped i around telephone pole at about 120mph….i still miss that car

    Like 0
    • Avatar Rocco

      What about your uncle? Did he make it?

      Like 1

Leave a Reply to stillrunners Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.