Chrysler had high hopes for its “pony cars” in 1970. They gave the Plymouth Barracuda a new platform and a companion competitor, the new Dodge Challenger. Muscle cars were still in demand, which helped the revitalized Barracuda achieve a sales increase of 50% over 1969. But the success was short-lived and a decline in later sales led to Chrysler discontinuing the cars less than five years later. This Barracuda is from 1972 and looks to be a “regular” edition with a 318 V8 and automatic transmission. It needs a complete restoration as using it for parts is questionable. Located outdoors in Altha, Florida, this Plymouth is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $1,925.
The Barracuda lost a lot of its moxie in 1972 when anything larger than a 340 cubic inch V8 was dropped from the options list. Rising insurance premiums had dealt a severe blow to big-block engines in small cars, and just a year or two later buying gasoline for them would become expensive (remember the “good old days” of 50-cent petrol?). Barracuda production dropped from nearly 50,000 units in 1970 to just over 18,000 in 1972 of which about half had the drivetrain pairing of the seller’s car.
There’s probably a story with this ’72 Barracuda, but we don’t know what it is. With 30,000 miles on the odometer (or 130,000), the car appears to have been sitting in a field or yard for quite some time witness all the rust that it has attracted. Most of the sheet metal is corroded, including big holes in the quarter panels and the roof, which the latter may bring structural integrity into question. The yellow car likely had a black vinyl top at one time, leading to some of those problems once gremlins got below the fabric.
The interior has fared no better and it will require an extreme makeover. If there’s a plus, it’s that the car is said to be numbers-matching, although a 318 isn’t likely to excite most Mopar fans. If this car does get treated to an expensive restoration, will the next owner decide to make a 340 ‘Cuda clone out of it? The seller mistakes the car as a ’74 model at first which could have added some interest since it was the last year the cars were made, and production numbers had dived even further.
“Allright folks, move along, nothing to see here…”
This car’s cancer has metastasized; there isn’t an area anywhere that doesn’t show signs of rust! Being a base model car, the cost to perform a full restoration will plunge someone DEEPLY underwater; (IMO), a parts car at best.
Looks like the car got a head start on being deeply underwater!
Calling this a parts car might be overly generous.
Moparman, that car already WAS deep underwater. Salty at that.
Detroit Rot City
Well.. can use it for a planter!! 😂 Or modern art ! 😂
Buy a couple of Bulldozers park together,spary paint the Barracuda. White , make a life size Vanishing point , diorama, nobody would be the wiser they used a Camaro in the movie.
Rw, You were just testing us to see if we were awake. Wasn’t the car in Vanishing Point a ’70 Challenger?
Not the car that blew up.
Stunt car was not a Challenger.
Ouch ! Plant it in the field and hope it grows a new 6 .
ONE ! Not 6 . Fumble fingers . Should have proof read .
That’s a lot of money for a VIN and a moldy steering wheel.
Sitting in a field
Why, oh why?
Like finding a 57 Strat that was nailed to a barn door in 58.
Surround it with some really strong magnets 🧲 and wait…
CODE BLUE – the restoration patient has flatlined….
No one has mentioned that it has also been rear ended
Don W. Uh….No….It has rusted so much it is collapsing into itself.
This one is DOA .. Stage 4 with no cure insight
Not a good idea to buy this one
Totally worthless.
Another “Phantom” selling for VIN number only. 318…Big deal!
How is it that more than one person is thinking this is a good idea?
Bought one like this years ago but never again. Parting it out was the best option. Seat removal was easy. No wrenches needed just rip and twist seats out of the rotted floor.
It’s hard to believe that the gorgeous 70 and 71Cudas were reduced to this ugly ass mess. Ugly round taillights, crappy grille and no power. The Challengers were even worse. All 72-74 Cudas need to have a 70 or 71 taillight panel and a 70 or 71 grille grafted on, you are not cutting up anything valuable in a 72-74 Cuda in my opinion. Sad end to a fantastic line of cars.
Looks like Plymouth was trying to make the cuda look like a corvette on the back!
The ’72-74 challengers IMO had weird SLANTED oval tailites.
But both did have superior optional smaller fatter steering wheels, compared to ’70-71s.
Odd no 440 or even 400 motor was offered on these in ’72-74 to compete with other cars.
Crash at end of Vanishing Point was Camaro with explosives in front pulled by challenger
I can picture it now: “Hi, welcome to Vice Grip Garage. Today, I’m going to try to get this 1972 Plymouth Barracuda running after it’s been sitting in a field for – X – years, and attempt to drive it 700 miles home.” Derek is awesome, by the way.