There have been a lot of “1 of” cars floating around lately. Well, this Mopar is said to be one of 945. The seller doesn’t really explain what makes it limited, I’m guessing that it’s a Plum Crazy GranCoupe with a 383, but at least the seller isn’t claiming it’s 1 of 1! This Plum Cuda is still dusty and is going to need plenty of work. And like several of the other Mopars we’ve seen lately, this one is missing its engine and transmission. That’s a major bummer, but it’s a desirable enough model that I’m sure someone will save it. Find it here on eBay in Red Springs, North Carolina with a current bid of $10k.
Besides needing an engine, I see it also has some rust issues that will need to be addressed. It looks like it had the usual rust issues hiding under the vinyl roof. The vinyl has been removed and someone has already started working on some of the rusty areas. For the most part, it doesn’t look too bad, but I would want to have a look at the floors and trunk, just to be safe.
While I don’t put much weight on production numbers, if seller’s are going to make claims, they really should back them up with some type of documentation. This one, the seller doesn’t offer us much information, including why it’s wearing 340 graphics on the side. There are a lot of questions with this one, but boy would I love to have it! There is just something cool about a purple Cuda! So would you dust of this Plum and get it back on the road?
That grancoupe is really neat. Wish I could get it , A prefect companion for my fc7 inviolet 71 twister duster. Back in the 1989 ,sunday morning with coffee and the wantads in hand there was a 70 barracuda for $500. I was out the door in minutes and looking at the car that was a barracuda G/C. Orig. blue with white int.. It had a rally dash,rally wheels,overhead console and a very unusual rubber front bumper. 318 auto on the floor. It ran and drove nice,but was hit in the rear a bit. I knew it was rare then,so I paid the guy $500 and took it home. Sold it 6 months later to help buy a real 70 cuda 440, the cuda was orig. a fc7 and only $1000. Got it painted from silver, back to the orig. purple. A collector from cali. offered $8000 later and dam cash won me over. Those both etched in my mind for ever as well as many others. Love this barracuda!!!
I’ve always liked the ‘cudas styling better than the same year Challengers. I guess because you seem to see more Challengers than ‘cudas.
I really like this car!
Holy Cow! For a second I thought my father was getting rid of my future inheritance. Dad has an authentic 70 cuda’ with the 340 4barrel carb, plum crazy with the stripes. Factory bench seat with automatic trans.Bought it new and still has the bill of sale. Has an older restoration on it but is kept in a warm garage and doesnt see much other use than a show or a cruise night. What a car. Has a sound all of its own. I live a few blocks from him and a quiet night I can hear him rumbling off his street with it.
Here is the best part, he ordered it with the hemi and the salesman didnt calculate the extra cost of that option in to the final price. It was eventually caught and when he was called and advised of the cost for the upgrade on the engine he wasnt able to come up with it so the 340 was selected instead.
Oh, what might have been……….
Went to HS daily in a convertible ’70 Cuba by a kid whose dad was a Plymouth dealer.
It was So much fun and it was a 383 orange over white one.
The dash had a brass engraved plaque that read it was a factory blueprinted motor and allegedly every dealer got one.
Has anybody here heard of that or am I up in smoke?
I have never heard of that but I won’t say it’s b.s. About the best chance of that happening would probably be if it was a Mr. Norms car but it would also have stickers or a sticker in the drivers side back window. Mr. Norms sport club or Mr. Norms dyno tuned. He was also known to build and super charge a few cars.
In 1971 I took drivers ed at a local high school. A Plymouth dealership would loan cars to the program. One day a bright red Cuda showed up. White interior and white top. It had a manual transmission in it and I was the only one who knew how to drive one, having learned on our ’61 Olds F-85. The only problem was trying to keep it going slow enough on the course.
You aren’t from Southern NH are you? The reason I ask is my driver’s ed car was a purple Cuda. And I think the only words the instructor knew we “slow it down”
Wow you guys are truly lucky I had to take drivers ED in a Ford LTD, but my instructor did take us out for ice cream.
My drivers ed car was a ’67 Impala 4 door with Powerglide and 283 v8. Move on folks, nothing to see here.
All of you had better driver’s ed cars than I did. I was “lucky” enough to learn in a 4 door Volare.
Yippee.
For our drivers ed we had a ’70 satellite wagon. Nice car! Cream with beige\ brown interior. Good looking too.
I love the car but my wallet will say pass because it isn’t full enough when bidding ends.
10k for a car with no motor, transmission, gas tank, and who knows what else! Otherwise, it is a nice car. The price is just to high. The chrome trim around the rear part of the vinyl top is subject to leaking. That may be why the rear quarters are rusted.
what is the deal with the rear springs? that doesn’t look like it could support a rear axle.
why would anyone remove the cowl tag and then try to sell it?
Growing up here in the northeast this body looks almost brand new compared to most Mopars from that era, Chrysler products rusted away if you stared at them too long. Decent metal prep, primer and paint were an afterthought right through the late 80’s. Now that I’m done ranting, personally all Cudas should be black on black and loud! This looks pretty good, an engine and transmission should be easy to source and there’s tons of aftermarket stuff available but it’s not missing much if any trim pieces. A little time and elbow grease and it’ll be a great cruiser.
Man, One sweet car, this one will easily sell, no sweat. Demand is very high for these. Be interesting what it sells for. I get a good laugh out of people who think something like this is overpriced or too much work.
I always wanted one of these, especially the ‘Cuda but happily would settle for a RT Challenger clone.
PS. Nothing more distinctive than the clank-whirrrrr of these Dodge-mopar-Chrysler starters. The other electrics are so distinctive too. Lots of people cutting up these old alternators as well to use as finning and decoration on rat rods and custom motorcycles.
E body mopars are indeed popular with the trendy monkey see, monkey do, buyers.
While I love this ear MOPAR, and in particular the Plum Crazy Cuda’s, this one leaves many questions to be answered. “If restored to original, would be 1 of 945”. How can you restore to original with no drive train. And (as pointed out) was a 340 badged car all of a sudden a 383 BB. VIN tags removed (from a scrap car?), sticker in door jam, while it shows VIN associated with other tag – has paint on it indicating a second (or more) paint job. Too many questions, too many missing parts for the price for me.
The good: includes rallye dash, correct wood grain steering wheel. For 10K, needs a good examination. If those rear tailight assemblies are all blemished along with the other chrome, costs can be steep.
Without the original engine, I question the value of keeping this a GranCoupe as that was the ” luxury” version vs. performance version.
Slap in a crate hemi with a 4 speed. Easy to convert from auto. Only pedals and interior console top has to change, and add a reverse lockout light.
The Rallye dash is correct for 72-74 (the knobs go out through the dials). This car didn’t come with a Rallye dash from the factory (missing A62 on the fender tag).
It is a 383, but not a HP 383, it is a 2-barrel 383 car so nothing that will ever be a high value car.
Converting to a manual requires welding in a 4-speed hump on the transmission tunnel. But considering that this car probably needs more welding than anyone can see from the pictures alone I guess that’s no much extra.
Dropping a crate Hemi with 4-speed is going to cost at least $30k, if not more, when you consider everything that you need that is not included in the price of the crate Hemi. Hemi is expensive, trust me I know. I’m restoring a 71 ‘Cuda with a non-crate Hemi and 4-speed.
Ok, he claims:
“If restored to original it would be 1 of 945”
“NO MOTOR OR TRANS”
I’m sorry, but if you restore this car, it’s not a 1 of 945 anymore as it’s not original anymore. But it’s a great looking car with potential as a nice retromod.
This is pressing almost all my buttons! 70 Cuda, Plum crazy paint, black interior, set up for small block, and not completely rusted away. I’m sooo close to booting one of my current projects it’s scary! Some how I think this is going to keep climbing though because somebody see ‘s a Hemi clone.
I’m going to go against the grain here. I think it’d be a great opportunity to make an AAR clone or just set it up as a road racer. Fine tuned small block, beefed up suspension and brakes, new rear end, roll cage, and drive the snot out of it on every track day you can.
Won’t be cheap but you’ll get it back in thrills and smiles per mile.
I could see going the AAR clone route. Rather have a handler than a straight liner any day.
So guys, it depends on how you define an AAR clone. If you mean slap some decals on the side, that is one thing, but if you mean accurately mimicking an AAR you are talking many changes. It’s not a regular 340 motor at all (not even considering carbs and hood) as heads are different, rocker arms, 4 bolt vs. 2 bolt mains, etc, tranny is non standard, nor are torsion bars, springs, anti sway bars, brakes etc. etc. Will run you some serious $ to do it right.
I live about 30 minutes from that car. For a 100 bucks I will go out there and look at it for you if your hot to buy it and give ya the skinny on it. Better hurry though only 2 days left. Just know we had a Hurricaine come through here in october with a lot of flooding in my area. Also there was an old junk yard near where this car is being sold and the original owner passed away like 6 years ago and people jumped on a lot of the cars he had before the kids sent them to the crusher. Them kids I swear. This guy might have snatched the engine out of it to put in that yellow Mopar behind it.
So I am at the periodontist’s office yesterday getting an implant checked out and we start talking cars. Turns out the extremely wealthy and attractive doctor who did the implant has owned both a Challenger and a Charger, both mid-70’s and she is currently looking for a mid-70’s Cuda or Challenger in Plum Crazy. Of course being a wealthy dentist with a wealthy dentist husband she is shopping at Barrett-Jackson and Mecum. I’m glad I can help her out by having lousy teeth.
Bought a 70 Cuda 340 Hurst pistol grip w/ luggage rack on the trunk lid Orange with white interior for $1000.00!
Rebuilt the Thermoquad installed a 3800 lb comp clutch tricked the gear angles with a dremil, new synchro’s, cleaned and re-packed the shift pack, all new nylon washers. Hemi grind cam. My wife( who can speed shift a 4 gear like nobody else’s business) used to blow off vettes etc. traded it for a Jeep J10 pick-up.
aarrrrg!
I rest my case on E-Bodies
UPDATE#### Car sold for $16,900 with 64 bids. High flake factor these days with Deadbeat bidders (Ebay will flag your listing for calling them that, apparently it offends deadbeats who dont pay) so the big question will be will the sale go thru and that is a actual price?
But to all the nay sayers,,,now you have your answer as the world of commerce has spoken. Way outside my budget but consistent with what I expected based on past sales.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322426926791?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
BTW….. Whats up with the website? Pages are not loading, the up/down votes are gone and no profile pix. Did the Russians hack BF? Did the North Koreans botch another assassination? (Watch out Jaime!)
Hi Doug,
Thanks for posting an update! As for the site, we weren’t hacked. Just doing some server maintenance/upgrades and had to take a few features down while we work on things. We should have things back to 100% soon, with the added bonus of faster load times!
Josh
The Gran Coupe will be a nice car when finished, tons of rust and almost every panel is being replaced including roof skin.