Plymouth operated several big changes on the Barracuda for the 1971 model year, but these didn’t stop the sales from collapsing. The company sold only 18,690 units, down substantially from 55,499 in the previous year.
While I think the Barracuda looked more compelling – I particularly liked the new front fascia with the four headlights – buyers were no longer interested in certain versions, such as the convertible. Plymouth got the message and tweaked the lineup to align with the market expectations, so the convertible was eventually retired.
The 1971 Barracuda was also the last year for iconic engines like the Hemi.
The Barracuda in these photos was originally bought for an 18-year-old girl, but as you can easily determine with a glance at the shared pics, it didn’t spend much time on the road. The car was eventually abandoned in 1984, so it’s now (still) waiting for a complete overhaul and a chance to return to the road.
There’s a lot to discover on this car – and hats off to eBay seller i*find*u*flip for sharing such a detailed description of this Barracuda’s condition – and probably the first thing you’ll notice is the green paint under the current finish.
The 18-year-old girl repainted the car by spraying a new color over the original green, and you can easily tell it was an amateur job. Whoever buys the car will have to respray a new coat of paint and deal with some rust issues, including a bunch of holes.
The car has been sitting for decades, so all these metal issues are not surprising, albeit the most important part is that everything is still in place. You’re getting all the parts needed to keep the car original, and the seller says all numbers match. The car rolled off the assembly lines with air conditioning, and the belts are still on the compressor, a rare thing for such a project.
We’re not getting many specifics about the engine, but the VIN decodes to a 318 Barracuda. Considering the original unit is still in the car, the 318 is likely the unit still in. charge of propelling this Barracuda, albeit it needs fixes to get back in working shape. The engine is not running, so find a good mechanic to determine its condition and figure out if it needs to be rebuilt.
This Barracuda has previously been involved in a fire that burned part of the interior, but the photos revealing the aftermath show that the white cabin survived with little damage.
The car receives a lot of attention on eBay, with 15 bidders fighting to take it home. The top offer is a little over $20K, but the reserve is still in place. The auction will end in five days or when someone triggers the Buy It Not option set at $26,500.