Plymouth’s Barracuda got an extreme makeover in 1970, getting a new E-body platform that would distance it from its Valiant roots. This arrangement would survive through 1974 after which Chrysler exited the pony car market. This rusty roller heralds from the ’73 model year and was intended for a resto-mod project, but priorities change and the car needs to move on. Located in a storage unit in Walden, New York, this major project is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $6,100, but that’s not enough to trigger the reserve.
Production of the new Barracuda would increase by a third for 1970 but move downward after that. The muscle car movement was waning, and a good many Barracudas had been built for speed. After producing 48,867 of the automobiles in ’70, these pony cars only mustered 19,281 units for 1973. Production was split roughly 50/50 between regular Barracudas and the now somewhat neutered ‘Cudas. All these cars now had V8 power, with the Slant Six discontinued in these models for 1973. 9,976 units would come with the 318 engine and most of those had the TorqueFlite automatic. That’s how the seller’s car rolled off the assembly line.
The seller found this forlorn-looking Barracuda in Ohio a couple of years ago and had intended to restore the car and hop it up. But work on this Plymouth likely hasn’t progressed far. While it’s being kept indoors now, it has the look of a car that sat outside for quite some time. With a recent career change just starting, the seller no longer has time for the car and paying for storage until that improves is not feasible. So, it needs to go to a new home.
The body is rough just about anywhere you look, and it probably wore a vinyl top at some point. There is either rust or dents in many spots and the driver’s side rear quarter panel has more rust than can likely be repaired, so replacing that would be needed. The floors have holes in them, and the trunk probably does, too, but you can’t tell for all the rusty parts stored in there. We’re told the tires hold air and the front-end steers, so it should load onto a trailer for transport, but there is no mention of whether there’s any working brakes to stop the thing once moving.
Even your basic 1970-74 Barracuda can fetch some big money. A Concours ’73 with a 318 can run as high as $40,000. But if your goal were to get back to that point, you’d probably end up being upside. Perhaps turning this car into a ‘Cuda tribute with a 340 engine would make it a more viable project. Would you be in on a challenge like this and at what price point?
Let’s see, two quarter panels, floor pans, trunk pans, at last one fender, complete interior, rust everywhere, interior components showing water intrusion….Rust is like an iceberg, (IMO) this is at best a parts car. Apparently at some point, someone installed the exhaust valence for duals. Personally, I feel the seller got it and has realized that it is beyond the scope of an easy restoration. GLWTA!! :-)
completely agree, notice it says the current owner bought it 2 years ago, probably realized its not worth it or way beyond his scope to fix. No engine, no trans, every other part needs to be replaced as well. Its not even a parts car!
It’s a shame that the rust constitutes a higher percentage of the car than steel does. Agreeing with Moparman that this is a parts car and nothing more.
“Would you be in on a challenge like this and at what price point?”
ZERO!
I think this future resale of vehicle would be 60 k to restore and 35 k to resale.
Its a Covid19 sale for those bedazzled with paying more for less. 👍😉
I hope it sells when they lower the price and gets modified.
Wow, almost $8k now for this heap. Looks like it was fished out of a lake
t least the key’s still in the ignition…..that’s save on getting a new key made for it.
Maybe a Dynacorn body? $7,700 and the reserve’s not met.
He’s got the body tag……I’d think the underside is toast.
Who said anything about lying? The Dynacorn body would be more solid than the one that’s toasted and then redone, especially, since no one would even consider it. I’d just tell the new buyer the benefits of the Dynacorn and go from there. Thanks for the morality boost, though.
This body tag isn’t worth anything. This is a bare bones 318 auto Barracuda. It’s not a ‘Cuda, which is a whole different animal. I’d guess this car would likely be used to make a restomod ‘Cuda which rich Hollywood guys seem to like to buy
Well, Chester, I can only tell you what I have read or what others have told me, but, apparently the body tag is held on by rivets from the factory and that tag is what gives the particular car it’s identity, so to speak. The numbers denote certain build facts about the car, engine, tranny, color, etc. When the tag is place on, say, a Dynacorn body, the tag is usually put on with small screws, but someone could use rivets to make it look more authentic. However, sometimes the tag is removed from a car that’s going to be aggressively sanded, etc., so the tag is removed so it won’t be damaged. I hope that helps. I’m just passing on what I’ve heard tell. Thanks….
Having said all that, it’s best to leave the body tag with the body it came with from the factory. There are many legal issues that can be brought up that make the removal of the tag to place on a dynacorn body iffy, unless you actually go through the Department of Transportation and follow their guidelines. That is really the best way to go…thanks…
Hey i truly do understand the condition of the car. Yea here it comes HOWEVER, you cannot even find these old cars anymore and a bucket of rust which once would go straight to the crusher, now are going top dollar! THEY JUST DO NOT EXIST ANYMORE! Gone are the days of locating these old muscle cars in backyards, barns, fields, etc. Once again, when you have a shortage of a given product the sky is the limit! Simple economics, regardless of the current status! In a few years you will be lucky to every see this car at the current price!
I`ve already done this to 72 & speaking from experience I will need to get paid to take it off your hands $$$