This one is REALLY early in the production year at Hamtramck/Dodge Main. My NOVEMBER 10, 65 manufactured commando 273 (BP29D62555048 - the 55,048th vehicle off the line at Dodge Main) had the 8.75 Sure Grip. This one is an AUGUST 18, 65 (BP29D62502174 - 2,174th vehicle off the line at Dodge Main) vehicle, which was a "first couple weeks" of production car if they started first of August 1965 for 66 model year production. Note also the valiant badging on the grill center and back window....that is also EARLY 66 model year stuff.
Nope.
I suspect they didn't start on the 1st of August. My '66 SO date is the day before this one (8/17/65) and has a 499 VIN. That's 1,675 numbers before this one in only one day. They didn't always get built in exact VIN or SO number sequence, but, that still seems like a big gap for one day. If that gap is consistent, Mine must have been built the 2nd day of production. I've looked at '66 Barracuda VIN's for over 40 years now and haven't found an earlier one than mine. Still lookin though!This one is REALLY early in the production year at Hamtramck/Dodge Main. My NOVEMBER 10, 65 manufactured commando 273 (BP29D62555048 - the 55,048th vehicle off the line at Dodge Main) had the 8.75 Sure Grip. This one is an AUGUST 18, 65 (BP29D62502174 - 2,174th vehicle off the line at Dodge Main) vehicle, which was a "first couple weeks" of production car if they started first of August 1965 for 66 model year production. Note also the valiant badging on the grill center and back window....that is also EARLY 66 model year stuff.
Also, I understood that the PAINT code was PAI for the main body code, N for stripe, and T for Interior Door upper color. The Clip form the fender tag decode document is here:
"Under the “N” for the stripe on the roof will be:
B = black
W = white
H = red
Q = red
E = blue
8 or blank = no stripe"
This leaves the N as a mystery here as it is an "S" and the Car has no racing stripe (but it DOES have the std body side stripe). For a Dark Green (GG1) car the available stripe colors would have been only Citron Gold and that is not in the list for the fender tag decode and "could" have been S, but the SS1 code was Soft Yellow and that was not a racing stripe color. I bet the Citron Gold racing stripe letter was Z to match the paint code elsewhere, but if anyone has a citron gold stripe and a fender tag please post it. most of the codes in the fender tag decode correspond to the paint codes B = black or BB1, W = White or WW1, Q = Dark Red or QQ1, E = Dark Blue or EE1...the outlier is H as that is not a paint code, but there IS a second red as PP1 is bright red.
Anyway...
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What plant made yours? The Hamtramck/dodge Main started the Ser. no at 500,001 for A body Valiant/Dart models, for some reason, or so the published sources say (For example, "Each Plant consecutively numbers all vehicles beginning at 100001, regardless of car make or model, except Hamtramck built Valiant and Dart models which begin at 500001." at https://www.geocities.ws/MotorCity/Speedway/9048/vin.html ). Although the Barracuda was made at several other plants that did not use the 500,001 as first one (st. louis for example and LA). A 1966 vin with 499,*** is another MoPar mystery if it was a BP29D62XXXXXX.... almost like they were just making cars and not worrying about a bunch of us trying to make sense of it 60 years later.I suspect they didn't start on the 1st of August. My '66 SO date is the day before this one (8/17/65) and has a 499 VIN. That's 1,675 numbers before this one in only one day. They didn't always get built in exact VIN or SO number sequence, but, that still seems like a big gap for one day. If that gap is consistent, Mine must have been built the 2nd day of production. I've looked at '66 Barracuda VIN's for over 40 years now and haven't found an earlier one than mine. Still lookin though!
I believe he means New York, which required cars to have emergency flashers.
I've looked at several hundred 1966 models in the last 45 years and haven't seen anything but LA and Hamtramck.
Yep, back in the 90’s it seemed like I was the only one doing an early A body. Guys at the Nationals we’re waiting for me to show up because they had really nice parts, and they knew I was buying. Besides my friend who was racing her early Barracuda, I can’t recall any early Barracudas, and certainly no early Darts, at any shows. I got a lot of nice parts for my Barracuda, and got one of the first sets of Spitfire headers directly from Harold. He was using my friends Barracuda as his mock-up for the headers, and she told me to call him as he had just got them done and ready for production. $188 to my door in 3 days.
$188 those were the days. I remember you from The Nats even before I knew you were a member here.
Yep. Big tires really helps the look. The Condensed Cuda in the far lane and the same car and owner in the next photo. @intimidator.
They would have done themselves a huge favor if they had redesigned the rear quarter wheel opening. One of my car guy friends did just that and wow what an improvement. He raised the opening by cutting out all that rear quarter panel that covered the top of the rear wheel and had 1971 Mach one Mustang rear quarter partial panels welded in place. The front fenders were modified the same way to match. It really improved the look and stance of the first gen cars. Then he put bigger wheels and tires on. LOL
I have had many Mopars over the decades but just one early Cuda, 65 273 2 bbl all done but sold it about 2016 before they got more popular and expensive sorta. LIke said, they look cool with the right size wheels.
Lets face it, the early Stang was a pretty and cool looking car... upbeat Falcon!
