This 1968 Plymouth Barracuda is a documented Formula S car that left the factory with a 383, four-speed and 3.91 gears. Of course, it’s no longer numbers matching but it does at least have a date-coded 383 back under the hood. It wears several shades of paint and orange is most definitely not its original color, but the good news is that rust is minimal and so is evidence of prior accident damage with sloppy Bondo’d repairs. The Barracuda does run but is not a driver; the seller recommends trailering it home. The auction ends soon and you can find the Barracuda here on eBay where bidding has reached $9,200 against a Buy-It-Now of $17,000.
Of course, with a gulf, that large, the reserve remains unmet. I haven’t been following the prices of Barracudas lately, but that seems like a strong ask for such a car. However, the list of factory options is pretty solid and even though it’s been repainted, I like the way it presents with the orange paint and black stripes. The original color TT1 “Light Green” that the seller notes you can still see in certain spots, like in the door jams and under the hood. Some defects are noted, including amateur floor repair in the driver’s side floorboard, along with evidence of prior accident damage and Bondo in the passenger side quarter panel.
The rest of the floors and the frame are said to be solid, and the trunk and doors are believed to be original to the car. However, the front fenders, hood, header panel and lower valance are from different cars, so it seems likely this Barracuda has been banged up in the past. That’s to be expected for a car of this vintage, but what’s more impressive is that previous owners have obviously made strides to keep it on the road. No explanation is offered as to why the original, numbers-matching 383 was pulled, but the date-coded replacement usually indicates either a very committed owner or a factory warranteed engine replacement.
The interior appears to be in good shape, but the seller notes that many of the original surfaces – that were dark green when the Barracuda left the factory – have since been painted black. It looks OK from here, but I’m sure up close, there are some details that will make you wish it was still the original color. Painting interior pieces always seem like the cheap answer to a cabin color conversion. The good news is, the four-speed manual is numbers matching, and the seller believes the 3.91 limited-slip is correct to the car as well. The seller has made some repairs to the brake system and will include new ignition components for install. What do you think – is $17K a fair ask for a Barracuda equipped this way?
That color sure won’t help it’s resale value.
Always liked these cars and I am not a mopar guy. 340 may be a better balanced car but 383 as any big block mopar just plain get it.
Why would somebody paint this that gawdawful orange?
A neighborhood friend had a bug eye that he repainted at his dad’s business. His dad had a fleet of school buses he contracted to the local schools. So he used the paint that was available, school bus orange-yellow.
Unpopular opinion: I dig the yellow. But not with the green interior and not for $17K. According to the Hamtramck registry, that interior could be had with 10 different exterior colors in 1968 (including buffed silver, which might be cool) though the plate indicates this one was a woodsy Forest Green. Decent car, optimistic price.
Never dealt with stripping vinyl paint off before, how hard would it be to change the interior back from Boring Black to They-Don’t-Make-‘Em-Anymore Green?
We’ve seen a few of these ‘68 Barracudas recently on Barn Finds. Has anyone mentioned Corky Curtis?
Definitely a “man’s car”,or stout girl..lol all manual steering, brakes, and transmission, would be a chore especially in turns,with all the work needed,and non-matching colors etc.no thanks,hopefully someone with deep pockets will save it!
There’s no telling what you’re really getting under the hood of that Barracuda. The engine that’s there appears to be blue, which isn’t what the factory would have applied to a date code correct 383, and the air cleaner (or at least the air cleaner applique) is off of a Road Runner of that approximate vintage, but isn’t correct for a Barracuda.
With that many body parts having been replaced, how deep did the damage really go?
NO SALE at a max bid of $11,100.