The Plymouth Barracuda:
1964 :
An advertising saying of the time said it made "sport of utility."
Henceforth I'd like to say the Barracuda is the world's first Sport
Utility Vehicle!! Sure it doesn't have four-wheel drive but neither
do most of them today! Two weeks away (April 15, 1964) lay the introduction
of its soon to be arch nemesis, the Ford Mustang. However, the Barracuda
wasn't scheduled for production on the assembly line until May.
Thus, although the Barracuda was introduced first, the Mustang beat
the Barracuda onto the roads.
The Barracuda was released on the popular Valiant line as a compact
"muscle" car. Chrysler cut the roof and rear trunk area
off and added the convex tinted glass and a stubby trunk. It was a
package option on Valiants, specifically on the Valiant Signet 200.
Also unique to the 1964 model year was the dashboard, the interior
featured the Signet's bucket-seats, plus a flip-down rear seatback
and security panel for carrying long items.
Engine offerings were the same as the Valiant, with the 225 cid Slant
Six standard and an optional 273 cid V8, and the 170 slant six was
designated as the "base engine" in some Barracuda advertisements
Before 1964, a V8 was never offered in an A-body.
1965 :
The 1965 model year closely followed the 1964 1/2 year.
Two great things were introduced in the 1965 model year. First up
is the Commando 273 V-8. It sports 235 horsepower, 55 more than the
low performance 273. It features a four-barrel carburetor. This year
saw also the introduction of the "Formula S" performance
option, although the Plymouth Barracuda still was far from a performance
car.
The Formula S featured: a tachometer, 14-inch wheels, heavy duty
suspension, and the Commando engine. Often thought to be part of the
package, the stripes are actually an option. You could get them whether
you had an S or not.
1966 :
For 1966 minor changes were made for the final year of the 1st generation
Barracuda. On the exterior, the front and rear of the car was redesigned,
to have more solid edges. The grill is slanted top forward, with a
similar 2 piece grill, but now of an "egg-crate" design.
Also new for the 1966 model year was the brand new Torqueflight transmission.
The last big new thing for this year is the debut of the fish emblem
1966 was the inaugural season for Trans-Am Racing. Chrysler sponsored
teams this year. 1966 was a good year as Chrysler placed 5 cars in
the top 7.
