What do you get when you mix British engineering, American muscle, and Ebay? Today’s example is a modified 1973 Plymouth Barracuda. The F1 team McLaren and Ebay have teamed up to update this 1973 example in time for the United States Grand Prix, Austin, afterwards being displayed at McLaren’s garage.
The Plymouth Barracuda: An Icon of American Muscle
The Plymouth Barracuda, produced between 1964 and 1974, was Chrysler’s answer to the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. Its legacy is deeply ingrained in American automotive culture, making it an ideal candidate for a unique, high-performance build.
McLaren’s Formula 1-Inspired Engineering
McLaren is synonymous with dominating Formula 1 and creating some of the most advanced hypercars. The build was mostly handled by eBay, with input from McLaren on what to put in and where. A 340ci. V8 with full-length Doug’s headers and upgraded 2.5-inch Pypes exhaust system were added, pushing the power to American Racing 15-inch Torq Thrust wheels. The vehicle and all parts were sourced from eBay’s online store.
The stock Barracuda suspension and brakes required upgrades to QA1 Mopar coilovers and Wilwood discs were added to all four corners, with a new brake system and lines.
Exterior Design: Classic Meets Modern
The Plymouth Barracuda’s design remains largely untouched in this build, preserving its distinctive fastback lines and front grille. The original came as a silver and black coupe, with black vinyl landau roof. The exterior color may look like Hemi orange, but is, in fact, a Papaya body wrap to fit with McLaren’s past racing color.
Interior: A Fusion of Classic and Contemporary
The interior has also been kept largely original, apart from a Momo Heritage California wood steering wheel and Corbeau A4 bucket seats. We like to see a build that keeps the original aesthetics and only upgrades the mechanicals where needed. Generally, we want to see a restored classic rather than a totally modified beast that kind of looks like the original.
Conclusion: The Future of Custom Muscle Cars
Collaboration between Brits and Americans on a car build is nothing new. We wonder what a Mopar-inspired McLaren would look like.
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