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Go Mango: 1970 Plymouth Barracuda 340

One of the tragedies of the automotive hobby we’re all bound to witness is how good – maybe great – cars get the short end of the stick, and end up battered and bruised like this once-glorious 1970 Plymouth Barracuda. According to the seller, it left the factory as a 340 / 4-speed car painted in desirable “Go Mango” paint. Now, it’s an engine-less shell of its former self. Find the Barracuda here on eBay with a $7,500 Buy-It-Now. 

The seller notes that this ‘Cuda will need a full restoration and that you should expect to touch “every panel.” Rust is obviously an issue, and the car’s location in Connecticut likely provides all of the evidence you need as to why it’s so rough inside and out. The car may likely be worth good money when restored, but no engine or transmission is included with the sale.

That means restoring this car will be a true labor of love, but I’m sure one of our Mopar experts could break down just how many 340/4-speed cars were painted in Go Mango hues. I’m willing to bet the number is fairly low, which could justify the asking price of the potential ROI can be validated. At least the firewall looks intact.

The data tag may be the most desirable aspect of the auction for some people, but I believe there’s enough here to justify bringing this once-proud Barracuda back to life. Of course, I’m the same guy who bought a 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 out of a junkyard and a 1986 Isuzu Trooper out of a bramble patch in hopes of reviving them both, so perhaps I’m not the best person to take advice from. Would you restore this Barracuda back to new condition?

Comments

  1. Woody

    Wow no engine and lots of rust,it will be nice once it’s done but this needs a complete restore!

    Like 8
  2. CapNemo

    Very rusty. No engine. It needs a complete restoration.

    Like 4
  3. Superdessucke

    Needs work!

    Like 3
  4. Tooyoung4heyday Tooyoung4heyday Member

    It should say Vitamin C Orange 340 cuda. Go Mango was used by Dodge. Pretty sure this car has surfed ebay a couple of times already. Needs a lot of panels as most do. Will cost a pretty penny or two or three to bring this one back from dead but hopefully someone does. I don’t have the fundage for this type of resto or I’d love to have it. I already have the correct engine sitting in my garage for it for another Vitamin C Orange cuda project.

    Like 13
  5. XMA0891

    I don’t know exactly what it is about these Plymouths – No matter the condition, they still somehow always manage to look good. Orange 340/4 speed – If only I had the…

    Like 4
  6. OIL SLICK

    no, no and no

    Like 2
  7. The Walrus
    • The Walrus

      Actually, in looking at it again, it wasn’t a 6-bbl originally. It would have to have code A53 also to have been a 6-bb, which it does not.

      Like 3
      • Steve

        I had to look twice for the A53 code, and it’s still not there! LOL That would be one rare duck if it were a 340 6 barrel NON AAR! (I’m no MOPAR expert, but never heard of one in anything but an AAR…

        https://www.allpar.com/mopar/mopar340.html

        “A six-barrel version (with three two-barrel carburetors) brought higher-performance heads, new valve covers, and material added to the bulkheads to allow for four-bolt main bearing caps. This one used an unsilenced air cleaner, rather than the dual-snorkel one used in the four-barrel; it was only sold in the Plymouth AAR ’Cuda and Dodge Challenger T/A.”

        Like 3
      • Dave

        The Chilton’s manual lists the standard 340 at 275 hp, and the six pack at 290. Knowing how Chrysler sandbagged the numbers…

        Like 3
  8. Bruce Jackson

    Without the engine/drive train, and given the poor condition, no way is this worth $7500…reminds me of the Buick Grand National from yesterday (or day before?), where the guy had a self-admitted parts car, and was also asking $7,500…crazy.

    Tooyoungforheyday has indicated above that this has been kicked around EBay…hmm…I wonder why it is not selling???

    It obviously merits restoration, but $7,500 is ridiculous for this bucket…

    Like 7
    • Christopher Wenz

      It seems to be going around lately, over $7 for a recent 86 Buick GN that was not much better.

      Like 1
  9. Joe M

    In the late 90’s you could pick up a nice running example for that price, nobody would give this a second look.

    Like 5
  10. CCFisher

    How is there not a trace of the orange paint on the car? Under the hood, under the carpet, everywhere you look is very weathered and rusty blue. Are we to believe that someone performed a color change to that level, then left it to rot? Something isn’t right.

    Like 8
  11. CCFisher

    …. and why is the cowl tag pictured here different than the one in the link provided by ghalperin?

    Like 4
    • The Walrus

      They appear identical to me. In the ‘blue’ pic, you can see the orange paint peeking through. Looks like the tag was removed from the car and the blue paint removed from the tag in the orange one. The VIN at the bottom is the same, so both are for the same car. It would be easy to remove paint from such pieces from what appears to be a very crude under hood re-spray.

      Like 0
  12. RDM59

    $200 for the wheels without the trim, if they straight. That’s it.

    Like 4
  13. Robert Sabatini

    MOPARts will be required.

    Like 5
  14. Gaspumpchas

    You would think whoever is trying to squeeze 7500 out of this rust bucket would take more pics to show the extent of the ironworms . That way a prospective buyer could decide if its worth going after. Good luck to the new owner.
    Cheers
    GPC

    Like 2
  15. RDM59

    “When you wish upon a star…” – Jiminy

    Like 2
  16. Perk

    Realist here. Having lived in the north east, worth what ever the junkyard will give you, need a tetanus shot just looking at it. Once rust takes hold, you’ll need buckets of money to repair. Let the poor thing die!

    Like 2
  17. Ws6taconvert

    Why is the data tag out of the car and sitting on a piece of wood? Lots of questions.

    Like 2
  18. Steve

    The Cuda has a pretty full fender tag. Someone should restore it!
    Not my kind of deal though.
    I got a car that could win “Top 50” out of 200, or “Top 25” out of a smaller field, NEVER “best of” but I BEAT on it at the track and love to cruise too. Most of the time it’s ready to go, and in the down time I’m either sorting out some things or making the performance upgrades I want. The point is that since I bought it, for the most part, I get to DRIVE it.

    Like 11
  19. Comet

    Steve, that’s one BEAUTIFUL Roadrunner!

    Like 5
  20. gaspumpchas

    JB, may I remind you that Jeff is one of the fine folks that brings us BF. There’s no need to talk disrepectively to anyone on here. May I also remind you that if BF has had enough of such slander it could go away and that would be a great loss to all of us that enjoy BF so much.

    GPC

    Like 0

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