The 1970s Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Challenger are popular cars today with collectors. Perhaps that’s because there are far less of them around compared to the pony car market leader, the Ford Mustang. This ’72 edition of the Barracuda looks to have been sitting out in an Altha, Florida field for many years and there’s about as much rust on the car as there is sheet metal. It would be an uphill restoration on an auto with a basic V8 and no title. It’s listed here on eBay with no reserve and a current bid of $3,250!
With its E-body platform, the all-new Barracuda went from rags to riches in just two years After a 50% increase in sales in 1970 over 1969, 1971 sales fell off a cliff – production dropped from 48,000 to 16,000 units. A slight rebound happened in 1972 to 18,000 cars, but the vehicle’s future was doomed at that point and sales stopped with the 1974 model year. The slip in popularity may be the result of the faltering demand for muscle cars in the early 1970s after the insurance industry lowered the boom on insurance premiums. And while not all Barracuda’s fit into that category, the whole pony car genre took a hit.
This was a rather benign Barracuda when it was new, with a 318 cubic inch V8 and TorqueFlite automatic transmission. It may have had a black vinyl top accented by black body stripes, but that top material is long gone. This car gives the impression of one that stopped running, so it was parked out back and left to be worked on later. But later never came. And in the process, the title was lost as the seller is not providing one.
Rust abounds on this Plymouth, from the quarter panels to the trunk and passenger compartment floors. Chances are that the closer we look, the more we’ll find. And the interior hasn’t fared much better as the bucket seats are torn up from either lots of use or exposure to the Sun. This Mopar is numbers matching, which would make that more worthwhile if it was a ‘Cuda with a 340 V8. So, do you take out a lot-so-small loan to restore this auto or do you harvest it for parts, which may be slim pickings?
Slim pickins off this carcass. Bone yard to bone broth.
Was a nice car junk now.
No title, no reserve, i can see why.
Nope Into the crusher it goes…
Yard art at best.
Yes for a junk yard.
If it stays at $3250, I would say that’s someone taking a gamble to strip parts. Front bumper and grille, taillights and rear bumper (maybe), console, seats and door panels, dash and gauges, plus various switches, brackets and what not. Oh, and it looks like the glass is all there. Wouldn’t be worth it to me, but for someone who is restoring one, those small pieces here and there add up quick.
You nailed it Jim.
Lots of either eBay parts or the whole carcass to a restorer’s backyard…
This thing makes me want to cry.
I still to this day can’t understand how someone doesn’t realize that leaving a vehicle out in the elements will eventually dissolve said vehicle.
I’m doing similar now yup the right bolts and silly trim pieces add up quick. I bought something worse for the same reason and took off a bunch of stuff and gonna sell what I already have that is useful. Best thing for this situation unfortunately.
I’ve got that same steering wheel hanging in my garage , I used to have it on my Duster 340 , but removed it years ago when it got restored.
I dont where these people are finding these old rusty pony cars , even 40 years ago in a junkyard this would have been stripped of all the trim and useful bits and left to rot away
Years ago I stripped parts off 68-70 Charger R/Ts in the junkyards, parts from a 67 Hemi Satellite, AAR Cuda, T/A Challengers also in junkyards. They were not that badly damaged but were not worth restoring back then. Back in 1980 I passed up a package deal on a nice engineless 68 Hemi four speed Charger R/T and a nice engineless 70 T/A Challenger. A guy bought both engines but didn’t want the cars. $1500.00 for the pair. I kick myself all the time over that one.
I’d pass on this one, total rust bucket full restoration send it for scrap
This heap may be listed as “no reserve” but I personally have plenty of reservations!
oh i can see alot of good in this car if the rails are good but no where near the 1000 mark, no way to restore this but could be used as a fun off road type if you had the need,ive restored worse but you end up with 30k invested in a 10 k car, and no way to recoup
Lots of folks forget that these and many other coveted muscle,classic, whatever were just cars at one time and as they rusted, wore out or whatever many were plopped to an out of the view place for whatever reason and time moves on, weeks to months months to years. Depending on where and when cars like this weren’t even worth junkies. The junk guy didn’t want to travel that far and there is no processor close so things like this linger in the shadows. Even in the mid 80s when I ran a wrecking yard marginal rusted no frills things like this did little in the sales department diehards wanted perfect items. Rust scab, forget it. Undamaged interiors, door handles, windshields, glass, radiators, the rest…EZ press. To put in perspective we had wrecked one with the shark scalloped fenders only the right side had took the pole. I sent the perfect left fender to a shop not realizing the extra trim options. You guessed it, they sent the fender back. I offered the scallops from the smashed one, no go. That fender laid on that cars roof until that row was changed out. This stuff wasn’t always sought after everywhere and there was tons of it all over the place.
Ah a Plymouth Barustacuda
I wouldn’t mind putting it back on the road again ☺️
That thing isn’t even demolition derby worthy.
I’m a Mopar freak,
However, it’s a rusted out regular Barracuda. I see parts potential, if I had one that I needed some parts for, I’d consider it. It’s basically a complete car, but it is beyond repairing. A ‘Cuda 340 would be a different story. Even if it were, it’s still in very rough condition.
I’m a huge Cuda fan but….no title = No Noo Nooo Noooo NOPE!
Total rust bucket. Get smart, Pass on this one!!!!!!!!!!
Seeing this makes me sad.
A ’73 Barracuda was my first car. I kind of want another one, but not at today’s prices.