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No Reserve: 1970 Plymouth GTX 440

The world was a very different place in 1983. While some classic muscle cars were highly sought at that time, others managed to slip under the radar. That was the case with the 1970 Plymouth GTX. Our feature car was placed into storage by a previous owner in that year and has only recently emerged from hiding. It is a solid, numbers-matching vehicle that the seller has revived in preparation for it to find a new home. Located in Woodbury, New Jersey, the GTX has generated plenty of interest since the owner listed it for sale here on eBay. Thirty-one bids have pushed the price to $23,600, and if this muscle car isn’t already tempting enough, the seller’s decision to offer it with No Reserve probably seals the deal.

Finished in Jamaica Blue with a Black vinyl top, the GTX would have been eye-catching when new. It appears that most of its paint is original, although a previous owner has applied primer to the front fenders. The seller indicates that the factory blue is visible below the primer, suggesting that someone commenced at least a partial cosmetic restoration in the 1980s. Returning the panels and paint to their former glory would not be challenging, but the buyer won’t need to touch the vinyl top because it appears perfect. There is no evidence of bubbling below the vinyl, suggesting that no nasty surprises await the new owner. That leads us seamlessly to the subject of rust, and here the news appears to be pretty positive. There is some visible in the lower rear quarter panels, and while total panel replacement may seem the obvious path, its limited nature means that patch panels would address the issues with a minimum of fuss. The trunk pan is soft, and it has probably deteriorated to the point where replacement would be the most viable option. Otherwise, there is little beyond surface corrosion and some minor scaling on the floors for the new owner to tackle. The exterior trim appears respectable for an original survivor, while the glass looks flawless. Overall, this aspect of the restoration seems to be pretty straightforward.

The positive vibes continue when we open the doors and inspect the Plymouth’s interior. For convenience’s sake, let’s consider its flaws and faults first. The carpet is quite faded, so the buyer will probably consider spending $200 on a replacement carpet set to improve matters. The front seat covers have seen better days, with deterioration beyond repair. However, with a replacement set of covers selling for around $550, this is not an expensive problem for the buyer to tackle. Beyond those two problems, the interior seems to need little. There is a strip of tape on the dash, which appears to be holding the glove compartment closed, but the rest of the dash and pad are perfect. The same is true of the remaining upholstered surfaces and the headliner. Therefore, it appears that returning the interior to as-new condition will swallow less than $1,000. It seems that the original owner liked their luxury touches because as well as bucket seats, the car features air conditioning and its original AM radio/8-track player. There have been no aftermarket additions, which will help cement the originality of this classic.

When considering the potential value of classics like this GTX, the question of originality will be uppermost in most people’s minds. That is where this Plymouth plays its trump card. It is a numbers-matching vehicle that the original owner ordered with a 440ci V8 that produces 375hp, a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission, and power steering. While buyers could order faster versions of the GTX, this car’s ability to storm the ¼ mile in 14.2 seconds hardly qualifies it as an automotive slug! The seller only located the vehicle around a month ago, and it hadn’t fired a shot in anger since 1983. He worked through reviving this classic and was thorough with the process. As well as a fluid flush and change, he replaced the fuel tank, sender unit, filter, fuel pump, cleaned the lines, and rebuilt the original carburetor. The next item on the agenda was the brakes, which received a fresh master cylinder, wheel cylinders, and brake lines. He also fitted a complete new exhaust system, a battery, and treated the GTX to a tune-up that included plugs, points, cap, and a rotor. The cost and effort have paid dividends because the GTX now runs and drives. It isn’t clear whether it is roadworthy, but the list of work suggests that it probably is.

The 1970 Plymouth GTX perfectly blended impressive performance with some welcome touches of luxury. That is certainly the case with our feature car, which is equipped with some desirable options. The car’s saving grace was almost certainly the previous owner’s decision to place the GTX into storage in 1983. That has allowed it to avoid the modifications that many owners performed during that era when these classics were not as highly-prized as they are today. It seems like it should be a straightforward restoration, and with No Reserve in play, its new home is mere days away. The overall originality and solid nature make me believe that the bidding could nudge towards $27,000 before the hammer falls. However, the spirited action thus far suggests that the figure could be higher. This auction could be worth watching, although if you went one step further and dropped a bid yourself, I could hardly blame you.

Comments

  1. Avatar Michael Berkemeier

    Bare bones GTX…not even a tach. I hope it has a Sure-Grip but, chances are, it does not.

    Non-numbers matching, automatic, no console, and a column shifter hurt it. Pretty solid car though. Still, I’d bet it breaks $35K.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Mike

    And all my 63 years of loving muscle cars, I still will never understand why anyone in the world orders a high-performance car with an automatic on the column? It’s so freaking ridiculous, hahahaha

    Like 2
    • Avatar PRA4SNW

      An even stranger sight is a Superbird with auto on the column.
      Saw one of those up close at an auction one time. Didn’t stop it from breaking 100K though.

      Like 2
  3. Avatar Ken

    Barebones GTX?

    Like 0

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