The Plymouth Barracuda debuted just 17 days before the Ford Mustang in April of 1964. And got totally lost in all the furor that the popular Mustang brought with it. The genre was even named after the Mustang, aka “pony car.” The 1964-66 Barracuda was only offered as a fastback, while the Mustang could be had in three varieties. This 1965 edition of the Barracuda ran when it was parked in 1991, so it’s going to need an extreme makeover. Located in Florissant, Colorado, this Slant-Six project is available here on craigslist for $5,100.
When the Barracuda arrived mid-year, it was still considered a 1964 model. In contrast, all Mustangs produced between March 1964 and August 1965 were considered 1965 models (even though some people refer to the earlier ones as 1964 1/2s). The Barracuda fastback had a wraparound rear window, far more pronounced than the Ford’s when it debuted six months later. During its first three years, Plymouth managed to produce 126,000 copies of the Barracuda. But hardly anyone noticed as Ford delivered nearly 1.3 million Mustangs in the same period.
This Mopar may have been a Colorado car all its life, sold new in Colorado Springs. It was a basic Barracuda in that a Slant-Six came with it when new, probably 225 cubic inches. Numbers matching, it’s still in the car though not operable, and paired with a TorqueFlite automatic transmission (floor shifted with a console). The car didn’t quite reach the 100k mileage mark, stopping short at 97,900. There is no fluid in the transmission as the pan was removed, then reinstalled.
Finished in Copper Metallic paint, it was redone many moons ago, and rust is present in places like the rear quarter panels. The interior is original, but time has taken its toll, so most of it will need to be redone (seats, carpeting, dash pad, etc.). The Plymouth wears vintage slotted mag wheels, and we’re told the tires are 50 years old but have no dry rot due to separate dry storage. In a sea of 1965 Mustangs, wouldn’t a revived Barracuda be quite the standout? Kudos to Barn Finder Barney for the tip!
Leave A Comment