Say what you will about the proliferation of electronic gadgetry and its effects on the welfare of mankind, we are living in a golden age of automotive entertainment. I couldn’t care less about what’s streaming on Netflix or Hulu right now, because I’m too busy watching any number of wrench-wielding videographers documenting their time in the garage. Perhaps the most well-known is Derek Bieri, a YouTube star with 2.2 million followers who has built quite the impressive empire based on a Midwestern work ethic and downhome sense of humor. It’s hard not to respect what he’s done, and therefore, he’s the kind of celebrity many of us cherish in our corner of the world. His latest video, posted last Friday, featured this 1965 Plymouth Barracuda that he picked up in Florida. It took a bit of Slant Six detective work to get it back on the road, but he did, and now it’s being sold on eBay as a running and driving project. The current high bid reflects Mr. Bieri’s status in the community; with five days to go on the auction, it’s already at $7,100.
Being a Florida car, this Barracuda suffers from a unique set of issues compared to long-dormant cars we deal with up in the Great Lakes area. Namely, cars down there rust from the top down, and this one has rust on the hood’s leading edge, the cowl, underneath the trim, and on the trunk lid. It also needs carpeting. Badly. Derek Bieri has a high tolerance for automotive odors, but even he says that this one is pungent; in his typical mode of understatement, he says that it “doesn’t smell the greatest.” There aren’t any engine pictures posted on eBay, but the car has been well documented on the Vice Grip Garage channel, and it has a 225-cubic-inch Slant Six (145 horsepower) and a three-speed stick on the column (which would be an A-903 with a non-synchromesh first gear).
To get it back on the road, Derek performed the kind of maintenance that any Slant Six A-Body owner would be familiar with. He installed a new timing chain and gearset, wheel cylinders, master cylinder, brake hoses, ignition tune up parts (including a Mopar electronic ignition conversion), belts, hoses, a starter, a battery, and an alternator. Unfortunately, the starter sticks and the alternator is not charging, so it will need a little more detective work to be a reliable driver. (Derek thinks it needs an ignition switch and the field wire for the alternator, but he hasn’t had time to look into it. No joke, the guy pops up around the country doing various car things almost daily.)
Whether you watch Vice Grip Garage on YouTube or not, it’s nice to see a guy’s hard work pay off, and if his popularity can net a few extra dollars on a Barracuda, good for him. It’s certainly a car that could be a driver with a few extra dollars and time spent under the hood (and a carpet replacement). If you’re looking for a Barracuda with a little extra internet recognition, this might be the one for you.
BRING THE THUNDER!!! Sorry, just couldnt resist. I saw parts of this video but not the whole thing. One nice thing about Derek is he is a real person, and films these rescues in such a way that its realistic all the things you have to go through sometimes. ( I never have any brakes is one very realistic situation he contantly encounters). I hope this one goes to a good new home. And definitely gets fumigation and a new carpet at the least.
I remember when these first hit the road. A common term was the “Valiant Barracuda.” It was supposed to be the “Plymouth Barracuda.” Whatever, it looked a lot racier than our ’65 Dodge Polara stationwagon.
Our neighbor, in town, bought a gold colored one when they first came out. It was kind of strange. The house they lived in was a fugitive from a fire. I think there were places where you could throw a cat through the wall. They, the husband, wife, and two boys of middle school age lived in that shack. And they bought a new Barracuda. It just didn’t look right.
But I found out years later that there were lots of places in the country like that. I went to visit my cousins down in the Houston area and they took me for a tour of the eastern side. We saw shacks that were actually leaning over and parked out front were brand new Cadillacs. The cars were worth far more than the houses. Like, don’t you usually try to find a decent place to live, first?
Some of these shack/ homes could be multi-generational ‘family’ properties that are not worth fixing up or selling, as the multiple members share ownership, and stay on because they cannot afford to leave. The hotshot with the Cadillac could be the kingfish with actual earnings coming in,and paying the utilities.
Not saying they would want to leave, let it be understood.
I lived near a flood zone growing up. Almost every year there would be some kind of flooding. Small summer homes converted to year round use. Many of them we built up on stilts or very high foundations. They’d flood, and they’d get the insurance money, fix them up to be livable and you’d see a new Cadillac in the driveway. It didn’t fit to me as a kid. Wasn’t until I got older and my father told me what they were doing. Personally, I’d rather have a cheap car and a house that stays dry. But to each their own.
Okay, I resemble that statement. My house has window units and a Dearborn heater on a hose long enough to drag to whatever room I’m in, (why heat the whole house when you can only be in one room at a time?) If the house had wheels it would fit in my garage with room for two cars. Garage has central heat and air, two big screens, two lifts, a Murphy bed, a Corvette, Cadillac, 2wd truck, 4wd truck, one Electraglide, one Sportster, and a crotch rocket.
I always liked these, Plymouth sure made that “Grandma” Valiant look cool for not a lot of money. As a kid one of the neighbors had one of these, in black with a slant six and 3-on-the-tree for a work car. Their good car was a red ’68 Camaro convertible. I was in awe to say the least, my dad had a Rambler. When my older brother bought his 1st car I tried to get him to buy a ’65 Valiant convert. It was a creampuff with a 273 bucket seat and auto. with a floor shifter. No way was he going to drive a Valiant. I always thought they should have put the Barracuda badge on them and sold them as Barracuda convertibles instead. This one looks pretty good, I just hope the rust isn’t too deep.
I’m a fan of Derek and watched the Barracuda episode(both of them)and what he’s done with this car is great. Sadly, this thing has rust in spots that would require a lot of work to fix. The last truck he put on The Bay, he pulled down, due to the crazies out there bidding it up to way more than it was worth. Hope the same doesn’t happen to this one.
Hey cool…just watched the latest episode on this last night.
I know what a vise grip is, but could someone explain to me what a “vice” grip is? Is it something used in law enforcement?? /s LOL!! :-)
He spells it that way to avoid copyright infringement.
A vice grip is when you finally get a handle on your bad habits.
Love Derek and his family. He seems to have great relationships with his kids. That said, the beater is so rusted in so many difficult place to remediate that it really should be a parts car for a better bodied effort. Rust never sleeps. The bidding price is beyond stupid.
Florida car with rust and a really foul smell? Sounds like it could be flood damage.
I pass.
Love his show, and the qips he comes up with from unscripted mishaps…
My dad had one of these with a small V8 and torqueflite automatic with a floor shift and console. Nice tight peppy little car that never gave him any trouble.
I learned how to drive on a 65 ! 3 on tree, slant six Barracuda. Gold and gold interior.
Dad never liked cars that were “hard on gas”
Me ? I’d take a V8. And a clutch.
I enjoy Derek and his “adventures”. I have had 2 of these Baracudas. A 1964 where the back emblems were both Valiant and Baracuda. So Valiant Baracuda is not an improper name. A rusty Florida car is not for me. Even an ocean area car in the west can get really bad tin worm in the strangest places. I bought and SVO Mustang for parts from a southern CA by the ocean location. Bottom was excellent. But the top was rusted through. (badly) I also went to look at a VW bus for my brother in law in Santa Cruz. From the belt line up anywhere on the body, I could have put my fist through easily. Below that area where most of these rust. It was spotless and like new. So I have a soft spot in my head for these old ‘Cudas. I sold my last one in 1979 to buy a new Dodge van to be a tow and service vehicle for my rally car. The ‘Cuda and not yet reached the 40,000 mile mark. It had belonged to an older gentleman who lived in Highland Park Illinois and just drove it the 2 miles to the train station everyday. It was very clean with no rust.
The hub/poverty caps on this car are not original. They are the same style as these, but not with the holes. These are from a later year police package car. (Trying to get the hubs/wheels/brakes cooler from too small of brakes getting overheated.)
The brain keeps remembering this useless info. Sorry to bore you with. It happens when you get old!
Wayne– In addition, the full covers would be more prone to fly off by the shock of hitting curbs or potholes and could make an irritating chirping sound at low speeds.
The fame factor has pushed the price up. That’s a shame, because this could be a fun little car, but someone is willing to overpay because it was on tv. Now they’ll be in it too deep to enjoy. Love the show, and Derek needs to sell a lot of cars off. I hope people can get over the fame of them, because I don’t think most of his cars are in good enough condition to bring big money. That’s always been my draw to his show.
I hope he pulls the auction again like he did the Ford pickup. People bid crazy high like this one and he ended up selling it for $2850.
That’s a car a feller’d sure like ta have. That shift machine is hotter than Shania Twain the ’90s!
VG…..what a joke but a lot of people are laughing…..car is worth about $4000 tops with all it’s issues but nice lipstick.
Beautiful looking car. I love the 1965-70 Plymouth Cuda.