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One Year Fish: 1971 Plymouth Cuda

1970 and ’71 were the “magic” years for the Barracuda with great muscle car looks, colors, and features. The 70-74 Barracuda’s have shot up in value in the past 10-15 years where these cars are downright difficult to find, and usually command strong values. 1971 cars offer a great looking one year only grill that is just grand. Throw in a convertible top with a 340 V8 and then you are looking at something cool and rare. With a couple of days remaining in the auction, this Cuda has stirred up some interest with 38 bids and an auction price of $36,400. Check out this slippery fish here on eBay out of Williamsport, Indiana.

While there is still a 340 V8 under the hood, this engine is actually from a 1973 car. Despite this fact, there is another 340 block included with the car that is a 1971 engine. The automatic transmission is original to the vehicle and is numbers matching according to the seller. Little information is offered about the condition of the current engine, but the engine bay is quite dusty and dirty, so it would be my guess this engine hasn’t been touched in a very long time.

The interior looks to be a bit of a mash up with mismatched seats, and a lot of missing interior trim and plastics.  The dash is cracked in a few places, and the convertible top is still in place, although barely. The seat frames could likely be salvaged with a few other small parts, but as a whole you are going to need a lot of interior pieces for this one.

Sadly these “fish out of water” do not do well with water, so like every Cuda there is some rust to contend with. The driver side quarter has rot issues, and the passenger side has had a quarter panel grafted by someone who I would guess is hard of sight. You will likely be looking to cut out both and install new panels. Like every Cuda, the trunk floor has some rot and rust where the sheet metal looks thin. Also there is some rot in the driver front floor as well. Looking past the rust, the body looks very straight, and the one year only grill is in very nice shape. Not so common and certainly desirable, what do you think this fish will sell for?

Comments

  1. Avatar 86 Vette Convertible

    Too much work and expense for what it is IMO. Could be nice but it’s no six figure car from what I see nor will it ever be IMO.

    Like 1
    • Avatar F.G. Kaye

      I DON’T THINK THAT THAT IS A 340 ENGINE !

      i think it is a 318, because of the single snorkel air cleaner.

      The 340 engine would either have an Orange Dual-Snorkel,

      OR a beautiful snorkeless Black Krinkle Dual Opening Air Cleaner.

      The 340 in 70 & 71, did NOT have a system to take heated air off of the

      Left Exhaust Manifold.

      Like 1
  2. Avatar irocrobb

    Well I have owned many e body mopars and they always hold a sweet spot with me but I think this is too much money for the work involved. I think even if you did a lot of the work yourself you would just be too deep in it. I realize it is a factory H code 340 car which is nice but it is not a 440 or Hemi car which command much more money. I guess I have lost touch with the prices and do remember owning a 1970 318 Barracuda convertible I bought off a guy in North Carolina in about 1986 with a extremely solid body for around 1000 dollars.

    Like 1
  3. Avatar Madmatt

    This thing is so rusty..,that it has barnacles hangin off of it..!
    No way this is worth that kind of money….r u kidding me…??
    I like it but it is just about a parts car to me…even if it is a Mopar..

    Like 3
  4. Avatar skagit340

    It amazes me that the money people will pay for these projects. This looks to be a real cuda convert, but the engine is only a 73 340,so not desirable, although the extra ,date correct block helps. This cuda needs a full restore. Again the money to start with is hugh. I hope it is saved-just wont be me.
    In the 80s and 90s I had 6 70 barracudas,two converts and a fc7 440 hardtop. They where a blast to have, and a lot cheaper than

    Like 1
  5. Avatar Billy 007

    I recall seeing a lot of these in the scrap yard awaiting the crusher. If one only knew back then what we know now. Of course, I could have invested in Bitcoin too, but laughed at that. I also laughed at the personally offered IPO of what became Best Buy during a long hot Minneapolis summer of the 1980s. My judgement has not been so good on financial outcomes so if I say here and now that this is a dumb idea, why would anyone listen to me? Being the smug SOB that I am, gonna speak up anyway. The market is going to drop out on these soon. Us Baby Boomers are getting decrepit, our driving days are behind us. My kid wants Jap cars, not my youth. What will the market be when those who lust over them are all in the nursing homes? What happens in twenty years when all cars are electric, if we can no longer drive them, what is a hunk of metal sitting in the garage worth? The financial key here is to get in and out early Mr. Flipper. The trouble is every one wants to make money, what happened to love of the car itself?

    Like 1
    • Avatar On and On Member

      I would listen to you Billy cause you make complete sense. Practical and pragmatic thinking, nothing wrong or undeniable in any thought. If you think you sound decrepit, then I’m looking at a decrepit face in the mirror. Maybe so but I think not quite yet. What I’ve learned on Barn Finds is that the market is NOT static but dynamic and where we all fit in has to do with our personal resources tempered by our dreams and aspirations. Or vice versa. I’m too a Baby Boomer, a ’51 model, and I love cars and always will, all sorts of cars. I’m personally retired, worked really hard my whole life and now want to downsize and enjoy the fruit and reward of all those years. A cool car will be part of that scenario. I could care less what flippers do. Yeah they find and make dough on cool cars sometimes, but who cares, you don’t have to buy from them. There are plenty of great automotive values everywhere. Just find your niche, settle in, buy a great one or 10! that you love and live the dream. Guess I was just feeling it today.

      Like 0
    • Avatar LAB3

      When the next economic downturn happens, and it WILL happen, there’s going to be a lot of butthurt “investors” in the classic car market out there. Time and time again we’ve seen the hobby ebb and flow and the prices that go with them follow the same pattern. It’ll be a seller’s market for now, but it will change.

      Like 1
    • Avatar F.G. Kaye

      I don’t understand ?

      Like 0
  6. Avatar OIL SLICK
    • Avatar GP Member

      The OLD dudes bought these cars new. I hope you young DUDES spend all your DUDE money and when the market fails, as it will, I hope you DUDES get enough for a focus to get you to work. ( If you DUDES know what work is ).

      Like 3
      • Avatar Ken M

        Sour much?

        Like 0
      • Avatar Maurader

        I’m not young or old. Your opinions are based on assumptions relating to labels and stereotypes.

        Like 0
  7. Avatar EHide Behind

    IS it a “CUDA” or a Baracuda?
    PLEASE?
    EXTERNALY 360 and 340 engines appear identical,
    If original block heads etc are rebuidlable wld, might, maybe with a bit more.
    MOPARS old GO crate motors 360 packed way more punch than even the 340 AAR cudas 6 packs.

    Like 0
    • Avatar F.G. Kaye

      The 360 engine used cast parts, at least in the 70’s & 80’s

      The 340 engine used forged parts, ALWAYS.

      The 360 engine was externally balanced, at least in the 70’s & 80’s.

      The 340 engine was internally balanced, ALWAYS.

      I know enough about how to make a 340 howl,

      to KNOW, that anything you did to a 360, would work better on a 340.

      I owned a 340 Duster & a Challenger T/A genuine 349 Six / Pack.

      The Duster was considerably faster, once I finished with it.

      ” No Brag, Just Fact ! “

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Henryfrederick

    This one may get the asking price. If you can do all the work yourself and enjoy doing it then you won’t be over your head. Thankfully I can do everything my project needs and really enjoy it. My 71 coupe needed everything and am far from being upside down financially with it. I could never afford one already done. This way I have my phantasm cuda and is going to be driven and enjoyed.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar mark

    The one that I rescued from the original owner 5 years ago. 41k miles, 383 big block with pistol grip 4-speed.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Billy 007

      What happened to that guy to let a car rot and sink into the soil with only 41K miles on it? Mental illness?

      Like 1
      • Avatar mark

        Viet Nam veteran…….need I say more?

        Picture of the same car when near new………..

        Like 1
    • Avatar Moparmann Member

      But what does it look like now, five years later?? Inquiring minds wnat to know!! :-)

      Like 1
  10. Avatar Brian

    Aging out Boomers will soon leave these cars without a market. Millennials don’t care about cars the same as we do. They may like early BMWs but not 70s mopars

    Like 1
    • Avatar Fiete T.

      Just like the Model A’s & T’s, 40’s & ’50’s cars…those who like/love them are losing interest or dying off. Next up? ’80’s Camaros & Mustangs, CRXs’, and the like…those are the collectibles.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Billy 007

      Thats right. There were many of these in my high school parking lot, but that was then and this is now. I would rather spend my retirement money on traveling in my more modern and reliable cars. For what this will cost to buy and restore, you could have a new by far better modern car (these are the glory days of the automobile, not then…just like today is with TV. We have a trillion channels to choose from, all in high def, a lot of it on demand when ever we want it…yet people still say black and white re runs of I LOVE LUCY represent TVs golden era) get where you are going without chances of a break down (at triple the gas mileage) and have tens of thousands of extra dollars to spend on the trip. Don’t over think fuzzy youthful memories, what you really miss is when you had a full head of hair and a young pretty girl friend who was extra friendly to you on Saturday nights. Let these cars be investments for the ultra rich, don’t get caught in the foolish financial spider web. Be happy silly people restore them so you can see them at shows and on the net, but that is all you need, laugh all the way to the bank my friends.

      Like 1
      • Avatar UK Paul

        To be fair there are lots of people who have a real passion for a certain type of car and no doubt get more pleasure dricing something older/vintage than a new model car.
        I bought a lot of new cars late 90’s until 2010 ish and got fed up with fairly souless vehicles. I was spending more and more to get pleasure from a car.
        But as you say reliability important and having spent thousands on my old Quattro in recent months reluctantly have gone modern again. I do enjoy 10 to 30 year old cars more though … just sick of the bills!

        Like 1
  11. Avatar UK Paul

    Another ebay seller not honouring the process and ending item before end of auction. Ebay should start charging fees if ended early… it’s so irritating for those bidding. Happens weekly to me.
    Lovely project though.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar CoolHluke

    Phantasm tribute… booooy!!!

    Like 0
  13. Avatar ccrvtt

    Old dude here – Oil Slick is right, and so is Brian. And GP, to an extent. Every day I am confronted by a customer with sticker shock at the price of a battery – “A hunnert ‘n’ fifty bucks?!? I remember when they were $29.95!”

    Then there’s, “Is that your cheapest rotor/crank sensor/window regulator?”

    Old people compare today’s prices with yesteryear. Young people just complain in general. Most people confuse price with value. No one understands the power of the marketplace in establishing the price.

    Nice to see rusty old Mopars taking over for rusty old Porsches.

    Like 1
  14. Avatar johnfromct

    Common cars will lose value as those who grew up with them are fewer, but rare, high quality examples will retain their value. Consider the high end Packards, Pierce Arrows, not to mention Duesy’s. These cars are holding firm.

    Similarly rare 60s 70s cars are keeping their value. Just don’t expect your 318 automatic or your 327 Chevy, or your 350 Ford to retain its value forever. But a Z28 #1 condition or similar Boss 302 or 428 SCJ Mustang or W40, etc etc will more likely stand the test of time based on the combination of rarety, historical significance and the quality of the individual car’s condition.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Poncho pusher

    Ok so i agree with most of whats said about “todays youth” first off im 35 so not young but not old either……secondly you couldnt GIVE me a new anything not a vette not a ferrari not a mustang or camaro…none of em are attractive there all cookie cutter look alikes…..nor could you give me a rice grinder with out it meeting a hot wrench to add weight to the scrap pile….there are some of us young kids who do care about the old cars….with 14 cars only my 79 2dr bonneville is newer then 66 outta what i have….and yes i do my own work engine paint ect (helps pops grew up durin the muscle car era) plus heres the kicker my 17 yr old sons restoreing a 47 pontiac for his first car so……..ya i cant wait till the market falls out then kids like me that listened to all those ole stories of “in my day” of hot roddin ill be along behind you to buy up all them gtos gsxs 409 byscanes 413 mopars and ect since none the young kids will want em…..idc about comforts of a/c or power windows locks ect…..who cares…..if thats important to be able to drive well hondas haven a sale…i love driven my tri power 66 GP cant keep my foot out of it but love it milage sucks but who cares my 64 bonne good on gas beautiful 4 yr restoration drive the piss out of it my dual quad 62 4spd catalina my 49 willys gasser my 50 silver streak….rather drive any of them then any thing after 80 no class….but what do i know im just a dumb kid lol….

    Like 2
    • Avatar mlm

      I see you have some desirable Ponchos.I have always loved Pontiacs especially the 1960’s GPs. I came close to owning a 1963 GP but the title wasn’t available.They looked good then and they are beautiful today.

      Like 0
  16. Avatar Moparmann Member

    I often read comments from people who “shudder” at the thought of driving an old “death trap” car (no airbags/abs/etc). The truth is, accidents are just that, no one wakes up and thinks “hmm, today I’m going to deliberatley wreck my car!” When I drive my unrestored 70 Charger, yes it’s true, your v-6 “Camcord” can outrun it, the steering could be tightened up, it has a few rattles/etc; BUT, the the feeling of enjoyment, the smile that it puts on my face, the reactions of other drivers to its’ presence, are all worthwhile to me. I own my car bcause of the “love” I have for it, not for what I could sell it for…and by the way it IS NOT for sale! :-)

    Like 1
  17. Avatar Tyler

    The 340 cars may not be as valuable as the 440 or hemi cars, but they are so much better drivers.

    Nice car, but all things being equal, I think I’d rather have the red Goat.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar F.G. Kaye

    All I’ve simply tried to point out, is that; ” I DON’T BELIEVE “, that that is a 340

    engine. I’ve been called ” smug ” & ” a know it all “. Well I do ABOUT THIS !

    I OWNED THESE CARS. ” Caveat Emptor !” I suppose I have to explain

    that too. I never commented about 340 vs. 426, or 440. The answer toi that

    question is ” IT ALL DEPENDS !” It depends on the chassis & intended usage.

    Like 0

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