Heated Garage Survivor: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda

Long-term indoor storage is always a great plus for any classic, and this 1965 Plymouth Barracuda hits the jackpot. This particular offering had been stowed away in a heated garage for approximately 40 years, meaning it likely has far less cold-start wear and tear than other similarly-aged vehicles. The offering also benefits from a rebuilt 273 cubic-inch V-8 engine. If you are looking for a clean, running early-generation Barracuda that you can readily enjoy while finishing up minor details, this could be a great candidate. You can find it here on Craigslist, out of Powell River, British Columbia.

The 1965 Plymouth Barracuda was designed to be a sportier or performance-oriented version of the Plymouth Valiant, which was a compact everyday car. It was designed as a two-door fastback coupe with a characteristic wrap-around rear glass. Under the hood, the Barracuda can feature two versions of a 273 cu in V-8 engine. The more aggressive one being the 4-barrel ‘Commando’ engine. This particular Barracuda’s engine started out with a 2-barrel carburetor, but in 2016 it was rebuilt, now featuring a 4-barrel. They also added a true dual exhaust. This iteration has a more aggressive camshaft and a higher 10.5:1 compression ratio than the Valiant’s Slant-6, delivering sharper throttle response and superior torque and horsepower than a standard factory setup.

Its 4-barrel carburettor allows the engine to draw in more fuel and air when more power is needed. Two barrels are active during normal cruising, and the other two barrels are secondary, meaning that they only engage under heavy acceleration. As a result, this engine delivers crisp, low-end response while cruising, and high-end power surges under full acceleration when the secondaries are engaged.
The seller also mentions no rust, which is great. Early A-body Chrysler platforms like the one that underpins this car have been prone to rust. In this case, the vehicle was kept in a clean, temperature-controlled environment. The car is finished in blue, and while the seller notes that the car is not perfect, it appears to be in nice, clean condition overall.

Inside, the cabin benefits from brand-new carpeting. The rest of the interior details aren’t deeply elaborated on in the ad, but the seller does mention that the car comes bundled with some great extra parts to help the next owner continue its restoration, including a spare back window and a front disc brake conversion kit sourced from an old Dodge Dart. Before getting too carried away, treat the ‘no rust’ claim as a starting point rather than a guarantee. An in-person inspection is essential though. You should also ask receipts and details on the 2016 engine rebuild and four-barrel conversion. After 40 years in a heated garage, and a rebuilt V8, it’s certainly tempting, but does it tick enough boxes to end your search, or is it worth holding out to see if a better early A-body comes along?