It’s a shame that so many cars (and other products) get listed online, get sold and then the buyer backs out or disappears, for whatever reason. This 1971 Barracuda had the same experience, so the seller is giving it another whirl. While the third-generation Barracuda was known for its big engines, speed, and wild colors, Plymouth still built quite a few more civilized cars with Slant Sixes, small V8s, and automatic transmissions. This 1971 example is one such car and the seller acknowledges this one may be beyond restoration. It’s rusty and does not run, but can be found in Peekskill, New York, and listed here on eBay without a reserve and a current top bid of $5,100.
When the new Barracudas came out for 1970, I was seriously impressed as a teenager – and still am today. Plymouth had a winner as sales were up more than 50 percent that first year of what would be the car’s last generation. But the pony car and muscle car markets likely peaked about that time and sales fell by two-thirds in 1971 for no discernable reason. This Barracuda was pretty tame compared to what buyers could get. This one has a non-original 318 V-8 with an automatic, not likely to get the blood boiling very much. It does not run and some of the pieces that should be under the hood are no longer there (but might be in the trunk).
The body has fallen victim to the tin-worm, so you’ll need to have several of these panels ready to weld in if you buy the car to restore. But the seller himself is open in that restoration is not something he would do, which likely explains the desire to sell the car. From what we can see of the interior, it has fared no better than the exterior with ripped seats, removed door panels, dash pad cracked, and likely more problems. I would be highly suspect of the floor pans given the rust we see elsewhere.
Hagerty puts a premium on these cars, but mostly for 340s, 383s, 440s, and Hemi’s. The pedestrian Barracuda is worth far less, but still in the low double-digits. If you were to buy it t restore, plan on having a rich uncle. If you buy it for parts, what parts of the car are donor material?
It is a non-roller, the rear end differential is being held up by rope, and it looks like the whole car is sagging…and yet, there are 14 bids on the car for $5,100.00…like someone said the other day, you can take that money and buy a pretty nice driver quality collector car to enjoy without having to get a tetanus shot every couple of days…what is our hobby coming too?
That’s because, again, the bids aren’t real. Caveat emptor!
I can’t begin to tell you how much just in parts it will cost to restore this. Only feasible route, if, and that’s a big if, the unibody has enough integrity remaining, is to go full restored with a crate hemi, 5-6 speed manual, modern suspension, etc. all in.
Hate autocorrect on new phone ” full restomod”
Yah….you trust autocorrect at your own peril. If your autocorrect
had offered “full restoration” it would have been okay. You must
have the new Dilbert version of autocorrect with the “artificial dumbness” option. :-) :-)
Hurricane Sandy victum?
Doubtful , its a rust prone body style and its on the East Coast where the Tin worms thrive . Most cars start to rust out here before they hit 10 years old . It looks like its been sitting for 30+ years in someones back yard ; likely the owner was “gonna fix it up someday”
58 Belvidere next to it
*Belvedere
I am so tired of people pulling these out of fields after decades of neglect, but I am even more tired of fools paying stupid money for them. More power to someone who can cash in I guess, but I feel sorry for all the people that had to look at it rotting all those years it sat. Just think of the wasp nests in it, bet the seller got stung a few times, serves him right.
We used to hang out in junk yards when I was just a kid. Your right, wasps are the worst!
More like the high bidder was actually the seller (or his buddy). Of course, the other possibility…the previous buyer showed up and said “Awww, Hell No!”
Seriously, when will people stop b.s.’ing everyone on eBay? Shill bids are so obvious.
Yea Gus there is so much fraud on fleabay its not funny. The selller doesnt pull any punches on how rotten this fish is. I dont get it either. I have sold cars and the bidders had no intention of paying. Don’t know if they get a cheap thrill out of it or what. This one hits a new low with the rails gone.
On a separate note, I went shopping for some repair panels and seems the mills that are making the parts have been shut down so a lot of ’em are in short supply. The ones that are available seem super expensive. Yahoo.
Stay safe and good luck.
Cheers
GPC