Cars of the early 1970s like the Chevy Nova SS, Dodge Demon 340, and the Ford Mach 1 were intended to be alternatives to bigger, more expensive muscle cars. Such as the Chevelle SS 396, Dodge Hemi Charger, and the Plymouth Road Runner which had gotten costly for the youth of yesteryear to insure. These “alternatives” were compacts with engines in the 350 cubic-inch range, so there was some limit as to how fast they might be. This 1972 Plymouth ‘Cuda 340 was one of them, but it’s a rusty example today of what once was. Located with a dealer in York, Pennsylvania, this smaller Mopar is available here on craigslist for $8,500. Thanks for the crusty tip, Tommy T-Tops!
The Plymouth Barracuda began as a derivative of the compact Valiant in 1964. And would share its roots through the balance of the decade. But the designers would come up with an all-new Barracuda in 1970 giving it a separate platform (though it would be shared by the new Challenger over at Dodge). Sales were brisk, up by 50% in the first year of the E-body, but quickly fall off and demand for the car would be only about 18,500 units in 1972. The ‘Cuda 340, the performance edition, would only see 2,000 or so units built that year with an automatic transmission, so it looked like America’s love affair with the “pony car” was wearing thin.
The Plymouth ‘Cuda was still a hot car in ’72 but not so much as before as the compression ratio had been dialed back so the car could run on unleaded gasoline. But this ‘Cuda has been sitting for years, so it’s not likely to run on any kind of fuel without a lot of serious work. Even if the engine could be coaxed to do its thing, what about the body? The seller concedes that the machine is very rusty, which is especially noteworthy in the crumpled rear end and see-through floorboards.
We don’t know how long the car has been idle, but it’s likely been ages since the last of its 78,210 miles were added to the odometer. Why was a neat car like this left to succumb to the whims of Mother Nature? There was probably some mechanical failure, and the car was pushed aside in an outdoor space and left to spend it’s declining years until demand for cars like these came back. So, you have to determine for yourself if this car has a restored future or if any parts or worth trying to harvest. But it will set you back handsomely to get started on either one.
My vote is it’s a flood car. Sort of a cousin of the Camero with no lower sheet metal that showed up a few days ago.
Not much meat on the bone.
Reconnect the mooring chain and put this back on the seabed.
Very strange, there is a pic with an engine underhood, but seeing that interior shot it looks like you can see daylight where an engine and trans should be. For sure this car looks like it was at least partially submerged for some time.
I can see the trans in the photos, amongst the rust and shadows.
I would rather take my money and scatter it on the ground, and watch how excited people are to find it.
I know they’re only photos, but I still feel the need to get a tetanus shot.
I bought my Pontiac Grand Prix GXP from that dealer. Very nice folks, remember them giving me a Bible when I bought the car.
Only $8500 for a trashed Mopar? Dang, prices must be coming down
In my youth in the 70’s this was a 50 buck car cause ya wanted the engine to drop into something not falling apart yet.I bought my first car a Boss 302 Mustang almost as bad as this for 50 bucks in 1978 because the drivetrain was still good…got some Canadian Tire fiberglass patching kits and got it roadworthy then sold it a year later for 1500 bucks to a local racer who wanted the engine and toploader…lol.
👋 somebody call 📞 the hook 🪝🛻
This Cuda is FUBAR!!! Maybe the engine could be saved that’s it. This ride is in Mopar heaven! 🐻🇺🇸
I give $5 for it for yard art
Does it get any better than this? 8,500.00 for a piece of scrap metal. Let’s see a crappy likely busted console, an underdash 8 track or is it that microphone gizmo these had that will never work again. A 340 that who knows, some bits. So 2k in pieces if your lucky and it will take a while to hook a fish on those. This guy will live with this unit at this price. More overpriced junk.
That unit on the console is a super rare cassette player/recorder. Looking at what remains of the car, it is surprising to see it still sitting there!
Mt collection of cars is mostly high optioned things and 90% of people that look at them could care less. big engines then and now.
It’s a USED CAR DEALER, so we know where the stupid thinking comes from
The Marconi unit from the Titanic has as much chance of working as this rare unit in this car.
The 340 is valuable, but it would have to be verified that it is a 340. Even if it is, the rest of the car is so far gone, I’m surprised it didn’t fold in half when they lifted it with that forklift. Not worth anywhere near that much money.
Always fun to see this stuff, reminds me of my youth, it does. We never imagined they would be worth anything, and were killed accordingly. As mentioned many times, and others said too, these were merely beaters, and while some from warmer climes may gasp in horror, this was very typical of driving a car, ANY car, through winter, much less 15 of them. A good heater was most important, and Chrysler had them. And they always started, despite the annoying whine. Anything metal was used for floors, from street signs to old washer machine lids,, until you were patching the patches, and the motor was yanked, and shred city for most. I suppose SOME merit is due, as someone hung on to this car, despite it’s condition. If this is what is left for this amount of money,, we’re in worse shape than I thought.
I just got a steal on a Lexus RX300 daily because it had a little bit of rust in the driver side rear door area that’ll require minor metal replacement to prevent it from growing. Otherwise car is near perfect. Three shops refused to work on it before I finally found somebody who will. Once it is fixed, I will get another 100,000 miles out of it easy.
This has about a hundred times more rust. It’s amazing to me how people will forget about that when it comes to these nostalgic purchases. If you buy it, you had better make sure you will have someone who is willing to work on it. A lot of body shops these days will not even touch rust. At all. Not even a little spot!
Add enough zero’s to your check, and there are some that will gladly bring this heap back. Some of them even have their own tv shows.
Or they’ll say they will. Shop wisely with these car restorers! Msny scammers! The good ones will work on it indeed, but you probably be in the six figures, restoring this.
8500 sure after you hang nee $$$ rear quarter panels and inner fenders, put $ floor pans in, buy a new $ trunk pan,$ trunk and spend around 15,000 to start the rusteration work.
I suggest pull the engine and trans and then bury this under the barn.
You better move it gently, one hood bump and that drivetrain will drop to the ground! The only thing missing from the ad is “No low-ballers, I know what I got!”
That bright orange air cleaner really stands out in the sea of rust.
Graveyard cars can get it back up to par, yes it would be expensive though. But there are some folks with deep pockets out there…
A little polish and it’ll be good as new!
Formerly owned by Davy Jones and stored in his locker.
“Yo ho, yo ho, a Plymouth’s life for me.”
Go directly to the junkyard, do not pass Go and do not collect $200.
but why would i go directly to the junkyard if not to collect the 200???
Ran when parked! Nice patina!
When you say it’s for sale by a ‘dealer’ you mean junkyard correct?
Another escapee from Roadkill.
I would grab the 340 and run
i think it will buff out
Uh oh, they left the keys in the ignition. Someone could steal it!
They are probably stuck and won’t come out.
no picture of the fender tag or vin the air cleaner looks out of place compared to the rest of the car so I’d have to question the 340 factor, but if it’s a real # 340 car, well ya got a lot of work to do but it’s better than a 6cyl 69 Charger for $22,700.
There is a VIN listed, and it confirms it was a 340 car , although theres not much left of the car…
Phishing a high price for scrap metal.
340s are relatively hard to find so if it’s not frozen there’s some value there. Pull it and sell it. Would take up a lot less space than the rust it is surrounded by.
360s are cheap and can be bought new from Mopar. Leave this thing in the dust.
It does have a lot of fairly rare options going for it.
If the car wasn’t under water the next owner will be.
For the love of all that is holy PLEASE get me off this planet.
Why in the world would anyone bother with this junk! Prime example of why the younger guys are opting for today’s performance cars. This is wayyyyyy over priced. Deep pockets will buy it for a Vin or what ever. Lmao!
rotflmao
Take the motor,scrap the rest 800.00 maybe
The salesman told me that some wax and a vacuum job would fix this right up. Also only driven underwater on Sunday
Bottom of the chip bag.
Sold! $8,000! Some people have more money than…
I’m kidding. Just wanted to say it was sold.