I bought a '64 Barracuda with a broken rear window. Twenty years prior to this I had scrapped a '66 Barracuda and gave the rear window to the auto wreckers. It was still there when I needed it.
Being an 8 year old car nut in 1964 I remember the Barracuda intro quite well. Number one it took the Valiant from mild to wild overnight. Valiant's were seen as grandma & grandpa's cars before that. What I really remember was the first gen Barracuda "Hemi Under Glass" exhibition wheel stand car. While I never saw it in person I saw it several times in pictures and also on TV back when ABC's Wide World of Sports used to cover NHRA's Nationals. I wasn't a baseball or football fan but I never missed motorsports on TV back then. It was fun because one of my much older cousin's husband had been a semi pro drag racer out of L.A. back then so I used to get some of the inside info from time to time.
I was never into the normal sports either ' just an obsession with cars ' my mother told me that I was making engine sounds before I could talk properly ' I was born in 1964 in New Zealand 'if you found it tough to see much racing on TV ' imagine what it was like here in a nation obsessed with Rugby and Cricket ' and only one tv channel . But one thing I cherished was sometimes if there was a delay in being able to broadcast a live Rugby match , they'd show some film of NASCAR racing in America ' I was in my element , for a while . 🙂
Hi Steve, great video on this Plymouth Barracuda. That back window, if not broken or cloudy, will be gone by the end of the day, thanks to this video. Have a blessed day everyone 🤙🏼 Namaste 🙏🏼
@@danw6014 Hello Tom Wesley, Thanks for watching and writing. I agree that the Barracuda's massive "backlite" was stunning. I think the 1984 C4 Corvette's equally impressive hatchback glass finally broke Plymouth's record as the largest single piece of glass in a mass-produced setting. Either way, that's a bunch of glass that must have posed some major challenges at the factory regarding safe storage and installation techniques! Thanks again for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante I know that John Schinella of Pontiac fame mentioned that when he visited the assembly plants (either Van Nuys, CA or Norwood, OH) during the 2nd generation era of the hood birds, he said in effect, "The workers were not happy having to install them. The did it in a dark corner of the plant and after they removed the substrate from the decal, they had piles of the scrap in the cans nearby. Then I watched the hoods of every color and decal combination going down the line to meet the cars. I said to Martin Cesario, the manager at Pontiac at the time, 'I think we have something here'". How right Mr. Schinella was. If you look up his remarks on the matter on YT under the 2009 Trans Am Nationals, he gives a speech about it. At the end of the day, Mr. Schinella is a very down-to-earth man and said, "I said to management that we needed to do this. Make it an option. I told them we needed to do it for you, the enthusiast".
Always liked the looks of the early baracudas ... my first grade teacher drove a black one with red interior and she was an attractive lady... young boys just dont forget things like that, right Steve !?! More great drag racing history about Petty.. i didn't know the tragic history of the Jr drag car. Dont miss an episode folks, Prof. Mags class is in session !!!
Friend bought one from older lady in neighborhood. It had that push button auto trans. He hated that! Sold it to his sister who drove it for years. He bought a Duster Twister with a 340, it was in a collision and needed some front end work that he, his father, and I performed. I remember wet sanding it for painting the whole car. His dad was a pattern maker for Chrysler in Highland Park. That helped a lot him teaching us about detailing for paint, and getting the original twister decals etc. Great times in Detroit!!
My moms best friend bought one of these brand new. It was an S model with the 273 auto. Maroon with black interior. Sitting in that back seat was like being ants under a magnifying glass. 😂
Wow - that was a lopsided sales battle! Actually surprised Mopar couldn’t have moved a few more of those Barracuda’s given the charming good looks, but I guess the Mustang was just an avalanche that nobody could stand in the way of those first few years! A longtime coworker of mine worked on Petty’s pit crew during the 70’s and into the 80’s and said Richard would burn through a Sharpie or two every single day just signing stuff for random people he would meet throughout the day…….🖊
If Chrysler wanted more sales they should have offered the 318 2bbl and 4bbl as a optional V8. They could sold more than the first Mustang if they also had a drop top model, but that did'nt come along until 67 model. Still really cool cars.
@@markreisen7038 In 1964 the only LA engine available was the 273. The LA 318 and 340 didn't appear until the 1968 model year, and the "poly" engines were considered too bulky and heavy to allow easy fitment in the relatively narrow engine bay of an early A-body. Eventually (in 1967) Chrysler widened the A-body, which allowed them to fit the B- and RB-series big-blocks and the 426 Hemi.
Wild info, I actually have a 64 Plymouth Valiant sitting in my yard as we speak. It's a one owner my Grandmother who lived in Rabun County Ga. Bought at Buckhead Chrysler/ Plymouth back in 64. I love thar car. It needs going through but finding time will be the question.
Love the mopar & Petty history, Steve.! This car brings back memories! One of the first cars I painted back then was a 64 or 65 barracuda, 273 4 speed. It was gold metallic w/ gold interior. The guy didn't like the gold, so we painted it dk. Brown mettalic. It looked beautiful and he loved it. I remember test driving it, and loved it. First and only one I ever drove.! Thanks Steve. !
Dark brown metallic was rarely used except on big sedans back then. We painted two cars in 76 with a GM "firemist" brown, which had gold flakes instead of silver. A Duster, and an MG Midget with the leftover paint. We were surprised at how good they looked
@@robertmoffett3486 I remember the GM firemist colors - painted quite a few of those back then, too. The big Caddilacs had the best looking colors back then. ! We used a lot of R-M lacquer in those days! It matched the best.!
@@kevinsnyder4425 Agreed. They had a deep red we used on our friend's gold Monte when someone shot it full of holes. Had to change the color that day. That Cadillac color was a huge improvement
My family had a blue one in Mass when I was a kid. Carpeted flat floor from rear bumper to front seat backs was great to lay on to watch the sky through that giant glass. Trunk hinges were crappy cast pot metal and broke very early (probably why yours are missing).
i remember a light blue one sitting in a driveway in southern MA, near Riverside I think. Can't remember the town, but there was a mountain range behind it.
I have a '65 light blue Barracuda (factory 273 auto console shifter) but it had a 318 when we bought it last year. We got all mechanicals fixed, upgraded to dual master cylinder and front disc brakes from Scarebird. Replaced rear quarters and front floorboards. Ready for bodywork and paint! All new rubber, gaskets and grommets will go in. I can't wait for the weather to clear up so we can continue resto-modding it.
Thanks Steve. I worked at a car wash next door to a Plymouth dealer in High School. When they got a truck load of cars in, they would send them over to send thru car wash. We got to drive them during part of the wash cycle. Always fun, exciting and the new car smell enticing. Most of the Barracudas seemed to have that slant 6. 🙏🏻😎
Steve, Another fascinating report on a great car. I was surprised that you didn't mention the Hemi Under Glass. I worked for George Hurst in those days.
I've heard that the first Hemi under glass ' was originally an experimental road course racing car , but they couldn't stop it from doing wheelies . If they fitted an aluminum Hemi , or a small block it may have had a future in road racing ?
Southeastern International Dragway was located in Dallas, Georgia, and was an extremely popular local and southern match-racing track for decades before shutting down in the early 2000's. It started as a 1/4 mile track but shifted to 1/8th mile racing like a lot of other smaller tracks. Sadly, it sat vacant for years, until very recently, when earth moving equipment moved in and started the demolition of the property. It will either be another shopping/retail area or housing. It was my "local track" until its demise. With the closing of Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA, there are no dragstrips left in the metro-Atlanta area. The closest ones are in the Macon area south of Atlanta, or up interstate 75 close to the Tennessee border.
Detroit, which was once the motor City has gone the same way. Detroit dragway was one of the major race tracks in the country, until Urban expansion came out close enough to the track that people complained and they were forced to close it down. That track used to hold national events. Now, I have to go about fifty miles to go to what I consider a farm field race track, where it's rare to see cars faster than 12 seconds. The closest what I consider real track, would be driving 72 Mi to Milan dragway, to see fast race cars.
My Grandmother had that exact car. I remember as a kid riding on the back and baking in that huge back window glass😮. She traded it in for a gold 4 door Valiant.
I learned to drive at 13 years old, in my grandads 1968 Barracuda, and built a Cuda clone in 2005 from a 1974 Barracuda. My favorite all time ride. In 1964 my parents took me to Pacific Ocean park in Cali. I remember a 1964 rotating on a platform at the entrance to the park
My parents bought a used a red on red with a 273 4bbl around 1967 and it was my moms grocery getter. I remember going to the drive-in movies, A&W for burgers and the beach with my buddies riding under that rear glass.
In Canada, prior to the 1965 Autopact agreement, The Barracuda was introduced as a "Valiant" model not as "Plymouth". They were built in Windsor, Ontario,Canada assembly plant to avoid heavy import tarriffs.
Funny memory, first-grade in San Francisco in '66 and a classmate and I decided we each wanted to be a bachelor and drive a Barracuda. Not sure what we were thinking but I guess it was we had to choose between a girl and a cool car. 😀
I always felt that had the Barracuda survived to the 1977 model year, Heart's song "Barracuda" would have been a perfect theme song. The song is about the band's anger to Mushroom Records over them alleging that Nancy and Ann Wilson (who are sisters) had an intimate relationship. No VIN, can't win, but easy to figure out, no doubt: 3 for Plymouth V8, 4 for Barracuda, 4 for 1964 model year, 1 or 3 for Detroit, MI assembly (Dodge Main/Hamtramck, MI assembly which operated from 1911 to 1980), or 5 for Los Angeles, CA assembly (Maywood, closed in 1971), or 7 for St. Louis, MO assembly (Fenton, which operated from 1959 to 2009), and the rest is the production sequence. No tag, can't brag, but easy to figure out, no doubt: 149 or V49 for Barracuda (on the Valiant Signet line), P4X for Black interior trim, possible code "C" for Light Blue exterior paint or code "J" for Light Turquoise exterior paint, AB31 for 273 V8 with two barrel, aka "The Little Engine that Could", D-5 for automatic transmission, among other codes.
@@googleusergp Maybe "Dog and Butterfly" could be remade into "Dog and Barracuda" with Queen Katie of Bernardston starring in the music video? -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante LOL. I think the song would have been a great theme song for the car. If you think about it, the song is hard driving and typical of 1970s "hard rock" and more than likely what a Barracuda owner would be listening to on the radio at the time they owned it. Ann Wilson has a strong voice and she was an excellent lead vocalist, among others at the time (Stevie Nicks, Chrissie Hynde, Linda Ronstadt, later on Dale Krantz-Rossington and others).
Yes Steve did a great presentation on this one. As the owner of a 1966 V8 Barracuda, I knew exactly what these came equipped with 64, and the changes to 66. Mine has 10" drums, which were standard on the 273 cars. 1966 has the barracuda logo above the deck lid, while this 64 is a Valiant logo. So glad to have a column shift TorqueFlite, these cable operated push buttons were a nightmare, almost as bad as 58 Edsel's TeleTouch. As far as cable throttle, that may have been a 64 only thing. My 66 has a rod and linkage to the Carter 2 barrel. That back window alone is worth probably $500. My fear of parking under trees with it! Wish we did have the VIN to win. I hope that glass makes its way to someone in need, and not broken, or myself and many early A body Mopar fastback guys will be very, very, very, very, very upset!
A school friend 's Dad purchased a '66, was late for work, sped through the parking lot aiming for an open spot only to find a Volkswagan Beetle at the front of the space, totaled both cars. Noticed on the AMT art work they showed the taillights in the bumper ends not the quarter panels.
I had the 1965 formula s with 273 commando hurst 4 on the floor a light blue metallic paint and white rally stripe. It had a crappy lacquer repaint. otherwise, all original with factory tac and am radio drove it a few years in the summer paid 800 for it at a dealer car auction in 1995 it needed. a restoration and seeing i would more than likely never have the money to do it right i sold it on the Evel Bay for 2200 while it was still a nice piece with no real rot on it living in upstate NY it would have been in pretty sad shape by now had I kept it. I'm getting a little rusty myself as i hit the 6-decade mark last month love your videos and knowledge keep up the great work.
They're thought of as looking odd by a lot of people ' but when I look at old photos of the first HEMI under glass ' that's pure styling . That stylish nose on the 64 Barracuda 'is very similar to what our Australian AP6 Valiants for 1965 and 1966 have.
My brother bought a brand new 65 formula S with the 273 commando and a 4 speed. The window sticker I remember clearly and it said $ 4,198.00. it had every option as I recall. Factory tach, fold down rear seat and tinted rear glass. I bought it years later after he balanced and blueprinted the 273 and installed an 8 3/4 rear end with 4.56 ring and pinion. It was a strong running 12 sec 1/4 mile car and a strong running street racer too in 1968. Dusted many 396 Chevelles in my town. The only draw back was the 273 had a habit of bending pushods under drag strip use.
That rear window was the single largest piece of glass ever installed in a production car up to that time, or so I read somewhere. I'm sure someone somewhere is on the hunt for that one. Always wanted a '65 model myself after seeing the movie The Wraith. Always thought Skank's 'Cuda was just so cool before it got rolled.
I had one the exact same color. Mine was #13 off the assembly line and dealer optioned as Plymouth did at that time. I bought it in 1976 over a 1969 Karman Ghia, paid $500. It burned totally to the ground in 1989 in a garage fire. The first 20 "APRIL 1ST 1964" #13" Was stenciled on the inside of the driver's side door card. This is what my car said.
That's a great "fish story" (pardon my pun). Early production cars must have been just as exciting to the folks who MADE them as they were to the buying public. No doubt the line workers had some fun personalizing it. So sorry your #13 was lost! Thanks for sharing, Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante Workers used to put all sorts of notes on cars back then. When they got a hold of one worker he stated, "I used to calculate my overtime hours and put them on the cars. People thought they meant something. In reality, it was me doing my quick math". LOL. It was rumored that during the 1977 Pontiac Cam Am transitions at Motortown that when original cars were dismantled later on, they'd find markings on them put there by the workers. One said if I have it right, "I'm a darkie from the dark side". No doubt some "liquid courage" and other elements came to play, especially during that time in 1976-1977. My coworker worked for a Cadillac dealer in the 1980s (the same one that Run DMC used to bring their cars to) and he once had a car that died bringing it into the service bay. He took the engine apart to find a fist full of extra pushrods thrown into the engine before it was put together. Another time a customer complained of a nasty smell in a new Cadillac. They traced it to the door panel area and opened it up to find a rotten sandwich thrown into the door before it was assembled. The best part? The "noise and squeak" guy at the dealership was deaf. I kid you not........
My great grandmother on my dad side ordered new 1965 barracuda 273 2bl 3 sp 904 floor shifter . Power steering and power brakes. Tan paint. Black vinyl interior. Gave it to my dad on his 14th birthday. In 1980 same month and day of the barracuda birthday i was born. The car i refer as my older sister still lives well in my garage. Only big changes over the years dad changed paint to white. I put a 4 bl 600 edlebrock and a 340 cam to make it sound like it looks. When i was 5 my dad put together a 66 formula s for my mom with original 273 conmando. And posi 7 1/4 rear. Funny dad was the car guy but mom got the muscle of the 2. In 89. In the middle of jan living in cow County South Jersey. Heading to work mom Black ice and spun hitting every corner of the but did not break any glass. Saved the rear window to this day.
When I was 9-10 there was a Plymouth startup dealership next door to my house in Montgomery City, Missouri and they had one that looked exactly like this car except, had a blue interior. I was allowed to get in the back of it with the seat folded down. It was a cool car.
Thank you Steve for educating us automotive enthusiasts while also being entertained with these great videos, I thought I knew a lot about cars, but I've come to find out that I know nothing in comparison to you Steve, you're the man when It comes to automotive history and thank you for what you do!!!
Enjoyed this video way to much , great history on the king Richard Petty, a lot of facts on the Barracuda that l wasn't aware of ,my parents bought a 64 Valiant new that year remember that car didn't know about the Barracuda I was only 4years old knew about them later as a teen.👍😎
....wow !...thanks for sorting this car out,,,,,who knew it's a valiant???...king Kong hemi???...what!..tnx,land o' lakes,wi....,,,,.......... I have been schooled ...........great model too.
You guys are lucky on the east coast, apparently. In Wisconsin, we still got snow up the a$$. Up in Tomahawk where my summer house is, we got 18" of fresh snow on Friday. I'm surprised it's all gone in Mass.
We had a minor "heat wave" last week that zonked all but the highest drifts. But yesterday I was at the outdoor Stafford Springs Raceway annual spring swap meet and it was blustery with a few snow flurries thrown in! Its only the first week of April, we still could get a major snow storm. Hope not but.... Also hope your snow melts and spring "springs" soon in Wisconsin! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
My absolute favorite car-that I wish I still owned to this day. Mine wasn't even slightly stock but it did run a few thousand mile on the street along with the strip. I also owned a '67 GT that was slightly faster than the '64 Barracuda, but if I had a choice between the two I'd pick the Barracuda to have in the garage.
The Barracuda was sold in Mexico but with only 1 engine, the 225 slant 6. In 1965 the Valiant Acapulco was offered with the Barracuda front end which made it look really good.
That's interesting ,was it exactly a Barracuda grille on the Acapulco ' our Australian Valiants for '65 and '66 have a grille that's similar to a '64 Barracuda. 👍
@@barrycuda3769 Yes I believe it is the exact Barracuda grille. Chrysler Mexico had the two styles. There was no reason to change it up which would cost more money. From the front you can't tell it is not a Barracuda. I can tell by your name you like the Barracuda a little.
@@mexicanspec yeah I looked up a you tube video of the Acapulco ,and that's a Barracuda front alright. In Mexico , did the '65 Valiant come with a 273 v8 as an option? They did in Australia and New Zealand ' but not in huge numbers ' and now are very sought after and getting expensive.
@@barrycuda3769 No, a V8 wasn't available in a Chrysler car until 1974. The 225 Slant 6 was the only engine put in all the cars. I have a Mexican Spec 1963 Plymouth Savoy, videos on my channel, that has the 225 Slant.
@@barrycuda3769 Also, Ford was the only car company that was either allowed, or had available to use, a V8. All Chevys and Chrysler products at the time were all 6 cylinders.
I had 1 same color slant 6 in 1979 lived in Fresno at the time rust free . Fun car to drive beat the snot out of it non stop neutral drops. Bought a 1970 Monte Carlo the need a transmission so I drove the molar to the junkyard and traded it for a transmission. Wish I still had that Chevy
I bought my V8 '64 in 2000 in CA, still have it, has been resting for the last 15 or so years but soon to be woken up with a complete resto' and the addition of a warm 340. Long live the Barracuda!
Those early 273 engines (64-65) have a different intake manifold-to-cylinder head bolt angle than 66 and up engines. Something to be mindful of if you're doing an intake but not a head swap.
My friend had a 1965 Barracuda when we were in HS in the late 1070's. The myth was that, if you drove fast enough, with all the windows down, the built up air pressure would pop the rear window out. He never tested the theory, although we often tried to shaming him into doing so.
Since watching this video , it jogged my memory about the following, in the early '90s, A car salesman told me that when he worked at the" Gardner motors" Chrysler dealership in Dunedin 'New Zealand ' in the 1960's , a customer specially ordered a right hand drive Plymouth Barracuda sometime around 1964 to 1966 ' this dealership sold Valiant's but we did not get Barracuda 's in nz (that I knew of ). Iv'e always wondered if it was true ' if so maybe it came from the Australian Chrysler plant ? Maybe they did a few of them ? ' it would be interesting to find out . I know that Ford Australia turned out some right hand drive Mustangs .
Excellent episode! The only thing I heard that was a little off was about the K member, 62-66a bodies all use the same K member whether it was a slant 6 or the 64-66 V8 cars, only difference were the mounts and brackets. 😁
How is it that the rear glass is still there and intact? I am surprised that it's not damaged, broken, or removed. I am sure if it was removed it would bring a substantial return.
I never cared for that body style..Always thought they were ugly..That being said I had a Plymouth Barracuda...A 1974 in fact..Bought it just out of school in 1977 .Now that was a great looking car..I got a lot of compliments with that car.. It was Blue with White stripes, and White interior .Added air shocks ET mags 50 series tires..And of course an FM radio converter popular at that time if you only had an AM radio..Kept it for a couple years.Yea I still wish I had it....Traded it for a 1978 F150 Step side 4 wheel drive pickup in 1979..Winters weren't very kind to those 2 years that I had that Barracuda..
In restoring my late brother-in-law's '65, which I inherited a couple of years ago, I could not find a replacement 273 so I dropped a 318 in it. The added torque and hp made it advisable for me to put discs on the front as the drums weren't up to the job. It is super fun to blast around in and actually is a head-turner everywhere I go.
I like original barracuda. The 1968 redesign too. Remember seeing a big back window early cuda by the side of the highway , was there for years... Such a distinct 1960s looking machine.
I never heard the LA SBM to mean "Light A", I always understood it to refer to "Late A"--to differentiate it from the earlier poly spherical "A" motor (although I understand the LA IS a lighter casting than the A) Am I wrong?
The `64 Barracuda had the narrow hairpins on the front fenders as shown, that the same year Valiant models did not have. Only `63 & `64 Valiants had the wide hairpins. In `65 Valiant had the same narrow hairpins as the `64 & `65 Barracudas. (If you ever see a `64 or `65 Barracuda with the wide hairpin front fenders, it was likely wrecked and they were replaced with what fit at the time.) Although `65 did not have the Valiant name badge on the deck lid as shown, the Valiant V medallion remained beneath the rear window until `66 when Barracuda became it's own model and replaced by the fish medallion. Though some `66s snuck through production with the remaining Valiant V medallions until they were used up. Some `65 Barracudas had Plymouth spelled out in block letters on the deck lid instead of the Valiant script badge, except for Canada, which some had Valiant in block letters instead of Plymouth. `64 Barracudas had round reverse lights while the Valiants had square. In `65 Valiant and Barracuda shared the round reverse lights. In `66 both went to rectangular, horizontal reverse lights.
Update from the guy who literally wrote the Barracuda book, Roger Kizor. He corrected me on some items. "Only the 64 Barracudas sold in the US had the Valiant script on the panel under the trunk, above the bumper, on the right side. And not all of them, those cars that did also had a front Barracuda script with a long tail on the last a. All 64/65 Canadian assembled Barracudas had Valiant block letters on the trunk, not Plymouth. The 66 rear window V trim vs the Fish in Circle was a calculated change, not an install until parts ran out. They were changed to coincide with the national roll out of the factory sponsored National Barracuda Owners Club." And from Daniel Pierson: "1966 Valiant and Barracuda have completely different backup lenses than each other Barracuda is in the middle Valiant is at the bottom."
Lol, my brother and I weren’t the only ones to call them “Baccarudas” (kindly, of course). There’s one in town that’s the same color as this one was, but has a 225/3 speed column shift. It’s shiny and not rusty, though. It would suit me perfectly fine.
Don't forget the A.M.C. Marlin! Love your channel Steve, cheers from Canada.
I bought a '64 Barracuda with a broken rear window. Twenty years prior to this I had scrapped a '66 Barracuda and gave the rear window to the auto wreckers. It was still there when I needed it.
If the Barracuda became more popular than the Mustang, the genre would be 'Fish Cars', instead of 'Pony Cars'
Well, thank God the Mustang won the sales battle then……😂
That's funny
And then we'd have had the Chevy Codmaro
Pontiac Fireperch
Catfish-camaro owner here, so i dont see a problem😅
That back glass is like gold to a restorer! Try to find one today!
Love the big back glass on those
Being an 8 year old car nut in 1964 I remember the Barracuda intro quite well. Number one it took the Valiant from mild to wild overnight. Valiant's were seen as grandma & grandpa's cars before that. What I really remember was the first gen Barracuda "Hemi Under Glass" exhibition wheel stand car. While I never saw it in person I saw it several times in pictures and also on TV back when ABC's Wide World of Sports used to cover NHRA's Nationals. I wasn't a baseball or football fan but I never missed motorsports on TV back then. It was fun because one of my much older cousin's husband had been a semi pro drag racer out of L.A. back then so I used to get some of the inside info from time to time.
As soon as the TV-Guide came out each week, I would be checking The Wide World of Sports listing for Saturday.
I was never into the normal sports either ' just an obsession with cars ' my mother told me that I was making engine sounds before I could talk properly ' I was born in 1964 in New Zealand 'if you found it tough to see much racing on TV ' imagine what it was like here in a nation obsessed with Rugby and Cricket ' and only one tv channel . But one thing I cherished was sometimes if there was a delay in being able to broadcast a live Rugby match , they'd show some film of NASCAR racing in America ' I was in my element , for a while . 🙂
Hi Steve, great video on this Plymouth Barracuda. That back window, if not broken or cloudy, will be gone by the end of the day, thanks to this video. Have a blessed day everyone 🤙🏼 Namaste 🙏🏼
The glass is certainly a work of art, must have been a challenge translating from design stage to production, and I would think rather costly.
@@tomwesley7884 I have heard that it was the largest single piece of glass ever put in a production car.
@@tomwesley7884 Thank PPG (I think) for that. PPG usually supplied a lot of glass to Chrysler back in the day.
@@danw6014 Hello Tom Wesley, Thanks for watching and writing. I agree that the Barracuda's massive "backlite" was stunning. I think the 1984 C4 Corvette's equally impressive hatchback glass finally broke Plymouth's record as the largest single piece of glass in a mass-produced setting. Either way, that's a bunch of glass that must have posed some major challenges at the factory regarding safe storage and installation techniques! Thanks again for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante I know that John Schinella of Pontiac fame mentioned that when he visited the assembly plants (either Van Nuys, CA or Norwood, OH) during the 2nd generation era of the hood birds, he said in effect, "The workers were not happy having to install them. The did it in a dark corner of the plant and after they removed the substrate from the decal, they had piles of the scrap in the cans nearby. Then I watched the hoods of every color and decal combination going down the line to meet the cars. I said to Martin Cesario, the manager at Pontiac at the time, 'I think we have something here'". How right Mr. Schinella was. If you look up his remarks on the matter on YT under the 2009 Trans Am Nationals, he gives a speech about it.
At the end of the day, Mr. Schinella is a very down-to-earth man and said, "I said to management that we needed to do this. Make it an option. I told them we needed to do it for you, the enthusiast".
Mr. B. Here ! Morning Mags ! MOPAR guys sorry was not feeling well yesterday ! Steve I builded that model , and very informative, thank you ! 😊😊😊😊
Morning
@@tomwesley7884 Mr. B. Here ! Morning to you sir ! Hope the sun is out by you ? Sunny in Long Island , & have a good day !
Lot's of History in this Great video, Steve. 👍
Always liked the looks of the early baracudas ... my first grade teacher drove a black one with red interior and she was an attractive lady... young boys just dont forget things like that, right Steve !?! More great drag racing history about Petty.. i didn't know the tragic history of the Jr drag car. Dont miss an episode folks, Prof. Mags class is in session !!!
Ms. Fonz from St. Mary’s Elementary School circa 1976 with her sporty Ford Torino……..🤔
Great video Steve, I learn a lot from you, thank you and God bless you and your family.
Friend bought one from older lady in neighborhood. It had that push button auto trans. He hated that! Sold it to his sister who drove it for years. He bought a Duster Twister with a 340, it was in a collision and needed some front end work that he, his father, and I performed. I remember wet sanding it for painting the whole car. His dad was a pattern maker for Chrysler in Highland Park. That helped a lot him teaching us about detailing for paint, and getting the original twister decals etc. Great times in Detroit!!
Always thought the Duster Twister was only available with a six or a 318.
Never heard of a 340 Twister before.
My moms best friend bought one of these brand new. It was an S model with the 273 auto. Maroon with black interior. Sitting in that back seat was like being ants under a magnifying glass. 😂
I've always wanted a Valiant Barracuda! That rear window is worth a fortune!!
Wow - that was a lopsided sales battle! Actually surprised Mopar couldn’t have moved a few more of those Barracuda’s given the charming good looks, but I guess the Mustang was just an avalanche that nobody could stand in the way of those first few years!
A longtime coworker of mine worked on Petty’s pit crew during the 70’s and into the 80’s and said Richard would burn through a Sharpie or two every single day just signing stuff for random people he would meet throughout the day…….🖊
And that is why he's 👑 Richard
He isn’t called “The King” for nuthin’……..
If Chrysler wanted more sales they should have offered the 318 2bbl and 4bbl as a optional V8. They could sold more than the first Mustang if they also had a drop top model, but that did'nt come along until 67 model. Still really cool cars.
@@markreisen7038 In 1964 the only LA engine available was the 273. The LA 318 and 340 didn't appear until the 1968 model year, and the "poly" engines were considered too bulky and heavy to allow easy fitment in the relatively narrow engine bay of an early A-body. Eventually (in 1967) Chrysler widened the A-body, which allowed them to fit the B- and RB-series big-blocks and the 426 Hemi.
Wild info, I actually have a 64 Plymouth Valiant sitting in my yard as we speak. It's a one owner my Grandmother who lived in Rabun County Ga. Bought at Buckhead Chrysler/ Plymouth back in 64. I love thar car. It needs going through but finding time will be the question.
Try to keep it out of the weather in the meantime. 👍
Love the mopar & Petty history, Steve.! This car brings back memories! One of the first cars I painted back then was a 64 or 65 barracuda, 273 4 speed. It was gold metallic w/ gold interior. The guy didn't like the gold, so we painted it dk. Brown mettalic. It looked beautiful and he loved it. I remember test driving it, and loved it. First and only one I ever drove.! Thanks Steve. !
Dark brown metallic was rarely used except on big sedans back then. We painted two cars in 76 with a GM "firemist" brown, which had gold flakes instead of silver. A Duster, and an MG Midget with the leftover paint. We were surprised at how good they looked
@@robertmoffett3486 I remember the GM firemist colors - painted quite a few of those back then, too. The big Caddilacs had the best looking colors back then. ! We used a lot of R-M lacquer in those days! It matched the best.!
@@kevinsnyder4425 Agreed. They had a deep red we used on our friend's gold Monte when someone shot it full of holes. Had to change the color that day. That Cadillac color was a huge improvement
My family had a blue one in Mass when I was a kid. Carpeted flat floor from rear bumper to front seat backs was great to lay on to watch the sky through that giant glass. Trunk hinges were crappy cast pot metal and broke very early (probably why yours are missing).
How times have changed
i remember a light blue one sitting in a driveway in southern MA, near Riverside I think. Can't remember the town, but there was a mountain range behind it.
I have a '65 light blue Barracuda (factory 273 auto console shifter) but it had a 318 when we bought it last year. We got all mechanicals fixed, upgraded to dual master cylinder and front disc brakes from Scarebird. Replaced rear quarters and front floorboards. Ready for bodywork and paint! All new rubber, gaskets and grommets will go in. I can't wait for the weather to clear up so we can continue resto-modding it.
Most of the trim parts on 60s cars are cast Zinc alloys. AKA Zamak. The various alloys have different strengths. One being close to mild steel.
That giant curved glass back window is now worth a mint!😮
Thanks Steve. I worked at a car wash next door to a Plymouth dealer in High School. When they got a truck load of cars in, they would send them over to send thru car wash. We got to drive them during part of the wash cycle. Always fun, exciting and the new car smell enticing. Most of the Barracudas seemed to have that slant 6. 🙏🏻😎
Steve, Another fascinating report on a great car. I was surprised that you didn't mention the Hemi Under Glass. I worked for George Hurst in those days.
I've heard that the first Hemi under glass ' was originally an experimental road course racing car , but they couldn't stop it from doing wheelies . If they fitted an aluminum Hemi , or a small block it may have had a future in road racing ?
Southeastern International Dragway was located in Dallas, Georgia, and was an extremely popular local and southern match-racing track for decades before shutting down in the early 2000's. It started as a 1/4 mile track but shifted to 1/8th mile racing like a lot of other smaller tracks. Sadly, it sat vacant for years, until very recently, when earth moving equipment moved in and started the demolition of the property. It will either be another shopping/retail area or housing.
It was my "local track" until its demise. With the closing of Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA, there are no dragstrips left in the metro-Atlanta area. The closest ones are in the Macon area south of Atlanta, or up interstate 75 close to the Tennessee border.
Detroit, which was once the motor City has gone the same way. Detroit dragway was one of the major race tracks in the country, until Urban expansion came out close enough to the track that people complained and they were forced to close it down. That track used to hold national events. Now, I have to go about fifty miles to go to what I consider a farm field race track, where it's rare to see cars faster than 12 seconds. The closest what I consider real track, would be driving 72 Mi to Milan dragway, to see fast race cars.
the valiant also spawned the duster and that eventally became its own line.
My Grandmother had that exact car. I remember as a kid riding on the back and baking in that huge back window glass😮. She traded it in for a gold 4 door Valiant.
I learned to drive at 13 years old, in my grandads 1968 Barracuda, and built a Cuda clone in 2005 from a 1974 Barracuda. My favorite all time ride. In 1964 my parents took me to Pacific Ocean park in Cali. I remember a 1964 rotating on a platform at the entrance to the park
My parents bought a used a red on red with a 273 4bbl around 1967 and it was my moms grocery getter. I remember going to the drive-in movies, A&W for burgers and the beach with my buddies riding under that rear glass.
In Canada, prior to the 1965 Autopact agreement, The Barracuda was introduced as a "Valiant" model not as "Plymouth". They were built in Windsor, Ontario,Canada assembly plant to avoid heavy import tarriffs.
Yes, on the Canadian side. Most US destined vehicles came from Hamtramck, MI, St. Louis (Fenton), MO, or Los Angeles, CA (Maywood).
They used the Valiant name in Australia, too, I think.
Funny memory, first-grade in San Francisco in '66 and a classmate and I decided we each wanted to be a bachelor and drive a Barracuda. Not sure what we were thinking but I guess it was we had to choose between a girl and a cool car. 😀
Thankyou for the story ,enjoyed this one ,very very Special connection
I had a 67 notch back Formula S with the 273 Commando, and if I remember correctly, it had forged 11 to 1 pistons from the factory.
That would have been a keeper.
I always felt that had the Barracuda survived to the 1977 model year, Heart's song "Barracuda" would have been a perfect theme song. The song is about the band's anger to Mushroom Records over them alleging that Nancy and Ann Wilson (who are sisters) had an intimate relationship.
No VIN, can't win, but easy to figure out, no doubt: 3 for Plymouth V8, 4 for Barracuda, 4 for 1964 model year, 1 or 3 for Detroit, MI assembly (Dodge Main/Hamtramck, MI assembly which operated from 1911 to 1980), or 5 for Los Angeles, CA assembly (Maywood, closed in 1971), or 7 for St. Louis, MO assembly (Fenton, which operated from 1959 to 2009), and the rest is the production sequence.
No tag, can't brag, but easy to figure out, no doubt: 149 or V49 for Barracuda (on the Valiant Signet line), P4X for Black interior trim, possible code "C" for Light Blue exterior paint or code "J" for Light Turquoise exterior paint, AB31 for 273 V8 with two barrel, aka "The Little Engine that Could", D-5 for automatic transmission, among other codes.
I was wondering how you'd react to a rotted tag. I like Heart, both '70's and '80's.
@@tomwesley7884 I can usually figure most of it out without the tag, with some exceptions. Yes, Heart is a good band.
@@googleusergp Maybe "Dog and Butterfly" could be remade into "Dog and Barracuda" with Queen Katie of Bernardston starring in the music video? -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante LOL. I think the song would have been a great theme song for the car. If you think about it, the song is hard driving and typical of 1970s "hard rock" and more than likely what a Barracuda owner would be listening to on the radio at the time they owned it. Ann Wilson has a strong voice and she was an excellent lead vocalist, among others at the time (Stevie Nicks, Chrissie Hynde, Linda Ronstadt, later on Dale Krantz-Rossington and others).
Yes Steve did a great presentation on this one. As the owner of a 1966 V8 Barracuda, I knew exactly what these came equipped with 64, and the changes to 66. Mine has 10" drums, which were standard on the 273 cars. 1966 has the barracuda logo above the deck lid, while this 64 is a Valiant logo. So glad to have a column shift TorqueFlite, these cable operated push buttons were a nightmare, almost as bad as 58 Edsel's TeleTouch. As far as cable throttle, that may have been a 64 only thing. My 66 has a rod and linkage to the Carter 2 barrel. That back window alone is worth probably $500. My fear of parking under trees with it! Wish we did have the VIN to win. I hope that glass makes its way to someone in need, and not broken, or myself and many early A body Mopar fastback guys will be very, very, very, very, very upset!
A school friend 's Dad purchased a '66, was late for work, sped through the parking lot aiming for an open spot only to find a Volkswagan Beetle at the front of the space, totaled both cars. Noticed on the AMT art work they showed the taillights in the bumper ends not the quarter panels.
Wow some history of Richard Petty
I had the 1965 formula s with 273 commando hurst 4 on the floor a light blue metallic paint and white rally stripe. It had a crappy lacquer repaint. otherwise, all original with factory tac and am radio drove it a few years in the summer paid 800 for it at a dealer car auction in 1995 it needed. a restoration and seeing i would more than likely never have the money to do it right i sold it on the Evel Bay for 2200 while it was still a nice piece with no real rot on it living in upstate NY it would have been in pretty sad shape by now had I kept it. I'm getting a little rusty myself as i hit the 6-decade mark last month love your videos and knowledge keep up the great work.
Thanks Steve, 72-74 being my favorite, especially the 74 with the 360, my favorite engine.
Enjoyed the race history.
They're thought of as looking odd by a lot of people ' but when I look at old photos of the first HEMI under glass ' that's pure styling . That stylish nose on the 64 Barracuda 'is very similar to what our Australian AP6 Valiants for 1965 and 1966 have.
I recognize that intake manifold! I have a clicky-clacky 273 in my 68 D100 (originally a Slant 6)
My brother bought a brand new 65 formula S with the 273 commando and a 4 speed.
The window sticker I remember clearly and it said $ 4,198.00. it had every option as I recall. Factory tach, fold down rear seat and tinted rear glass.
I bought it years later after he balanced and blueprinted the 273 and installed an 8 3/4 rear end with 4.56 ring and pinion.
It was a strong running 12 sec 1/4 mile car and a strong running street racer too in 1968.
Dusted many 396 Chevelles in my town.
The only draw back was the 273 had a habit of bending pushods under drag strip use.
That back glass is worth a fortune.
That rear window was the single largest piece of glass ever installed in a production car up to that time, or so I read somewhere. I'm sure someone somewhere is on the hunt for that one. Always wanted a '65 model myself after seeing the movie The Wraith. Always thought Skank's 'Cuda was just so cool before it got rolled.
Rear window is $$$ hard to find!!
Grew up under the back glass of one of these. Love em!
I had one the exact same color. Mine was #13 off the assembly line and dealer optioned as Plymouth did at that time. I bought it in 1976 over a 1969 Karman Ghia, paid $500. It burned totally to the ground in 1989 in a garage fire. The first 20 "APRIL 1ST 1964"
#13"
Was stenciled on the inside of the driver's side door card. This is what my car said.
That's a great "fish story" (pardon my pun). Early production cars must have been just as exciting to the folks who MADE them as they were to the buying public. No doubt the line workers had some fun personalizing it. So sorry your #13 was lost! Thanks for sharing, Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante Thanks mine had blue interior, bucket seats and center console shifter instead of the push button shift.
@@SteveMagnante Workers used to put all sorts of notes on cars back then. When they got a hold of one worker he stated, "I used to calculate my overtime hours and put them on the cars. People thought they meant something. In reality, it was me doing my quick math". LOL.
It was rumored that during the 1977 Pontiac Cam Am transitions at Motortown that when original cars were dismantled later on, they'd find markings on them put there by the workers. One said if I have it right, "I'm a darkie from the dark side". No doubt some "liquid courage" and other elements came to play, especially during that time in 1976-1977.
My coworker worked for a Cadillac dealer in the 1980s (the same one that Run DMC used to bring their cars to) and he once had a car that died bringing it into the service bay. He took the engine apart to find a fist full of extra pushrods thrown into the engine before it was put together. Another time a customer complained of a nasty smell in a new Cadillac. They traced it to the door panel area and opened it up to find a rotten sandwich thrown into the door before it was assembled.
The best part? The "noise and squeak" guy at the dealership was deaf. I kid you not........
Great story/info as usual steve👍
My great grandmother on my dad side ordered new 1965 barracuda 273 2bl 3 sp 904 floor shifter . Power steering and power brakes. Tan paint. Black vinyl interior. Gave it to my dad on his 14th birthday. In 1980 same month and day of the barracuda birthday i was born. The car i refer as my older sister still lives well in my garage. Only big changes over the years dad changed paint to white. I put a 4 bl 600 edlebrock and a 340 cam to make it sound like it looks. When i was 5 my dad put together a 66 formula s for my mom with original 273 conmando. And posi 7 1/4 rear. Funny dad was the car guy but mom got the muscle of the 2. In 89. In the middle of jan living in cow County South Jersey. Heading to work mom Black ice and spun hitting every corner of the but did not break any glass. Saved the rear window to this day.
When I was 9-10 there was a Plymouth startup dealership next door to my house in Montgomery City, Missouri and they had one that looked exactly like this car except, had a blue interior. I was allowed to get in the back of it with the seat folded down. It was a cool car.
Thank you Steve for educating us automotive enthusiasts while also being entertained with these great videos, I thought I knew a lot about cars, but I've come to find out that I know nothing in comparison to you Steve, you're the man when It comes to automotive history and thank you for what you do!!!
Enjoyed this video way to much , great history on the king Richard Petty, a lot of facts on the Barracuda that l wasn't aware of ,my parents bought a 64 Valiant new that year remember that car didn't know about the Barracuda I was only 4years old knew about them later as a teen.👍😎
The Mustang fastback was available in Aug/Sept 1964 as true 1965 models.
Get well soon Steve
....wow !...thanks for sorting this car out,,,,,who knew it's a valiant???...king Kong hemi???...what!..tnx,land o' lakes,wi....,,,,.......... I have been schooled ...........great model too.
You guys are lucky on the east coast, apparently.
In Wisconsin, we still got snow up the a$$.
Up in Tomahawk where my summer house is, we got 18" of fresh snow on Friday. I'm surprised it's all gone in Mass.
We had a minor "heat wave" last week that zonked all but the highest drifts. But yesterday I was at the outdoor Stafford Springs Raceway annual spring swap meet and it was blustery with a few snow flurries thrown in! Its only the first week of April, we still could get a major snow storm. Hope not but.... Also hope your snow melts and spring "springs" soon in Wisconsin! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
The one you showed in your car and driver magazine looked really nice with the sport wheels and color.
My absolute favorite car-that I wish I still owned to this day. Mine wasn't even slightly stock but it did run a few thousand mile on the street along with the strip.
I also owned a '67 GT that was slightly faster than the '64 Barracuda, but if I had a choice between the two I'd pick the Barracuda to have in the garage.
The problem is the original Barracuda still wore the bland valiant front end, mustangs didn't have a falcon nose!
The Barracuda was sold in Mexico but with only 1 engine, the 225 slant 6. In 1965 the Valiant Acapulco was offered with the Barracuda front end which made it look really good.
That's interesting ,was it exactly a Barracuda grille on the Acapulco ' our Australian Valiants for '65 and '66 have a grille that's similar to a '64 Barracuda. 👍
@@barrycuda3769 Yes I believe it is the exact Barracuda grille. Chrysler Mexico had the two styles. There was no reason to change it up which would cost more money. From the front you can't tell it is not a Barracuda. I can tell by your name you like the Barracuda a little.
@@mexicanspec yeah I looked up a you tube video of the Acapulco ,and that's a Barracuda front alright. In Mexico , did the '65 Valiant come with a 273 v8 as an option? They did in Australia and New Zealand ' but not in huge numbers ' and now are very sought after and getting expensive.
@@barrycuda3769 No, a V8 wasn't available in a Chrysler car until 1974. The 225 Slant 6 was the only engine put in all the cars. I have a Mexican Spec 1963 Plymouth Savoy, videos on my channel, that has the 225 Slant.
@@barrycuda3769 Also, Ford was the only car company that was either allowed, or had available to use, a V8. All Chevys and Chrysler products at the time were all 6 cylinders.
My neighbor put a hemi in a 65 cuda in the early 70s. Really clean and well built. It was a monster that would likely kill an average driver
I still remember the billboards advertising the Barracuda for $2499 all over the city of Milwaukee, WI. Probably 1965.
I like that Steve fish beats horse you're good
One of our school teacher had one in black/ red interior, really liked the look of this model year
It's neat when you mention Arnie the Farmer. A local from where I live in the Quad Cities area, a racer at Cordova
Morrison, Ill😀👍
Good Morning Gents!🇺🇸
I had 1 same color slant 6 in 1979 lived in Fresno at the time rust free . Fun car to drive beat the snot out of it non stop neutral drops. Bought a 1970 Monte Carlo the need a transmission so I drove the molar to the junkyard and traded it for a transmission. Wish I still had that Chevy
I bought my V8 '64 in 2000 in CA, still have it, has been resting for the last 15 or so years but soon to be woken up with a complete resto' and the addition of a warm 340. Long live the Barracuda!
I had a 65 or 66. I can't remember which. It was a 4bbl with automatic. i think the shifter was on the floor.
So, too, the Plymouth Duster wore Valiant badges in its first year only, 1970.
Thanks Steve,.
That back window is worth a lot of money. Ultra rare!
Surprised they haven’t pulled it out and put it in a safe place
Those early 273 engines (64-65) have a different intake manifold-to-cylinder head bolt angle than 66 and up engines. Something to be mindful of if you're doing an intake but not a head swap.
The underhood picture in the magazine at 6:50 is transposed.
THE REAR GLASS $$$$$ 👍 😀
8:25 I can only imagine the price for that rear window. They'd have to be as rare as hen's teeth.
A nice little car. But it ended up being trampled by a huge herd of Mustangs! 😁
A very very unique car. Can't forget the "Hemi Under Glass" dragster and wheelie champion.
My friend had a 1965 Barracuda when we were in HS in the late 1070's. The myth was that, if you drove fast enough, with all the windows down, the built up air pressure would pop the rear window out. He never tested the theory, although we often tried to shaming him into doing so.
4:28 I'm not a mopar guy and I didn't know that Chrysler made a single plane 2 barrel intake manifold.
The 273 4-barrel manifold of 1965-'67 was also a low riser single plane! The 340 4-bbl finally got a sweet dual plane layout. -Steve Magnante
Great video those little car's were so versatile, great video
These are soo under rated but with some love could be a good and fast car
I liked the 1968 Barracuda best.
The Barracuda is amongst my favorite of the fastbacks.
And I’d still prefer a Barracuda over an over hyped Mustang…even from the beginning. 🇨🇦👍
LOVE my little 65 Barracuda... these cars are great!
Since watching this video , it jogged my memory about the following, in the early '90s, A car salesman told me that when he worked at the" Gardner motors" Chrysler dealership in Dunedin 'New Zealand ' in the 1960's , a customer specially ordered a right hand drive Plymouth Barracuda sometime around 1964 to 1966 ' this dealership sold Valiant's but we did not get Barracuda 's in nz (that I knew of ). Iv'e always wondered if it was true ' if so maybe it came from the Australian Chrysler plant ? Maybe they did a few of them ? ' it would be interesting to find out . I know that Ford Australia turned out some right hand drive Mustangs .
Excellent episode! The only thing I heard that was a little off was about the K member, 62-66a bodies all use the same K member whether it was a slant 6 or the 64-66 V8 cars, only difference were the mounts and brackets. 😁
Missed you at Glendale! Get back soon my friend!
How is it that the rear glass is still there and intact? I am surprised that it's not damaged, broken, or removed. I am sure if it was removed it would bring a substantial return.
I never cared for that body style..Always thought they were ugly..That being said I had a Plymouth Barracuda...A 1974 in fact..Bought it just out of school in 1977 .Now that was a great looking car..I got a lot of compliments with that car.. It was Blue with White stripes, and White interior .Added air shocks ET mags 50 series tires..And of course an FM radio converter popular at that time if you only had an AM radio..Kept it for a couple years.Yea I still wish I had it....Traded it for a 1978 F150 Step side 4 wheel drive pickup in 1979..Winters weren't very kind to those 2 years that I had that Barracuda..
Always wanted to drop a 318 in one. Love the body style.
In restoring my late brother-in-law's '65, which I inherited a couple of years ago, I could not find a replacement 273 so I dropped a 318 in it. The added torque and hp made it advisable for me to put discs on the front as the drums weren't up to the job. It is super fun to blast around in and actually is a head-turner everywhere I go.
Man she definitely was one beautiful car in it’s hay day’s! Wow! I’m surprised that rear window still intact!! Those are very hard to get and rare!
I had a 65 with 273 commando, 4bbl, auto with sure grip rear. Great car. I swapped a 340 into it while rebuilding the 273. Fast.
I like original barracuda. The 1968 redesign too. Remember seeing a big back window early cuda by the side of the highway , was there for years... Such a distinct 1960s looking machine.
I never heard the LA SBM to mean "Light A", I always understood it to refer to "Late A"--to differentiate it from the earlier poly spherical "A" motor (although I understand the LA IS a lighter casting than the A) Am I wrong?
Always was “Light” version of poly “A”. Simpler to manufacture heads as well. Lighter, cheaper, and a tiny bit smaller (heads).
The `64 Barracuda had the narrow hairpins on the front fenders as shown, that the same year Valiant models did not have.
Only `63 & `64 Valiants had the wide hairpins.
In `65 Valiant had the same narrow hairpins as the `64 & `65 Barracudas.
(If you ever see a `64 or `65 Barracuda with the wide hairpin front fenders, it was likely wrecked and they were replaced with what fit at the time.)
Although `65 did not have the Valiant name badge on the deck lid as shown, the Valiant V medallion remained beneath the rear window until `66 when Barracuda became it's own model and replaced by the fish medallion.
Though some `66s snuck through production with the remaining Valiant V medallions until they were used up.
Some `65 Barracudas had Plymouth spelled out in block letters on the deck lid instead of the Valiant script badge, except for Canada, which some had Valiant in block letters instead of Plymouth.
`64 Barracudas had round reverse lights while the Valiants had square.
In `65 Valiant and Barracuda shared the round reverse lights.
In `66 both went to rectangular, horizontal reverse lights.
Update from the guy who literally wrote the Barracuda book, Roger Kizor.
He corrected me on some items.
"Only the 64 Barracudas sold in the US had the Valiant script on the panel under the trunk, above the bumper, on the right side. And not all of them, those cars that did also had a front Barracuda script with a long tail on the last a.
All 64/65 Canadian assembled Barracudas had Valiant block letters on the trunk, not Plymouth.
The 66 rear window V trim vs the Fish in Circle was a calculated change, not an install until parts ran out. They were changed to coincide with the national roll out of the factory sponsored National Barracuda Owners Club."
And from Daniel Pierson:
"1966 Valiant and Barracuda
have completely different
backup lenses
than each other
Barracuda is in the middle
Valiant is at the bottom."
Lol, my brother and I weren’t the only ones to call them “Baccarudas” (kindly, of course). There’s one in town that’s the same color as this one was, but has a 225/3 speed column shift. It’s shiny and not rusty, though. It would suit me perfectly fine.
Keep up the great work
So glad you had the foresight to protect the dog's identity.😂
I did build the model dragster and painted it light blue and it was called the salty dog.
Barracuda, the car NOT the 1977 song from HEART began life as a lowly A-body Valiant before eventually becoming the 'Cuda. Cool story.
Wow never heard that story of Richard petty before thanks for another great video.
Very cool...by the way... is that dog near the beginning of the video in the witness protection program?
Thanks