1971 Plymouth GTX project with its numbers-matching 440, one of 2,942 built

Why we picked it

American Steel Classics lists this as a real RS23 GTX with a factory U-code 440 four-barrel. The seller says the engine is numbers-matching and the 727 console automatic is a 1969-dated replacement. It came in B7 blue with a blue bucket-seat interior, white vinyl top and white pinstripe, and it still has its dash VIN, door sticker, fender tag and body VIN stamps. The seller describes solid frame rails, rockers and torsion bar supports, and says the title is clean.

The 1971 GTX is the scarcest of the 440 B-body Plymouths that weren't Hemis. Finished drivers have sold in the low-to-high $40,000s recently, so at $26,500 there is room for the work. The seller doesn't say whether the car runs and doesn't give the mileage. Classic.com's AI notes mention rust and paint issues in the photos.

The value check

The seller is asking $26,500. Comparable cars in the same condition have sold for $41,800–$48,400, so the middle of the market is about $45,100. That put this car 41% under.

Driver-grade 1971 GTX 440 cars sold for $41,800 (Mecum, Nov 2025) and $48,400 (Mecum, May 2026). This is a project, so those are a ceiling, not a match; we picked it for the low-production, matching-engine body rather than a measured discount.

Where the numbers come from:

• 1971 GTX 440 auto, Mecum Nov 2025, $41,800
• 1971 GTX 440 4-speed, Mecum May 2026, $48,400

What to check

• The seller doesn't say whether it runs or give the mileage; ask before you travel.
• 1971-72 B-bodies rust under the vinyl top at the rear window channel, in the trunk floor and drop-offs, the lower quarters and the floor pans.
• Check the cowl and windshield frame for leaks into the footwells.
• The transmission isn't original. Confirm the engine stamp matches the VIN yourself.
• No broadcast sheet is mentioned; decode the fender tag to confirm the options.
• Get the clean title in hand before you pay.

Making it drive like new

The matching 440 is worth keeping, so rebuild it mildly and put the effort elsewhere. The usual B-body upgrade path works here: a front disc brake kit with a dual master cylinder, larger torsion bars and tubular upper arms, a rear sway bar and leaf springs from Hotchkis or similar, and a 727-to-A518 overdrive swap with the original trans saved for resale. Vintage Air and a modern ignition round it out.