We’ve been lucky in recent times here at Barn Finds to see some excellent older restorations land on our desks. That is the case with this 1973 Plymouth ‘Cuda. It isn’t perfect, but it presents exceptionally well. It has a couple of minor flaws, but nothing that appears to be bad. It is ready to be driven and enjoyed, so it seems that someone could be driving away in one nice piece of rolling iron. Located in Bryan, Texas, you will find the Plymouth listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has made its way to $25,200, but the reserve hasn’t been met.
I’m sure that I’m not the only person on the planet who believes that Plymouth got it right with the E-Body ‘Cuda. The car that emerged from the Design Studio has a tough and muscular appearance, and it is a shape that has held up well over the intervening decades. This one is an absolute belter, and it is a vehicle that is an older restoration. It received a repaint in its original Tahitian Gold, and it still holds a beautiful shine. The owner points out some bubbles in the paint, but there are only a couple. They also aren’t particularly bad and wouldn’t demand immediate attention. However, I would address them sooner rather than later to prevent any further deterioration. The panels appear to be laser straight, and the fact that the ‘Cuda is garage-kept has helped it remain rust-free. The stripes and decals look crisp and fresh, with no signs of shrinkage or cracking. The chrome and badges are in good condition, and the original Rallye wheels show no damage or staining. The glass is spotlessly clean, and I agree with the owner when he says that the ‘Cuda would turn heads at a Cars & Coffee.
The ‘Cuda’s interior is like the rest of the car. That means that it isn’t perfect, but it is a long way above average. The most obvious issue is some deterioration on the driver’s seat. It looks like there might be one spot that is getting close to splitting, so the buyer might need to search for some new covers in the future. There is also some visible deterioration in the dash pad, but I would condition that before it has a chance to split. The original radio has made way for a CD player, but the rest of the interior looks fairly stock. We’re not talking about an interior that is loaded down with luxury features, but you do get the CD player, Rally gauges with a factory tachometer, a console, and a remote driver’s mirror.
While the owner doesn’t specifically say it, I believe that this Plymouth is a numbers-matching classic. It features a 340ci V8, a 3-speed TorqueFlite transmission, power steering, and power brakes. By 1973, American V8s felt the pinch, but this one would’ve still been producing 240hp. With that sort of power at the driver’s disposal, the trip down the ¼-mile would have taken 15.5 seconds. There’s a good chance that this 340 might be producing a few more ponies because it wears an aluminum Edlebrock intake and carburetor, along with what appears to be a relatively fresh set of headers. Those should make it sound tough, but there’s little point in that if it doesn’t deliver the goods. Well, worry not. The owner says that the ‘Cuda runs and drives exceptionally well. That Cars & Coffee seems to be getting closer by the minute.
I know that we will have more than a few Mopar enthusiasts who will look at this 1973 Plymouth ‘Cuda, and they’ll like what they see. I can’t say that I blame them because it is a great classic. It presents in above-average condition, and it is a car that is ready to be driven and enjoyed immediately. The bidding on it has been respectable, but it hasn’t developed into a frenzy. That means that there is some chance that it could remain at a relatively affordable level. If it does, would that be enough to tempt you to drop in a bid of your own?
Nice car! the seats wee redone sometime in the past, the “hockey stick” stripe looks good, but was not an option for this car; the factory stripe ran from front to rear. I’d love to have it (deal fell through on a new one) but no room *SIGH*!
GLWTA!! :-)
(Striping was the same for ’73 & ’74)
This is a nice one. will be well into the 30’s before the auction is over.
Having owned a ’73, I think they look strange without the 2 rubber bumper guards attached to the front. This one has the rear ones attached.
I think taking those guards off was an excellent idea, makes it look like a ’71. I’d do the same on the rear. To me this is the perfect muscle car, plenty of power and better handling to boot due to front/rear weight ratio of small block. I’d love to have this in my garage, and I’m not even a Mopar guy.
I like the way they put the orange pieces at the
rear of the front grille.
The red in the grille openings is from the Factory. I bought a 72 340 Cuda in 77. Had the red in the grille and the new grille I purchased for another Cuda had the red also.
Beautiful car and finished in Tahitian Gold Metallic, one of the few brown colors that pop.
I like the 340, not crazy about the color of the car, but love the stripes. I saw a 1972 4bbl 340 Duster with headers (only mod) in the late 90’s. My buddy had a 1994 Celica Supra Turbo with a slushbox. In spite of that the Celica was fast. The Duster though was pretty phenominal and easily pulled ahead of the celica in stoplight to stoplight challenges.
Needs the slapstick?
No. Definitely needs the pistol grip and the third pedal.
Isn’t that the Slapstick shifter?
Just curious, I thought the T handle’s were all Slapsticks
Nice car,and boy that front bumper looks good without the big ugly rubber bump stops. Rear one next..
SOLD for $30,000.