What "makes" a 66 Barracuda a Formula S ??

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jeff alder said:
there have been several on ebay that cant be sold for 30k in really good shape. I paid 20k for the avatar car to the left. It is a non-formula s but it is a performance package car which is a C 5 car rather than a C2 formula s. I have the sway bar, commando 273, 4 gear, factory tach, limited slip and heavy-duty suspension. It is a joy to drive and gets thumbs up everywhere I go. One of the neighborhood kids had his prom pictures taken with it, him and his date. These cars are undervalued and a great choice for a nice A body on a small budget
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there was very original 4spd S car locally that was really nice and seemed well sorted for low 20's and i thought that was a pretty good deal. if i was in the market i 1000% would've bought it, too. considering it was decked out in my kryptonite-- green with black interior.
 
My 66 Formula S, 4 speed has 6 leaves on both sides. Same part number embossed on the last leaf 2403804 of them both. Same on the 67 and 68 Formula S just different part numbers.
 
My 66 has all but the 4 barrel. But nothing on the car suggests a s model except the rear springs the rear itself 10-inch brakes all the way around. Heavy duty sway bar heavy duty torsion bars. The steel wheels are 13 x 7 so what does that make it? to me it is a great handling model of a fast back cool looker that makes me wish it was 1966 again. Its fast enough to satisfy my need for speed and a real classic that I love. It may not take any ribbons at the car shows but it gets lots of lookers wherever I take it. It has stolen my heart since the day I bought it. It gets more love than my wife and that all I have to say about that.
 
cosgig said:
The Formula S was primarily a handling package, brought about by the Rallye Pack option from early 65. It consists of….

HD leaf springs, 6 leaves on the passenger side, 5 on the drivers side

HD “892/893” torsion bars, .870” dia

Front sway bar

14x5.5” steel rims

273 4bbl engine

Dash mounted Tach

Transverse stripes over the roof

High flow exhaust with no muffler, only the resonator

HD 10” drum brakes standard, disc optional in late 65

Formula S side badging on front fenders

As mentioned above, the fender tag for 66 will show a “32” under the “ab”, and a “7” under the “f”. In 65, the 273 4bbl engine designation would be “31” under the “ab”

That’s about it, although I maybe missing some small details.
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The stripping was a dealer "installed" (paint) option, not actually part of the package per say; you'll find cars with original paint W/O the stripes. Mine's an early '80s repaint, so I have no clue what whether it came with the strips from the dealer. The stripes also differed between '65 and '66. Here's what I have on them from Pete McNicholl, from whom I bought my '66 Formula S in 1991.

Formula S '65 & '66 Striping - P McNicholl - SM.jpg


BARR_01 En.jpg
 
My old car (and Lilcuda's old car). NOT a Formula S, but had everything except the badges plus disc brakes. Commando, tach, handling package, discs, 14" wheels (although they were the 4.5" wide), four speed. It originally had a 7-1/4 3.23 rear, but when one axle broke on me I put a '67 A-body 8-3/4 3.23SG in its place. Also, not an original black car with black interior (what I changed it to). Last pic is what it looked like in 1981 shortly before I sent it off for paint. It was an original vinyl top car, as well.

Lilcuda1.jpg


Fender tag.jpg


img319.jpg
 
There were 6 color optional Sport Stripes available depending on color of car- factory
 
mad mike said:
My 66 has all but the 4 barrel. But nothing on the car suggests a s model except the rear springs the rear itself 10-inch brakes all the way around. Heavy duty sway bar heavy duty torsion bars. The steel wheels are 13 x 7 so what does that make it? to me it is a great handling model of a fast back cool looker that makes me wish it was 1966 again. Its fast enough to satisfy my need for speed and a real classic that I love. It may not take any ribbons at the car shows but it gets lots of lookers wherever I take it. It has stolen my heart since the day I bought it. It gets more love than my wife and that all I have to say about that.
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what does the fender tag say?

to me that just reads like a nicely optioned car. but as we all know, a lot can change in 50+ years.
 
Blue62Val said:
Hi all,

it may be a strange question, but is there anything on a 66 Barracuda that officially makes it a Formula S ?
Is there anything on the fender tag, or VIN plate ?

Or is it just a case of if it was optioned with certain things it WAS a Formula S.

I ask because I have seen a couple of 1966 cars advertised as Formula S models, but they don't carry the badge on the fender, and I'm ot certain what to look for.

Thanks,

Peter
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Ok, to be a genuine Formula S in 1966, it HAS to have the fender tag with F7, and the Shipping Order number on the fender tag has to match the one stamped into the radiator core support. Everything else could be bolted on to mimic a FS.
 
cosgig said:
The Formula S was primarily a handling package, brought about by the Rallye Pack option from early 65. It consists of….

HD leaf springs, 6 leaves on the passenger side, 5 on the drivers side

HD “892/893” torsion bars, .870” dia

Front sway bar

14x5.5” steel rims

273 4bbl engine

Dash mounted Tach

Transverse stripes over the roof

High flow exhaust with no muffler, only the resonator

HD 10” drum brakes standard, disc optional in late 65

Formula S side badging on front fenders

As mentioned above, the fender tag for 66 will show a “32” under the “ab”, and a “7” under the “f”. In 65, the 273 4bbl engine designation would be “31” under the “ab”

That’s about it, although I maybe missing some small details.
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6 leaf springs on both sides
stripes were optional, not standard and went fore/aft over the hood, roof, and trunk lid.
The exhaust has both a muffler and resonator
Until proven otherwise to me, disc brakes were not optional from the FACTORY in 1965. Dealer installed only. Factory option in 1966. 10" drums were standard on all V8's in 1966.
 
Blue62Val said:
I think I have it......on the vin will read BP29....which means :
Make = B - Barracuda
Series Number = P - Barracuda (1966)
3rd & 4th digit Body Style = 29 - "Sports" Coupe (as opposed to simply "coupe")

That's from the Early Cuda website and trying to make sense of it. Even then it doesn't explain that this defines a Formula S, but I think it must, because you either have a Coupe, or a SPORTS Coupe.
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All '66 Barracudas were BP29 cars. Sports Coupe just meant fastback, which is the only body style that year.
 
cudamark said:
6 leaf springs on both sides
stripes were optional, not standard and went fore/aft over the hood, roof, and trunk lid.
The exhaust has both a muffler and resonator
Until proven otherwise to me, disc brakes were not optional from the FACTORY in 1965. Dealer installed only. Factory option in 1966. 10" drums were standard on all V8's in 1966.
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While you have to take my word for it. There is a certain '65 Formula S that I have seen the window sticker that showed disc brakes (the old lady original owner showed me the sticker after I told her that discs weren't a factory option in '65. She kept the sticker in the glove box). That was in 1990. Last I heard the car was in SoCal and I believe the owner may have been a member here, but that was around 20 years ago. I saw the car on Hwy 49 between Oakhurst and Mariposa at an antique store (could have been in Ahwahnee).
 
junkyardhero said:
to my understanding, on the early cars VIN had no indication of "formula S"

fender tag was the identifier and corroborated by the build sheet.

obviously the motor, HD suspension & swaybar and specific parts of the interior group were part of the S package and would help in identifying a car. however, a lot can change in 50+ years... parts get swapped out, repaired, upgraded. so while it's helpful initially for a swift verification it's not the be all, end all of determining factors.

you want to be 100% sure? you need the trifecta: fender tag that matches the build sheet, build sheet that matches the vin. motor & transmission will not have vin numbers on them (that didn't start until 68) but should be date coded and within a reasonable time frame of the build. there are no body numbers on the early cars to match the vin.
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It's more important that the fender tag shipping order number match the one stamped into the radiator core support. Having a build sheet would be great too,
Jim Lusk said:
While you have to take my word for it. There is a certain '65 Formula S that I have seen the window sticker that showed disc brakes (the old lady original owner showed me the sticker after I told her that discs weren't a factory option in '65. She kept the sticker in the glove box). That was in 1990. Last I heard the car was in SoCal and I believe the owner may have been a member here, but that was around 20 years ago. I saw the car on Hwy 49 between Oakhurst and Mariposa at an antique store (could have been in Ahwahnee).
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I'd sure like to see that window sticker. It must be a real late build and may have other options that were not thought to be available in a '65.
 
Well I had to respond. Back in 67 a friend wanted to ride around on my Honda Super Hawk, he said I could drive his 66 Formula S. It was a dog in my opinion (I don’t think he ever nailed it) but cool to drive. Next the lead singer in a band bought a 67 FS notch Barracuda, all we did was ride around looking for a race, 396 Cameros and Chevelles, Mustangs, GTOs. beat them all! I got to drive it but he wouldn’t let me race anyone, he was a good singer too! White with red interior four speed, engine screamed!
 
cudamark said:
I'd sure like to see that window sticker. It must be a real late build and may have other options that were not thought to be available in a '65.
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I don't remember if I even had a camera with me. The antique store may or may not have had a copy machine. Times were primitive compared to today. I would love to have a copy of it as well. I also recall a special order paint code (yellow).

I'll bet that this is the same car. The window sticker and broadcast sheet are in the pics. The whole writeup doesn't exactly jive with what I remember her telling me. I also don't buy the "delivered in September 1965" story.

1965 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S Sports Hardtop in St. Louis, MO
 
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It's interesting that it was delivered in September of 1965. I wonder when it was built. That's after the 1966 models were out. One of my '66's has a build date of August 17th 1965. Being specially built for a Chrysler executive, anything is possible.
 
cudamark said:
6 leaf springs on both sides
stripes were optional, not standard and went fore/aft over the hood, roof, and trunk lid.
The exhaust has both a muffler and resonator
Until proven otherwise to me, disc brakes were not optional from the FACTORY in 1965. Dealer installed only. Factory option in 1966. 10" drums were standard on all V8's in 1966.
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10" drums were standard on V/8 cars in 1965 also...
 
Blue Streak tires have been mentioned and in the trunk area the tire cover and the drop down access to the rear area both have half notches in them for the 14" wheel and BS tire.
 
cudamark said:
Maybe the new owner of that '65 exec car will join FABO and post a photo of the windows sticker. :welcome:



Nope. I've had many '65's with 9" drums, including Commando/Charger 273 cars.
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Had many as well.....all 10".....
 
cudamark said:
Maybe the new owner of that '65 exec car will join FABO and post a photo of the windows sticker. :welcome:
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The window sticker is in the pics in the ad. So is the broadcast sheet.

July 7, 1965 SPD. Interesting that the "sequence number" on the two broadcast sheets do not match, but the shipping order number does.
 
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