Cars Inwards Yards: 1964 Plymouth Barracuda

Barracuda on board. In my Valiant search for that “Little Surfer Girl”, I discovered a Barracuda instead. The auto manufacture tailors to many genres as well as cultures. Cultures inside a civilization are at times existing correct nether your surf board. So, if the yr is 1964 as well as guys coast to coast accept figured out that surfing nets a vast spot out of woman mortal introductions disproportionate to the residual of us regular automobile guys. Hauling babe-magnet boards became a must. But wait, those surf boards tin acquire a niggling heavy, thus, the necessity of a vehicle. Oh no! The appropriate automobile for the surfer guy is non a automobile at all… it's a wagon! Station wagons are super cool to us now, but at that spot were alone a few cool exceptions agency dorsum then. If you lot were non at the beach, but seen riding or driving inwards a wagon, you lot may equally good modify your call to grandma. Oh no! Forget coming together girls inwards that. The stigma was real.

This ’64 Barracuda has been owned yesteryear the same solid unit of measurement since new.

I got me a carriage as well as they telephone outcry upwards it a woody
  “But mom! I don’t desire to drive your station wagon!” declared immature men from Bailiwick of Jersey to Baja. 
  Plymouth saves the day! How does this sound? “Hangers of the Ten… a sporty car, non super big, alongside awesome, unique, dorsum glass, as well as a pocket-size trunk?” 
  “A pocket-size trunk?” the surfers reply. “That sounds almost perfect, but where volition I spot my surf board?” 

Equipped alongside a V8, push-button automatic, transmission as well as nether dash air conditioning. 

If the existent matter don’t hit the trick. Better brand upwards something quick 
  You didn’t allow me finish, Curl Rider. The pocket-size body opens up, panels lay flat, seats crimp for the role of… hold off for it… for which to spot inwards a surf board. That is what Plymouth had inwards hear for their novel cut back degree of the Valiant. Let us telephone outcry upwards it something cool alongside an aquatic nomenclature. 
  The Corvette had already introduced the Sting Ray call inwards 1963 as well as fifty-fifty managed to compare themselves to sharks. Plymouth borrowed inspiration (notice the cool parent window) from the Vette. 
  What else is quick as well as unsafe that swims? See the fun facts below to acquire how Barracuda genuinely got its name.

Barracuda’s expansive wraparound parent drinking glass was known for cooking parent passengers inwards the sun.

    
Burn, burn, burn downwardly to the wick – Ooooh Barracuda
  Here you lot go, Jan, Brian, as well as Dean, (no 1 specific, exactly mutual surfer names off the top of our heads) this is the automobile for you! The Barracuda could hold out had alongside a V8. Bucket seats were new, sporty, as well as cool. The improve to prominently display your surfer girl. You could accept a manual transmission if you lot liked shifting duties or how nearly the novel “Push-Button” Torqueflight automatic transmission to gratis you lot of shifting, leaving you lot to a greater extent than command of the book of your Beach Boys tunes as well as flexing for your surfer girl. Now that sounds good.

The surgical procedure as well as looks of initiatory of all gen Barracudas didn’t strike fearfulness into would-be racers.

Junkyard Life Hangs Ten
  Well, inwards theory nosotros could. Because nosotros constitute this! H5N1 1964 Plymouth Barracuda notwithstanding inwards the possession of the boy of the master copy owner! This automobile was non a surfer mobile. It was his mother’s chief car. She bought it novel 2 years earlier he was born. They didn’t so much move inwards it, for that they had larger cars, such equally a Plymouth Wagon. The Barracuda was used for hauling kids as well as groceries equally good equally a plethora of domestic taxiing. 
  No surf boards accept been inwards this ’64 Barracuda, although the possessor may allow us sneak dorsum as well as spot a surf board inwards for photograph opportunities (Editor’s Note: Ron! Drop the surf board idea, already! Sheesh. It doesn’t accept one. Let it go.)  

Jody learns that the lug nuts tin hold out accessed through the 1964 Barracuda hubcaps.

Okay, Fine. We Don’t Even Hang Five
  Just because no 1 e'er yelled “cowabunga” inwards this automobile does non acquire inwards less appealing to us. It has that cool push-button automatic. It has no console, but it does accept an awesome ruddy interior alongside bucket seats, as well as its equipped alongside nether dash AC as well as wears master copy white paint. The pigment reminds us of pearly white sand on the beach (editor’s note: Watch it, Ron). The Barracuda fifty-fifty has all of its spinner-style hubcaps, as well as a 273-cu. inch V8. What this Barracuda lacked inwards Equus caballus ability as well as cubic inches, it made upwards for inwards style. This Valiant had a lot of cast for a Valiant. So much inwards fact, that Barracudas lost the Valiant badge later on 1965. 
  The possessor intends to restore the automobile to fun levels as well as non to concourse levels. H5N1 depression buck cruiser alongside a high fun factor. He wants to drive it 1 time again as well as connect the yesteryear alongside the present. We sympathize as well as honey the automobile exactly the agency it is!

Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life

Detail shot of 1964 Barracuda push-button Torqueflight automatic transmission controls.

Ron’s Barracuda (and surfing) Fun Facts:

1. Despite the humble Valiant beginnings, the Barracuda evolved into 1 of the most feared brute of the musculus automobile era. 

2. The most-feared call on the streets almost had a wimpy name. “Panda.” The executives said, “Yes” – but the designers said, “No.” Thank heavens they stood their ground. Barracuda is no panda.

3. Plymouth dropped the “Barra” as well as only called this monster a “Cuda’” during the Detroit horsepower wars of 1969-1970. The words “Hemi Cuda’” instill fearfulness inwards our insurance agents as well as brand our tire dealers smile.

4. The most desirable ’Cuda would hold out the 1971 Hemi convertible. Set apart yesteryear its shark teeth similar grill as well as front end fender gills. With alone thirteen units built inwards that combo, don’t await for 1 at whatever reasonable price.

5. The Pony Car Wars had officially kicked off inwards Detroit. We don’t commonly call back of the 1964 Barracuda equally a Pony Car, but it was. And correct at that spot at the get-go too. Ford wasn’t worried. Even alongside the Mustang’s belatedly 1964 introduction, they notwithstanding outsold the daylights out of everyone. But what nearly the surf boards? 

6. Surfer guys were oft automobile guys too. Though the Beach Boys did non specifically advert a Barracuda; they hit brand reference to a Super Stock Dodge alongside a 413 lining upwards on the street alongside Brian Wilson’s 327 4-Speed Fuel Injected Corvette inwards their automobile guy stone favorite “Shut Down”. The vocal forever immortalized the most famous street race of all time.

7. Our characteristic automobile was equipped alongside a 273 C.I.D V8 drinking from a 2-barrel carb. One to a greater extent than yr model (1965) could accept been had alongside a 4-barrel as well as would accept been called “Commando”. 


This weathered Barracuda spent 50 years inwards the New England states earlier making a novel inwards Alabama.

The Barracuda’s dorsum drinking glass had the distinction of existence the largest e'er produced inwards 1964. 

Lug nuts peek through the Barracuda’s hub caps.

Original, red, bucket seats are showing a fleck of article of apparel later on 50-plus years.

1964-1966 Barracudas came inwards whatever trend you lot liked, equally long equally it was fastback. 1967-1969 Barracudas were available inwards notchback, convertible, as well as fastnack models.

Go fast checkered flag hidden inside inwards the V8 emblem on the 1964 Barracuda.

The ’64 Barracuda was based on the Valiant model. 1964 was the in conclusion yr that a Valiant emblem appeared on a Barracuda.

Plymouth had a trigger-happy ground over the naming of the Barracuda.

Passengers felt similar they were nether a rut light if they rode inwards the parent spot of a 1964 Barracuda during hot, summertime months.

Know a junkyard that nosotros require to visit? Tips for our projects? 
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com or Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net. 

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