This 1971 Plymouth Barracuda barn find has rare surprise under the hood

A rare 1971 Plymouth Barracuda was found covered in layers of dust and dirt after being stored away for ‘years’ and seemingly forgotten about. 

The Plymouth Barracuda began rolling off Chrysler Corporation production lines all the way back in 1964, with the introduction of the first-generation two-door, hardtop fastback model that leaned heavily on the Plymouth Valiant for its parts and bodywork. 

The second generation was similarly Valiant-based but underwent a good deal of redesign – and, unlike its predecessor, was available as a two-door in fastback, notchback, and convertible versions.

The third and final generation – the type discovered in this impressive barn find – was launched back in 1970 and had a complete redesign based on the Chrysler E-body.

This car remained in production until the Barracuda was retired in 1974. 

READ MORE! Collection of 230 classic cars including rare Ferraris found in hidden barn

How rare is the 1971 Barracuda?

The redesign proved to be a hit and the Barracuda enjoyed one of its best-selling years ever in 1970, with almost 49,000 vehicles sold. 

However, fast-forward a year and the interest had tailed off, with only 16,492 of the cars being picked up.  

In fact, 1971 produced some of the rarest models of the Barracuda – the HEMI, for example, was a limited run of just 114 and a convertible version can now sell for millions. 

So what about this one that was found covered in mud and grime in a barn in Greenville, Ohio? 

While not the rarest of them all, it does have some features that make it a pretty special find. 

Under the hood, the Barracuda was fitted with a four-barrel 383-cubic-inch big-block V8 – making it just one of 2,153 vehicles ordered with those specs, autoevolution reports.

Its three-speed automatic gearbox makes it rarer again, with only 1,434 ever made; and last but not least, this car’s original owner had opted for the premium trim, which – again – makes it slightly rarer: one of only 1,168, according to the man who found it. 

Rare but we’ve seen rarer – such as this explorer who managed to find the biggest collection of obscure cars in Europe.

What condition is the car in?

Let’s be honest – the car isn’t in great shape.

Aside from the filth caked across the bodywork, it looks like it will need a fair amount of hard work to get it up and running again. 

Photos show a fair amount of rusting to the car’s exterior, while the engine will likely need a rebuild to get it going.

The man who found it noted there were ‘no keys’ and also explained there would be ‘no warranties as to condition’ but we’re pretty sure that – in the right hands – this Barracuda could be an exceptional car once again.