1965 Plymouth Barracuda 58694 Miles Red Coupe 225 CI Slant 6 3 Speed Automatic

1965 Plymouth Barracuda --

This first-generation Barracuda was a race car. And it won the race! It was a race to design a car for the quickly growing sporty-compact car segment ahead of Ford. It was introduced to the public on April 1, 1964, 2 weeks before the Mustang's introduction. Obviously that fact has been glossed over in popular car culture history. However, it doesn't diminish the significance of this car. It came first and it went on to achieve fame and fortune. This... is an interesting, nice driving car and an affordable classic. Presented in Ruby Red and cutting a fastback line over the rear window, this is a really good-looking car. That window was the focus of the design team's efforts to differentiate the Barracuda from its Valiant roots. Working with PPG (Pittsburgh Plate Glass), they created that distinctive wraparound back glass that was only installed on these first gen cars. That glass is in great shape on this car too, with no cracks or chips. It also changed the look of the back of the car where the line was continued down over the trunk, and definitely changed the character of the car. Now the line along the upper edge of the fenders and the doors really looked crisp and clean. Somehow even the face of the car, the grill, lights and bumper which were all Valiant, just looked better. And that bumper and those grill pieces on this car are all original and in nice condition. Open the door and check out this red interior. The first thing you will probably notice is the Barracuda badge on the upper front of the door panel. Then you may notice that there is some wear on the door panel, the seats and components. But there are no glaring defects and no rips or staining. We believe that this is an all original interior, so in that light, this interior looks really good. You may even consider it more desirable than a restored interior if you are among a growing number of people who appreciate survivor aspects of a car. The dash is a pretty simple affair. A two spoke steering wheel has a Valiant center badge and the speedometer and gauges are mounted in a machine finished panel in front of it. To the right are the ventilation controls and a radio, and below them, a floor mounted shifter for the automatic transmission. The carpets under the hatch are in great shape as is the folding rear seat along with its trim and its hardware. Pop the hood and you will find a nice original engine bay with signs of good maintenance like a new alternator and belt and a recent tune up. And that is about all these "Super 225" slant 6-cylinder engines ever really need. They start and run reliably, and because these cars are so light, they actually get the car around in a pretty sporting manner. The power it makes is sent back to a 3-speed automatic transmission and then to the rear axle which is mounted on leaf springs. The front end works through control arms with the steering power assisted and is sprung by torsion bars. 4-wheel drum brakes handle the stopping duties and the car sits on 195/70R14 tires mounted on steel wheels with trim rings all around. This is an interesting, nice driving, affordable classic. Come on down, check it out, and see what you think. You may decide to make it your next car.