Plymouth’s Barracuda got a new lease on life in 1970 with the new platform it shared with the Dodge Challenger instead of the Plymouth Valiant. For the next five years, 115,000 copies of the “new” Barracuda would be built, including this 1973 edition which has been stored in a garage for the past 26 years. This is a numbers-matching car with more than 170,000 reported miles, so it will need a complete restoration. The Plymouth can be found in Voorhees, New Jersey, and is available here on eBay for the Buy It Now price of $19,500, although offers will be considered.
Barracuda sales would increase 50% in ’70 over ’69, which no doubt led to a lot of optimism in Auburn Hills. However, the euphoria would be short-lived with the decline that had begun in the muscle car market, which included a lot of pony cars like the Barracuda. Sales dropped to 16,500 cars in 1971 and then leveled off for 1972-73. 19,000 Barracudas were assembled in ’73, of which half were the basic coupe like the seller’s car. The days of fire-breathing pony cars were over.
This Plymouth saw a lot of action from 1973-95 as it’s well on its way to the odometer turning over twice. The Barracuda’s original 318 cubic inch V8, TorqueFlite automatic, and rear-end have never been apart, according to the seller, which suggests it all needs rebuilding at this point anyway. No mention is made is the car is currently in running condition.
The Mopar will come with extra doors, a spare fender, and a grille, which implies body damage that we can’t necessarily see in the photos. The dark blue paint was redone in 1983, but we don’t know the status of what looks like a white vinyl top. The interior is original and will have to be redone, including the upholstery carpeting, and dash pad. This will not be a cheap car to restore relative to its resale value as a Plain Jane Barracuda is less valuable than a ‘Cuda 340.
Judging from the photos, somehow this car looks too clean to be 170K.
How often do we ever say THAT here?
Right now, in 2021, Cadillac and the imports are offering ‘matte’ paint like what this Barracuda shows – for $4000.00!
I love this matte look, and it is in style. Albeit not intentional. “Blue Velvet” is what we can call it. Then, buff and or sand when you’re ready. New seat covers from Legendary – maybe in white instead of current blue. New blue carpet and it pop!
another jackass in the classic car game..
Not Auburn Hills…. Highland Park in 1973.
So, which is original – the green console and door panels, or the blue seats? Hard to see if this was converted to a console shift, but my guess is that it came with it and the blue seats are a replacement.
My observation is that more Barracudas (not Cudas) came with the column shift auto, but it is the opposite for the Challenger. That would go along with the fact that the Chally was upmarket from the Barracuda.
Not with a 318.