1967-1969 Barracuda Owners Group

1967 – The beginning, for our cars.

The Barracuda for 1967, was a late release car. Meaning that while the car was a 1967 “model year” many times auto manufacturers would start producing and selling the cars in the third quarter of the previous calendar year. As an example, in September of 1966, the 1967 Model year Plymouths would all normally be in dealer showrooms. The rest of the product line was. However, with the “all-new” 1967 Barracuda (Fastback and Coupe) release was on November 25th, 1966. For whatever reason the convertible was released a month after, in the mid-December 1966 timeframe.

The engine bay was made a bit wider, and the design was much more fluid, heavily using a combination of the popular European look and long hood short rear deck of, none other than, the Mustang. Plymouth Marketing made a bold push to “…win you over”.
(What follows are a number of screen captures from one of the dealer sales training course, circa December 8th, 1966. This particular course objective was to compare the features and benefits of the 1967 Barracuda with the 1967 model year Mustang. This was published for Chrysler Corporation by its advertising agency of the day, Ross Roy, Inc. out of Detroit Michigan.)

The Mustang top had an extra cost optional power top. The standard rear window was plastic while a 2-piece glass two-piece rear window was also an extra cost option. The Plymouth name, cars and models, had typically been considered entry-level. This goes all the way back to 1928 when the Plymouth brand was created. In a bit of a departure however as an example of higher end choices that were made for THIS car line model the convertible model, the top was electric/hydraulic powered, standard. It also came with a one-piece solid glass rear window. Both are much appreciated, in appearance and feature, especially now 50 years later.
The Le Mans inspired pit stop gas style cap was standard on ALL Barracuda models. Mustang had something similar but was an extra cost choice.
The distinctive Barracuda hood inserts were also standard. Mustang had hood dress up inserts but were optional.
Both cars are built on a 108-inch wheelbase, however the Barracuda is 9 inches longer (deemed better back in the day) for better ride quality.
The cabin fresh air ventilation / extraction system was in the door for the Barracuda and needed no intervention from its driver.
Mustang owners (for the fastback at least) needed reach back behind their heads and move a lever that was right about the ear level for any rear passenger (awkward to say the least).
While discussing uncomfortable and awkward, please notice that with the Mustang fastback, the rear passengers might become a little claustrophobic.
There are NO side windows for the rear seat passengers, while it does emphasize the 2+2 nature of the car it also seems to me that it would make less of an “exciting” experience for the poor rear passengers.

67 Barracuda back seat experience (with a view!)
67 Mustang 2+2 back seat experience 67 Barracuda back seat again this time with a happy couple! I think even my young children would probably feel abused have been relegated to the back seat area of the Mustang 2+2. This is no comparison. There is no middle seat passenger in the Mustang. There is a hump there!
If it was going to be a second family car, the Barracuda was clearly a true 4 (or 5 / 6) passenger car, even though it was still in the compact car class.
Further comparing the rear seating area on the Mustang 2+2 and the Barracuda Fastback the door card area and window crank on the Barracuda are certainly more appealing to the eye and likely the side as well because the side panel is a molded / formed hard plastic shell and is probably fairly unforgiving.
You may need a helping hand to make the 2+2 Mustang a 2 seater. There are latches on both sides of the seat back.
Whereas with the Barracuda fastback, you see how much happier the young lady is being able to single-handedly and by herself drop the seat back on the Barracuda!
Back to the comfort of the front passengers, note the temperature controls are in the middle of the dash on the Barracuda. In view of both the driver and passenger to help keep eyes up on the road if needing adjusting while driving.
On the Mustang only the driver has access to them, and the controls look like they could potentially catch the driver’s knee getting in and out.
The ad agency, to illustrate a point, put a toboggan in the back of both a Barracuda and a Mustang in the back of each car. The carrying ability of The Barracuda is clearly better.
The Mustang trunk lid would not close with the same toboggan.
The trunk area is finished much better on the Barracuda Fastback. The spare tire on the Barracuda is under the trunk are inset into the gas tank. Offering a true flat unobstructed trunk area.
The spare tire on the Mustang is in the truck taking precious cargo area.
With the trunk divider up once again separating the passenger and truck areas the Barracuda was again a clear winning choice.  With all these features the Plymouth dealers managed to sell 62,534 total units.
The 1967 Sports Barracuda (Fastback) production numbers totaled 30,110 units.
The 1967 Hardtop Barracuda (Coupe/Notchback) production numbers totaled 28,196 units.
The 1967 Barracuda Convertible production numbers totaled 4,228 units. These pictures above come directly from the 1967 dealer sales brochure and show some optional items specifically on the notchback and the convertible they show the optional front and rear bumper guards (Code 483) at Retail cost of $22.00 and the Deluxe Wheel covers at $21.30 (Code 581). The convertible is sporting the center sport stripe (Code 294) for and added $30.65. While the Fastback is showing off the optional Bolt on Design Wheel cover for $30.00 (Code 583).

The codes mentioned above are the Sales Order Codes found on the much coveted production build sheets found under the rear seat stuffed between the seat springs and the cushion. After these 50 plus years much of the time today they are either long gone or entirely disintegrated. Which is why I used the term much coveted.

As an aside, sometimes folks would find build sheets for cars that weren’t actually theirs. If you can imagine, any factory is fairly hectic and sometimes mistakes made. To add further perspective the following models were all made at the Hamtramck Plant (also known as Dodge Main) during the 1967 to 1969 model years. Obviously, our wonderful little Barracuda’s fall in here but actually many other Chrysler Corporation’s A bodies were produced here.

Meaning variants from the Dodge and Plymouth A bodies Valiant’s, 2 doors, 4 doors. Darts 2 doors, 4 doors plus the convertibles. Then to add, many of the companies’ Dodge Charger “B” bodies were also build there.

At the time the car was released the media was rather less that enthusiastic about the Barracuda. All they could see was the reuse of the cowl area and made, in my opinion, a big deal about it.

The 273 Commando motor
While the “all-new” 280 rated horsepower big block 383, was to be made available even later. It also would be ONLY available as an upgrade to the Formula S option package. The big-block “B” motor also required the K-H front disk brake package. The earliest big block powered Barracuda I have been able find has a March 1967 production date. To further illustrate that the 67 Barracuda model year launch had an unusually late introduction, factory service manuals are usually produced months in advance of the release of an automobile. The regular 1967 Plymouth Factory Service Manual for the small car platform there are no references of the Barracuda. There is a later released addendum that has the unique body and specific interior items outlined for the second-generation Barracuda.

The big block 383 4bbl motor was certainly big news, continuing the put a big motor in a small car muscle car success principle, it is believed that the 383 motor at 280 horsepower (hp) was very underrated by corporate so as not to steal sales away from the more profitable B-body lineup. The official reason for the detuned numbers was that the exhaust manifolds for the little A body were more restrictive. The 383 4bbl in the remaining Plymouth lineup, B bodies and C bodies was normally rated at 325 hp. I have always question that, story in that, the new for 67 A body platform was specifically designed to accommodate the Mopar B Block family. This was a direct response to the rumors of the 2nd generation Mustangs adding support for their Ford family of big blocks engines starting with the 390. Add to that, the worst kept secret, GM was going to be producing a Mustang killer of its own, codenamed “Banshee”. That platform would become the Chevrolet and the Pontiac Camaro and Firebird, respectively. Part of that rumor mill also highlighted that the Chevrolet big block would fit in their newest smallest yet unnamed compact car. GM had, prior to the 1964 GTO, mandated that no standard engine over 350 cubic inches be fitted to any of their smaller (GM) A body platforms the Chevelle, Tempest, Cutlass and Skylark’s. In 1964, John Z Deloren being head of Pontiac Marketing (yes, THAT Deloren) broke those rules and offered the GTO (with its 389ci engine) as an “option” to the Tempest lineup. But that’s another story.