Vehicle Description
SUMMARY
3-year rotisserie restoration completed in late 2015
Original 383 cubic inch Super Commando V8
Correct A727 3-speed automatic transmission
Mostly-original body / Correct Rallye Red paint / Correct power convertible top
Correct Black vinyl interior
Sale includes: Two original Broadcast Sheets / An original Window Sticker / An original sales invoice
Sale includes: Original loan paperwork / Vintage service records / Vintage photos & restoration photos
Chrysler 8.75-inch rear axle / Sure Grip differential / Correct 3.23 gears
Correct power steering / Correct power front disc and rear drum brakes
Correct 14-inch Rallye Wheels
The best thing about being a Plymouth fan is: through 73 years of cars, the division continuously provided a variety of purpose-built packages that were brimming with charisma. And today, when it comes to high dollar classics, you simply can't go wrong with anything branded with the letters C, U, D and A. Pedigreed E-Bodies continue to be some of the hottest selling metal on the market. And this investment grade Barracuda has all the right ingredients to bring big value and even bigger appeal. For starters, it's a rotisserie restored show queen that features correct Black and Rallye Red aesthetics. It also packs an original Super Commando 383. AND the car is extensively documented all the way back to its original Chrysler Broadcast Sheets. If you're in the market for a professionally restored collector car that you can enjoy and build equity in, this slick MoPar demands your full attention!
BODYWORK/TRIM
Assembled in May of 1971, and delivered to Roxbury Chrysler-Plymouth of Succasunna, New Jersey, this awesome Barracuda is the beneficiary of a professional rotisserie restoration that was completed in late 2015. Purchased from its original owner in 2006, the car was stashed in storage while its new family tracked down a few hard to find parts. Then, in 2013, work officially began when its all-original body was fully stripped in anticipation of small fender and quarter patches. When those pieces were smooth and tightly aligned, a correct coat of PPG Rallye Red 2-stage was capped with a correct power top. And today, roughly 1.5 years after that paint was dried, sanded and buffed, this drop-top rolls as one top-notch classic that preserves the better attributes of Motor City history!
When Chrysler redesigned the Barracuda line to better compete with Ford's Mustang and the GM F-bodies, they really turned up the heat. Gone were the days of narrow, economical looking fastbacks that had to lean on engine displacement to have any kind of street presence. In their place was a new age of MoPar muscle car that seamlessly balanced a cool personality with flashy good looks. At the front of this drop-top's broad shouldered body, a 1971-exclusive grille hangs correct, black-trimmed headlights above ornate parking lamps and a polished bumper that's finished with correct guards. At the top of that grille, a correct Sport Hood anchors correct stainless lanyards and a small "PLYMOUTH" script in front of like-new glass and fresh stainless frames. At the sides of that hood, subtle "Barracuda" and "383 FOUR BARREL" emblems ride between correct mirrors and traditional satin door handles. And at the back of the car, a second polished bumper, complete with correct guards, frames bright taillights, 'cuda-style exhaust tips and a cool "Barracuda by PLYMOUTH" emblem.
ENGINE
Under the car's rallye hood, you'll find 383 cubic inches of original Super Commando V8. More popular than Chrysler's famed Hemi, and almost as feared, the Super Commando was designed to be Plymouth's best combination of comfort, streetability and performance. And, naturally, this tough B block, branded with a correct 2468130 casting number and matching partial VIN, was fully rebuilt during its shell's detailed restoration. At the top of the stout mill, a coated Edelbrock 4-barrel breathes through a dual-snorkel air cleaner that's covered in a striking combination of fresh Organisol and traditional lettering. Below that carb, a spotless orange block hangs glossy steel valve covers over factory heads that have been reconditioned with hardened valve seats. Inside that block, a smooth hydraulic valvetrain muscles spent gases through fully restored exhaust manifolds. The reliable engine's fires are lit by reproduction Chrysler Electronic Suppression cables, a Chrysler electronic voltage regulator and a proven points distributor. And cooling is provided by a correct, Chrysler-branded radiator, which is augmented with pliable hoses and authentic squeeze clamps. Take a second to refocus your eyes on the clean engine bay and you'll find correct horns, a fresh master cylinder and a familiar red cap battery. And the entire set up, from its fenders to its firewall, is coated in the same FE5 red as the car's glossy exterior panels.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
As expected, this Barracuda's fully sorted chassis is every bit as clean and road-ready as its solid body and bright engine. A rugged A727 3-speed, installed in 1976 and fully overhauled during the car's recent restoration, churns power to a correct 8.75-inch axle, a proven Sure Grip differential and correct, 3.23 gears. Included in that restoration was a completely rebuilt suspension that, thanks to correct power steering, helps the car hook up quick and perform great. Braking, which is surprisingly competent for a 45-year-old design, comes courtesy of a correct combination of power assisted discs and drums. Spent gases are eschewed rearward by aluminized, true-dual pipes, which roar through big resonators and Chrysler-branded mufflers. And, at the corners, 14-inch Rallye wheels spin fresh 205/70 Goodyear Eagle GTIIs around stainless trim rings and charcoal center caps.
INTERIOR
The correct Black interior hiding behind this Plymouth's doors is an analog throwback to the days when cars were about driving above all else. The front bucket and rear bench seats are covered in crack-free vinyl that displays hardly any signs of wear. Below those seats, stain-free carpet frames a correct, wood-trimmed console and traditional T-handle shifter. At the sides of that carpet, sculpted door panels are dotted with integrated handles, traditional cranks and cool chrome locks. In front of those panels, a monochromatic dash hangs correct telemetry above an old school stereo. In front of the driver, a simple steering wheel mixes subtle form with major function. And behind the passengers, a fully restored trunk hangs a correct courtesy lamp and fresh decklid decal above a new mat, a correct jack and a space saver spare tire.
PROVENANCE
Here's a detailed look at this Plymouth's VIN, Trim Tag and Chrysler Broadcast Sheet:
BROADCAST SHEET:
2178782: Sequence number
527: Scheduled for production on May 27th, 1971
069889: Vehicle Order Number
B: Plymouth Barracuda
H: High
27: Convertible
N: 383 cubic inch V8 that utilizes one 4-barrel carburetor to create 300 horsepower
1: 1971 model year
B: Assembled at Chrysler's Dodge Main facility in Hamtramck, Michigan
XXXXXX: Production Sequence Number
U: Built to USA specifications
E65: 383 cubic inch V8 that utilizes one 4-barrel carburetor to create 300 horsepower
D32: A727 TorqueFlite heavy duty automatic transmission
D53: 3.23 gears
T34: F78x14 white sidewall tires
