The new owner of this 1973 Plymouth Barracuda will face a few choices in their quest to return the classic to its rightful place on our roads. One they won’t need to consider will be how to tackle rust problems. It is one of the most rock-solid examples you will find in today’s market. It would have been stunning when new, and there’s no reason it can’t be once again. Located in Tarpon Springs, Florida, you will find the Barracuda listed for sale here on eBay. I’m not alone in my belief about the viability of this project, with nine potential buyers submitting an impressive thirty-three bids at the time of writing. The action has seen the price race beyond the reserve to $15,100.

There’s a fair bit for potential buyers to consider with this Barracuda, but there is a lack of genuinely bad news across most aspects of this project. It rolled off the line wearing desirable Rallye Red paint, and clear traces remain visible in the supplied photos. It is common to find Barracudas from this era with rust problems, sometimes pretty severe. However, that isn’t the case with our feature classic. The photos and listing text indicate that the car is rock-solid. There are no problems with the floors, trunk pan, frame rails, or hanging panels. The usually trouble-prone area around the back window is clean, and the only place requiring attention is the driver’s side rear quarter panel skin. The seller gives potential buyers a head start by including a replacement skin in the sale. There is no back window, as this broke while in storage. However, a new windshield is present, and the seller will fit this before the Barracuda leaves their care. Most of the trim and chrome remains in good condition, meaning that when you add it all together, returning the Plymouth to its former glory should not represent a major undertaking.

The seller indicates that the Barracuda’s interior is missing its carpet, headliner, and the armrests off both doors. Otherwise, it is complete. They say that the front bucket seats are from a ’70 Barracuda, but they are in good condition. The dash presents well, with the pad and console showing promise once treated to a deep clean. Once again, this is an aspect of the project build that should show excellent results with a bit of old-fashioned elbow grease. If the upholstery is as good as the seller suggests, whipping the interior into shape may actually leave the buyer with change from $500. If so, that represents one of the more affordable interior restorations you will find in the current market.

When this Barracuda was shiny and new, its drivetrain included a 340ci V8, a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission, an 8¾” rear end, power steering, and front disc brakes. While not the most potent Barracuda available in 1973, that V8’s 240hp would have propelled the vehicle through the ¼ mile in 15.5 seconds. Okay, I know you’ve probably been bracing for bad news, and we’ve reached the point where I must provide some. The Barracuda is a roller because its original motor and transmission are gone. This is a shame and means that the car can never be genuinely numbers-matching. The seller states that the front end is rebuilt and that they replaced much of the wiring harness. That leaves the buyer with decisions to make. The high production totals mean that finding a date-correct drivetrain should be possible with time and effort. Alternatively, something more potent and/or modern may find its way into the engine bay. It will be a matter of “horses for courses,” depending on the buyer’s vision for this classic. With so many options available, the world will be the next owner’s oyster.

If you’ve tackled a project build requiring rust repairs, you will be aware of how satisfying the process can be once rotted steel has made way for new metal. However, it is not a task for the fainthearted, particularly if the rust is significant. The next owner of this 1973 Barracuda won’t face that challenge beyond replacing one rear quarter panel skin. An owner with the right tools could perform many of the required tasks on home turf, allowing them to work as time and circumstances permit. That helps explain why the bidding activity has been intense and why I believe there is more to come as the auction heads to its conclusion. Even if you’re not genuinely interested in making this Plymouth part of your life, watching the auction could be worth the effort. It promises to be pretty entertaining.