https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/beating-mustang-to-the-gate-the-1964-plymouth-barracuda/
Any thoughts on accuracy of this article?
Any thoughts on accuracy of this article?
Interesting Article, MOPAR'S first shot at Cuda
- Thread starter charliec
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Seems accurate going off stuff I have read over the years. It was a little before my time.
I wonder if the barracudas sold as well as mustang, would there have ever been an E body cuda.
I wonder if the barracudas sold as well as mustang, would there have ever been an E body cuda.
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Barracuda may have beat Mustang to market by a scant 6 weeks, however Barracuda did not sell as well as the Mustang in the beginning. Problem was the stodgy styling, and only one body style. Basically a fastback roof grafted onto a Valiant economy car. The Valiant Barracuda moniker didnt help things either, although by 66 the Valiant hyphen was dropped along with the Valiant logo from the Barracuda to try to seperate the Barracuda from Valiant.
Sure the Mustang was built off the Falcon like Barracuda came from the Valiant. However the Mustang shared no exterior sheetmetal or interior upholstery with the lowly Falcon. This made the Mustang unique for its time. A sporty 2+2 coupe, convertible, or fastback, along with a myrad of options to make it your own unique car. This translated into sales, sales, sales. By mid year 1966 Ford Mustang hit the 1 million built mark.
That is why GM came out with the Camaro and Firebird in 1967. They couldent sit on the sidelines anymore and let Ford keep this market to themselves. With the Barracuda, this single fastback style and economy car Valiant sheetmetal is also one of the reasons Chrysler redesigned the second gen Barracuda for 1967 with its own unique sheetmetal to seperate it from the Valiant economy car it shared mechanicals with as well as a wider engine bay capable of swallowing a big block.
Chrysler also spawned 3 body styles and options noting that mustang was offered in a coupe, convertible and fastback. Rough estimates of 80K barracudas made in 67 showed a decent sales success over the lackluster sales of the 64-66 models, however it never had the mass sales success as the 64-68 Mustang.
As a side note I believe the 1967 Barracuda won an award for the most European looking American product for 1967.
As Paul Harvey used to say, heres the rest of the story.
Sure the Mustang was built off the Falcon like Barracuda came from the Valiant. However the Mustang shared no exterior sheetmetal or interior upholstery with the lowly Falcon. This made the Mustang unique for its time. A sporty 2+2 coupe, convertible, or fastback, along with a myrad of options to make it your own unique car. This translated into sales, sales, sales. By mid year 1966 Ford Mustang hit the 1 million built mark.
That is why GM came out with the Camaro and Firebird in 1967. They couldent sit on the sidelines anymore and let Ford keep this market to themselves. With the Barracuda, this single fastback style and economy car Valiant sheetmetal is also one of the reasons Chrysler redesigned the second gen Barracuda for 1967 with its own unique sheetmetal to seperate it from the Valiant economy car it shared mechanicals with as well as a wider engine bay capable of swallowing a big block.
Chrysler also spawned 3 body styles and options noting that mustang was offered in a coupe, convertible and fastback. Rough estimates of 80K barracudas made in 67 showed a decent sales success over the lackluster sales of the 64-66 models, however it never had the mass sales success as the 64-68 Mustang.
As a side note I believe the 1967 Barracuda won an award for the most European looking American product for 1967.
As Paul Harvey used to say, heres the rest of the story.
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AJ/FormS
68 Formua-S fastback clone 367/A833/GVod/3.55s
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I was only 11 when the 64s came out, and not yet into cars, But by 68 I could hardly wait to get a license. In 69, after I passed the driver's test, I got me a 57 Impala 283/2-speed.
In 70 I needed to upgrade, and, it only took one ride in a first-gen Mustang to know that was not the car for me. Nor was a Capri, a Comet, a 64 Special, And IDK what all I test-drove. I liked the second gen Barracudas, but a certain Purple Swinger caught my eye. Which in sunlight a few days later, turned out to be Panther-Pink! But A $400 deposit had been made, And there is no way I would forfeit 1/3 of my life's savings, so it came home with me.
Ya know, that car was the worst handling car I ever owned, but it was lightyears ahead of those early Mustangs.
In summer of 1971,I put some Belted Gs on her which helped some, but they too burned up in a heartbeat. When radial tires came out, I couldn't wait to put some of those on her. Whoa, surprise surprise. 7pairs of rear tires got me to spring of 75, and I sold her; a worn out, beat-up, slapper-barred/4.10 geared, tired old hulk.
In 70 I needed to upgrade, and, it only took one ride in a first-gen Mustang to know that was not the car for me. Nor was a Capri, a Comet, a 64 Special, And IDK what all I test-drove. I liked the second gen Barracudas, but a certain Purple Swinger caught my eye. Which in sunlight a few days later, turned out to be Panther-Pink! But A $400 deposit had been made, And there is no way I would forfeit 1/3 of my life's savings, so it came home with me.
Ya know, that car was the worst handling car I ever owned, but it was lightyears ahead of those early Mustangs.
In summer of 1971,I put some Belted Gs on her which helped some, but they too burned up in a heartbeat. When radial tires came out, I couldn't wait to put some of those on her. Whoa, surprise surprise. 7pairs of rear tires got me to spring of 75, and I sold her; a worn out, beat-up, slapper-barred/4.10 geared, tired old hulk.
Tims 66 Cuda
Mopar mid life crisis
X2. The story is pretty much spot on. Sadly the Barracuda didnt catch on until the 2nd generation.Even then still not competing in sales.
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Didnt know they offered the impala in 57. I thought top of the line in 57 was the Bel Air, and that impala made its debut in 1958 along with the GM X frame that ran thru 1964.
famous bob
mopar misfit
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^thus !
AJ/FormS
68 Formua-S fastback clone 367/A833/GVod/3.55s
- Joined
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You caught me napping; I meant Bel Air. She was a 4 dr hardtop. In my young ignorance, I thought it was a tank. When I burned the trans up, I sold that minty, gloss-black, behemoth. But really, the car was not a tank; it was just underpowered and under geared. I eventually realized that and was very sorry that I had never given it a proper chance. But there was no going back.
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