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Barn ‘Cuda: 1966 Plymouth Barracuda

Here’s a 1966 Plymouth Barracuda, shown in a zoomed-in photo when the seller took it to a car show in the Phoenix, Arizona area where they live. They have this red fastback on Craigslist with an asking price of $3,500. It’ll need some work but it’s a pretty complete car and almost any of the Barn Finds readers could bring this one back to like new again. Thanks to Pat L for finding this ’66 Barracuda!

Ahhh, this is a better photo, slightly. This looks like a great project car, doesn’t it? I don’t see a lick of rust on this car from this angle, other than some surface rust behind the driver’s door and below the gas filler. I wonder if anyone has ever turned a first-generation fastback Barracuda into a pickup? You can almost picture the car without that window and with a pickup bed back there.. hmm..

Ok, maybe not.. next slide!

1966 was the last year for the first-generation Barracuda and they are, by far, my favorite body style for the Barracuda. This car was found in a barn in Great Falls, Montana in 2016, according to the seller. It looks like it’s in great condition, rust-wise, but I see a few dents and dings around the body. I’ll take dents and dings over rust any day! It’s original  and complete right down to the wheel covers and owner’s manual. Yep, this would make a fantastic project car.

The interior looks fairly decent, given that it’s over 50 years old and was sitting in a barn for who knows how long. The blanket seat covers are the way to go until some NOS interior fabrics can be sourced. Eventually, I would personally want to restore this car back to original specs. But, while it’s being enjoyed and tinkered with it would be fun as is. The speedometer shows 24,807 miles but that has to be 124,807, I’m assuming.

And, there it is, Chrysler’s 225 slant-six, one of the best engines ever made! Or, half of it. I’m not sure why there are two photos that each show half of the engine. This one should have 145 hp and even with it being saddled, I mean, with it having an automatic transmission, I bet that it’s a decent car to drive in modern traffic. Of course, a 273 V8 would be a popular upgrade. The seller included some underside photos showing a pretty solid-looking car. Rust doesn’t seem to be an issue with this one, but is it worth restoring or would you just have fun with it and tinker with it as your weekend project car?

Comments

  1. Avatar mark

    That 225 slant six is more than adequate although the V-8 is preferred. That slant six was referred to as “The leaning tower of power”. they had lots of torque.

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    • Avatar HotRod

      Back in 2012 I found a 1966 Dodge Dart GT my buddy was told to crush it by his wife.
      He thought it was a 6cyl originally like yours. The Dart and Barracuda share everything but sheetmetal. I like the Dart better personally due to rare ownership.
      I ran the vintage on mine and it was actually a rare V8 premium car with disc brakes and 4 barrel. Unfortunately the original engine and transmission and documents were gone forever.
      4 years later myself and 4 others military retirees built a interesting 1/4 mile pounder that’s street legal,8 point Roll cage,frame connectors,3 way adjustable suspension,408 stroker,5 point Simpson harnesses.
      Here is a before and after pic.
      Hope yall like it

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      • Avatar HotRod

        Back in 2012 I found a 1966 Dodge Dart GT my buddy was told to crush it by his wife.
        He thought it was a 6cyl originally like yours. The Dart and Barracuda share everything but sheetmetal. I like the Dart better personally due to rare ownership.
        I ran the vintage on mine and it was actually a rare V8 premium car with disc brakes and 4 barrel. Unfortunately the original engine and transmission and documents were gone forever.
        4 years later myself and 4 others military retirees built a interesting 1/4 mile pounder that’s street legal,8 point Roll cage,frame connectors,3 way adjustable suspension,408 stroker,5 point Simpson harnesses.
        Here is a before and after pic.
        Hope yall like it

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  2. Avatar Gunner

    My VERY first car was a 66 Cuda. I pulled it out of a field for $25 with much ambition. After dragging in home, and tearing it apart, it sat in the driveway until my Uncle got tired of looking at it when he came home from work. It never ran as it had a busted rod in the 273. I sold it to a junkyard for $40! The world was at my feet at 15!

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  3. Avatar Wagon master

    Never saw a barracuda with a 6cyl ….. hmmm. Regardless, it obviously runs and drives fair enough to take it to a local show- so the ask is close. I still question “barracuda” badging. I loved and restored my 67 triple black formula S. That was worthy of the Barracuda unique line.

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    • Avatar David Montanbeau

      /6 was standard.

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  4. Avatar JW

    A guy brings his 66 Barracuda up to our local Sonic cruise every so often, he inherited it from his brother who bought it new and did the classic 60’s vibe v8, 4 speed, big Sun Tach on the column, cragars, big meats in the back with air shocks and glass packs, black on black. His brother went to Vietnam and came back with agent orange and died so to remember him he’s left it the way his brother had it. I would do this to this car just because it’s what I remember seeing on the streets in the late 60’s.

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  5. Avatar doug6423

    If someone can turn a Mercedes Benz 600 into a El Camino style car, someone might as well take your idea and do it to this car. Just remove the back glass and use some plywood and duct tape :)

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    • Avatar Craig

      Duct tape & plywood = Red-neck engineering at its finest.

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  6. Avatar Big Mike

    I have a 66 Cuda, and it came with a slant 6 and auto tranny, originally white with white interior. I restored it some 20 years ago after buying it out of a shed in Buckhorn Missouri, yes there is a place in Missouri called Buckhorn. Gave 100.00 for it and 250.00 for the repairs to the shed after we messed up a wall getting it out of the shed (LONG STORY) but how the old man got it in that shed we will never know. Story was it was bought by a guy before he shipped out to Vietnam and then was stationed in Germany for some years and decided to stay in Germany, instead of having the car shipped overseas, he gave it to his folks, who never drove it, I learned about it from the Nephew of the original owner who got the farm after the folks passed away, and he did not want the car he wanted the room in the shed!!!!! The car showed 18K on it the first day I saw it, today it has a little over 45K
    The car was in good shape rust wise, but had to repaint it because the pigeon crap just ruined the paint, had the seats and headliner redone by a local guy, family of mice lived in it, replaced a lot of the wiring, I refreshed the motor and had the tranny gone over, and drive it today bout the only thing I have done to it is rust formed on the left front fender and I repaired it. I am going to take it on a RT 66 Mopar Cruise later this month weather permitting.

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    • Avatar Rod

      Very nice car you should be proud of it.

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    • Avatar Nova Scotian

      👍

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    • Avatar Glen

      I guess the nephew didn’t want to take on the project, but you did an excellent job on this. We have a Buckhorn here in Ontario, also.North of Peterborough.

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    • Avatar Frank M

      Buckhorn is barely a wide spot in the road. I live north of there. Growing up they said that the mayor and family make up most of the population. :)

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    • Avatar Brad Christenson

      Nice car
      My parents had one when I was growing up. A yellow 1966 barracuda with black pinstripes down thew sides. All black interior. Had the slant six motor. I liked the car. My big brother would scare the crap out of my younger sister and I. He would speed. We never wanted to sit in the front passengers seat. I want to restore one for a project car.

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  7. Avatar Gunner

    Great story Big Mike. This is why we are all a bunch of Gearheads! Thumbs up!

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  8. Avatar Anthony

    Nice looking car Big Mike…. I really like it in white…

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  9. Avatar David Montanbeau

    We’re restoring a 1966.

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    • Avatar Nova Scotian

      👍

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  10. Avatar RNR

    In the summer of ’65 I saw one of those “New 1966 Cars” preview magazines with “best guess” line drawings of the not yet released ’66’s. As a “MoPar Kid” one that really struck me was that of a Valiant pickup – in fact I cut down my AMT 66 Barracuda model pretty much like your illustration. I never finished it , but decades later became aware of the Australian Valiant “Ute”, which the preview mag undoubtedly assumed would come to the US. Google “Valiant Wayfarer” for pictures of what was a popular Aussie car/truck line.

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  11. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    Bargain

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  12. Avatar Greg Member

    I’m curious. Not being a Mopar guy: does the slant six make it off-balanced? I know other slant engines have been given a bad (and sometimes unfair) reputation.

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    • Avatar mark

      No balance issues with the Mopar slant 6. They made 2 versions of them I believe. A 198 Cubic Inch and the 225 Cubic Inch. They were all but bullet proof. They had a long stroke and it has been said the reason they laid them over was because they were to tall for the hoods to shut. They also are the easiest car ever to change the starter on.

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      • Avatar David Montanbeau

        And the hardest to work on the dist.

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    • Avatar Greg Member

      I have a 62 Pontiac Lemans with a slant four cylinder, 195ci four barrel engine. Folks always make fun of the engine and the rear transaxle setup, but I haven’t had any troubles with mine. Rock solid and fun to drive! It’s got a lot torque power and corners really well.
      I’ve had a thing for these early Barracudas for years. I’m in Cali so looking for one out here.

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  13. Avatar Chevelle Tim

    oh for the love of god , don’t hillbilly that cuda into a pick up truck …..DON”T DRINK AND CUSTOMIZE !!! (it never turns out well)

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    • Avatar mark

      “Hold my beer. Watch this”………………….

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    • Avatar Skloon

      Tell that to the Aussies, I know this is factory but is what I thought it would look like as a pickup

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  14. Avatar Rustytech Member

    The slant 6 was the most common engine found in these early Baracuda’s, they didn’t become “Cuda” until 1970. The 6 was one of the smoothest running 6’s around, so no the slant didn’t cause imbalance. I had a 67 with 273 V8 I’m my teens, I wrecked that one, would love to have one today, if I ever find one with free shipping I’ll be all over it.

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    • Avatar lawrence

      Actually 1969 was the first the Cuda name was attached.

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  15. Avatar David Montanbeau
  16. Avatar Glen

    If anyone removed that rear glass to turn one of these into a pick-up, they should be punished with extreme prejudice!

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  17. Avatar Larry

    Nice complete and rust free starting point. Unfortunately these don’t bring the kind of money their younger brothers do. Give it a good once over, make it dependable,and enjoy. A full restoration would probably put you underwater. Perhaps time will be kind to this body style. Nice car.

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  18. Avatar 77 vette

    My brother rolled a 66 into a ditch in the 80’s and somehow didn’t break the rear window. Our brother in law used it for parts on his Barracuda. Too bad it was a nice car with V-8 a/c and auto.

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  19. Avatar G.P. Member

    I bought a1967 Barracuda many years ago for 150.00. It was rust free, dent free and had a 340 transplant with auto. He ran out of money and masking tape, so it was painted tractor blue. All the chrome, windows etc. I took a razor blade and scraped the windshield off and drove it home. Every time I kicked that thing to the floor it took out second gear or the rear end. Good old DAYS.

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  20. Avatar Albert Gilliam

    Here is my time capsule 5000 mile 65. I like 64 65 better cause of grille and tailights

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    • Avatar Glen

      wow!!!!

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  21. Avatar Kevin Asbell

    if this was in my area, It would be sitting in my garage right now.

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  22. Avatar HotRod

    This is what my 66 Dart looks like now.The one above is when I found it in 2012. I tried to post but only the before pic would load yesterday..sighs

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  23. Avatar HotRod

    This site is tough to load pics up. The pic I posted yesterday was when I got it in 2012.

    Like 0

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