1965 Plymouth Barracuda

Listed here is a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda. While it was introduced a year prior to this, Plymouth very cleverly separated the Barracuda from the Valiant line from 1965 onwards. So there are just Plymouth and Barracuda badges on the car. Another thing that’s impossible to miss is the ‘Fastback’ shape. The large rear windscreen, which is unlike any other car’s, was said to be the largest of its time. And it came before the Mustang adopted the same shape albeit without the large glass.

Manufactured in 1965, this Barracuda had just one owner from new in the US. It was imported to the UK in 2019, and it had one owner here before the vendor got the car. To ensure the Barracuda is as close to its original state as when it must’ve left the dealer forecourt, the vendor has spent nearly £8,000 on it. The paperwork includes original manuals, brochure, build spec sheet, import documents, and invoices for the work done recently. You can read more about that in detail below.

It’s got a 4.4-litre V8 engine, and going by the ‘fender’ codes, this is a standard version and not the slightly more powerful Formula S. But it’s going to be far from gutless, with about 180 bhp. Other details suggest that it was specced with Medium Red Poly exterior paint and an all-black interior.

When Plymouth launched the Valiant-saloon-based Barracuda, it didn’t just give it fewer doors and seats, it also helped the new car dissociate itself from its humble origins with the help of fastback styling.

On the other hand, the car isn’t massive (certainly not gargantuan; by American standards, at least), which makes it slightly easier to live with. The other thing that makes it work is the overall condition. Specced originally with a red exterior, the paint is in good nick apart from a few marks. Complementing it is the presence of chrome spread evenly across the bodywork. This gives the Barracuda’s street cred (okay, among classic car lovers) a bit of an uplift. The vendor says that, as part of the extensive work carried out by him, all of the chrome trims were redone. The large rear glass is in good condition. The Cragar wheels, also, as expected, finished in chrome, appear to be in pristine shape, too.

The paint has some damage on it, the most evident mark on the edge of the boot lid, and small marks on the door, wheel arch, and around the fuel filler. In terms of rust, the vendor mentions that there was some rust but that was rectified. The vendor adds that under his ownership, the car was always dry-stored. Further making a strong case for the car are smaller chrome parts like the rear-view mirrors with a lot of tiny detail. These not only look cool but also make the car’s appearance more pleasing.

The other thing that the Barracuda excels in has to be the interior space. Based on a saloon platform, this fastback has a lot of room inside, and with its rear seats folded, its boot space can be expanded to more than 2 metres in length.

This 1965 example comes with a refurbished interior, with restitched seats, a tidy period radio, and a new dash. The headlining looks as good as new, and so do the mats and carpet. But in all honesty, with overall restoration worth £20k by the previous owner and about £8k by the vendor, it’s not surprising. Like on the exterior, it’s got shiny door handles, functional buttons on the dashboard, a clean instrument cluster, and a large, thin-rim steering wheel. The door cards look aged, though. There’s also a Pioneer speaker positioned on the floor, and surprisingly, it doesn’t look out of place.

The car retains its original tag, which is great — not just for originality but it helps you decode things like specs, paint option, interior colour, etc. The vendor maintains that it’s a great car to live with daily, and one look at the interior will give you a good idea why. And a lot of credit goes to the large rear glass, which makes the cabin appear airy.

The Plymouth Barracuda could either be had with a ‘slant’ six-cylinder or V8 engines. This is powered by one of the V8 units and has an automatic gearbox. The 4.4-litre engine was available in two specs: 180 hp and a more powerful Commando 273/Formula S at 235 hp. This is the former, but that doesn’t make it a slouch by any means. In fact, if you were to compare the three engine choices with the Mustang’s, you’d find that the corresponding power output on the Mustang’s versions was always less than the Plymouth’s. A small victory, then!

The car’s had a fair bit of mechanical work done, too, focussing on the engine, suspension, sump, gaskets, and exhaust. The latter isn’t overly loud and lets the driver have a relaxing cruise, but it does let the presence of the V8 engine known. The drum brakes, like the original units, have been reworked and work well.

The vendor says the engine is as strong as an ox, and the car can cruise comfortably at motorway speeds without any issues. It’s also fairly quick, and on the whole, the Barracuda is ‘really sweet and fun to drive’. The fact that it’s not big and doesn’t consume too much fuel means you can drive it regularly. In terms of rust underneath, there’s not much to be seen. The doors appear to have some damage at the bottom. The engine bay looks clean, and the tyres are in good condition, says the vendor.

Manufactured in 1965, this Plymouth Barracuda has had one former keeper here. It was registered in the UK in 2019, and since then it’s been restored to a fairly decent standard. Apart from the import documents, the paperwork includes a maintenance DVD, the car’s original spec list, etc. Its odometer reads just under 45,000 miles

The supplied invoices indicate extensive chrome plating work done for the bumper bars, light frames, rims, etc. In addition to that, a maintenance service was carried out recently, too. Apart from the usual work, the car also got new brakes (as mentioned above), tightened a lot of existing parts, and also had some replacements.

The Plymouth Barracuda might’ve not gained as much momentum as the Mustang, but it’s a thoroughly enjoyable American muscle car in its own right. This example has had a fair bit of work done on it, and the new owner will benefit the most from that. From the way it looks to its spacious interior, the car has a lot to offer in terms of everyday usability, too. And then you appreciate the unique rear glass, the car’s fastback shape, how well the chrome shines to how correct the new dashboard feels, etc. It’s easy to get lost in its presence and wonder why the Barracuda didn’t take the market by storm. The other thought is why you didn’t get one when the prices hadn’t gone crazy. The current estimate of £13,000 - £20,000 is far from crazy, so maybe now is the time to realise the American Dream, don’t you think?

Viewing is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and as stated this car is located in Bristol. We are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, so to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.